This book is a must reading for anyone going into business for them selves. I found out i am not crazy just a man with a vision.

As others have said, this book is just one long commercial for Gerber's own business... and it worked, apparently. The capstone class for my major included this book as one of the required texts; the entire semester was spent listening to Gerber blow his own horn with Sarah the pie baker at her side... at least, that's what I heard. After listening to a few hours worth of this fraud (dare I say con-man?) and his obnoxious, annoying way of speaking about his even more annoying (generic, bland, unfounded) "insights" into a world of business that has no basis in the real world, I stayed home and got stoned instead... and I still got an A in the class, because when it came to the tests on this guy and his ideas, all I had to do was pick the most self-absorbed, pompous, condescending, Narcissistic answers and they were invariably the "right ones" according to my professor, who bought into all this B.S.

Whew, that was a run-on sentence... much like Gerber's. If you're unfortunate enough to have to listen to the audio version of the book or any of this guy speeches, he can speak for 5 minutes without pausing to breath, or even think.

My brother recommended this book to me. I was sceptical at first, however after getting into it there are some really good "nuggets" of information here. The story line with the example small biz owner was OK for me, but for others it may not like it. I did get some great insight and food for thought here. Has made me really rethink how my small business runs. Am planning on using many of the ideas to make my business better. Highly recommend.

"Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It"

The problem with small businesses is that most people work in it, rather than on it. People turn what was once a labor of love into a love of labor. They focus so much on trying to capture the moment that they stop being in the moment.

Gerber, the world's number one small business guru, points out that there are three key roles one must master to create a successful system: the entrepreneur (the visionary), the manager (the planner), and the technician (the doer). He shows us how to create a step-by-step turn-key franchise that leverages the power of a strategic system to make a world of our own.

This book transformed my life and my businesses to create replicable, scalable models that would succeed on their own. In the past, I wanted to do everything on my own. Because the companies relied on me to succeed, they could not function without me.

This book shows you how to build lasting legacies that allows others to experience your version of the world.

My life transformed with martial arts, philosophy, and psychology at 12. The next revolution happened when I was 20.

I never realized how businesses and martial arts are exactly alike until I read this quote in The E-Myth, which was taken from Joe Hyams, who wrote the book Zen in the Martial Arts.

"A dojo is miniature cosmos where we make contact with ourselves -- our fears, anxieties, reactions, and habits. It is an arena of confined conflict where we confront an opponent who is not an opponent but rather a partner engaged in helping us understand ourselves more fully. It is a place where we can learn a great deal in a short time about who we are and how we react in the world. The conflicts that take place inside the dojo help us handle conflicts that take place outside. The total concentration and discipline required to study martial arts carries over to daily life. The activity in the dojo calls on us to constantly attempt new things, so it is also a source of learning -- in Zen terminology, a source of self-enlightenment."

Gerber says, "That is exactly what a small business is!"

This is the worst book ever that I read on any subject. Why did this book sold over million copies was the biggest question I had after attempting to read this book. I did not find single page in the book that really useful to me.

I am sure this book sold 1 million copies only because of its title and not the content.

Reasons:
1. Authors language and narration is the worst ever.
2. It is written for those who don't understand business (example one who bakes pie is not necessarily educated or has business degree)
3. The book is very misleading for entrepreneurs and the most de-motivating book ever.
4. This book is written from negative standpoint, people generally need encouragement which is hard to find in this book unless you really want to believe this author and fail in your business.
5. I am okay with franchisee business model, however the the way author presented this case makes be do the opposite i.e to never ever own a franchisee.

Let me say this: Don't ever buy this book, I got this one free from person trying to sell me franchise business and now I hate them for giving me this stupid book.

Why would you trust this review: I have studied Masters in Business Administration and I understand right and wrong approach to small and large business. There are thousands of good books on business and this is the worst ever.

The E-Myth Revisited served as my introduction into the entrepreneur world. Raised in an entrepreneur family, this book hit home. It also helped create a niche within my own medical career more than a decade ago. The E-Myth is my favorite business book.

