CO-authored by a former Chief Marketing Officer of Kodak and Jim Eber, a veteran business marketing writer, this book takes a hard look at the business practices and coaches small business owners on how to thoughtfully yet aggressively evaluate, deconstruct and then reconstruct their business in order to focus on its bottom line.
To achieve success in any business, things have to be done right: focus on what you do, deliver the value people demand and sell and leverage what you have and do want like crazy to grow your business. You can no longer expect the business-as-usual approach to work but you also can’t expect technological innovations or financial gimmicks to get you out of the current financial crisis and recession. After all, it was the big business which got everybody into the current mess in the first place. Too many people got lazy, relying on flash and gimmicks to create illusion of success.
Economics and competition have always been the major concerns for most business owners but the core truth remains – if you are willing to look at what’s working and what isn’t and take the necessary steps to fix things, no matter how drastic, difficult or different – you can succeed.
In business, being in the middle means mediocrity, not safety. Eventually such businesses will fail the basic mirror test. The author’s advice is to put faith in the belief that you are the company and the company is you because you put your personality into the company you work in and are its unabashed ambassador. You’ve to see yourself, not just as a cog in the wheel, but as the ultimate tool in the toolbox of the company. You can’t win if the company loses.
(Hachette Book Group, 237 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017, www.HachetteBookGroup, com)
