Today, we’re going to talk about a special book called ‘The E-Myth Revisited’. This book is written by Michael Gerber. He’s a well-known author who writes about business and entrepreneurship.
‘The E-Myth Revisited’ is a great book that has helped many people understand the world of small businesses. It talks about the common myths around starting and running a business, and it gives practical advice on how to be successful.
The purpose of this blog post is to give you a practical summary of ‘The E-Myth Revisited’. We hope that by reading this post, you can understand the key ideas from the book and use them in your own business journey.
“The difference between great people and everyone else is that great people create their lives actively, while everyone else is created by their lives, passively waiting to see where life takes them next.”
Michael Gerber
In thin post, we will go over:
- Understanding the E-Myth
- The Entrepreneur, The Manager, and The Technician
- The Lifecycle of a Business
- The Turn-Key Revolution
- Building a Small Business That Works
- Key Strategies for Business Development
Understanding the E-Myth
In ‘The E-Myth Revisited’, Michael Gerber introduces the concept of the E-Myth, which is the belief that small businesses are typically started by entrepreneurs who risk their own money to make a profit. However, Gerber argues that this is not always the case. In fact, many small businesses are started by individuals who are skilled at a particular task and decide to build a business around that skill, not necessarily because they have the entrepreneurial spirit.
This brings us to the idea of the “Entrepreneurial Seizure”. This term describes the moment when an individual decides to leave their job and start their own business. It’s like a sudden realization or ‘light bulb’ moment when you think, “I can do this on my own, and I can do it better.” The allure of being your own boss and having control over your work can be very strong.
However, this leads to what Gerber calls the “Fatal Assumption”. This is the belief that understanding the technical work of a business means you understand a business that does that technical work. For instance, if you’re an excellent baker, you might assume that you can run a successful bakery. But running a business involves much more than just technical skills. It requires management skills, marketing knowledge, and a host of other competencies. Understanding these concepts can help you avoid common pitfalls and put you on the path to success in your own business.
The Entrepreneur, The Manager, and The Technician
In ‘The E-Myth Revisited’, Michael Gerber introduces the concept of three distinct personalities that every business owner embodies: The Entrepreneur, The Manager, and The Technician.
The Entrepreneur
The Entrepreneur is the visionary in us. They are the dreamer, the one who lives in the future, the one who sees opportunities everywhere and imagines how things could be. The Entrepreneur is the driving force behind every business, providing the energy and inspiration.
The Manager
The Manager is the pragmatist in us. They live in the past, drawing on past experiences to plan for the future. The Manager seeks order, creates rules and procedures, and seeks to control. They are the one who turns the Entrepreneur’s ideas into a reality.
The Technician
The Technician is the doer in us. They live in the present, enjoying the work at hand. The Technician loves to tinker and can become so engrossed in the technical work of the business that they lose sight of the bigger picture.
All three of these personalities – The Entrepreneur, The Manager, and The Technician – exist in varying degrees in all of us. In a well-balanced business owner, all three personalities are present and in balance. However, problems can arise when one personality dominates. For instance, if the Technician becomes too dominant, the business can become overly focused on the technical work and lose sight of its strategic objectives. Understanding these three personalities can help us recognize our strengths and weaknesses as a business owner and ensure a balanced approach to running our business.
The Lifecycle of a Business
Every business goes through different phases, just like how a person grows from a baby to an adult. These phases are: Infancy, Adolescence, and Maturity.
Infancy is the birth stage of the business. In this phase, the business is new and requires constant attention and nurturing from the owner, much like a newborn baby. The owner is involved in every aspect of the business, from sales to customer service to bookkeeping.
As the business grows, it enters the Adolescence phase. This is a period of rapid growth and change, similar to the teenage years in a human life. The business begins to expand, and the owner must start to delegate tasks to employees. This can be a challenging phase as the owner learns to let go of some control and trust others to handle aspects of the business.
Finally, the business reaches Maturity, a stage of stability and sustained profitability. At this point, the business has a clear identity and operates smoothly, much like an adult in their prime. The owner can step back from day-to-day operations and focus on strategic planning and growth initiatives.
Understanding these stages and what is required in each can be crucial to the success of a business. It allows the owner to anticipate challenges and make informed decisions at each stage of growth. For instance, knowing when to start delegating tasks during the Adolescence phase can prevent burnout and ensure the business continues to grow and thrive.
The Turn-Key Revolution
In ‘The E-Myth Revisited’, Michael Gerber introduces the concept of the Turn-Key Revolution, a fundamental shift in the way businesses are conceived and operated. The term ‘Turn-Key’ is derived from the idea of a business being so well designed and organized that you could hand over the keys to someone else, and they could run it successfully.
This concept is exemplified by the Franchise Prototype, a business model that allows for the replication of a successful business. Think of franchises like McDonald’s or Subway. Each franchise operates under the same set of rules and procedures, ensuring a consistent customer experience across all locations. This is the essence of the Turn-Key Revolution – a business model that can be replicated and run by people with varying levels of business expertise.
The Turn-Key Revolution has significantly changed the landscape of business. It has demonstrated that success in business doesn’t have to be about reinventing the wheel, but rather about implementing a proven, successful system. This approach reduces the risk of failure and allows for easier expansion, as each new location simply replicates the successful model of the original business.
Building a Small Business That Works
In ‘The E-Myth Revisited’, Michael Gerber emphasizes the importance of the Business Development Process in building a small business that works. This process is a systematic approach to understanding, planning, and implementing the various aspects of a business. It involves envisioning the business you want, creating a prototype of that business, and then building and refining systems, processes, and structures to bring that vision to life.
One of the key insights Gerber shares is the importance of working on your business, not in it. This means that instead of getting caught up in the day-to-day operations of the business, the business owner should focus on strategic planning, system design, and business improvement. This shift in perspective allows the business owner to step back and see the bigger picture, to identify opportunities for growth and improvement, and to create a business that can operate successfully even without their constant involvement.
By following the Business Development Process and adopting the mindset of working on the business, not in it, business owners can create a business that is not only successful but also provides them with the freedom and fulfillment they seek.
“Most salespeople think that selling is “closing.” It isn’t. Selling is opening.”
Michael Gerber
Key Strategies for Business Development
In ‘The E-Myth Revisited’, Michael Gerber talks about different strategies for growing a business. These strategies are like a game plan for your business. They help you know what to do and how to do it.
- Your Primary Aim: This is your main goal or purpose. It’s like the big dream that you want to achieve with your business.
- Your Strategic Objective: This is a clear and measurable goal that will help you achieve your Primary Aim. It’s like a roadmap that shows you how to get to your dream.
- Your Organizational Strategy: This is a plan for how your business will be structured and who will do what. It’s like a team where everyone knows their role and how they contribute to the goal.
- Your Management Strategy: This is how you will manage your team and your business. It’s about making sure everything runs smoothly and everyone is working towards the goal.
- Your People Strategy: This is about how you will work with your team. It’s about building a good team where everyone is motivated and works well together.
- Your Marketing Strategy: This is how you will attract customers to your business. It’s about understanding what your customers want and how you can give it to them.
- Your Systems Strategy: This is about the systems and processes you will use in your business. It’s about making sure everything works efficiently and consistently.
So, we encourage you to take these lessons and use them. Think about your Primary Aim, your Strategic Objective, and your different strategies. Look at your business and see how you can make it better.
Don’t be afraid to make changes and try new things. Remember, every big business was once a small business just like yours. With the right strategies and hard work, you can build a successful business that works.