Michael Gerber tells the story of Sarah, who went from making pies for fun to managing a store that delivered pies as a business. She soon became enslaved to her business, dreading the love she once had. But more so, unable to grow the business to achieve her vision.

Gerber's ability to simplify complex concepts into practical ones is masterful. I would recommend this book to any person who is considering to launch his or her own business and to any executive who would like to run his or her group as if managing their own business.

The single most important book to read BEFORE starting your own business. The e-Myth is that most people think they've created a business when all they've really done is created a job. Please don't start a business before reading this book because it will help you avoid the pitfalls (most new ventures fail) but because it helps you evaluate the why and the costs of venturing out on your own.

Much has been said about this book so I won't rehash it. The success of this book and its long history of being a best seller (let alone in print) speaks for itself. There is real gold in this book. Gerber divides the many hats an entrepreneur wears into three categories: the leader, the manager, and the technician. Gerber outlines a good business model. I wish I had read this 20 years ago.

A business is created to be an asset and possibly be sold - not to create a job for yourself. Not understanding that principle (and the how to do it) will cause you to work very very hard and not make much money, or even go bankrupt. Read this book and proactively prevent many problems and heartache - especially in your bank account.

If you are going to start a business or already have a business, you have to read this book or at least get the audio version. This book is definitely a great choice. Instead of learning from your mistakes, take the short cut and get this book and learn from someone else's mistakes.

You'll be happy you did.

We had an oriental rug store in North Andover. We had to close the store after three years. After reading both series, I can say that we faced all the problems that Mr. Gerber mentions in his book. However, I cannot say for sure that if we had done what he says we would have succeeded or not because we haven't tried those ideas yet. I was filling many roles in the company so was my wife. The store and customers relied upon us to deliver. The ideas in the book make sense.

with best regards,
Mohammad Yamin

Like most self-help business books, "The E-Myth" is filled with pseudo-scientific prophecies and revelations. Someday, a business bible will be compiled with sections titled "the Book of Michael Gerber" and "the Book of Jack Canfield." Gerber's "revelations" have inspired hundreds of thousands of fans, and, as the saying goes, they can't be wrong, can they?

Well, yes and no.

Gerber provides absolutely zero statistical data to back up his assertions of the "three personalities" that inhabit every entrepreneur's body. Are they based on the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost? Gerber hands down his commandments in the form of paper and ink instead of stone, but we're supposed to be good disciples and take his insight with blind faith.

However, much like religion, the E-Myth is in the eye of the beholder. For those struggling with small businesses and the many hats that entrepreneurs need to wear, Gerber's book is no less than the Second Coming. If you're not struggling to make it and are mildly successful, you're less likely to be born again through "the E-Myth Revisited."

I'm only 1/2 way through this book, but have been taking notes along the way. E Myth delivers methodical, but practical sensibility of the big picture for business owners like me. Stop running into the same circles of bad habits and start working ON your business and not IN your business!

This is an invaluable book for new business owners - I'm reading it cover to cover and then reading it again.

Every entrepreneur should know and implement strategies and concepts found in this book. Coupled with my own book, "The Expert's Edge," readers of both would not be able to beat their many new customers (and profits) away!

I just cannot believe how amazing this book is!! I have never had this experience of feeling the book is talking about me and my business on every page! Gerber's tips, knowledge and methods will surely lead Entrepreneurs into a better understanding of how business works, what is needed to be done and how to do it.

Since I started reading the book I started using a highlighter to mark what I considered was interesting and finally noticed I would have had to highlight it at all since all the pages have 100% valuable information for all of us trying to make our business successful.

If you are creating your own business or trying to make it better, that's the first book I would recommend!

When this book was recommended to me by two people over the course of two days, I knew I had to read it. If you have started or are contemplating starting a business, it is a must-read. I saw myself throughout the pages of this book .... knowing I was frustrated in trying to run my business and not really understanding why. This book spells it out. It's real. It's applicable. I've recommended it to every friend I have who runs their own business. You HAVE to buy this book TODAY!

