Profitable Businesses

The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It Paperback – Bargain Price, April 12, 1995

by Michael E. Gerber (Author)

4.7 out of 5 stars

6,986 ratings

Part of: E-myth (5 books)

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In this brand-new and completely updated edition of the two million-copy bestseller The E-Myth, Michael Gerber debunks the myths associated with the idea of starting your own business. He illustrates how commonplace beliefs can hinder the process of managing an enterprise. He then guides you through the stages of the business life starting from the beginning of entrepreneurship through the adolescent years of growth to the mature, entrepreneurial view as the primary guideline for every business that is successful -- and explains how to apply the knowledge of franchising to every business regardless of whether it's either a franchised or not. In the end, Gerber draws the vital oft-forgotten distinction between working in your business and working for your business. After reading The E-Myth Revisited, you are capable of growing the business you run in a consistent and effective manner.

Gracie To The Rescue

5.0 out of 5 stars

Own a business? You owe it to yourself to read this book.

Reviewed in the United States on December 12, 2016

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This book literally changed my life. I own a small service business with around 15 employees. I had been struggling for years doing all managerial work myself so that it was done up to my standards. We did great work but at the expense of my sanity!

A mentor told me to read this book. The E-Myth was the driving factor that took my small business which had been controlling my life and transformed it into a business I could run remotely. Before I read this book I was working on site 9 hours a day 6 days a week. Less than a year after reading this I was able to take a six-month vacation around the world while my business ran itself. If you own a small business you need to read this book as soon as possible.

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Amazon Customer

5.0 out of 5 stars

Life changing

Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2018

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I love this book. I read it first two years ago, when I'd barely started my business. I re-read it again, and the richness of it all is amazing. I've come so far (we've expanded tho London, Los Angeles and Atlanta), and so much of that is owed to this book.

Is it perfect? No - it's seriously cringy when the author talks about how beautiful and youthful his protege is. Ugh. But other than that, I love it and recommended it to all small business owners. Read it.

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John Orban

5.0 out of 5 stars

Before you even think about starting a business, read this book!

Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2018

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This is the most important book I've read in the last four years. And it's amazing that it was written over twenty years ago. If you're a small business owner or thinking of starting a business of your own, you MUST read this book. Don't listen to the clowns on Facebook who will have you earning a million dollars your first year in the business. That's B.S. and you'll waste thousands of dollars like I did. READ THIS BOOK FIRST! It's changing my life!

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Scott P.

5.0 out of 5 stars

Are you more technician, manager or entrepreneur?

Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2015

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Easily worth the time to read. Being self-employed for 10 years, the author struck a chord with me time and again. I knew of the struggle between the inner technician, manager and entrepreneur but never had the framework to understand it. If you're a person who has marketable, technical talent and is self-employed or thinking of being self-employed, I'd say invest in this book and save yourself some inner turmoil.

Somebody gave this book 4 stars because of how long-winded the author can be... which is definitely something he does. It feels like 3 pages could be condensed to 2 paragraphs sometimes. That said, I felt that half the time it was just annoying and half the time it really helped the point of the story he was telling. It's long-winded, but that often plays into the lesson that he's retelling. So I'd give it a 4.5 stars if I'm really being critical. That said, it's about the insights and lessons you draw from it. Worth the read.

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Mo Saleem

5.0 out of 5 stars

A must read for ALL entrepreneurs

Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2020

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The critical shift from owning a job to owning a business is to work on your business rather than in your business. Such a simple shift but powerful and profound nonetheless. The E-Myth empowers you with a complete blueprint on how to create a REAL business, i.e. a system that generates value without you. A lot of us entrepreneurs get into business to work for ourselves and the intended freedom that will create, but until you implement the practical frameworks in this book, you will never achieve that result. This book is something that I will continue to come back to again and again because it gives the framework on how to create a real business that will stand the test of time. A must read for ALL entrepreneurs and wantrapreneurs.

