E-myth Mastery: The Seven Essential Disciplines for Building a World Class Company

Michael Gerber

HarperBusiness, U.S.; Reprint edition (1 Feb 2007)

Editorial Reviews

Synopsis
Building on the phenomenal success of "The E-Myth Revisited", best-selling author Michael Gerber presents the next step in his program, "E-Myth Mastery". A practical, real-world program that is implemented real-time into your business, Gerber teaches the listener to understand why the entrepreneur is so critical to the success of any enterprise, no matter how small or large, and why the mindset of an entrepreneur is so integral to the operating reality of an organization, small business, or other enterprise. He then covers seven essential skills: Leadership, Marketing, Money, Management, Lead Conversion, Lead Generation and Client Fulfilment. In each, Gerber explains the principles to be learned, and he provides case studies and examples. Gerber ties it all together by helping readers put the pieces together in an E-Myth Business, an E-Myth Practice and an E-Myth Enterprise.

Customer Reviews Average customer review:

Heavy going, heavy on psychobabble
If you're into overwrought emotional prose this ones for you.

I quote "without the passion of the soul, the mind creates an endless stream of empty suits, dreams without heart..."

or this gem

"a part of me is just afraid. that part of me feels like i'm jumping off a cliff, but in some strange way I also trust that I'll fall into something soft and safe"

After about 100 pages it starts turning into a business book again, but after wading through the cod philosphies at the start of the book I was actually angry at the author for putting me through some really badly written stuff, concerning a lady called sarah from 'all about pies' who'd lost her passion, apparently. I knew how she felt by this point in the book.

If you buy it read the real stuff at the end of the book, but really, don't encourage him.

To misquote the book I certainly felt like jumping off a cliff at times.
If only he'd have just stuck to the business. Why does everyone have to be a cod psychologist these days? Nuff said'

Zen and the Art of Entrepreneurship
The book is about the 'Self' as businessman/woman. The key is the, periodic, precisely ordered and focused exercises.

These are questions, Michael Gerber, aims at the heart and soul of being/becoming an entrepreneur. And so one is, if one is open to the questioning, able to pinpoint within oneself the barriers to becoming a truly creative person. Then, after self-reflection, one may come from a space, which was previously closed and oppressive, to an open and experiential one.

There is a storyline in the book showing clearly how the entrepreneur becomes so easily a robot and a machine in the current business ethos. So how does one stay alive and renewed in what is essentially a mechanised business world? Well, this book tackles this dilemma - by making one confront oneself and ones susceptibility, and then enabling one to recover integrity and creativity from within oneself. Because, ultimately, it is not the techniques and methods which make for success, but who one is and how well one knows oneself, and continues to discover oneself.

The book has its highest value in enabling self-knowledge as an entrepreneur.

Michael Gerber in the book does, however, always present the avenues and methods for success in the greatest of practical detail (for example on sales he covers internet portal, direct mail etc. etc. etc. etc. - it's all covered - with advantages and disadvantages and practical application). There are downloadable worksheets, all very ordered and practical where one can try out, test and keep records about ones experiments with oneself, the business and the marketplace.

I would have liked to say more on the practical side of the book, because it is hugely practical and applicable. But it is a year since I read a borrowed copy and don't have it in front of me. I am now ordering a copy for myself.

Entrepreneurship, in my view, is a difficult business. It is one of the greatest challenges to oneself. It can be a disheartening and even degrading experience. Thank you, Michael Gerber, for enabling me to know the dangers, and for giving me clarity and understanding at the beginning of my new business.

Finally, this is not a quick fix book, although because of the practical detail it can be used like one. But beware, for the book is about a journey one decides to make/take - and there are many adventures to be had along the way! :)

In business?  Buy this now.
Having started my own business this book, and the whole Gerber approach, has revolutionised the way we work. We already knew we wanted to change some of the things we were doing but not sure exactly what or how. This book crystallised our thinking and has made us a better outfit because of it. I have no hesitation in recommending this to anyone in a business or thinking of going into business. It is not a quick fix, it's not a load of guru speak. It is a very real set of ideas that have worked for this humble photographer.