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The E-Myth Contractor: Why Most Contractors' Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About Itx$8.17
  (23 reviews)
Best Price: $8.17
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 In The E-Myth Contractor, bestselling author Michael Gerber reveals a radical mind-set that will free contractors from the tyranny of the unprofitable, unproductive, and perpetual routine -- doing everything that needs to get done, themselves. The E-Myth Contractor will teach you how to: implement the ingenious turn-key system, a means of creating a business model that produces consistent, predictable results recognize, understand, and manage the four factors of money -- income, profit, flow, and equity -- and understand the impact of each in your business transform your company and your people while enabling the firm to grow exponentially without your having to be there all the time. Drawing on thirty years of experience working with tens of thousands of small-business owners, Gerber provides revolutionary, practical, and enlightening insights on how to produce the best real-world results on the job, in the field, and in a contractor's life. Despite the single letter at the heart of its hyphenated title, The E-Myth Contractor isn't another book about e-commerce. Instead, like previous entries in Michael E. Gerber's popular series, it focuses on a different e-word--entrepreneur--and the fact that most of us who go into business for ourselves are doomed to fail because we really don't understand business. This time, Gerber lays out the basics for starry-eyed newly self-employed contractors who know everything about their trade but precious little about being a boss. "I don't try to tell you how to do the work you do," he writes at the outset. "Rather, I share with you some profound insights into how great businesspeople think." In his easy-to-understand manner, Gerber explains the concept of Strategic Thinking and how it "will enable you to create a business that works apart from you instead of because of you." He addresses key topics like money, people, management and growth with an eye toward making related functions run seamlessly and effectively as we build our independent enterprises into true companies that have inherent value whether we stay involved or ultimately hand them off to eager buyers. Taken to heart, it could save more than a few worthy ventures as well as the people behind them. -- Howard Rothman
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Customer Reviews
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It puts a hook in your mouth.
By on 2003-10-21
This book is filled with wonderful ideas and philosophies. They all make sense and seem to put you on the path to the realization of your goals. The problem is that not all the keys to making the ideas work that you could actually put into practice are provided in the book. The idea of the book seems to be to get the reader excited and then point them to a web site where one can sign up for classes (at a healthy fee) to learn the fundementals of the systems and how to put them to use. The limited scope of the book was no doubt designed to provide the author, Mr. Gerber, with more income than he receives just through book sales. I would be very cautious before getting hooked because the "rest of the story" is provided in a lengthy process that is quite expensive.
Weak summary of the E-Myth Revisited.
By A2TPW75ZUKMZLE on 2004-11-08
This book is a watered down version of the E-myth Revisited, which is a good book. The E-Myth Contactor - is a summary of M. Gerber's program with "contractor stories." There is no true insight into the contactor industry. My guess is this is the 1st of many books focusing on specific industries. My advice is to skip this book, just purchase Gerber's E-Myth Revisited & make the connections yourself.
Same content - different package
By on 2002-04-06
I thoroughly enjoyed the E-Myth Revisited. I thought there was a lot of good material and direction for me to follow.I was excited to see that the author was coming out with a contractor version that I hoped would fit my company even better. I was disappointed to find that it really wasn't much more than the first book, somewhat refocused. Between reading the two books, I contacted the company to see about using their consulting services. It became clear to me that the principles presented in the books, which they ask business operators to live up to, are not implemented in the E-Myth company very well at all. - Very disappointing.
A welcome extenstion to his other books
By A3JOMD4YAKP5LN on 2002-06-03
Gerber's books on the EMyth should be required reading in MBA schools and should be provided free by all CPA's of the world.He describes how you need to work ON your business (developing franchiseable systems) rather than IN your business (as a worker). This book extends that theme for contractors. There is alot of new material here that updates previous versions. I was able to read it quickly in an afternoon... even after extensive underlinings. I went to his web site and researched other books here on Amazon. Overall, this should be recommended reading for any entrepreneur, particularly those that have been in business for several years and are frustrated.
The E-myth Contractor
By on 2002-02-23
I enjoyed this book. It really gets you thinking about how your business should be operated and opened my eyes to how little I was paying attention to the most important aspects of running my business. I hope to start implementing many of these ideas right away in my business.