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Ben Donahower

5.0 out of 5 stars

A classic for a reason

Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2021

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I read this book fifteen or twenty years ago and just now. In re reading I was surprised T how much has stayed with me whether it's the phrases of a technician suffering from an entrepreneurial seizure or working in the business to the other anecdotes and stories. It wasn't all that long that I referenced the lucite whiteboard protector when I realized that if we just bought toilet paper without tubes the problem of people not putting the tube in the taken would be resolved.

Why else did I read it again?!

Systems. My number one focus this year. Another great book is work the system in this topic.

The bonus was philosophy. I learned something about life as much as I did about business.

This is an outstanding book.

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Piper Smith

5.0 out of 5 stars

A recipe for entrepreneurs

Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2019

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If you're an entrepreneur - or think you are - this is book will tell you how to get the full potential from your business. You may also learn you're not really an entrepreneur by the author's definition, but he gives you the process to get there. In reality building a successful business isn't as simple as the book makes it sounds, but it's a great framework to force you to think about how to optimize your business strategy, management and operations. This book is best suited for small businesses.

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MAURICE J RUBINO

5.0 out of 5 stars

Create the business of your dreams by living the dreams of your Life

Reviewed in the United States on December 22, 2015

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If you are thinking of starting your own business, welcome to one aspect of the American Dream. Remember however that for a business to succeed, it will need more than you and an idea. It will need a systematic approach to be a successful business and The E-Myth Revisted should be on your list of required reading before you start your business. Michael Gerber's book reviews all aspects of preparing your business to succeed beyond just your initial idea by using what he calls the "Franchise Prototype". The book is a quick read told through a discussion between Michael and a would be bakery shop entrepreneur, Sarah. This real life example of how to build a business will make you think of the best way to structure your business to allow you to live the life of your dreams.

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Kindle Customer

5.0 out of 5 stars

What is Missing in My Business

Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2021

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Though I’ve read this book once, I’m not done. The hardest part is implementation. This book is indeed what I have been missing to have a business instead of just a job. THANKS!!

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Santos Carrizalez Ramos

5.0 out of 5 stars

How to create a small bus si es that works

Reviewed in the United States on March 13, 2021

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I started my own business months ago, since then I went to a tons of research looking for the most value information about “How to make it profitable and work for a long time of period”, then I found the option to read this Book “The E-Myth”, and I have to say that this book changed my mind, my vision, my perception and created on me a passioned Entrepreneur, for people like me that just started incursion into the business world with not high skill levels on techniques and economics knowledge is the best option to draw the the strategy to make your business successful.

Highly recommended!

Narrative really good giving examples and most important mentioned the “how to do it”

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O. Halabieh

5.0 out of 5 stars

Small Business: MythBuster

Reviewed in the United States on October 6, 2012

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The book revolves around a central idea, that there exists a myth ("E-Myth") which states: "Small businesses are started by entrepreneurs risking capital to make a profit. This is simply not so. The real reasons people start businesses have little to do with entrepreneurship. In fact, this belief in the Entrepreneurial Myth is the most important factor in the devastating rate of small business failure today. Understanding the E-Myth, and applying that understanding to creation and development of a small business, can be the secret to any business's success."

To overcome this myth and it's accompanying challenges, the author argues for the deployment of a Franchise Prototype model. It begins with the owner realizing that "your business is not your life...the primary purpose of your business is to serve your life, you can then go to work on your business, rather than in it".

One might than ask themselves, how do I convert my existing business into this new operational model? This is where the Business Development Program, comes into play. The program introduced by GERBER in this book is based on the execution of the following seven steps:

1- Your Primary Aim: " What do I value the most? What kind of life do I want? What do I want my life to look like, to feel like? Who do I wish to be? Your primary aim is the answer to all these questions."

2- Your Strategic Objective: "A very clear statement of what your business has to ultimately do for you to achieve your primary aim."

3- Your Organizational Strategy: Structure the way the business is going to work, in other words creating the organizational chart - roles and responsibilities.