Debi Brim / Indpls IN / www.cateritsimple.com

I first read The E Myth Revisited as I was preparing a local policy and procedure manual for my second small business, a national franchise. As I read the book a light bulb went off - in fact several light bulbs flashed - and suddenly I realized why small business seemed so difficult. I had indeed been more of a technician in my first business - working more IN the business than ON the business. I am now a Small Business Consultant and Michael Gerber's words "Work ON your Business, not IN your business" still guide me today.

Dick Bendtzen, Author of "Yes You Can Start And Run A Small Business", and Principal of Small Business Yes You Can LLC.

This book is a must-read for any small business entrepreneur. Gerber gives step by step instructions (strategies) of what the entrepreneur needs to think about and what mindset s/he needs to keep in order to be successful. I found chapters 10-18 to be the most helpful, where the discussion focuses on determining the ultimate goal for your individual business (to help achieve your life goal) and provides a road map of how to get there.

The one drawback I found with this book was the story (stated to be a true series of events, but with the names changed) about Sarah and her pie company. Gerber illustrated his points well enough in the "guts" of the book that it seems like the Sarah story was just "filler".

Great Book! Breaks down the systems a business should have in place- like a franchise prototype. Michael Gerber really makes sense. The challenge is to implement the ideas. I highly recommend the audio book.
Michael Mila
Naperville, IL

This book was recommended to me by a guy that does business and life coaching. I am looking to start my own business and what a HUGE help this book is. It is so thought provoking! It allows you to really build your business so that it can be successful... so that your business fits into your life rather than your life fitting into your business.

The principles offered in the E-Myth are also helpful to existing businesses. I think so many people start businesses thinking, "I know how to do this work. Instead of working for these guys, I should start my own business..." So many of us have felt that way... restaurant workers, plumbers, engineers, consultants... but doing the work does not make a successful business. Being the "technician" without the vision to see where the business is going to take you is deadly. The E-Myth tackles those problems for you.

I don't care that this book has 197 5 Star ratings. Mr. Gerber's book failed to make good on the title of his book. I swear, if you go back and strip out all of the "back road sage" talk he gives to his imaginary friend Sara, this would be a better book. Instead, one or two pages in each chapter actually get down to the meat and potatoes of the topic. The rest are fluff to build up his page count (268 pages).

For example, in the "Business Development Process" chapter, much of it is filled with hokey fluff such as this (him speaking to Sarah, yet again): "And so the craftsperson is one who has reached that stage of development where she is content with the work, and only the work, knowing that it is only through being there with one's work that the jewel will reveal itself, and that it is the work, and only the work, raised to the level of near perfection that connects the craftsperson with herself, with her own heart."

Excuse me? What the hell does that have to do with "The Business Development Process??"

Mr. Gerber spends too much time trying to sound like a Guru (the front cover of the book calls him "The World's #1 Small Business Guru") and not on just telling us what we need to know. I also felt like a third person standing in the room watching him pontificate to Sarah. He should have spent more time talking to the reader instead. 90% of all the paragraph's are in quotation marks since most of the freakin book is spent blathering about nothing to Sarah.

Honestly, I would have settled for a 120 page book without the Sarah conversations about how "The master is connected to the apprentice as though to her past. As you are to your childhood." The book sounds to cultish. Mr. Gerber writes like he talks, which makes me assume that he is some sort of motivational speaker who charges thousands of dollars for folks to attend his speaking engagements and seminars.

If you don't believe a word of what I say then just buy the book and kick yourself in the arse later for it.

This book really makes you think. I am a small business owner, and when he explains about the technician turned business owner working himself to death, the manager dying a neat death and the entrpreneur dying an extravagant death, I almost couldn't keep reading. It hit too close to home. It is followed by great tips on how to balance the three and how to look at your business as a franchise prototype, even if you are not going to franchise. How to implement systems that requires the LOWEST possible skillset instead of the highest, and much more. Very much an imortant read for anyone new in business or someone planning to start one up.

