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Business Bookshelf
by Donna Ladd
January 18, 2012
If you are considering starting your own business, or have already started one, get yourself a copy of the classic “The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It” by Michael Gerber (HarperCollins, 1995, $18.99) to learn how to sustain it. This book does not soft-pedal the world of owning your business and what you’re doing right or wrong. Perhaps the most needed advice in the book is not to start a business because you want to be your own boss. It’s the worst reason to do it, as you’ll learn in the book.
In addition, Gerber teaches the franchise model of running your business, even if you’re not a franchise. That is, you need systems and checklists, even in creative businesses. Many businesses spend way too much time reinventing the same wheel, and this leads to almost-certain failure. You’ll also love this book because it helps you figure out exactly what positions you need on your staff so that you can work on your business, not in it. Successful entrepreneurs need to find good people to do what they’re not good at and don’t have time to do. This book can help. Don’t start a business without it.
READING NOW: Gerber’s classic “E-Myth” was so good that I’m working my way through his other books. I’m currently reading Gerber’s “ Awakening the Entrepreneur Within: How Ordinary People Can Create Extraordinary Companies” (Harper, 2009, $15.99). I’ll report back.
Time Tip
This one is easier, and harder, than it sounds. When you get to your desk in the morning, don’t check your email. Seriously. Get something else done first, something really important that will give you that burst of energy to deal with the rest of your task list for the day. This is a magical tip from organizing guru Julie Morgenstern in “ Never Check E-Mail In the Morning: And Other Unexpected Strategies for Making Your Work Life Work” (Touchstone, 2005, $15). Try it.
Once you’ve mastered this one, turn off your email alerts. You don’t want to be distracted every time an email arrives in your box. Set up two to four times to check your email each day. Or, if you really, really need to see email more often, spend the first five or 10 minutes of each hour processing email. Try to process it so you don’t have to touch it again, and be sure to delete it if you don’t need it cluttering up your inbox. The ideal is a clear inbox every day, but we’ll deal with that task in another issue.
Managing Magic: Work to praise at least four times more than you criticize. And hire and promote employees who make you want to praise much more than that!
posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 01/18/12 at 05:10 PM. [printer version] Share |
COMMENTS
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May 23, 2012 | 01:37 PMBryant Signs Voter ID Bill
golden eagle: Wow, my English was bad on the previous post. You know how it is on these iPhones.
May 23, 2012 | 12:30 PM
Bryant Signs Voter ID Bill
golden eagle: @Jess, I think the word you're looking for is "assassination". @Darryl, do we really know that the majority of MS'ians wanted this, when you consider that this was a ...
May 23, 2012 | 12:18 PM
Bryant Signs Voter ID Bill
DonnaLadd: I can only hope that the reason that this bill passed is that, for once, our lawmakers listened to the majority of Mississippians and crafted this bill. Considering that the ...
May 23, 2012 | 11:57 AM
Bryant Signs Voter ID Bill
justjess: @Darryl 5/23 "....for once, our lawmakers listened to the majority of Mississippians and crafted this bill." My question is still on the table: What were you "majority ...
May 23, 2012 | 05:26 AM
Bryant Signs Voter ID Bill
Darryl: justjess, I can only hope that the reason that this bill passed is that, for once, our lawmakers listened to the majority of Mississippians and crafted this bill. But, recall, that ...
May 22, 2012 | 04:26 PM
One Night at Fenian's
DonnaLadd: ... because if there is anything The Clarion-Ledger can muster the resources to do, it's show up any night of the week and take drunk pictures. Meantime, they crib our sports stories. ...
May 22, 2012 | 03:53 PM
One Night at Fenian's
Rico: Next time just call Metro Mix at the C-L and have them come and take some pretty pictures for the newspaper. Hell, the got some on karaoke night Monday.
May 22, 2012 | 02:07 PM
[Editorial] To Do Its Job, Council Must Show Up
RobbieR: And Chokwe wants to run for Mayor? Hopefully the citizens of Jackson don't fall for this clown's rhetoric.
May 22, 2012 | 01:15 PM
Catholics Sue Over Birth Control Rule
Brian C Johnson: I cannot decide whether this is a vanity lawsuit, in the sense that the bishops know they stand little chance of prevailing in court. Or to put it more charitably, ...
May 22, 2012 | 01:00 PM
Bryant Signs Voter ID Bill
Brian C Johnson: Darryl, I think it is simply a statement of fact that African Americans in Mississippi are less likely to have the required photo ID. If so, the new law is discriminatory in ...
May 22, 2012 | 11:25 AM
Bryant Signs Voter ID Bill
Duan C.: I am in agreement with Golden Eagle - requiring I.D. ties a fee into voting, the only reason why its considered "discriminatory" towards black, is because it places back into an era ...
May 22, 2012 | 10:22 AM
Person of the Day: Rep. Andy Gipson
RobbieR: What? I was clearly referring to Bennie Thompson, not Rep. Gipson. Rep. Bennie Thomson represents Mississippi's 2nd Congressional district; Darryl noted that he rep'd the ...
May 22, 2012 | 09:59 AM
Bryant Signs Voter ID Bill
justjess: Darryl, out of my "simple ignorance" I ask you this "little question:" Why are registered voters here in the State of Mississippi being asked to produce a picture ID? When the State ...
May 22, 2012 | 08:49 AM
Person of the Day: Rep. Andy Gipson
Duan C.: @ Robbie R - you lost me on that one? They have him listed in the 77th District - covering Rankin, Simpson, and Smith counties?
May 22, 2012 | 08:47 AM
Bryant Signs Voter ID Bill
bill_jackson: I would be interested to know what percentage of the voting age population does not have identification in this day and age.
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