The way this usually shows up in a company is through disgruntled customers. With multiple levels of management, they no longer talk directly to every employee and are unable to directly impart their culture and expectations of how the customer should be cared for. Companies that reach $10 million in revenue usually do so because the founder/CEO built a culture around taking care of the customer. Those employees do not have the benefit that existed in the first two phases of business growth - proximity to the founder/CEO. Once a company grows to or near $10 million, the growth almost always comes with a new set of challenges.Īt this size, there is at least one or two levels of management between the founder/CEO and the front-line workers who engage with the company's customers. The stage that was the most interesting to me (because it faces many of the challenges my company, FiveFour, solves for business leaders at this level) is adolescence. Adulthood ($50 million to $100 million and beyond) Adolescence ($10 million to $50 million)Ĥ. It's the second that I will focus on.Īccording to Masterson, each of the four stages of a business has different problems, challenges, and opportunities and requires different skills from the entrepreneur running the company. Having read the Five Second Rule, 10X, and many other books, I knew the first point well. The two biggest ideas in the book are the importance of action (thus, the book title) and that going from zero to $100 million encompasses four distinct stages in the life of a company. The subtitle states his objective for the book, teaching the reader to take a business from "Zero to $100 Million in No Time Flat." He wanted to impart the lessons he had learned from a 30-year career starting and running several multi-million-dollar businesses. Ready, Fire, Aim is the result of a retreat serial entrepreneur Michael Masterson led for other entrepreneurs. I also like that he was frank about the challenges that businesses face at different stages. He offers concrete examples and rationale needed for success without being too condescending. I applaud the fact that Masterson does not gloss over the importance of a marketing plan and investing in client relationships to build a profitable business. I enjoyed reading this book even though I thought it would focus more on starting a business from scratch. The insights he offers here are worth pursuing for any businessperson looking to jumpstart their business and enjoy profitability quickly without being put down by the inevitable challenges. Masterson pursues the same highly informed style that he has taken with his previous books. The book primarily focuses on the cornerstones of business including sales, marketing and client relationships. In `Ready, Fire, Aim' Michael Masterson takes the reader through a structured approach of building a profitable business. I would recommend this great read to anyone looking to grow his or her business It is refreshing to know that scams, tricks, and high-pressure sales are not required to be successful. There are a lot of people out there who go into business for money, and not their customers. He explains how to run a business without tricking or scamming customers, which I appreciate very much. There is practical advice everywhere, and I appreciate his honesty. He describes it as more of a science than an art. The best thing about this book is how Masterson breaks it down and details the pieces that form a well-run and profitable company. When you look at many of the successful companies today, you'll find that many of them are all following the path that Masterson lays out in this book. Think of it as the author's way to show credibility. I would rather read a book from a very well accomplished business owner, than someone who has not built up many profitable businesses. Some other reviewers have mentioned his tendency to brag or mention his previous successes. It is easy to ready, chunks the information together, and blends storytelling with practical advice. It took me about two weeks to read it, but that was with several breaks and going through a chapter or two at a time.
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