Book review of “Thinkertoys” for Entrepreneurs' Connection

If you’re looking for a way to increase your creativity or If a significant part of your life requires creativity, particularly creativity that is attached to solving real-world problems, , the second edition of Thinkertoys may just be what you’ve been searching for. this book is tremendous. Thinkertoys is filled with exercises designed to make you think outside the box and help stretch your creative abilities. It offers tons of creative exercises along with a lot of detail on how to really squeeze the juice out of each one. It’s basically a book where you can sit there and try several specific techniques on each page as you read it.

The author, Michael Michalko, prefaces the book by stating that Thinktoys is for “monkeys,” not “kittens.” He defines “kittens” as people who ask for help, but are not willing to make the effort necessary to make changes. “Monkeys,” on the other hand, take the initiative and face challenges head-on. Michalko states that the activities contained within the book must be used, not merely read, for them to make a difference in the reader’s way of looking at problems.

I found this book enlightening. I was surprised over and over by the simple exercises that I couldn’t figure out until reading the explanation. I didn’t even make it into the first chapter before realizing my shortcomings. For example, in the introduction, there is a picture of the word “FLOP.” However, if you look closely, the center of the “O” contains an “I,” so the complete message is “FLIP FLOP.” I’m embarrassed to say that I would never have picked up on that on my own. It gave me an immediate desire to read more and work on my creative skills.

Thinkertoys is the best single collection of quick creative thinking exercises that I’ve found in a single book, ever. It’s not a be-all end-all compendium of these exercises, but many very good ones are in the book, including a few great ones that I knew before reading it and several more that I added to my repertoire after reading it.

Don’t miss out Go buy this book and use it to gain the creative edge. Click here and pick up a copy.

Robert Biro
513-238-0744
rbiro@wbhomebuyers.com

Book review of “The E-Myth Revisited” for Entrepreneurs' Connection

Book review of “The E-Myth Revisited” for Entrepreneurs' Connection

Do you find yourself overworked, understaffed, or worse have a feeling you’re going broke at your company? Have you felt that if things don’t change you may come to hate the work you do. “The E Myth Revisited” book is a guide to success for small business owners. Author Michael Gerber observed that most small businesses are started by what he calls "technicians", that is people who are skilled at something and who enjoy doing that thing. (For example that can be anything from a computer programmer to plumber to a dog groomer to a musician or lawyer.) When these technicians strike out on their own, they tend to continue doing the work they are skilled at, and ignore the overarching aspects of business. Rather than owning a business, they own a job, and they find themselves working for managers who are completely clueless about how to run a business- -themselves.

The solution, Gerber suggests looking at franchises as a model. In comparison to the dismal rate of ordinary small-business start-ups, 75% of franchises succeed at 5 years. The reason they succeed is that they are set up so that any unskilled person off the street could walk in, buy a franchise, run all operations in the franchise, and have a fairly good chance of success. The product of franchise companies is a business model, not food, hotel rooms, etc. In order to meet this level of success, franchise companies have clear operations manuals, procedures, consistent sales approaches- -every detail of running the business is specified down to dress codes and wall paper.

By asking us to consider the franchise approach, Gerber is not saying to go out and buy a franchise license. Instead, he says to imagine that you want to sell your business as a successful franchise within a finite period of time. If so, what will you need to do regarding your business plan and management in order to meet this goal? That is, if you were going to make your business fool-proof so that any unskilled person could take over as owner after a few years and succeed with it, what will you need to do?

Overall, I found the ideas in this book extremely insightful and incredibly useful. He can be a bit wordy and choppy at times. If you're a small business owner whose business is out of control, stagnant, or worse, this book can be a light in the dark.

Don’t miss out Go buy this book and use it to build your business. Click here and pick up a copy.

Robert Biro

513-238-0744

rbiro@wbhomebuyers.com

Book review of “Dot Boom” for Entrepreneurs' Connection

Another title Dot Boom could be called is “Marketing to Baby Boomers Through Meaningful Online Engagement”  Written by David Weigelt and Jonathan Boehman this book goes with that amazing thought process if we understood the customer more we could sell more to them.  Our job as communication professionals is not to simply market to people. Our job is to move people, to inspire them, and to help them process their lives. We should understand what truly motivates consumers and the need to develop marketing campaigns that proactively engage them in authentic and meaningful relationships.”

They went on to do just that. They formed a company called Immersion Active. Specifically this business was geared to marketing to the “baby boomers.” This 50-plus market is a consumer group that is the web’s largest and fastest growing constituency, yet remains the most underserved by online marketing.

Dot Boom provides insight into the baby boomer markets, their online motivations, online behavior and online preferences,. As you read Dot Boom, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of what baby boomers want and need from an internet marketing campaign. You’ll also explore a framework you can use to create these campaigns in a replicable effective manner.

So does it work? Absolutely it works. Best part you don’t need to understand why it does as long as you just follow the framework they outline.  Who wouldn’t want to tap into the 138million people in America who are over 40 and by 2025 another 30 million with cross that threshold?

Not sure if you are savvy enough to design a campaign for the internet crowd.  You happen to be in luck this time.  Several people in our group can help.  Myself, a retired IT professional turned entrepreneur has recently formed a business to address this specific need. I can provide a complete marketing campaign customized for your business from Start to finish, leaving you with the ability to take over future campaigns from there.  Don’t need your hand held through the process?  Chuck Holder and Alice Buchman have a great way to help you.

This book is definitely worth the read. If I had to pick something bad about this book it would have to be it can get a bit technical in some marketing techniques.  But you have to ask yourself, “Do I have the over 50 market buying consistently from my business?” If not go and get this book. Find out if you could be missing out on the largest segment of consumers currently purchasing today.  If you are selling consistently to the over 50 crowds, ask yourself,” are you marketing to them online?”  As you see there are very few reasons to not get this book.

Don’t miss out Go buy this book and use it to build your business. click here and pick up a copy.

Robert Biro

513-238-0744

rbiro@wbhomebuyers.com