4- Your Management Strategy: "A system designed into your prototype to produce a marketing result."

5- Your People Strategy: The way the "game" (vision/aim) is communicated to the team at the outset. This includes everything from the position contracts (organization chart), to operations manuals, to the standards for performance and accountability.

6- Your Marketing Strategy: Knowing who your customer is (demographics) and why they buy (psychographics)

7- Your Systems Strategy: The "set of things, actions, ideas and information that interact with each other, and in so doing, alter other systems."

What sets this book apart is the analysis that the author performs, through a sample business, of issues small business owners encounter. This includes the different personas the owner takes on, as well as the evolution of the business through the maturity cycle. This analysis is what allows the readers to appreciate and embrace the proposed prototype framework that the author then introduces as key to success. A must read in the area of entrepreneurship and small business.

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Mark R. LePage

5.0 out of 5 stars

How The E-Myth Revisited Book Helped My Architecture Firm Succeed

Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2014

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On April 8, 1999, I discovered a book that changed the way I view business; a book that helped me to realize that running a successful architecture firm required so much more than designing great architecture. It taught me that inside the owner of every small firm exists a battle among The Entrepreneur, The Manager and The Technician, and that if we don’t attend to the needs of each, our firms are destined for failure.

The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It inspired me to build Fivecat Studio as a Franchise Prototype, even though we knew selling our business systems as a franchise was never a planned goal. The systems we created for the firm have allowed us to thrive and have given us the freedom we need to balance the requirements of our firm with the responsibilities of our family. It is the book that inspired me to begin to work “on my business, rather than in my business.”

This book, written by Michael E. Gerber, had a major influence in the success of our firm and continues to guide many of our business decisions to this day. Fivecat Studio has been in business for 15 years. Annmarie and I experienced the startup pains of “infancy”, the hard earned success of “adolescence” and recently, with our return to the home studio and the launch of our new virtual business model, we are surprisingly “getting small again”.

As I re-read the words of this inspirational how-to guide for successful small business, it is shocking to me how accurate Mr. Gerber is as he describes the different stages of the typical small business. As I read it, I can follow the path of Fivecat Studio through good decisions and bad, through ups and downs and I can see the next steps we need to take.

I’ve read The E-Myth so many times that I have lost count. A quick peek at my Amazon order history documents that I have given this book to no fewer than 10 friends and acquaintances as a gift from one business owner to another, struggling to find a life of fulfillment and freedom.

Michael Gerber breaks his book into three sections.

In Part I, The E-Myth and the American Small Business, he defines the E-Myth as the Entrepreneurial Myth and discusses how most small businesses are the result of an Entrepreneurial Seizure. He says,

“The technician suffering from an Entrepreneurial Seizure takes the work he loves to do and turns it into a job.”

Does that sound familiar? How many architects do you know who have launched their own firms, with dreams of “doing it better” than their former employer and found themselves way over their heads in all the responsibilities of running a small business?

Gerber describes the three phases of business; Infancy, Adolescence and Maturity. He explains why it is so important to build a Mature company from the start.

“A Mature company is founded on a broader perspective, an entrepreneurial perspective, a more intelligent point of view. About building a business that works not because of you but without you. And because it starts that way, it is more likely to continue that way. And therein the true difference between an Adolescent company, where everything is left up to chance, and a Mature company, where there is a vision against which the present is shaped.”

“Successful companies don’t end up as Mature companies. They start that way.”

In Part II, The Turn-Key Revolution: A New View of Business, Mr. Gerber introduces the concept of the Franchise Prototype and the concept of “working on your business, not in it.”

He encourages us to create systems which allow for predictable results and happy clients.

“The system runs the business. The people run the system. The system integrates all the elements required to make a business work. It transforms a business into an organism, driven by integrity of its parts, all working in concert toward a realized objective. And, with its Prototype as its progenitor, it works like nothing else before it.”