I purchased two copies of this. One to give to a friend and one to replace my original which had become a victim of one of my wife's cleaning campaigns.

I will get around to re-reading this in due course, but I have, over the years, referenced sections of it. A must read especially for anyone without small business experience contemplating such a venture.

This book should be required reading if you're a small business owner. If you've ever wondered why you're working so hard and not getting ahead, Michael Gerber will show you why. This is the book to read about to learn how to systematize your business.
The main thesis of the book is that you should spend more time working on your business than in your business. Michael teaches you to build value in your company through developing your intellectual property. That means to figure out how you want your business to run and to be experienced by your customers. You then build systems to make that experience come alive.
It's powerful stuff. Get the book today and read it!

I have been a business owner for 8 years. I feel this powerful book has changed my life. All the time I spent working "in" my business, I had no clue how to work on it. The wisdom in the book has given my business a second chance.

I urge all people thinking about starting their own business to read this book as well as other books on how to create business processes and procedures. I also recommend "Your Marketing Sucks" for those who need to understand what not to do to promote your business.

I would have saved so much time AND LOTS OF MONEY had I spent even a few months educating myself on how to run a business. Take time to plan and educate yourself. So many businesses do fail before their tenth birthday. Mine almost did.

I read this book from the perspective of one has not only pastored in the church for 40 years, but also as one who has consulted with numerous leaders about their churches. The insights from small business easily carry over into the business of establishing a church community. It's not about money, it's about really understanding what you're all about, building a system to make it happen in the best possible way, and maintaining your joy in doing what you really love to do. I am passionate about urging other church leaders to read this book. It's a gem!

This book was highly recommended by my broker, and I wish I had read it years ago. Excellent. Everyone who is thinking about starting a business, is in the beginning stages of owning a business, and even those in business for years could benefit from reading this book. I plan to reread it often.

This book offers a wealth of information on how to streamline your business. Why it is important to write out your goals, how to divide the different aspects into specific responsibilities, and much, much more. If you want to work smarter and work fewer hours I'm sure you will find more than a few great ideas within the pages of this book. I own two completely different businesses and found the information to be useable in both.

If you are a small business owner not looking to grow then this book is not for you. If you are looking to expand you business and go from owning a job to stepping outside the business and owning it, this book is for you. By giving you a step by step approach, you have to tools to transform your business and your life - giving you more time to live your life on your own terms.

[...]

I liked this book even though I felt it was a little light in detail. I also found the presentation a bit redundant. Having said that, this book presents two very important concepts that bear repeating:

1) You can't (and shouldn't if you could) do it all.
2) A truly successful business must be able to run without the owner present.

Mr. Gerber correctly points out the way to implement the latter is to preplan for growth and implement systems that are documented in a Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) manual that are simple enough for an entry level to follow. Easier said than done.

Mr. Gerber doesn't address how the small business owner already working 70+ hours per week in his or her business is supposed to find the time to do the kind of detailed process workflow analysis required to produce such a document. No matter that the need for doing so is evidently clear.

Nor does Mr. Gerber address the obvious capital requirements necessary, even if one can find the time, to get the job done. Time is money and time and money are the two precious resources most small business owners have the least of. This is a classic catch-22 situation where it's imperative that business owners systematize their operations but lack the resources to accomplish the task.

Perhaps a great companion book for the author to write would be a meaningful blueprint for implementing the good advice found in E-Myth Revisited. Or perhaps the author could add a chapter or two to the existing book.

Either way I give it four stars for not providing enough content to support an otherwise salient concept. It would also be helpful if his example business owner wasn't so docile and one dimensional.

This book was reccomended to me as a must read. well I read it and it was unimpressive. It may be of value to a young entrepreneur with little business education, but rather basic for someone with a degree in business.

