{"product":{"product_id":"0887307280","title":"The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It","price":"13.89","image_url":"https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41kONb0oymL._SL500_.jpg","url":"https://www.amazon.com/dp/0887307280"},"comments":[{"body":"In [The E-myth Revisited](https://www.amazon.com/Myth-Revisited-Small-Businesses-About/dp/0887307280), Michael Gerber paraphrased a quote from Gen. George Patton. It has stuck with me for many years after having read the book.\r\n\r\n\u0026gt;*The comfort zone makes cowards of us all.*\r\n\r\n\u0026amp;#x200B;","subreddit_name":"Entrepreneur","author":"thmaje"},{"body":"\u0026gt; I think the primary problem is that the business is \"me\" and I'm having a difficult time transitioning from a \"freelancer\" to a \"business\" in a way that still keeps me flush with reliable income.\r\n\r\nRead [The E-Myth Revisited](https://www.amazon.com/Myth-Revisited-Small-Businesses-About/dp/0887307280/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8\u0026amp;qid=1525233163\u0026amp;sr=8-1\u0026amp;keywords=e-myth).\r\n\r\nThe first chapter or so will resonate with you deeply as the whole book is about turning your business into an actual business that can function without you so you can get your life back.","subreddit_name":"smallbusiness","author":"asusc"},{"body":"There's a good book on this called \"[The E Myth](https://www.amazon.com/Myth-Revisited-Small-Businesses-About/dp/0887307280)\" that might help shed some light on this for you. It's not a huge long book, but it goes into the idea that running a business is entirely different than working in your field.\r\n\r\nAlso, try to keep in perspective your experience. If you fail, so what? You have a great opportunity here to try something. If it works then great! If not, you might go back to a 9-5 with a new appreciation for the simplicity of it all.","subreddit_name":"startups","author":"seamore555"},{"body":"Do you have any management experience? Do you know how to read and create financial statements? Do you know how to do sales/marketing? Do you have relationships with vendors?\r\n\r\nI recommend getting a copy of [The E-Myth Revisited](https://www.amazon.com/Myth-Revisited-Small-Businesses-About/dp/0887307280). It will help you understand the systems that you would need to setup to form the basis for your enterprise. Borrow a copy from your local library.","subreddit_name":"restaurateur","author":"elus"},{"body":"Read \"The E Myth.\" It's probably the single best thing you can do for yourself, and I would not start a bakery until you've done so. It's a fast and easy read. I own a small food business, and I'm following the book's principles because it would be a waste of time not to.\r\n\r\n[Amazon link](https://www.amazon.com/Myth-Revisited-Small-Businesses-About/dp/0887307280/ref=sxts_b2b_sx_reorder?cv_ct_cx=emyth\u0026amp;dchild=1\u0026amp;keywords=emyth\u0026amp;pd_rd_i=0887307280\u0026amp;pd_rd_r=64ec591d-fdb8-4dd1-a7c7-f786d68951df\u0026amp;pd_rd_w=w1U2m\u0026amp;pd_rd_wg=yayUo\u0026amp;pf_rd_p=e3453390-8188-4ed9-a1b3-46cb747551ce\u0026amp;pf_rd_r=8XVQAFPTN5DKHDKV139K\u0026amp;qid=1594756387\u0026amp;sr=1-1-f5ebfd8e-82c1-4b4e-97d5-2aa47aa18b69) (it's less than $10)","subreddit_name":"smallbusiness","author":"MountainNine"},{"body":"Self-employment is a tough racket — I've been doing this both part- and full-time for the past twenty years. Getting paid is almost as difficult as selling work... I sure do wish I had read [The E-Myth](https://www.amazon.com/Myth-Revisited-Small-Businesses-About/dp/0887307280/) twenty years ago. tl;dr: being a good technician (i.e. skilled at what you technically do) is only a third of the battle in running your own company successfully.\r\n\r\n\"Creative types need to get a 'real job' so that they don't really starve to death.\"\r\n\r\nMyself, I'm a [now retired from] electrician whom is looking to switch careers =|","subreddit_name":"povertyfinance","author":"Church_of_the_Woods"},{"body":"There is an amazing book called [e-myth](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0887307280/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_ZEw0Fb5AEK86J): why small businesses don’t work and how to succeed. A best friend bought it for me when I tried to launch my own business and it really illuminated all the unknown unknowns for me. You might be able to rent it for free on your reading app from your public library. I really encourage you to check it out.","subreddit_name":"AskWomenOver30","author":"butterscotcheggs"},{"body":"Read \"The E Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Fail\" https://smile.amazon.com/dp/0887307280/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_ES01N8ABZP33E20TFBEZ\r\n\r\nYou'll learn a lot about running the business part of it and the team of people you'll need. It's about a bakery so you'll find a lot of parallels. Short easy read, do this right now before your start anything