Many architects I know, including Annmarie at first, reject the thought of building systems for their firms. They feel that the routines and consistency of such will limit their creativity, that they will lose their flexibility to create amazing works of architecture. When, in fact, systems will do just the opposite. When everything else required to run a successful business is set to run on “autopilot”, an architect will actually have more time and flexibility to be an architect.

Gerber continues,

“Great businesses are not built by extraordinary people, but by ordinary people doing extraordinary things. But for ordinary people to do extraordinary things, a system – ‘a way of doing things’ – is absolutely essential in order to compensate for the disparity between the skills your people have and the skills your business needs if it is to produce consistent results.”

This is also the section where some readers become frustrated with Gerber’s example of McDonald’s as a model for small business success. I know, as an architect, it is difficult to see the connection between the home of the Big Mac and our aspiring high-end residential design firms. Please trust me and read the book to the end. You will not regret learning the lessons he teaches using the examples of this successful business franchise.

Here is some of what Gerber says about McDonald’s;

“It delivers exactly what we have come to expect of it every single time. So that’s why I look upon McDonalds as a model for every small business. Because it can do in its more than 14,000 stores what most of can’t do in one! And to me, that’s what integrity is all about. It’s about doing what you say you will do, and, if you can’t, learning how. If that’s the measure of an incredible business – and I believe it is – then there is no more incredible business than McDonalds. Who among us small business owners can say we do things as well?”

Part III, Building a Small Business That Works is a step by step, how-to guide for a successful small business. He leads us through a fully developed Business Development Program and describes the many strategies required for small business success.

The E-Myth Revisited is not only your answer to building a successful small business, it’s also very entertaining. Gerber structures the information around a narrative about a woman named Sarah struggling with her small business named All About Pies. Many readers will see ourselves in Sarah as she evolves from frustrated Technician into a successful small business owner.

When I posted recently that The E-Myth was my favorite business book of all time, many from the Entrepreneur Architect Community reached out and asked me why.

In short… If you take action to implement the lessons Michael Gerber teaches, The E-Myth Revisited will take your firm to places you only imagined. I know it will work for you, because it has already worked for me.

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Matt

5.0 out of 5 stars

An extremely well written book

Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2015

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What an extremely well written book. As a business owner of different businesses over the past 20 years, I am always a bit jaded when I read an 'expert' on business try to tell me how it is. But the author clearly knows what he is talking about, and he demonstrates that in the way he describes scenarios. Anyone can look at a situation and tell you something that might be useful, but when the person telling you speaks the right language, you have the confidence to listen with the full attention he or she deserves.

If you're a business owner, or wanna be, I would suggest reading this book. If you've been in business for many years, I'd suggest reading this book twice. It will make you see things, like possibilities, not just error correction, that you might have wondered about but weren't sure how to go.

I highly recommend this book.

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Leo V

5.0 out of 5 stars

Small Book, Eye-Opening Concepts

Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2020

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While some of the concepts in this book may not be that groundbreaking or unheard of, this book delivers so much knowledge that hardly any other books of its same kind can contain. The book is structured around a core story in harmony with many other mini-stories to support and convey the main concepts. If you are new to entrepreneurship or are owning a small business yet struggling to make it work, this book can definitely be a great guide leading to improvements and freedom. It is a very practical book, and what you learn from it can be applied almost immediately in real life. I am so glad I read this book before starting my business, so now I can systematize it and work "on" it, instead of becoming a slave who works "in" it. I highly recommend this book.

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David

5.0 out of 5 stars

A step by step guide on getting the best from your business

Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2019

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The perfect guide to running a business, rather than having the business run you. If you're a small business owner and wonder how the big companies got to where they are, Mr. Gerber will point you in the right direction. Your business may be small in size, but you've got to think big and Mr. Gerber will show you the ins and outs on moving from small to big by following a logical sequence of time tested methods that will take you from dreamer to reality and beyond, from technician to entrepreneur, from business owner to business person, tactician to strategist.

