Books on Systemizing a Business

[ericanicolee]

I’d love to create a resource for the best books written on Systemizing a business. Here’s a few to start. Post more suggestions and I’ll edit this post into a compendium of the best. Apologies if links direct to different countries’ amazons!

Edit: Added a few new ones from the sweetprocess blog .

Books

• The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It — Michael E. Gerber — Excellent read. Everyone should start with this book.
• From Stress to Success: How to build a successful business that operates without you — John Paul — Also excellent. A book about how John structures his property management company, and the tips apply to every business.
• The 4-Hour Work Week: Escape the 9-5, Live Anywhere and Join the New Rich — Tim Ferriss — Heavily focused on automation and use of technology. Very recommended for ideas if you’re a little less tech-savvy.
• Work the System: The Simple Mechanics of Making More and Working Less — Sam Carpenter — Sam gives insight into how he systemized a failing answerphone service business
• Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business — Gino Wickman — Gino expands on the concept of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) and creates an EOS: Entrepreneurial Operating System, for not just running the business but for making your life easier in doing it.
• Get Your Business to Work!: 7 Steps to Earning More, Working Less and Living the Life You Want
  — George Hedley — George shares techniques for how he turned $2000 into a $50 million company in just 7 years.
• The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right — Atul Gawande — Atul teaches on the importance of using checklists to improve the results you can achieve
• Built to Sell: Creating a Business That Can Thrive Without You — John Warrillow — John says the #1 mistake an entrepreneur makes is having a business be too reliant on them. He’s 100% correct and turns your business into something you can sell.
• Clockwork: Design Your Business to Run Itself — Mike Michalowicz — Consistently highly rated. Looks like a great and easily digestible read for any small business owner. Will be adding this to my own library.

 

[christiansquander]

@ericanicolee +1 on built to sell
eye opening book and very quick read
thx for coming up with the list

 

[ericanicolee]

@christiansquander Thanks for the seconded recommendation!

 

[sviar]

@ericanicolee I will recommend the book The Goal

It is a good read too along with Built to Sell

 

[ericanicolee]

@sviar Looks very good! I will check this out.

 

[judym]

@ericanicolee Good list. Appreciated!

 

[ryanmac92]

@ericanicolee Thank you!!!

 

[seekinggodjesus]

@ericanicolee built to sell was amazing, so was work the system!

 

[doejy]

@ericanicolee thank you for posting this. I've been wondering recently if books on this topic exist. I'm happy to know they do and someone took the time to compile them in here.

CHEERS!

t

 

[nikita1]

@ericanicolee Thanks a ton!

 

[missmyfaith]

@ericanicolee I've recommended E-Myth and Traction endlessly. Wife loves 4 hour work week.

Solid list.

 

[doejy]

@missmyfaith I just read 4 hour work week and it's really changed the way I view and approach my business now.

Can you or your wife recommend any other similar books?

Cheers!

Tom

 

[missmyfaith]

@doejy Depends on your place. I work a lot in management so ones I really gravitate to are:

• Good to Great
• Five Dysfunctions of a Team // Death by Meeting
• The Invisible Employee
• It's the Manager

General business books with solid principles are:

• The Lean Startup
• The Founder's Dilemma
• How to Win Friends & Influence People
• How to Say Anything to Anyone
• Passing the Mom Test

I typically like books that are fairly practically driven and easy to apply. I'm not so into mindset books but I see Rich Dad Poor Dad and Think & Grow Rich mentioned a lot too.

 

[doejy]

@missmyfaith thanks so much for putting this list together. greatly appreciated, dude.

Cheers!

Tom

 

[ericanicolee]

@missmyfaith Excellent list — I’ve read many myself.

Also would add:

• The One Minute Manager

It has been a game-changer for helping systemize the chain of management.

 

[613jono]

@ericanicolee Which books have the best real examples? Work the System was light on the practical side (assuming that’s what Carpenter’s consulting operation i$ for)

 

[ericanicolee]

@613jono I just saw @damonous comment that Traction apparently goes into proper documenting, in addition From Stress to Success even has uploaded documents that are used in his company.

Have you read The E-Myth? It gives an excellent example from a hotel.

 

[613jono]

@ericanicolee I read the E-Myth a long time ago and need to revisit now that the SOP stuff is more relevant to me. Definitely going to check out the two others - thanks!

 

[mugzy]

@ericanicolee I’ve read the 4hr work week but not the others. Do any of them go into details of how to document systems?

 

[ohlord]

@mugzy Traction goes into it. Highly recommended book.