Do the work, do the work, do the work?

If you were to ask me if I've read the U.S. Constitution, I'd say, "Well, not word for word, but sure I know what its about". Well, same thing holds for The E Myth. I have heard so much about the concept of this book that I assumed I "knew the book".

Well, I think I'd better go back and read the Constitution because when I finally did read every page of The E Myth Revisted, cover to cover I could only think that I wish I'd read it 4 years ago when I founded Marigold. I did not "know the book".

Who should read this book?
She who currently owns a business or is self-employed.
She who feels vulnerable to an oncoming Entrepreneurial Seizure (that moment when you decide to work for yourself or start a small business).

I will be blogging on the blessings of this book for the next several weeks, focusing on one concept at a time. Lets get started!


From the E Myth-
"It is critical that you understand the point I'm about to make. For if you do, neither your business nor your life will ever be the same. The point is: your business is not your life. Your business and your life are two totally separate things... An organism, you might say, that will live or die according to how well it performs its sole function: to find and keep customers". Michael Gerber, The E Myth

A sustainable business has the ability to function without you because you have designed and implemented systems and procedures that do not include YOU! Of course your business will include a lot of YOU at the beginning, but there should be a clear and definable time period after which YOU are not needed. You will be the owner of the business, not the business.

If you have a non-transferable skill or talent that you sell to others, you do not have a business, you work for yourself. Big difference. If you stop doing that work, the customers go away and so does their money. You will have lost your job. If you have taught your team how to do the work of the business and you have put systems and job descriptions in place with the right employees, your business survives and the revenues continue to flow regardless of your health. The business can be sold, transferred, etc... There is nothing wrong with working for yourself. Just don't fool yourself into thinking you have created something other that a different way to earn a paycheck. There is no equity from the relationships you have established with clients or customers. You have to keep doing the work, doing the work, doing the work.

Are you your business? Do you want the added responsibility of early stage business ownership? Can you see the business being attractive to a potential buyer? Do you want to learn a new way to approach your work?

The E Myth Revisited spells out how to achieve separateness from your business. It is not too late or too early. Lets get started.

Update your game plan!

So we are a little more than half way through 2009. Where did THOSE six months go?

For many of us January 1 looked pretty scary and few were setting high goals for business or career growth. But most of us at least had a game plan with the goal of keeping our heads above water. How is the game plan working for you? July is the time to revisit the plan and the goals. If you never created any (shame on you, but I'm not your mother) then this is a good time to plan the remainder of the year.

As you review your goals and your plan, ask yourself:

• Have I been successful in taking steps forward?
• Am I holding back my vision out of fear or common sense?
• Have I learned new disciplines that will help me in the future?
• Have I discovered my true business allies and loyal customers?
• Have I found that my new frugality should be the new "normal"?
• Did I underestimate my ability to take on the challenge?

Maybe you can be a bit more optimistic in planning 2009 Part 2. At the very least, you can pat youself on the back for what you've survived and learned from the experience.

The economy may feel like a ball and chain as you try to get ahead, so consider it weight training. Once your leg is free, you will have become accustomed to the hard work, persistence and dogged determination to move forward. You will soar!

Lesson Learned on the 3rd of July

With the nation's birthday falling on a Saturday this year, many of us were given Friday as a paid holiday. This was an inspiration to me. The 3-day weekend is a most glorious gift during a northern Michigan summer. Was it the glorious weather? Was it that the kids still had camp, making it a grown-up holiday? Whatever the source of the magic, I'm sold!

Instead of taking two week long vacations, I'm rearranging my schedule to take several summer Fridays off. I live here for the summers, so why not maximize the time spent enjoying it. Think about it!

Here are some options to 3 day weekends:

• If you are the boss, well, just do it!
• If you HAVE a boss, ask if you can squeeze an extra 8 hours into the first four days of the week. Just for 6 weeks of summer.
• Request a special project that you do off the clock in exchange for Fridays off.
• Offer to work 5 or 6 Saturdays or Sundays in the fall/winter.
  
• Take a week of vacation and make it 5 Fridays between now and Labor Day.
• Start complaining of mysterious symptoms of ill health around 3pm on Thursday afternoons. I think you get the idea. With any luck your co-workers will not recognize a pattern. Maybe space it out every 2 weeks.
• With fewer of us getting raises in this economy, negotiate summer Fridays off as compensation for your work.

Enjoy!