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Citrus

5.0 out of 5 stars

#1 Entrepreneur Book

Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2020

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I started my entrepreneurial journey early this year and have already consumed around 50 or so books on the topic of business Building and aspiring entrepreneurialism so I have a “little” experience with the field. I have read most of the top 50 business books of all time and I have to say... this is the #1 book for me. I wish I could shake his hand and thank him. Few books wow Me and this one is outstanding. Highly recommend

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G. Luckett

5.0 out of 5 stars

Well worth the reading

Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2016

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The first part of the book made some interesting points about the different functions of a business owner and the cycles of a small business. The rest of the book is devoted to how to integrate those functions and grow or at least operate a business. While it pushes the franchise system, what it is really teaching is how to set a business up to operate without you having to be there, doing everything, to get it right. As I see it, you can have a "franchise" of one business, one store, one etc. or you might expand to many businesses via franchising. A well organized single entity business is not a bad idea at all, especially if you want vacations or a day or two off each week.

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Jason M

5.0 out of 5 stars

A Must-Read For Every Entrepreneur

Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2020

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A friend of mind had recommended this book to me several months ago. I thought it would be just another business book but let me tell you that it’s not. This book has already begun to transform my business over the week or so of reading it. Although there is still much work to do in transforming (and developing) my business, I now have a much clearer picture of what needs to be done to truly have the business of my dreams. Thank you Michael Gerber for writing this book and to all of my friend and colleagues who highly recommended E-Myth. It’s worth every penny and moment of time invested.

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J Becker

5.0 out of 5 stars

It makes so much sense!

Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2015

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As a small business owner I am constantly reading and researching ways to run my business better. To me, this means less time and effort with more revenue, profit, and stability. Michael Gerber's strategy of organizing the typical small business similar to that of a franchise business is brilliant! Had I read his book 5 years ago I would have saved a tremendous amount of time and effort learning the very principles that he describes in the book. His principles provide an excellent road map toward my desire to run a successful business on my terms, rather than having the business run me. Probably the best and most informative books on how to both plan and run a small business that I have ever found. Michael Gerber is not an academic and may not be appreciated by those who consider themselves such, however, I believe he addresses his audience (the typical small business owner) with an excellent understanding of the challenges we face and he provides tools for us to succeed even beyond our original dreams!

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Robert J

5.0 out of 5 stars

Outstanding!!

Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2021

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I went into small business to pave my own path. But little did I know anything about the importance of what this book talks about. It has saved me. In a time that I am still small yet growing, this book is the Bible of my business on proper structuring and moral character. This perhaps is my saving grace in 2021 moving forward in my entrepreneurial journey. I highly recommend to anyone in business.

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Living the kitchen life

5.0 out of 5 stars

DON'T GO INTO ANY BUSINESS BEFORE YOU READ THIS BOOK!

Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2014

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My husband use to teach, Sales Management and Marketing, on the college level. He initially read this book several years ago and would reference it in his teachings. He made the mistake of loaning it to a student and never received it back. He was so intrigue by this book that we purchased it again. He read it to me again, word for word and always stopped to highligt the things he wanted to recall. One night when he was reading to me, I said, "Wouldn't it be easier to highlight the things you think are not relevant." We both laughed.

We use to own a small business consulting firm and my husband is currently working on a business plan. Today, he states that if we were still consulting, "he would require every applicant to read this book before we would speak to them."

He thinks that this is one of the best books he has ever read on starting a business and he has read numerous. He would work for them because he believes in what they are selling, "SUCCESS!"

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Christopher Persaud

5.0 out of 5 stars

Become a Master of Entrepreneurs!

Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2015

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If you're a new entrepreneur like I am, you'd be doing yourself a huge favor by reading this book. It was suggested to me by my professional coaches. Being very new to this space I felt like the information provided in this book has slingshot me past most seasoned entrepreneurs. Per the information in this book: 80% of businesses fail in the first year.... my personal opinion: don't be a part of the statistics so read this book!

