Sunday 22 January 2012

The E-Myth


The E-Myth -  a free ad...even though they don't need it !

If you are a creative person, run a small business....or want to run one, this book is an inspiration.
As a person with a variety of talents, I have struggled all my life to turn what I do best (photography/coaching/teaching) into a viable and profitable business without working for others or “losing my integrity”. Ha!
There are many days when I have to hold my hands up and admit that I have run out of steam, lost the plot....”I just can’t quite earn enough money”. This may be just my own inate inability to make enough money but I suspect (and hope) that I am not alone. It’s hard to face every day as a self-employed person – to do the PR, make connections and still actually earn a crust. If I get a ‘proper job’ then I am taking time away from my main purpose and when I need to book in freelance work ahead of time, it isn’t always easy to work this around your proper job.  I know - this sounds like an excuse for just not being able to let the world know how talented I am and what I have to offer. I drive myself crazy with this....and I know I am not alone !!
Somehow I stumbled (whilst busy with my daily googling I suspect) on The E-Myth revisited (by R Gerber), and it has been life changing. The ‘E’ stands for Entrepreneur, and its premise is around the illusion that because we can DO something, that we can turn this skill into a business. Not so. We need a Business, not a Product, ..we need not to be the Technician, but the Entrepreneur, and this book lays out how we can get there....from having a skill to running a viable business.
If any of this resonates, then find this book. It is a really enjoyable read. Don’t be put off that some 15 years on, the author now has a huge franchise...he is in his 60’s and may have ‘sold out’ to cushion his pension. I suspect I would do the same, but the value of the book is still the same. I am not yet making millions, but have definitely moved on.


“The purpose of going into business is to expand beyond existing horizons...our business can provide us with a mirror to see ourselves as we are, to see what we truly know and what we don’t know – to see ourselves honestly, directly and immediately”

1 comment:

  1. Every thing in this post describes me....I sometimes feel as though I go round and round with myself and forget the direction I need to be going to put my work where it should be. I will look for the book.
    I love your blog and you about you page. I am not a professional photographer just a hobbyist at it, but I do understand what you say about knowing the person when you see them through the eye of the camera.

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