After the first read of Michael Gerber's "The E-Myth Revisited" I could hardly put it down. I will say right from the start that YES ITS SIMPLIFIED, NO ITS NOT THAT EASY, but thats exactly what makes this a great book. I read the critics' reviews and they seem to be basing their entire opinion of this man's teachings off of one book. If it were physically possible to fit enough information in one paperback book to run a business, then running a business would not be difficult at all.

But no, this is not a how-to manual or a solve-all method, this is the beginning of a process. Gerber introduces us to the three personalities of a entrepreneur (technician, manager, and entrepreneur or visionary) and discusses how most small businesses face a similar problem and that is letting the technician take over the business and killing off the other two.

He discusses how the greatest one-time small businesses in the world have overcome that obstacle. He does this mainly through praising the franchise system. In this way I consider this book also on economics- explaining a little bit how small businesses' affect world economy.

The franchise system allows all personalities to excel, and when they excel the customer is better served and better satisfied. The system works. So managers and technicians can have a business that will be successful and they will be fulfilled working on. But it does not stop there. He also teaches that entrepreneurs must create their small businesses according to a "franchise prototype," basically set-up systems and operations so the business can work most effectively (like as if they were to sell it, even if they don't plan to).

When you set-up you business as something you could sell if you wanted to, then you are creating a business of value. When you do that, then you can be most successful and fulfilled. What is the point in going into business if after 5 years you've only created more work for yourself and nothing to show for it?

In the book's simple story-telling format, Gerber travels with his protege (and the reader) and walks her through the mindset. In order to go from unsuccessful to wildly successful- your mindset has to be the first thing to change. (Read the "one star" reviews to see the effects of a closed mind).

This book reminds me of the simplicity of "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" and its philosophical take on business. No, its not a well-laid out instruction manual, thats your job to create a manual. This book will inspire you to do more than you have previously thought possible.

After reading hundreds of business books...."The e Myth" is one of only five I recommend. If I had read before starting my first business....it would have saved me millions of dollars. I always keep extra copies to give away.
Stop reading all the trend books about business...this book will change the way you do everything. By explaining what drives the entrepreneur from the beginning, the cycle we all fall into, and the path out of destruction, no other book is necessary. THE BOOK IS AN ABSOLUTE MUST READ FOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THE E_MYTH REVISITED is worth reading and revisiting. Gerber reminds the reader about the basic premise of business: satisfying the customer, in a new, entertaining, and insightful way.

He proposes that the three key characteristics (skills) of a successful business owner are: skilled technician, entrepeneur, and manager. This is sound advise and a proper balance of the three prevents tyranny by any one personality. I have seen exagerations of all three of these skill sets to the ruin of the afflicted enterprises; mine included.

As a case study, he follows Sarah, owner of All About Pies, as he leads her through her catharsis from exhausted technician to balanced, productive and fulfilled business owner.

There is a great deal of truth that Gerber captures and teaches along with room for some disagreement. Not every business, for example, is suited to be franchised. Not every service can easily be documented. Nonetheless, this quick read is worth its weight in gold to the young or new businessman. I wish I had read this 20 years ago - it would probably have changed my business and my life.

I have owned my own business for almost eight years and have enjoyed and endured many successes and hardships. Facing some of the challenges noted in the jacket, I decided to give it a listen (audio version) while driving. The book starts in the kitchen of a fictitious pie store where the owner had just "had it" with her business and called on the author to help. I got the feeling the whole thing was cheezy and made up to elevate the authors self percieved "angel sent from small business heaven" image. The store owner did however have some of the same issues I had faced, and I wanted to find out how Gerber suggested thier navigation, so I listened on. and on and on... to how if you just dig in and get "in touch" with yourself, these maladies will just mysteriously go away. There were a few nuggets here and there about organization, and how you should run your business as if you were going to franchise it, but they were so far buried in a fantasyland of what the author percieved a "business in trouble" would have for problems, they were hard to dig out. Besides these things should be obvious to you if you are in business, or attempting a start up, in my opinion of course.
I laughed out loud at one point when the author described a young man who traveled Europe, fell in and out of love several times, got stoned, divorced, re-married, got stoned, fought, went broke, got stoned, and then voila!...discovered he had a talent for writing and a mystical ability of telling people how to run a small business. Yeah, you guessed it, that young man was the author. Pure corn. There has to be better stuff out there than this.