- Good, but not good enough
By A39Z3GWWNPXSDN on 2005-08-09
I think of this book as something of a case study. However, it's not really written like a case study. It's written as a stand alone book. For that, I give this book only 2 stars. The E-Myth Revisited was an excellent book. Exceedingly worthwhile to read. This one was not. I could have done without it and, probably, so can you.
- Another of Micheals Great Books
By A42W8Y1HQX3K7 on 2002-06-21
His tremendous ability to see through the mental tunnel vision we all have as business owners is unbeliveably beneficial to us all. This book continues to reveal us to what I am personally experiencing, his results oriented, methodical and proven E-Myth Mastery Program. This book is fantastic and helps contrator business owners get a taste of his ideas and processes. It prepares the business owner for what each contractor should go through - The Emyth Mastery Program. This program is unquestionably the world's best business development program. I have been in the program for over 10 months and I have seen substantial improvement in my operations of my business. I look forward to reaching my Primary Aim by utilizing everything I have learned from Micheals books and programs in the years to come!!
- Good but not necessarily great
By AL8Y4JLK5S92S on 2005-09-21
I enjoyed the original E-Myth very much, though it was painful too as I recognised all my own mistakes in business over the years. I found this particular volume just a tad too new-age in places for my own liking. It is also, like so many small (the book, that is) business-help books, a little on the glib side, making the issues out to be rather easy to solve whereas entrepreneurship is somewhat more challenging in reality, and not quite as formulaic as the author might have us believe. But there's still a lot of truth in it too, and it is easily read, with some good lessons to take from it. Certainly worth both the purchase price and the time it takes to read.
- Grade School Lessons & E-Myth Acadamy Advertisement
By A1INVCUE3X28ML on 2007-10-04
This is, at best the beginning part of a working business solution. Yes, Gerber makes a valid point about the E-myth concept (read other reviews if you don't know the concept) but it's really for beginners (newbs). All his books are really just advertisements,for his E-Myth Academy consulting business in the back of all his books. There is nearly no practical information. He makes his point about the E-Myth, then masterbates it endlesly, re-making that point six ways to Sunday, add nausium and leaves you wondering, well, but what should I do? Well, little lost lamb (newb), go to E-Myth web site or call the 800 number where they have a fast talking sales crew and sign up for 2 years of 700 plus a month (I haven't checked lately) consultation/classes.
After you get the point that to make your technical skill pay/function as a business you need to have business skills/know how. You can sign up for the 700 plus per month for 2 years advertised in the back of his books. Start looking elsewhere for actual practical information. Because there are no E-myth books or tapes that have that information. You can do a lot for your business with that kind of money. I'm always shocked at how newbs starting businesses throw money around. Something to buy and a place to buy it, no matter how pretty it all is, doesn't make a successful business, In my observations, it's the major reason new businesses fail. I'm sure some of you with deep pockets or You corperate types who have never had to find the guts or earn the money to build a small business without Sugar Daddy Warbucks help will think I'm wrong. This E-Myth stuff is valid but it it's grade school lessons made to look like some kind of super-profound truth/solution. Well, it is, grade school true, now what Mr. Gerber, where's the solutions, spend, what, nearly 17,000 Sign up for what I thought I was getting when I bought the Books and tapes? What a greedy little tight wad! When are you going to write a book with substance? Hey Newbs! Trust me, yes you need real business skills, there are plenty of great business books out there, take some of that 17,000 and buy some and be careful with the rest you're going to need it.
- A worthy extension to the E-Myth curriculum
By A2H2ACDVOPL0SS on 2002-04-22
I profess to being a big fan of Michael Gerber. The E-Myth is the master mentoring program... while pricey, it is resonant with the human spirit, and its principles are grounded and accurate. This book for contractors is small and light, and will fit easily in your shoulder bag. You can read it in an hour, yet you can re-read it every week and gain new value. That's the idea, I think. And the previous reviewer was incorrect... nay, they were flat-out wrong: The content in this book is *completely new*, an extension to the E-Myth book. Chapters on Money, Planning, Change, and Customers extend the existing E-Myth library, and are in themselves terse and inspirational. In fact, everyone, I believe, can benefit from this book, as the concept of Contracting is very much the same as normal Business. But I repeat: even if you have read the first E-Myth book, you still need to read this one. And towards the end, the author shifts from mentor to guru, teaching the necessary discipline that will bring you freedom. Michael Gerber is the coach we wish we all had. But all of his great work is encoded in the E-Myth program, a subject that should be standard study in all school curricula. Gerber's a legend, and all of his books are keepers.
