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.