Michael Gerber has written a book that is truly a gift for the entrepreneur and small business owner. His theories, models and recommendations challenge the entrepreneur to step back, separate him/herself from the business, create a realistic business plan and maintain a strategic perspective.

Gerber's insistence that the entrepreneur focus on working ON the business, not just IN the business, is invaluable business advice. Likewise, his clarification of the roles of the business owner -- Technician, Manager and Entrepreneur -- supports entrepreneurs in leveraging their time and resources. Finally, his emphasis on the importance of systems and standardization challenges the entrepreneur's typical orientation towards customization. Using relevant case studies, Gerber shows how systems can be implemented to increase reveneues and improve business operations.

Amidst the many business books on the market, this book stands out by providing entrepreneurs with a realistic plan for creating sustainable businesses and improving the odds of long-term success.

Very much like my favorite book Rich Dad Poor Dad, this book snaps some reality into everyone who runs a small business or desires to start a business. After reading this book you'll soon discover that every business owner falls into three categories: Manager, Technician, and Entrepreneur. However, According to Michael E. Gerber the reason why most business's fail is because most small business owners become too heavily weighted in one trait, rather than a balance of all three. Gerber shows you that by running around like a crazy person and working hard doing all the work that you will never be able to take your business to the next level. The trick is to set up your business to run exclusive of YOU! But how...? E-Myth will show you!

If you can get past the wordiness and personal storyline in this book, there are two important messages. 1) There's much more to having a successful business than having a great idea or a talent. 2) A successful business is one that can operate without its owners. The book strives to provide guidelines on how to accomplish the latter. But there are other business sources that are more concrete - like Brad Sugars' series. And this book missed a major business component: money. It fails to address how to afford the labor that frees the owners - ex. through seed money or profit converted to a cash reserve. It also fails to address cash flow (not sales or profits) which poses difficulty for many small businesses

I'd recommend this book as one of many books to read if considering a business venture.

This book is loaded to the gills with honest, practical insights into the difference between wanting to get more out of your skills by working for yourself, and really having the desire and the ability to run a business. If you're planning on pouring your capital into a venture, I highly recommend reading this first. If you've already started a business and you're struggling with either the one-man/woman show, or you're suffering from the growing pains of hiring help that isn't getting it done to your satisfaction, you'll find solace and very practical tips here. A great book.

Planning to start my own business, I stopped by my local bookstore to do some research. I ran across this book and started reading it right there in the store. The beginning is fantastic, I felt like Gerber was speaking directly to me. The situations and examples he gave were exactly what I have experienced in past businesses. I felt totally connected with this book and was so excited! I read half the book in the store, bought it, took it home and finished it within a day...but I wasn't too happy with it towards the end. You see, in the beginning, Gerber makes it sound as if he TOTALLY understands what you, as a small business owner, has gone through, is going through, and will go through. So, you get caught up in the book, buy it just like I did, only to find out he only talks about how to franchise. For some businesses, such as healthcare, or consulting, businesses where you're not selling things like coffee, hamburgers or simple services, businesses that require professionals like doctors, chiropractors, dentists etc., this model is not practical and will not help. Granted, it is useful knowledge to understand the concept of franchises, but not all businesses can be franchised like how he discussed. But Gerber writes well, so well that even if it's not realistic to franchise your business, you're totally excited about franchising anyway. So, after you finish the chapters, you're completely eager to go franchise, so you even read pass the Epilogue and onto the Afterward (like I did) and THAT's where his true motive for writing the book comes out, which you can see if you're still thinking rationally-- his motive is for you to sign up with the E-Myth company to help you with your small business, to franchise, "a call to arms" as he puts in in the Epilogue. He wants you to "look at your business through your E-Myth eyes" he says, and "E-Myth Worldwide have assisted thousands...We would love to do the same for you. It begins with our invitation to take part in our free E-Myth experience...To take your first step, simply complete the form at the back of this book...." This is just like any other "free" marketing scheme, to get you in so that they can sell to you. Gerber is brilliant, the WHOLE book is a marketing ploy. It's not enough that you buy the book, you buy into the E-Myth Company. Wow, this book really is brilliant, it ALMOST sold me. And I give this book three stars because if someone does want to franchise, it is indeed worthwhile buying this book. Not for me, though. I wonder, can I still return this book?