- Too Many Chiefs
By A2A892J69QNQOY on 2002-05-22
I was initially impressed when I first started reading Gerber.
He quickly captures your attention with well described scenarios
of everyday business problems.
Small contractor can identify with time, employee,
and cash flow issues.The second one half of the book moves rapidly to conceptual
rather than the practical solutions to the initial problems.
We all know we need a "business plan", and we all know
at times that we need to read "inspirational material" to boost
our spirit. I found this book somewhat lacking in a more concise
and specific formula that was promised to create
the changes needed to alleviate the common woes.
In the very end you are left with the same problem:
someone has to be in charge. An office or a business
left with all the chiefs running amuck is
a dangerous situation. I give this
book one thumb down. C. Billick
- Another "Tool" for your Toolbelt!
By ATPUFJHDL2489 on 2002-06-01
I have recently finished reading The E-Myth Contractor "Why Most Contractors' Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It" (for the second time) and once again Michael Gerber (author of E-Myth Revisited) "hits the nail on the head." Not only does the E-Myth Contractor motivate and inspire, it provides simple "tools" that will help you put your business and life into perspective -- Michael Gerber suggests, "that they are one in the same!" The E-Myth Contractor is well written, to-the-point and an easy read. In this book, you will find out what makes most companies successful and how you can apply those principles and systems to your business.
- Not worth the time or money
By ASO3AO9RRB0T8 on 2007-02-04
This book repeats a few of the strategies presented in "The E-Myth Revisted", trying to point them at the contractor. Unfortunately, except for a couple of good ideas from that book, there is nothing here but fluff and pep talk. At one point, I think you can actually tell where material was cut-and-pasted from the sister book about medical practices, where they accidentally forgot to change "practice" to "contracting business".
If you found some chapters of the "The E-Myth Revisted" to be a bit fluffy for you, you can count on an entire (although short) book of it here. Very dissapointing and not particularly useful.
- Another Tool for Your Toolbelt
By A1N84MMOS7O156 on 2002-06-01
I have recently finished reading The E-Myth Contractor "Why Most Contractors' Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It" (for the second time) and once again Michael Gerber (author of E-Myth Revisited) "hits the nail on the head." Not only does the E-Myth Contractor motivate and inspire, it provides simple "tools" that will help you put your business and life into perspective -- Michael Gerber suggests, "that they are one in the same!" The E-Myth Contractor is well written, to-the-point and an easy read. In this book, you will find out what makes most companies successful and how you can apply those principles and systems to your business.
- eye opener
By A2ER4QY8C2230L on 2004-03-28
If you're starting a business, any business, the contents are a must for you. It looks outside the box and makes you think from the correct prospective of a business owner. I agree with the previous reviewer stating that it is just a "hook" to get you to buy into the more expensive, and extensive, e-Myth program. Take this book for what it is. Lots of good learning tools.
- Good job.
By A3TFUJJF9LOXHR on 2005-08-26
The book arrived in a timely manner and was just what I wanted.
- Construction
By A3GG4JWK0LDVYX on 2007-01-25
Great stuff and a must have - appears to be simplistic but after you really study Gerber's well articulated strategy carefully - it will then reveal its true value.
- Awesome
By AC20GKV2ARDQ9 on 2007-03-13
Absolutley essential book. He shares some great business ideas that you might have otherwise overlooked.
- the E-Myth Contractor
By A2QQBOKAC7J22S on 2005-09-01
Good book with good "back to the basic" information which we all need to be reminded of from time to time.
- Quick read explaining importance of CashFlow for business owners.
By AY8ELP42VQV7S on 2007-07-12
This is another in the series of E-myth books. While focused on (building) contractors, it is very applicable for any business owner. It breaks down the different ways to look at money related to business. A quick read, especially if you have read the e-myth Revisited. I usually go purchase a bunch for each new client to get them on the same page of understanding that running your business by the checkbook or float is a recipe for disaster. I recommend reading this after e-myth revisited and before e-myth mastery.
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