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The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It Kindle Edition

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 12,238 ratings

E-Myth \ 'e-,'mith\ n 1: the entrepreneurial myth: the myth that most people who start small businesses are entrepreneurs 2: the fatal assumption that an individual who understands the technical work of a business can successfully run a business that does that technical work

Voted #1 business book by Inc. 500 CEOs.

An instant classic, this revised and updated edition of the phenomenal bestseller dispels the myths about starting your own business. Small business consultant and author Michael E. Gerber, with sharp insight gained from years of experience, points out how common assumptions, expectations, and even technical expertise can get in the way of running a successful business.

Gerber walks you through the steps in the life of a business—from entrepreneurial infancy through adolescent growing pains to the mature entrepreneurial perspective: the guiding light of all businesses that succeed—and shows how to apply the lessons of franchising to any business, whether or not it is a franchise. Most importantly, Gerber draws the vital, often overlooked distinction between working on your business and working in your business.

The E-Myth Revisited will help you grow your business in a productive, assured way.


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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Gerber loves to exhort people to develop powerful visions for theircompanies." -- Fortune

"Thanks to Gerber l have freed up over three hours a day, significantly increased my sales, more than doubled my bottom line, and been able to take my first vacation in four years." -- Trish Lind, T. Lind Graphics, St. Paul, Minnesota

"Without a doubt, the most important message for our company over thenext decade." -- The John Hancock Insurance Group

From the Back Cover

E-Myth \ 'e-,'mith\ n 1: the entrepreneurial myth: the myth that most people who start small businesses are entrepreneurs 2: the fatal assumption that an individual who understands the technical work of a business can successfully run a business that does that technical work

Voted #1 business book by Inc. 500 CEOs.

An instant classic, this revised and updated edition of the phenomenal bestseller dispels the myths about starting your own business. Small business consultant and author Michael E. Gerber, with sharp insight gained from years of experience, points out how common assumptions, expectations, and even technical expertise can get in the way of running a successful business.

Gerber walks you through the steps in the life of a business—from entrepreneurial infancy through adolescent growing pains to the mature entrepreneurial perspective: the guiding light of all businesses that succeed—and shows how to apply the lessons of franchising to any business, whether or not it is a franchise. Most importantly, Gerber draws the vital, often overlooked distinction between working on your business and working in your business.

The E-Myth Revisited will help you grow your business in a productive, assured way.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000RO9VJK
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins e-books; Updated, Subsequent edition (March 17, 2009)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 17, 2009
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.6 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 292 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 12,238 ratings

About the author

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Michael E. Gerber
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Michael E. Gerber is a true legend of entrepreneurship. Inc. Magazine called him "the World's #1 Small Business Guru." He started over 40-plus years ago addressing a significant need in the small business market: businesses owned primarily by people with technical skills but few business skills, and no place to go to get meaningful help.

Over the years, Michael E. Gerber's companies have helped hundreds of thousands of small business owner-clients to successfully transform their businesses into world-class operations.

Mr. Gerber's E-Myth books include: The Most Successful Small Business in the World, Awakening the Entrepreneur Within, The E-Myth Enterprise, The E-Myth Mastery, The E-Myth Manager, along with co-authored E-Myth Vertical books: The E-Myth Attorney, The E-Myth Accountant, The E-Myth Optometrist, The E-Myth Chiropractor, The E-Myth Financial Advisor, The E-Myth Landscape Contractor, The E-Myth Architect, The E-Myth Real Estate Brokerage, The E-Myth Insurance Store, The E-Myth Dentist, The E-Myth Nutritionist, The E-Myth Bookkeeper, The E-Myth Veterinarian, and the first of Gerber's newest C-Level series: The E-Myth Chief Financial Officer. Soon to be released, The E-Myth Real Estate Agent.

To find out more visit:http://michaelegerbercompanies.com/ & http://www.beyondemyth.com

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
12,238 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book provides great information and insights into building a business. They find the content easy to read and understand, with simple and practical steps in the real world. The approach is well-documented and easy to learn. Many customers consider the book worth every penny and consider it a classic. However, opinions differ on the length, with some finding it interesting and easy to follow, while others feel it's too long.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

704 customers mention "Readability"699 positive5 negative

Customers find the book well-written and engaging. They say it's a good read for entrepreneurs and small business owners. The content is useful and concise, providing practical advice and strategies. Readers describe the book as entertaining and a quick read with useful tips and strategies.