The author has a wonderful way with words and made the book extremely enjoyable to read with a story of and individual that you'll swear is you. After reading it, I sincerely claim that this is now my favorite book of all times (sorry Harry Potter).

Don't let your dreams suffer with the demise of your business (or future business). Get this book, implement the strategies, and enjoy the life you envisioned better than you thought it would ever be.

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Ms.ScoutKitty

5.0 out of 5 stars

Buy it for yourself, then buy it for everyone else, because they don't know yet and you're going to enlighten them

Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2018

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Get the book, so you can put notes and post-its in, then get the audible version, so you can listen while driving, then get to where you're going, pull out the book, make some more notes, add more post-its, rinse, repeat...and eventually you either get it, or you continue hating the new job you created for yourself, with horrible hours, no pay, and no free time...come to think of it, yeah, just try and get it.

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Shannon Gaw

5.0 out of 5 stars

Zen and the art of small business

Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2007

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"The e-Myth Revisited" is an entertaining, well-written book that provides Gerber's philosophy on why 80% of small businesses fail and what can be done to prevent that.

It is presented in three parts. Part I serves to convince the reader that just because they are a great technician, it does not mean they will be a great owner of a business that does technical work. In essence, every small business must either grow or die, and for the owner, "your job is to prepare yourself and your business for growth" not necessarily work in the business.

Part II seeks to convince the reader that the business Business Format Franchise is the optimal model for a small business. With this concept, the product of the business is the business itself, and the owner should build his business as if he will franchise it.

Part III gets down to some blocking and tackling of founding and constructing the business. This is an excellent little section that communicates a lot in a short space about operational, management, and marketing strategies. The questions raised in sections "Your Primary Aim" and "Your Strategic Objectives" are worth posing when considering any vocation, not just running a small businesses. The concept of "The Game" is very insightful, and it is applicable to both small business and corporate managers.

This isn't your typical business advice book. A consulting session with Sarah, owner of All About Pies, runs through the text, providing a forum for Gerber to give his advice in a personal fashion (and to exhibit an apparent flare for drama). The pages are sprinkled with references to classical literature, and there is a mid-book confession Gerber's exotic lifestyle, career choices and the road he took to become who he is now. And then there is Gerber's philosophical approach:

- He says "Your business is nothing more than a distinct reflection of who you are".

- He states small business has a higher calling than just business, and provides a Game to address the "Something is missing in most of our lives.... Part of what's missing is purpose. Values. Worthwhile standards against which our lives can be measured. Part of what's missing is a Game Worth Playing." Elsewhere, he says "A small business is a place that responds instantly to any action we take. A place where we can practice implementing ideas in a way that changes lives."

- He compares a small business to a dojo, or our practice hall, to wrestle with ourselves outside our comfort zone.

- He advises us to be wary of the comfort zone, saying "Your Comfort Zone has seized you before... and it can seize you again, when you're least prepared for it, because it knows what it means to you. Because it knows how much you want to be comfortable. Because it knows what price you are willing to pay for the comfort of being in control. The ultimate price, your life.... Comfort makes cowards of us all."

As far as the intended audience, in the first line of his Introduction, Gerber states "If you own a small business, or if you want to own a small business, this book was written for you". This is very true, with two caveats: it offers little insight on how to determine what type of business to start, and secondly, there are nuggets of wisdom in here for corporate mid-level or line managers too.

Although I was slightly put-off by long-winded digressions and melodrama, I still have to strongly recommend "The E-Myth" to its target audience.

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Fredyveli

5.0 out of 5 stars

Life Changing Book!

Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2017

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This book has absolutely life changing content. I'm glad I read this before starting my business. I knew I needed to think through everything carefully but did not have the tools in this book.

The writing is also just absolutely stunning. Each story is told in a memorable way and the transitions are seamless.

This needs a few reads to fully grasp and internalize the lessons here.