else.","subreddit_name":"smallbusiness","author":"luckydog5656"},{"body":"[The E-Myth Revisited](https://www.amazon.com/Myth-Revisited-Small-Businesses-About/dp/0887307280/) is another great read for somebody thinking that *being a good technician will translate into being a good owner* (hint: not often true). Personally, I would **not** leave IBEW to run my own residential shop (did that for a few years — residential is boring and most customers think you're ripping them off).","subreddit_name":"electricians","author":"Church_of_the_Woods"},{"body":"Do both. Take a small contract and manage your new business. Find out how much hands on you need to run the bakery. Can you be the manager ? or do you gotta be the janitor and baker too \r\n\r\nBefore you buy the bakery go read \r\n\r\nThe E-myth. It will teach you to avoid the pitfalls of being a small owner operator business \r\n\r\nThe E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It https://www.amazon.ca/dp/0887307280/","subreddit_name":"simpleliving","author":"Mrpjackson"},{"body":"Oh boy where to start? I can ramble for hours about my personal do’s \u0026amp; don’ts, but of course every situation is different. I would say my number one advice to someone going in business for themselves is to build a BUSINESS not a JOB. I made that mistake \u0026amp; had to correct it 5 years in. I’m still dealing with the pains of customers coming in and only wanting to talk to ME. I would advise reading The E Myth (link below), it changes my perspective and helped me transition my store from a “job” to a “business”. \r\n\r\nThe E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It https://www.amazon.com/dp/0887307280/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_MGNCHJRBNPHTAB64QCVM","subreddit_name":"AMA","author":"drbaseband"},{"body":"Ok, as you think of features, put them on a list. Use something like Trello so you can organise them.\r\n\r\nOnce you have you list of features, start to make note of the things that take the most time for you. Those should be the things you outsource or automate first.\r\n\r\nWhen I say automate, you may be able to look into \"no code\" solutions like IFTTT and different actions that trigger based on things you do. i.e. when I get a WhatsApp message, add a new line to spreadsheet a. etc\r\n\r\nI can recommend this book for your stage of business:\r\n\r\nhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/0887307280","subreddit_name":"laravel","author":"TrackieDaks"},{"body":"Welcome to the club — read \"[The E-Myth](https://smile.amazon.com/Myth-Revisited-Small-Businesses-About/dp/0887307280/)\" (not for discouragement, but to be realistic about *going beyond TECHNICIAN roles* — you are now an accountant and salesman, too).\r\n\r\nCarry \"change order\" forms *right behind your invoices*, and always have the client sign it for *ANY* change. Don't underbid yourself just to get work — if a scheduling conflict occurs, which prevents you from working productively, BILL THE G.C. for it.\r\n\r\nYour first employee will be the most difficult decision you ever make — don't let it be a family member. Don't employ or work for family — or if you do, set realistic expectations and *MAKE A CONTRACT*.\r\n\r\nPAY YOUR TAXES. Get insurance. Don't leave your tools on a jobsite EVER.","subreddit_name":"electricians","author":"Noogisms"},{"body":"For the reasons you just described, I think it's important to definitely have a \"point of contact\" [not yourself] for your company, the person that handles scheduling and billing and irate customers [perhaps a good marital partner might fulfill one or both or all of these roles].\r\n\r\nAt the end of the day, if you end up doing individual contracts with random clients, daily, you will get burnt out from \"trying to wear too many hats.\" If you want to run your own trade company, or really **any** company, I always recommend getting at least a decade of experience (ideally in a junior role) and reading [this book](https://smile.amazon.com/Myth-Revisited-Small-Businesses-About/dp/0887307280/). tl;dr: if you the **perfect** technician, you are only a third of the way to running a successful business.","subreddit_name":"careeradvice","author":"ProbablyInfamous"},{"body":"One thing to consider is looking for an employer where these roles aren't so strictly defined - usually smaller places, but any place that pushes cross functionality and cross training would work.\r\n\r\nThen you get away from questions like \"Should I code or be a Product person\" because you can do both. The best product people, I think, understand good software engineering, and the best coders understand the market and the problem product is trying to solve.\r\n\r\nRegarding starting your own thing - I'd highly recommend reading the EMyth. It's a bit hokey, but has a few really solid ideas I've never seen anywhere else. \r\n\r\nhttps://www.amazon.com/Myth-Revisited-Small-Businesses-About/dp/0887307280/","subreddit_name":"ExperiencedDevs","author":"austinwiltshire"}]}