Josiah Mackenzie

The Art of the Deal by Donald Trump is an interesting look into the way he conducts business. Here are some of the ideas I took away from the book.

• Make a statement by your work
• The “Power of Negative Thinking” - plan for the worst case scenario
• Protect yourself with options and flexibility
• Have what the other guy wants
• Location can be enhanced through promotion
• Deliver the goods - your dreams are only good if you can back them up with results
• Control your costs carefully - failing to do so often results in failure
• Going big isn’t that much harder - it takes nearly the same amount of energy to manage 50 units as 1,500
• Project confidence and others will believe you
• Listen to your customers for business direction - not consultants or “experts”
• Never be in too much of a hurry
• Live in the area you work
• Develop lifetime friendships with key suppliers and business partners
• If you’re young, hire an industry veteran to lend credibility and pitch your ideas
• Aim for the top of the market

The Art of the Deal is a book I would recommend to anyone interested in improving their negotiating skills. I believe it’s far better to read books like this from a person who has reached the top of their field than to read conceptual ideas from a business theorist.

In 2006, I fully read over 70 business and personal development books; scanning dozens more. Some were exceptional, others worthless. Here is my list of the 5 must influential books I read and outlined.

(As you’ll notice, not all of them were published in 2006. This is simply a list of books I read this past year.)

#5 E-myth Mastery by Michael Gerber

Showed me that systems are what make an effective business.

#4 Purple Cow & Permission Marketing (Tie) by Seth Godin

These two books have been completely transformed the way I now approach marketing.

#3 Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff (It’s All Small Stuff) by Richard Carlson

Richard really helped me put things into perspective and reduce stress in my life.

#2 Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi

Keith’s superior approach to relationship building has changed the way I do business.

#1 A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink

Want to avoid failure in the future? Then reading - and applying - this book is absolutely essential. Daniel Pink has a very thorough understanding of current economic trends, and knows what you must do to succeed in the future marketplace.

Book: The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It
Author: Michael Gerber
My Rating: 5/5

Michael Gerber believes that the reason most businesses fail is because they are started by people that have skill in creating a product, not in running a business. This lack of business savvy is what causes the majority of startups to fail.

To avoid this, Gerber tells his readers to work on their business, not in it. He recommends developing a business model that is systems-dependent, rather than people-dependent. This way, you can ensure consistent excellence from your company without overseeing day-to-day operations.

The E-myth by Michael Gerber is full of practical advice for operating your small business successfully. I would highly recommend it to every entrepreneur.

I recently had the chance to read a book with an interesting title: 100 Simple Secrets of Successful People. The book is very easy to browse — each page contains a “secret” and an anecdote to back it up.

Here is are some of the ones I found helpful. Some of them have been modified to include my comments!

• Write down your plans, goals, and ideas — define them
• Resist the urge to be average
• Seek input from people opposite to your way of thinking
• Do things in the order they need to be done
• Get experience any way you can (even if it doesn’t pay well!)
• Speak slowly — smart people speak slower and choose their words carefully (this helps the listener understand)
• Don’t second-guess your decisions
• The past is not always indicative of the future
• Be efficient — never tolerate waste in any form
• Learn from your losses
• Make change count
• Don’t make material possessions your goal
• Avoid roller-coaster emotions
• It might get worse before it gets better
• Think about what’s next — plan for the future
• Money isn’t everthing
• Know what you are looking for (in your job, life, etc)
• Take action
• Failure is not trying