Rating: 
Summary: A must read
Review: A must read for someone who has, or is planning to start, a small business. It's a heads-up to an entrepreneur starting out. It clearly spells out that you cannot run away from your job by starting a business. The author provides prime to make your business planning juices flow. The book is an injection of nitro glycerin for the business owner who is gasping for help. The author explains how to restart your business through a dialog with a frustrated business owner. The author writes superbly and speaks on the level of the perspective, and existing, business owner. Truly the best business book I have read to date - I couldn't put it down.
Rating: 
Summary: He could use an MBA
Review: Gerber has a few good ideas but the book seems to be written by a guy who had some kind of quasi-religious experience that he's applied to business, and a lot of it comes out sounding like psuedo-Zen hooey to me. I don't want to give the book away, and he does have a few good ideas, but they're not as applicable as he'd like. One objection I do have is this: his view of a business is that it is a means to an end, basically to generate sufficient cash so you can live the life you want as an absentee owner. But what if you want a business where you enjoy the work? For example, I enjoy programming computers, though I tend to get sick of clients. I don't want to write an operations manual so others can do my job, I want to have salespeople get jobs for me. Nowhere does he pose such a situation. And he meanders a lot. But he does have some good ideas and I can believe that for some people his basic ideas will be right on the money. For example, I have 2 brothes who are self-employed. According to Gerber, they don't own their businesses, they own their jobs. The minute they stop working, the income stops, something Gerber says is what you should develop your business beyond. Well, I've said enough. Gerber meanders a lot and seems to contradict himself on occassion. He also seems to write as if he wishes he had an MBA or was a famous futurist like Toffler. But for the fledgling business owner, his insights are a good starting point.
Rating:
Summary: Good concepts hidden under wishy-washy philosophy and fake d
Review: Gerber has good concepts. Work on your business, instead of working for your business. Plan and organize as if the business was a franchise prototype, to be run by anyone. He talks about strategies, from organization, to managerial, to systems. He emphasizes long term and precise planning. He emphasizes research and separate task appropriation. All good ideas that should be implemented, but nothing revolutionary or nothing that doesn't include good common sense.However, realizing that he can't sell a pamphlet, he decides to write a book with wishy washy philosophical nonsense accompanied with dialogue between him and a supposed entrepreneurial. Since he uses exact quotes, and the language style of the entrepreneurial is exactly the same as his own, it's got to be fake. Almost insultingly so. I find it hard to believe that he taped and transcribed every meeting with "Sarah", a women who has an amazing knack of asking the most perfect and opportune questions in the same tone and style as the author. The philosophical rants that he goes on is repetitive, dull, and often unnecessary. He just goes on and on. Then the little spiel about how you should use his service in the end makes the book feel cheap and almost like an informercial than a book. Basically, it's all an advertisement to his service. Don't buy this book. It's a rip-off.
Rating:
Summary: Good observations and thought-provoking theories.
Review: "If you own a small business, or if you want to own a small business, this book is written for you." The central theme is that to be successful, a small business owner should structure their business as though it could be turned into a franchise - like your business is a prototype for 5,000 more turn-key businesses just like it, which anyone could take over and operate according to your documented standards and procedures, and they'd almost be guaranteed a profit. Design a business that is itself a product that someone would want to buy because of its effective methods and working models. The author doesn't encourage actually selling or franchising your business, but states that a successful business worth selling or franchising would be so because of its easily-repeatable, income-generating potential. A key message in the book is that business owners should work ON their business, not just IN their business.
Rating:
Summary: This is the holy grail of business
Review: I am 28 years old and I discovered the E-myth when I was 24. At the time I only knew the Nightengale-Conant tape series, but it had a profound impact on my mind and my business. Today, solely because of this book, I have written three financial books of my own and have a successful private investment firm, liverpoolgroup.com, entirely based on the fundamental principles found in Mr. Gerber's books. The reality is that the "franchise prototype" that Mr.Gerber discusses is a fraction of his message. He really shows you how to set aside your fears and seize the brass rings that reside in your ideas. He takes you psychologically from the mundane to the infinite, by opening your eyes to the limitations that you have placed on yourself. He also forces you to confront your value system. This is a brilliant book and is a must have for any person that is contemplating their own business. It is also perfect for those that are in business, but somehow forgot themselves along the way.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Advice - mostly common sense
Review: Gerber's book is a very easy read, and should stimulate your thought processes even if you disagree with some of his advice. His major thesis is that many small businesses fail because they are started by technicians who are not prepared to handle the managerial and entrepreneurial tasks that go with running a business. His minor thesis (which he spends far more time on) is that a small business should be run as if the intent were to franchise it. As a consequence, the owner should devise systems to insure consistentcy in execution of every aspect of the business. As part of this, Gerber advises envisioning the business at the point of maturity, determining what the systems and personnel roles will need to be at that point, and starting from day one acting as if you were at that point of maturity (this might mean that you have one person filling eight roles). Having witnessed a number of small business failures, and having participated in one, I find myself in agreement with all of his major points, but not necessarily in the execution of them (which, as an aside, he should have developed more thoroughly). With my next entrepreneurial adventure, I will definitely be following his advice regarding systems and organisation.
Rating:
Summary: Read Before you start, but there is one small caveat
Review: As an entrepreneur, I wish I would have read this book before I started my business. Unfortunatley I learned- the hard way - many of the insights this book provides through making errors in my own business. A small caveat. The approach this book takes is from a technician - a person with a particular skill to make a product or service. It focuses on how these people need to become entrepreneurs, and managers to round out their skills to make a successful company. However, as I was more entrepreneur than technician, I kept having to "read between the lines" on how certain points could be applied to my situation. The most vital thing I took from this book, was "The true product of a business was the business itself."
Rating:
Summary: Decent Book
Review: Theres a lot of good ideas in here. Definatly a fresh read for me. Do yourself a favor and get this one
Rating:
Summary: Amazing! I was truly inspired!
Review: Was recommended this book by a multi-millionaire (Brad Sugars). Bought the book & started reading. Initially it annoyed me because he's so good at explaining why your small business ISN'T working. I was amazed at the whole concept of the book. It really does give great ideas for you to apply immediately to your business. I envy those who read this book before starting their business. I keep picking it up to review the ideas given. This book is a MUST read.
Rating:
Summary: Business owners read THIS!!!
Review: Good and informative, but entertaining at the same time. This will give easily-implemented ideas for creating a successful business. One of the things I found most useful about this book was the real-life examples that Gerber uses.
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