The E-Fable Revisited: Why Most Small Companies Do not Work and What to Do About It

Changed My Life
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!

Eye-Opener for Budding Entrepreneurs: A Review of The E-Myth Revisited
Michael Gerber’s E-Myth Revisited is a must-read for anyone harboring dreams of entrepreneurship. It shatters the common misconception that running a successful business is simply about having a great product or service. Gerber argues that most businesses fail because they’re built on a faulty foundation – the myth that the entrepreneur themselves needs to be the “technician” doing all the hands-on work.The book brilliantly lays out a framework for building a business that works for you, not the other way around. Gerber introduces the concept of the “Entrepreneurial Myth” – the belief that technical skill and a passion for the product are enough for success. He then dives into the three key roles a business owner must embody: the Technician (the doer), the Manager (the organizer), and the Entrepreneur (the visionary).Gerber’s core message is that for a business to truly thrive, the entrepreneur needs to focus on building systems and processes, not getting bogged down in the day-to-day operations. The book provides actionable steps to delegate tasks, standardize procedures, and ultimately, build a business that can run without you being constantly at the helm.Even if you’re not planning to start your own company, The E-Myth Revisited offers valuable insights into business operations and management. It’s a wake-up call for any entrepreneur feeling stuck in the weeds and a roadmap to building a successful, scalable business.Highly recommend!

Ich kann das Buch jedem empfehlen, der den Wunsch hat, sich selbständig zu machen. Als Gründer eines Start-Ups war ich am Anfang super euphorisch und naiv, weil ich dachte, genau zu wissen, was meine Aufgaben sind. Doch je länger die Reise ging, desto verzweifelter wurde ich und ich bekam oft das Feedback, dass mir Struktur und Überblick fehlen.Nachdem ich dieses Buch gelesen und das wertvolle Wissen auf mein Unternehmen angewendet habe, herrscht zum ersten Mal Klarheit in meinem Kopf. Eines der wichtigsten Learnings aus dem Buch ist, dein Unternehmen wie ein Franchise zu führen, das auch ohne deine direkte Beteiligung hervorragende Ergebnisse liefert. Dies kannst du nur erreichen, wenn deine Systeme und Prozesse so aufgebaut sind, dass sie aus durchschnittlichen Mitarbeitern Spitzenkräfte machen.

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.