"...have, or are planning to start, a small business, this really is a fantastic book, and should be manditory reading...." Read more

"...your answer to building a successful small business, it’s also very entertaining...." Read more

"If you are considering starting a new business then this is a worthwhile read...." Read more

"This was a great read. Every small business owner should read this book. It really gets to the heart of the matter." Read more

658 customers mention "Information quality"641 positive17 negative

Customers find the book provides useful information and insights into starting and running a business. They appreciate the practical strategies and mindsets it offers, which help them rethink their approach. The advice is truthful and applicable, making it useful for anyone attempting to start or run their business better.

"...I can only say that what happened next was the best part of owning a business for me so far ... reality checks and awakenings to what could be...." Read more

"...Having an strategic critical thinking skills allows you to position yourself and your business as two different entities is pure genius...." Read more

"...this book’s success. And this book has some tremendous lessons about business that are good to believe in and to strive to follow...." Read more

"...The book provides actionable steps to delegate tasks, standardize procedures, and ultimately, build a business that can run without you being..." Read more

303 customers mention "Ease of reading"250 positive53 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and understand. It provides a clear framework for building a business that works for them. The principles provide an excellent road map toward running a successful business. The author has a wonderful way with words and makes the book enjoyable to read. They appreciate the lack of technical language and the clear statement of what your business needs to do.

"...Gerber includes interesting examples, and the book is very easy to read and understand ... and most importantly, incredibly enjoyable...." Read more

"This book is a sure way to understand exactly what your business is supposed to do...." Read more

"...The book brilliantly lays out a framework for building a business that works for you, not the other way around...." Read more

""The e-Myth Revisited" is an entertaining, well-written book that provides Gerber's philosophy on why 80% of small businesses fail and what can be..." Read more

78 customers mention "Approach"57 positive21 negative

Customers find the book's approach practical and well-documented. They mention it provides actionable steps for real-world situations, focusing on consistent, repeatable processes. The book goes into detail on how to develop a system for you and your people to run. It also puts the mindset needed to run a business in simple terms.

"...a successful architecture firm required so much more than designing great architecture...." Read more

"...The book provides actionable steps to delegate tasks, standardize procedures, and ultimately, build a business that can run without you being..." Read more

"...These sections are lacking in substance and are so full of fluff that I wanted to send Sarah away on a permanent vacation...." Read more

"...book providing a lot of insights, questions to answer, and actionable steps. Highly recommended especially if you are considering starting a business." Read more

55 customers mention "Value for money"52 positive3 negative

Customers find the book provides good value for money. They say it's worth every penny, a valuable business book, and worth the time and effort. The Kindle version is inexpensive and offers practical advice in a reasonable way.

"...to start, manage and keep your small business open, healthy and profitable, thus, dissipating your fears and showing you the way...." Read more

"...It can save you YEARS of your life and untold amounts of $. I lost my life savings starting my first business...." Read more

"...a lot of work, a lot of work that pays off in the long run, and is well worth it...." Read more

"Doubtless, E-Myth Revisited contains much of value for the budding entrepreneur, and almost anyone could benefit from considering the talking points..." Read more

35 customers mention "Era"26 positive9 negative

Customers find the book timeless and a classic. They say it's an original exposition of what it takes to make a business. The revised version is even better, and the series is great for anyone serious about running a small business.

"...Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It" is a true classic and a timeless gem...." Read more

"...This newer Revisited version is even better...." Read more

"...it makes use of a dated, corny, phony dialogue between the author and a client. "Oh, dear Sarah, dear, dear, fair Sarah...Do you see it?..." Read more

"...This was an excellent book and is not generic. I hate generic books...." Read more

81 customers mention "Book length"25 positive56 negative

Customers have different views on the book length. Some find the content interesting and informative, with engaging story examples that help grasp concepts. Others feel the storytelling is poor, with long filler stories and repetitive repetition. They also mention the narrative style is poorly crafted and offensively styled, starting too many sentences with "and so".

