Books Unwound

This is part of an in depth review of  The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, by Mike Michalowicz.  This book is about being an entrepreneur and starting and running a successful business. I will focus on 1 section at at time and distill the best information to help your business now.  This should not be considered a replacement for the actual book, which will usually have a lot more in depth information as well as stories, which are an important way to communicate the essentials.  If you find the information in these posts helpful, I recommend buying the book.

Chapter 1 – Nature’s Calling

Destroy Your Excuses

Mike Michalowicz has no patience for excuses. He says that “excuses are a great mechanism to apply logic to our fears.” They are simply a way of convincing ourselves to stay right where we are and avoid success.

Think about it. If you are letting an excuse hold you back, you are allowing words and opinions to rob you of your potential.

Michalowicz lists several common excuses for not starting your own business.

• The economy isn’t right for it. The thing is, everyone experiences the same economy at the same time. The good news is, if you can establish yourself in a weaker economy, you will have the chops to really grow when the economy turns around.
• Having your own business is risky. Yes, if you are not prepared. You can and should prepare yourself, and that will diminish the risk.
• You want job security. Look around you. Is having a job in a big corporation secure? No! The best job security is when you are the boss.
• Too old or too young. If you are waiting for just the right age to start a business, chances are that you will miss it. There is no right age. You can’t control your age, but you can control your destiny, no matter what age you are. And Michalowicz also points out that you can start a business at any age, long before you are old enough to go to work for the man.
• You are worried you won’t make enough money. Working a job, you can often make just enough to get by. Working a business, you can control how much you make. In the end, your own business is a far surer way to wealth.
• You ain’t educated. So what? Its not your degree that determines your success, but your passion, your hunger, and your hard work.
• You have no start up money. So instead of money, you use your brains and your heart to launch your business. Much of the Toilet Paper Entrepreneur is how to succeed through your own pluck. You can learn what you need to know quickly about business if you start off without a lot of money. If you have the money, it may be too late before you realize that you are doing it wrong.
• Too much competition. The competition wants you to think that they are too strong. The last thing they need is an upstart who can do it better and different then they can. Don’t worry about the competition. Build your business so its the best, and let the competition worry about you. At the same time, be unique and don’t try to copy the competition move for move. You lead the dance.
• Will anybody buy? If no one buys, you just need to adjust. It may take a try or two to find the right formula, but soon you will have buyers lining up.
• You don’t feel ready. You probably never will. So ignore that excuse and just get going.

The question you need to ask yourself is whether you want to sit and wonder what could have been? Michalowicz says that you don’t regret the things you do when you follow your passion and take risks. Regret comes out of letting the excuses hold us back from every really trying.

So, Is This Business Going to Make Me Rich?

Michalowicz says there is one good reason not to start a business. If the only reason you are going into a business is to get rich, you really need to reconsider. Successful businesses are not built on a get rich mentality. Instead, they are built out of a passionate heart.

Throughout The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, Mike Michalowicz reiterates this point. You need to start your business around your passion, and nothing else. If you are just in it for the money, your priorities are out of whack. The money follows if you create something that you can be passionate about day in and day out. Otherwise, you will just check out, and never cash in.

One Day

If you have ever said that “one day” you would like to start a business, you need to stop. There is no one day. Right now is the day. Now is always better than later. Maybe you won’t open your doors today, but you can start the process. Set a real date for when you will open, and then figure out and do all the things you need to do first. And once you start doing, never stop. Before you know it, you will have a business.

Do You Have it In You?

While there are no good excuses not to start a business, it is also not for everyone. It may not be for you. The one qualification that you need to be a successful entrepreneur is this: you have to want it. If you don’t have a desire to start a business, don’t do it, no matter how good the idea or opportunity is.

If you do have the thirst, then you owe it to yourself and the rest of the world to plunge into the waters. Its the passion and desire to be an entrepreneur that will get you over the mountains and through the valleys, and will allow you to enjoy yourself along the way.

Here’s a bit of good news. You can discover the desire to start a business at any point in your life. It does not have to be a lifelong dream for you. You will know in your heart when it comes on you. And when it does, the time to act is right now.

This brings us to the end of the chapter. I want to let you know that Mike Michalowicz has done a unique and helpful thing with his book. At the end of each chapter, there are action steps. These actions are very helpful if you are ready to start your business (or make it better). I will not be including these steps, but if you are ready, I suggest buying The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur and following these helpful and practical steps.

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Coming next: Accomplish What You Believe

Buy or Not: This book is a buy.  The ideas presented here will re-frame how you think about your business and help you find your passion and put it in your business. Even if you already have a business, you can learn a lot from this book.  Buy this book at Amazon

Bradford Shimp helps small business owners and entrepreneurs build successful businesses.  Read his blog at www.allbizanswers.com.  Follow Bradford on Twitter.