This is a great book those who consider themselves craftsmen in their fields, whether it be woodworking or computer programming, to understand how as businessmen they often fail miserably. Understanding the roles of the Technician, the Manager and the Entrepreneur will help any business owner or someone considering opening a business.

I walked away from this book with a thirst for process. I already have a lot of processes in place now that I credit for my business' success thus far, but this book helped highlight gaps and shortages in my systems planning. I was reinvigorated to gain a better understanding of how my business can service its clients better.

This is a great book for understand how those who consider themselves craftsmen in their fields, whether it be woodworking or computer programming, fail miserably when they attempt to go into business. Understanding the roles of the Technician, the Manager and the Entrepreneur will help any business owner or someone considering opening a business.

I walked away from this book with a thirst for process. I already have a lot of processes in place now that I credit for my business' success thus far, but this book helped highlight gaps and shortages in that systems planning. I was reinvigorated to gain a better understanding of how my business can service its clients better.

This is a must read book for the entrepreneur. It doesn't matter if you are old hat or just thinking.When there is no sense of where to start...look no further! This book opens the mind and provides greater expectation of success.
I operated a franchise for many years without the benefit of this knowledge. It would have been very useful in shaping the past and moving into the future. It reads quickly.It demands ongoing reviews...perhaps with a high lighter in hand...Buy it now. You won't regret it. Share it with someone who needs intelligent direction. Michael Gerber has it right!

If you don't have a business degree, this will at least make you aware of the difference between a job and owning/running a business. Without this knowledge, it'd be a miracle if your business survives.

Did you ever wonder how you can get the same Big Mac from any McDonald's anywhere in the world? Michael Gerber demystifies this by showing that the systems and processes are what makes the business a business, and not just a job for the owner. And how the complications of running every aspect of a business can be broken down into uniformly performed functions - the way a franchise is.

The "E" stands for entrepreneurial and the myth is that most owners are not entrepreneurs but someone who just works in a business where the owner has himself for a boss instead of somebody else. He shows how you can break out of the mold of working in the business to working on the business by establishing the right processes and operating procedures. In effect, he tells you to set up your business the way a franchise is set up - where anyone properly and easily trained can do any job to sell, produce and ship the product and handle the business aspects of operating a business.

I make this book required reading for the clients of my CPA practice and highly recommend it to anyone running a business or organization, or wanting to.

Even though Michael Gerber's writing style can have a tendency to drive people up a wall with his telling you the same thing over and over and over and over and using far more words than is necessary, read this book. If you are in business or are thinking about starting about business, reading this book no longer becomes an option for you, it is a must.

Anyone who has ever failed in business will be astounded as Gerber describes, with razor sharp precision, exactly what went wrong. Here, you will learn how to never make those same mistakes again. You will learn how to run your business instead of letting your business run you.

One of the things I appreciate most about this book is how much of what Gerber teaches are the same lessons needed for life itself. In much of what you read here, you could replace the word "business" with words like "life" or "marriage" and the same rules would apply. In fact, as a minister, I employ much of what Gerber teaches here in my marriage counseling. The same principles of primary aims, strategic objectives, organizational objectives, management objectives and system strategies.

Even though Gerber tends to ramble, particularly when telling a story, don't miss this one. Your business will thank you.