"I liked this but his story telling was too much for me...." Read more

"...However, at times, the story is too indirect and branches off into superfluous and overly flowery descriptions of how Sarah used to feel about pies..." Read more

""The e-Myth Revisited" is an entertaining, well-written book that provides Gerber's philosophy on why 80% of small businesses fail and what can be..." Read more

"...He started way too many sentences with And and So...." Read more

47 customers mention "Content"22 positive25 negative

Customers have different views on the content. Some find it philosophical and life-changing, with relevant stories about franchises and business building. Others find the writing overly verbose, bland, and preachy. The book contains an attempt at an allegorical style, but some feel it's poorly done.

"...it makes use of a dated, corny, phony dialogue between the author and a client. "Oh, dear Sarah, dear, dear, fair Sarah...Do you see it?..." Read more

"...keep your small business open, healthy and profitable, thus, dissipating your fears and showing you the way. That is what it did for me...." Read more

"...Not only is the business advice just simple observation..." Read more

"...Attitude is Everything! Change the attitude, change the outcome!..." Read more

A book for 2+ times failed product-obsessed startup founders
5 out of 5 stars
A book for 2+ times failed product-obsessed startup founders
- I'm a 5+ failed startup technical founder. - - I've been product obsessed.- I've attended leadership seminars.- I've read dozens of business books- I've listened to hundreds of recordings (Jim Rohn, Brian Tracy, and more)But this book, has been a key missing piece to a much bigger machine.It attacks the doers, the ones who begin on working on stuff because of passion. Founders who are great at their craft, but have been going bad on their business.It tells you that there's more than that.It tells you that what you are creating isn't a product, but a business. The product is the business itself, not the thing you're delivering to the customer.It's key.If you've consumed Robert Kiyosaki, Seth Godin, Brian Tracy, Jim Rohn, Alex Hormozi, Napoleon Hill.You will have likely begun working on systemization, thinking big, delivering the vision.But are you doing that? Or are you hiding yourself in the daily tasks?This book will ask you questions that will make your entrepreneurial journey different.Totally recommend
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2006
    I have owned a small business for over 1.5 years now, as a one-man web development shop. For the past few months I have come to the realization that my current way of doing things will lead down one of two paths: frustration at working all the time for not a lot of money, or closing shop and finding a job. A couple of business partners recommended this book to me within the last two months, and so I bought it. I can only say that what happened next was the best part of owning a business for me so far ... reality checks and awakenings to what could be.

    As I read through the book, Gerber pointed out things about how most small business owners are "technicians" turned business owners; the problem, we may be skilled in what we do, but now we take on multiple jobs that we do NOT know how to do. The problem continues as we immerse ourselves in the "technician" work, but never actually work ON the business, so many aspects of the business suffer (sales, marketing, finances, operations) or just plain don't exist.

    In the first part of the E-Myth, Gerber discusses finding the balance of our inner selves: the Entrepreneur, the Manager, and the Technician, and the responsibilities that each of these roles must take on to drive the business toward success, as well as some pitfalls that each face unless there is a cooperative effort by each within you to work ON, not IN, the business.

    The second part of the E-Myth talks about the Franchise Prototype. While this sounds like Gerber is going to talk about how to build a franchise, it's not! What he discusses here is the importance of setting up your initial (and perhaps for many, the only) company the right way ... YOUR way. This will inevitably lead to the "prototype" company, so that, in theory, you can take that business system and replicate once, twice, 5000 times ... always running the "system" the same way in each business.

    The third, and final, part of the book guides you through the system that you will think through, the business processes that make up your business system, so that the business can run ... even without you in it! It talks about this becoming your own turn-key solution so that you have a business model in place that your system can effectively reproduce, as you need to.

    I took about a week to read through the book and soak in much of what Gerber has to say in it. Gerber includes interesting examples, and the book is very easy to read and understand ... and most importantly, incredibly enjoyable. While some of the text in describing his interaction with a particular business owner is a bit over the top, it doesn't detract from the primary message of the book. I will read it again, and have already begun to get my (new) business system in place. I now have plans to grow my company, and have the vision of what my company will look like. The fog has already started to lift, and the steps are being put into place to reach the success that I have been longing to reach.

