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I had the good fortune to read the first edition of "Built to Sell" while the author was in the process of writing of it. I was so excited by it, I stayed up the entire night to finish it... finally falling asleep at 5:00 am, spiral-bound manuscript still clutched in my hands. As a small business owner, this book speaks to me in ways few others do. It captures the experience of being a business owner with insights that are astonishingly "spot on." There were passages in the book that could have been about me, because they encapsulated my own aspirations, dreams ... and frustrations and fears. The book is a parable -- a symbolic novel, if you will, with business teachings wrapped up in it. But please don't judge it as fiction. As fiction it would be ho-hum. As a business book, however, it shines. Let me tell you why this book is so meaningful to a small business owner like me. Starting a business is the easy part. What's hard is getting that business to grow and thrive, and make it beyond the owner-does-everything stage. The startup failure statistics prove this point. The majority of businesses fail within the first five years. The life of a small business owner can be incredibly satisfying ... or a living hell. The difference depends on factors such as whether the business is profitable, versus a daily struggle to make payroll. Or it depends on whether the owner can have a personal life, rather than having everything land on his or her desk and becoming a prisoner to the business. On top of that, the business has the potential to become the owner's legacy and largest asset. But that will only be true if the business can be sold or passed on to children someday -- something millions of business owners dream of. Sadly, though, the typical small business is really an extension of the business owner's services. Without the owner's daily toil, there's nothing that a buyer would find valuable. Far too many business owners never create a business that is satisfying, lets them take time off, or creates lasting value that can be cashed out if they choose to do so. This book is about how to create that business that frees the business owner from his or her chains. It's about creating the business that provides near-term security for employees because it's no longer a mere bad month away from collapse -- and long-term security for the business owner's family because it can provide a comfortable living and potentially be cashed out at retirement, or passed on to the owner's children. This book makes small business owners analyze, strategize and revolutionize their businesses. In particular, it forces the business owner to examine the business model -- a weakness in many businesses. The business teachings in this book are profound and sound. The author speaks with authenticity. I am acquainted with the author, John Warrillow, and know his track record from prior business dealings. He built his own business (Warrillow Company) into something unique and valuable. Then he sold it and moved his family to France to live a dream The second edition is much like the first edition, but enhanced. It also has an implementation guide. We've covered both editions over at Small Business Trends. For more, read the review of the 1st edition and then check out our Q&A with the author. The first edition of this book won our Small Business Book Awards (Editor's Choice) of 2010.

2022-10-29 03:25