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Writer's pictureDavid Parsons

E-Myth Revisited Lessons

If you're like me, you are very selective about the business books you read these days. There are so many self-proclaimed "thought leaders" that drive the business seminar and training industry that it is somewhat instinctive to be skeptical when browsing through the huge selection of Amazon and Kindle offerings.


After some deliberation, I decided to finally read The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It by Michael Gerber. Much of what Mr. Gerber asserts makes sense, as I will outline in more detail.


The core concept is that many small business entrepreneurs go into business as an extension of something they are good at and enjoyed in their previous job. The notion is that if I love to “bake pies” then I would enjoy it even more if I went into business baking pies. The reality check is there is much more to business than producing the core product; there are bills to pay, permits to obtain, people to hire and manage, and so on.


Gerber does a great job of explaining the natural “personalities” we have as entrepreneurs by separating the “technician” side, who only wants to "bake pies", versus the “manager” that is needed to maintain organization, and the “entrepreneur” who must envision where the business needs to go. If one stays too long in the technician mindset, eventually the business will suffer through neglect of the other mindsets, just as an entrepreneur that has a grand vision is ultimately ineffective without a technician to handle the daily operational details. It ultimately takes all three personalities, each at an optimal level of balance, to be effective and operating and growing a small business.


The big takeaway lesson in my opinion, is an effective entrepreneur focuses on working on the business, rather than in it. Sure, when there is work to do and no one else to do it, sometimes we all have to pitch in, but that should not be the operating norm. Too much time in the trenches, and the vision of where the business is heading can be lost, and the proverbial ball can be dropped with other key elements such as supply chain management.


There is much more to Gerber’s business model, such as providing consistent value to customers each and every day, the importance of having systems and documented processes in place, and sufficient effort spent on attention to detail, such as a uniform dress code and brand strategy.He even uses one of my former companies, McDonald’s, as a example of how a system can work effectively and continue on successfully long after the originator is no longer present.


I am not sure I completely agree with his push into franchising as a universal goal. On the surface it sounds logical, but I'm not sold that it is always the best approach to business growth, even though I understand the merits of uniformity and a replicable business system.

The success of the E-Myth book series has also led to the growth and popularity of the EMyth Coaching Program. I intend to read the follow-up book E-Myth Mastery: The Seven Essential Disciplines for Building a World Class Company that adds more detail across the seven disciplines of Leadership, Marketing, Money, Management, Lead Conversion, Lead Generation, and Client Fulfillment.


Overall, this was a good read and worth the time. I would rate it 4 out of 5 stars in my business book library.


Have a great day!

~ David


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