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epoch_ghostly

5.0 out of 5 stars

I was made to read this for class and I'm so glad I did

Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2021

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The teacher was ranting and raving about this book...and to be honest, he was right, it's amazing. The class I enrolled and paid for was worth just being told about this book. Save my money! Get my free recommendation!

This is an easy to read description of all areas of entrepreneurship, and general commentaries on grassroots business and ethics. Sure, not everything may relate to your business but most things you can extrapolate your own meaningful spin from. Great book.

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David L. Crosby

5.0 out of 5 stars

Know Yourself

Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2007

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I have read and re-read this book (and the original) many times over the past 15 years.

With the first reading I was struck at how many people I knew that fit perfectly into the nutshell descriptions of individuals with locked in mind-sets presented!

The entrepreneurial seizure; The Fat Guy & The Skinny Guy; The Entrepreneur & Manager & Technician; customers Sam Tommy and Mary; Bookkeeper Harry; the suppliers, the improperly trained helpers, the desperate owner, and many others. I KNEW these people! Or at least the essence of them.

With later readings I became aware of ALL of them as being aspects of my own self, and the possibilities each offered. Attitude is Everything! Change the attitude, change the outcome!

For me, this is the main value of the book, learning to understand myself, and why I do the things I do.

I feel the overview presented by the E myth should be understood by each new business owner BEFORE making that first leap.

No one book can be all things to all people, but for those interested in starting or improving a business, this one comes close.

In my mind, there is only one minor failing in the book. It does not examine in great enough detail why people would want to work for you. Success comes from helping other people get what they want. What are their interests, dreams and goals? How can you help them reach what THEY want? Why would they want YOU to succeed?

Great businesses can only exist if they have great people.

All in all, this is my most valuable Business Book.

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Mike Logan

5.0 out of 5 stars

If you're in charge of ANYTHING, why haven't you read this book yet?

Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2018

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E-Myth Revisited completely changed the way I ran the collegiate recreation program I was in charge of for 7 years.

Implementing its ideas made it much easier to pass the reigns to my successor when I was ready to leave my position. And it made it easier for my successor to pick up where I left off. It also made day-to-day operations & training of my staff simpler and easier...which made life in general much better for me.

It took a lot of time, effort, and experimentation to put the principles into practice, but the payoff was far beyond worth it.

Thank you Michael Gerber. And thanks to my friend Kris Bender who introduced me to the book.

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Bridger

5.0 out of 5 stars

Great book for business professionals and new business owners

Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2018

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This is an excellent read! I work for a franchising company as a Business Coach, and we give a copy to all new business owners that we are training. It's a great tool to help you get your business off the ground the right way. One of the most important things to do during your business infancy is to identify what areas you, as the business owner, personally excel at, and what areas you will need to hire help. This book does a great job helping you identify your own traits, and helps you be honest with yourself about your own capabilities.

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J. Wright

5.0 out of 5 stars

Instant classic for the small business owner

Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2018

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When I first started this book, I honestly thought it was going to be a bit cheesy. Being a biz owner, I thought - I already know this stuff. I was wrong. This book was full of nuggets I had either forgotten about or had never even considered. A lot of these ideas I had to figure through trial and error over years. I got a lot from this book and definitely recommend it for existing biz owners and especially those considering starting a business

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Charger

5.0 out of 5 stars

Excellent!

Reviewed in the United States on December 17, 2010

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I was expecting managerial balloon juice, but this turned out to be a very helpful and informative book. If you are thinking about starting a business, this book will give you an extremely valuable perspective on planning it. Some reviewers have stated that this book is nothing more than a pitch for franchising businesses. Actually, the author does not argue that you should develop and sell franchises of your business. Rather, he states that one should take the franchise model as a way to streamline, systematize, and document your business functions so that when your business begins to grow, you can hire people to do the work the way you want it done. This allows you to focus on entrepreneurial (as opposed to technical) matters and keeps you from being the repository of all the expertise in the firm (which would force you to do everything in the office anyway, making employees worse than useless). Also, a documented system of conducting your business will add value to it by allowing you to show how it works to people who might be interested in buying your business in the future. Obviously, if you find yourself with the next McDonald's on your hands, franchising might be the way to go, but the author does not argue that any particular business should franchise, only that the franchise model has lessons to teach every business.