    If you have, or are planning to start, a small business, this really is a fantastic book, and should be manditory reading. If you have a successful business in place, and don't agree with this book, please remember one thing before you post a negative review ... you are in the absolute minority of small business owners due to the fact that most small businesses fail within the first 3-5 years; due in large part to NOT having a system in place that helps drive the business. Most small business owners would most definitely benefit from reading this book, if for no other reason than the awareness of where they are and where they could be.

    Thanks to Michael Gerber for such an eye-opening experience, and a viable blueprint. I'm looking forward to the journey!
    71 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2014
    On April 8, 1999, I discovered a book that changed the way I view business; a book that helped me to realize that running a successful architecture firm required so much more than designing great architecture. It taught me that inside the owner of every small firm exists a battle among The Entrepreneur, The Manager and The Technician, and that if we don’t attend to the needs of each, our firms are destined for failure.

    The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It inspired me to build Fivecat Studio as a Franchise Prototype, even though we knew selling our business systems as a franchise was never a planned goal. The systems we created for the firm have allowed us to thrive and have given us the freedom we need to balance the requirements of our firm with the responsibilities of our family. It is the book that inspired me to begin to work “on my business, rather than in my business.”

    This book, written by Michael E. Gerber, had a major influence in the success of our firm and continues to guide many of our business decisions to this day. Fivecat Studio has been in business for 15 years. Annmarie and I experienced the startup pains of “infancy”, the hard earned success of “adolescence” and recently, with our return to the home studio and the launch of our new virtual business model, we are surprisingly “getting small again”.

    As I re-read the words of this inspirational how-to guide for successful small business, it is shocking to me how accurate Mr. Gerber is as he describes the different stages of the typical small business. As I read it, I can follow the path of Fivecat Studio through good decisions and bad, through ups and downs and I can see the next steps we need to take.

    I’ve read The E-Myth so many times that I have lost count. A quick peek at my Amazon order history documents that I have given this book to no fewer than 10 friends and acquaintances as a gift from one business owner to another, struggling to find a life of fulfillment and freedom.

    Michael Gerber breaks his book into three sections.

    In Part I, The E-Myth and the American Small Business, he defines the E-Myth as the Entrepreneurial Myth and discusses how most small businesses are the result of an Entrepreneurial Seizure. He says,

    “The technician suffering from an Entrepreneurial Seizure takes the work he loves to do and turns it into a job.”

    Does that sound familiar? How many architects do you know who have launched their own firms, with dreams of “doing it better” than their former employer and found themselves way over their heads in all the responsibilities of running a small business?

    Gerber describes the three phases of business; Infancy, Adolescence and Maturity. He explains why it is so important to build a Mature company from the start.

    “A Mature company is founded on a broader perspective, an entrepreneurial perspective, a more intelligent point of view. About building a business that works not because of you but without you. And because it starts that way, it is more likely to continue that way. And therein the true difference between an Adolescent company, where everything is left up to chance, and a Mature company, where there is a vision against which the present is shaped.”

    “Successful companies don’t end up as Mature companies. They start that way.”

    In Part II, The Turn-Key Revolution: A New View of Business, Mr. Gerber introduces the concept of the Franchise Prototype and the concept of “working on your business, not in it.”

    He encourages us to create systems which allow for predictable results and happy clients.

    “The system runs the business. The people run the system. The system integrates all the elements required to make a business work. It transforms a business into an organism, driven by integrity of its parts, all working in concert toward a realized objective. And, with its Prototype as its progenitor, it works like nothing else before it.”

    Many architects I know, including Annmarie at first, reject the thought of building systems for their firms. They feel that the routines and consistency of such will limit their creativity, that they will lose their flexibility to create amazing works of architecture. When, in fact, systems will do just the opposite. When everything else required to run a successful business is set to run on “autopilot”, an architect will actually have more time and flexibility to be an architect.

    Gerber continues,

    “Great businesses are not built by extraordinary people, but by ordinary people doing extraordinary things. But for ordinary people to do extraordinary things, a system – ‘a way of doing things’ – is absolutely essential in order to compensate for the disparity between the skills your people have and the skills your business needs if it is to produce consistent results.”

