Beyond The E-Myth: The Evolution of an Enterprise: From a Company of One to a Company of 1,000! Hardcover – November 28, 2016

Chris McCluskey here using my wife's account. As a serial entrepreneur I have read and taught Gerber's works for years and have developed a professional friendship with Michael via distance. I have interviewed him twice on my podcast.For those familiar with 'The E-Myth Revisited", be aware that you will miss the literary device of the author's conversations with Sarah about her pie shop. This is a much more straight-forward book, but you will still find Michael's characteristic 'splitting' of our personhood into distinct selves. This time he's not examining our entire personhood as small business owners -- splitting them into the 'entrepreneur', the 'manager', and the 'technician' -- but instead he drills deeply on ONLY the 'entrepreneur'. This book is a mashup between his 2008 work, "Awakening the Entrepreneur Within" and his live 3-day vision-casting workshops he calls "Dreaming Rooms". I participated in one of those Dreaming Rooms in 2013.One of his primary contentions is that most people who appear to have succeeded in launching and growing small businesses have not, in fact, built 'businesses' or 'enterprises' but rather simply 'jobs' for themselves. Having followed the advice in his earlier works to work both ON as well as IN their businesses, he finds that they are still working IN their businesses years and years later. If they were to quit working, their businesses would die. They are still directly tied to their businesses -- they ARE their businesses; their businesses ARE them. Even if they are systematized and well-run, they are still 'jobs'. There's no escaping them. Ever.That kind of small business is what Gerber refers to as "a company of one", and the subtitle of this new book communicates (metaphorically if not literally) the radical conversion he hopes to bring: "The evolution of an enterprise from a company of one to a company of 1,000." He intends to expand the role of the 'entrepreneur' within each small business owner to such a degree that he or she develops a business that no longer needs them -- it's been built to scale, and with that scaling comes the potential for selling it.Just as in "The E-Myth Revisited" Gerber urged readers to adopt a mindset of building their small businesses as if they were going to franchise them (whether or not they actually desired to do so) because that would force them to systematize to such a degree that they would run efficiently, in "Beyond the E-Myth" he urges readers to adopt a mindset of growing those businesses as if they were going to sell them (whether or not they actually desire to do so) because that will force them to create something that doesn't require them at all in order to run efficiently.The key, he argues, is focusing on our 'entrepreneur' self and splitting it into four distinct parts -- the Dreamer, the Thinker, the Story-Teller, and the Leader -- doing deep work on the primary tasks of each of those roles. As with various portions of Gerber's other writings, I find myself having to go back and re-read sections again and again to grasp the magnitude as well as the import of what he has written, but I do resonate with his message. Having built four successful businesses and two successful 501c3 non-profits, I can claim some small degree of mastery of parts of "The E-Myth Revisited", but I am a far cry from mastering the challenge of scaling something to the point that it no longer needs me.If you have beaten the odds of small business failure by creating a successful venture but find yourself still tied to its day-to-day operations, this book is for you. Prepare to be challenged, prepare to be confused, prepare for more than one reading, but also prepare to scale. As Michael Gerber says, "No scale, no sale." Join me in working ourselves out of the jobs we've created for ourselves.

I need to agree with the other readers who gave this book a low rating. I too am a fan of the original E-myth but this book was a letdown. It has been written in a form of a long-form sales letter, trying to build up anticipation but at some point you realize that you've read most of the book with little substance. I was expecting a book on practical advice on how to implement the concepts laid out in the E-myth, but instead I got a motivational speech on how one day your firm could employ 1000 people.

This book will let you know why you must pre-plan your business beyond a plan to show investors. You must also create the systems and instill the leadership that will lead your company to success (aka working on it) before you start working in it. I recommend reading this alongside "Awakening the Entrepreneur Within" and "The E-Myth Revisited".

I love his earlier book, the E-Myth Revisited. But this book was terrible. There were some good nuggets at the beginning (that's why it's 2 stars, not 1). But then in devolved into him using over dramatic language, repeating content way past being helpful (every chapter recaps every previous chapter)...just read his earlier book.

After reading the other books in the series, I had high expectations for another Gerber book. Unfortunately, he missed the mark on this one. The writing style is painful to read and loaded with unnecessary fluf. The book is loaded with typos and grammatical errors and reads more like a series of rushed blog posts. The book is short on specifics, painting only very broad strokes. This was a sequel that should not have been made.

Possibly motivational for some. I’m probably not the target audience. As a small business owner and advisor, I would have appreciated more “how to achieve” than the broad concepts offered in this book.

This book is excellent. Gives a blueprint for growing an enterprise step by step with systems in place which can be duplicated. The end result is being able to grow your company to scale and have a buyer ready, willing and able to purchase your enterprise. This giving the entrepreneur an exit strategy and perhaps leaving also a legacy.This book is an excellent resource for an aspiring entrepreneur or a seasoned entrepreneur who perhaps hasn't figured out yet how to perfect an exit strategy for one's efforts as an entrepreneur

I did not like this as much as the original E-Myth book, however, I was still locked into it and read it quickly.If you've read the E-Myth, you are hopefully implementing the systems necessary to turn your hobby into a business. This book will help expand those systems along with your vision.

I’m angry at myself for not having found this book earlier and all the concepts in it!! I could not figure out how major companies can do it from 1 to 1000. now I know and I will implement the practices of this book , and there is no going back!

It provides sound directives on how to set up systems that ensure growth and sustainability in Business. A recommended read.

Another great book from Mr Gerber I have loved everything I have read and heard from him so far and am looking forward to reading and hearing more. Thank you Michael you have changed my life.

We all work towards an end but know there are pieces missing to getting there. Michael has helped to make it different. To guide us to the place we want and need to be .... in effect giving us more life. For that gift we can only be humbled and grateful. Live long and prosper.

Another book on how to be the best by being a superhuman...