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Highnoon

5.0 out of 5 stars

Good read for any business owner

Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2021

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Highly recommend for both the new and seasoned business owner! It is worth your time to read this short book!

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Kay

5.0 out of 5 stars

I recommend to anyone starting a business to avoid frustrations and ...

Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2017

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E-Myth Revisited was right on point with the experiences a small business owner has then gives practical solutions that can be implemented. I recommend to anyone starting a business to avoid frustrations and to established businesses to make changes so that your business better serves your life. Five stars.

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Smedley

5.0 out of 5 stars

Key lessons for those wanting to start a business

Reviewed in the United States on September 25, 2014

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Michael Gerber takes a very practical approach to explaining the difference between working for a company and running a company. He keeps things on a level that is simple to understand.

A few of the key lessons from this book:

+ If your business doesn't run without you, you don't own a business, you own a job.

+ Understanding the technical work that a business does is not the same as understanding a business that does technical work.

+ What you sell is not important, the way it is delivered is.

+ There is beauty in following an immaculate process.

+ The product is what your customer feels as he walks out of your business.

Every budding entrepreneur should read this book... multiple times! It contains incredibly valuable lessons. Don't be fooled by the simplicity - it contains powerful wisdom.

Feel free to check out my summary of the Key Lessons of The E-Myth:

http://revisy.com/s/24/Book-summary-The-E-Myth-Revisited

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Jeffrey E Ellis

5.0 out of 5 stars

Insightful. Revealing. Clear-Sighted. Inspiring.

Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2008

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THE E_MYTH REVISITED is worth reading and revisiting. Gerber reminds the reader about the basic premise of business: satisfying the customer, in a new, entertaining, and insightful way.

He proposes that the three key characteristics (skills) of a successful business owner are: skilled technician, entrepeneur, and manager. This is sound advise and a proper balance of the three prevents tyranny by any one personality. I have seen exagerations of all three of these skill sets to the ruin of the afflicted enterprises; mine included.

As a case study, he follows Sarah, owner of All About Pies, as he leads her through her catharsis from exhausted technician to balanced, productive and fulfilled business owner.

There is a great deal of truth that Gerber captures and teaches along with room for some disagreement. Not every business, for example, is suited to be franchised. Not every service can easily be documented. Nonetheless, this quick read is worth its weight in gold to the young or new businessman. I wish I had read this 20 years ago - it would probably have changed my business and my life.

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Phillip Santos

5.0 out of 5 stars

I had a debilitating panic attack one year into running my business.

Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2017

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I had a debilitating panic attack one year into running my business. I thought I was done... but some close friends stepped in to keep it going.

After that, we started a dialogue on the team about emotional sustainability. We started tinkering with systems to make us effective and not sad as we did Body//Talk.

This book has been a complete revolution for how we operate. I'd heard about operations manuals, contracts, and org charts before... but it wasn't until reading the E-Myth that I saw a compelling framework for how they all work together to create an incredible, healthy, sustainable business.

This past month I've taken my sweet time reading, because this inspired me to thoroughly take apart every nut, bolt, and component of this engine, look at it, clean it, understand it, and ask how it could be better.

5/5

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Mel Carter

5.0 out of 5 stars

Must have for a business owner

Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2019

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A great book to read for anyone with a small business or thinking of starting a small business. Many of the items are back of mind are crystalized in the book and played out with examples that are practical and easily applied. Quick easy read, but you will keep it close for usage over time.

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DZ Louie

5.0 out of 5 stars

Excellent business knowledge to use as a foundation for any business idea.

Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2020