This is one of the most important books for a business owner to read. And if you think you don't have time to read it, you need to do it even sooner! Michael Gerber uses a "sample" business to illustrate the many pitfalls of business ownership. The good news is that there is hope to re-capture your time, learn to delegate, and make more money. You have to realize where you are, what you want, and be willing to change to bring about a different outcome. This book explains, in simple terms, how to get started.

I started an internet business 2 years ago. It wasn't until I read this book that I understood there was a difference in building a business from being self employed. The book brought great clarity to the purpose for my business.

James Sathe, President
Safety Made Simple, Inc.
Idaho Falls, ID

I loved this book, it got me all fired up about making my business working for me. Although I do not agree with everything in there, I will agree that it is a good book for somebody needing help with their business. It tells about how to have a system (think Mc Donalds) where you don't have to hire a perfect employee with lots of skill to do the work. But mearly somebody who can follow charts and directions. Which all of it I don't subscribe too, but there was lots of good advice to gleam from it.

Michael Gerber's 'The E Myth - Revisited' quite honestly annoyed me on the first read. I thought of it as a corporate methodology course written for the small business owner. However, I really wanted to believe in this book and on the second read, it made sense perhaps because I started re-building and re-positioning my businesses at the time.

On the third read, it really made sense -- now on to the specifics.

Gerber asserts that the best businesses have people, procedures, and systems. They also provide a place of meaning, provide a sense of purpose, and of course satisfy needs as expected (or better)! The arrangement of the book is key. Gerber realizes that successful businesses start with the individual or group that establishes them. Business owners do have to have a sense of purpose and a sense of who they are and what they want their business to accomplish. His "names" for these internal processes are termed the Primary Aim and Strategic Objective.

He goes on to proceed to how the business will look and getting organize. This step is critical and is the first chapter I "blew off" on the first read - it was just to CA. Gerber knew that readers would think this, but this is perhaps one of the most important chapters. Afterwards, Gerber goes into the normal processes of people development, leadership, marketing, organizational structure, and weaving the pieces together to give a systematic (and predictable) result.

The reason I believe in this book is because my companies utilized his recommendations and the results led to us having a feeling of "re-birth." This is not corporate America "jumbo". This is real world information that can really make the difference between success and failure. It's the techniques utilized by the best consulting companies when they go to "fix" or try to "fix" your organization. But if you read and put into practice what he recommends one will find (in our opinion) that they are their own best consultants - and even better - executers, which is what business is about!

Great read - recommended reading for business owners (large and small).

Michael Gerber's 'The E Myth - Revisited' quite honestly annoyed me on the first read. I quite honestly thought it was a corporate methodology course written for the small business owner. However, I really wanted to believe in this book and on the second read, it made sense perhaps because I started re-building and re-positioning my businesses at the time.

On the third read, it really made sense -- now on to the specifics.

Gerber asserts that the best businesses have people, procedures, and systems. They also provide a place of meaning, provide a sense of purpose, and of course satisfy needs as expected (or better)! The arrangement of the book is key. Gerber realizes that successful businesses start with the individual or group that establishes them. Business owners do have to have a sense of purpose and a sense of who they are and what they want their business to accomplish. His "names" for these internal processes are termed the Primary Aim and Strategic Objective.

He goes on to proceed to how the business will look and getting organize. This step is critical and is the first chapter I "blew off" on the first read - it was just to CA. Gerber knew that readers would think this, but this is perhaps one of the most important chapters. Afterwards, Gerber goes into the normal processes of people development, leadership, marketing, organizational structure, and weaving the pieces together to give a systematic (and predictable) result.

The reason I believe in this book is because my companies utilized his recommendations and the results led to us having a feeling of "re-birth." This is not corporate America "jumbo". This is real world information that can really make the difference between success and failure. It's the techniques utilized by the best consulting companies when they go to "fix" or try to "fix" your organization. But if you read and put into practice what he recommends one will find (in our opinion) that they are their own best consultants - and even better - executers, which is what business is about!

Great read - recommended reading for business owners (large and small).