Sometimes I listen to books while I’m driving. It breaks up the music and gives me pause to reflect, or feel inspired. Which also sucks because I’m driving and can’t do anything about it. And by the time I get home or where ever, I typically forgot or lack the enthusiasm.
But I digress. If you’re interested in thinking more about business, I do recommend Chris Guillebeau’s $100 startup. It has a lot of interesting ideas and concepts within the stories that simplify the idea of business. A lot of times, people over-complicate things, and from experience; they don’t focus on the core aspects that make the business work. I myself am guilty of this in many of my failed businesses (I haven’t failed, I just have started them up again).
It’s fun to think of things in a business. I think I enjoy that process most of all. How to set things up, get it running, what people need to actually do work. Or maybe, how you’re going to spend your money, or how it’s going to look afterwards?
But a business is about that work, first and foremost. And without the ability to turn the money over, you still don’t have a business. And while most people forget that “core” concept, this book reinforces those simple objects that make it work, without focusing on the crazy 80% that means nothing to the main part of the business.
His stories are real business people, and they dig deep to the core of the way that people run their business. I prefer to think of it as a “game”. How does one play this new game? And what are the rules to win it? Once you figure those out, it become much more clearer to enter a space and provide a service or product that does become successful.
I also enjoy the way he makes his businesses into mini projects. Working to make one successful, and then finishing it to move on to launch another. That’s a good way to work without burnout, because you finish a project in full, and then can change subjects or devote yourself to a new endeavor.
Anyway, check it out and take a listen or read. It might inspire some better evaluation in your life or business model.