    This is also the section where some readers become frustrated with Gerber’s example of McDonald’s as a model for small business success. I know, as an architect, it is difficult to see the connection between the home of the Big Mac and our aspiring high-end residential design firms. Please trust me and read the book to the end. You will not regret learning the lessons he teaches using the examples of this successful business franchise.

    Here is some of what Gerber says about McDonald’s;

    “It delivers exactly what we have come to expect of it every single time. So that’s why I look upon McDonalds as a model for every small business. Because it can do in its more than 14,000 stores what most of can’t do in one! And to me, that’s what integrity is all about. It’s about doing what you say you will do, and, if you can’t, learning how. If that’s the measure of an incredible business – and I believe it is – then there is no more incredible business than McDonalds. Who among us small business owners can say we do things as well?”

    Part III, Building a Small Business That Works is a step by step, how-to guide for a successful small business. He leads us through a fully developed Business Development Program and describes the many strategies required for small business success.

    The E-Myth Revisited is not only your answer to building a successful small business, it’s also very entertaining. Gerber structures the information around a narrative about a woman named Sarah struggling with her small business named All About Pies. Many readers will see ourselves in Sarah as she evolves from frustrated Technician into a successful small business owner.

    When I posted recently that The E-Myth was my favorite business book of all time, many from the Entrepreneur Architect Community reached out and asked me why.

    In short… If you take action to implement the lessons Michael Gerber teaches, The E-Myth Revisited will take your firm to places you only imagined. I know it will work for you, because it has already worked for me.
    101 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2025
    This book is a sure way to understand exactly what your business is supposed to do. Having an strategic critical thinking skills allows you to position yourself and your business as two different entities is pure genius. To succeed in business you must know exactly what it is your business will achieve on a grand scale.

Top reviews from other countries

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  • Alan
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read for new entrepreneurs
    Reviewed in Canada on January 27, 2025
    I’m a new entrepreneur who had no idea what it even meant to look at things from an “entrepreneurial perspective”. This book provided the mindset shift and scaffolding needed for me to think about things differently. To be sure, more details and research are needed before I can implement some of the concepts, but the book provided a good low-resolution infrastructure that can easily be turned into the blueprint for a business strategy. Highly recommend for business novices!
  • Bob
    5.0 out of 5 stars Molto interessante
    Reviewed in Italy on January 19, 2024
    Ti aiuta capire come funziona davvero il mondo dello business.
  • gmffr
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book
    Reviewed in Spain on December 18, 2023
    This is a great book for people running small businesses. It shows you how a lot of people start a business after working a full-time job and feeling they could do better by striking out on their own, but then face a lot of unexpected problems unrelated to their craft. It teaches you how to resolve this and how to work on your business instead of in your business, and how every business requires at least three roles, even if you are a solopreneur - the technician, the manager and the entrepreneur. This will not teach you how to manage money, get leads or acquire customers, but I would recommend this book to anyone who needs clarity on how to run their business more efficiently and with less stress, particularly people who are starting or running a business for the first time. It will show you how to properly think about it and give you a guide on the tasks you need to do to optimize it.
  • Dor Bue
    5.0 out of 5 stars Mehr Buch zum Thema braucht man nicht :) Must Have !!!
    Reviewed in Germany on June 22, 2022
    Super geschriebenes Buch, Must have für alle die sich selbständig machen wollen, solche Inhalte habe ich vorher noch nirgendwo gelesen. Motivierend, unterhaltsam, lehrreich. Super Geschenk, wenn jemand sich selbständig machen will oder bereits ein kleines bis mittelständisches Geschäft, Firma hat, mit der er Probleme hat.
  • Davide Corizzo
    5.0 out of 5 stars Un libro extraordinario y ¡sólo a 18 pesos!
    Reviewed in Mexico on June 27, 2019
    No conociendo al autor, lo encontré en una lista de libros recomendados sobre el tema del emprendimiento. Me encantó por cómo hablar de los negocios y que al final todo se basa en nosotros, los seres humanos con nuestro percibir. Si estás luchando para hacer despegar tu pequeño negocio, ¡esto es lo tuyo!

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