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Beyond The E-Myth – Michael E. Gerber

This post was most recently updated on July 7th, 2017

Beyond The E-Myth - Michael E. Gerber

“Beyond The E-Myth” is Michael E. Gerber’s final book in his highly acclaimed E-Myth series.

The Wall Street Journal has called Gerber’s groundbreaking “E-Myth” the bestselling business book of all time.

In Beyond The E-Myth, Gerber talks about how to take a business “from a company of 1 to a company of 1,000.”

Now you may be wondering what a “company of 1” means.

That’s because it sounds like we’re talking about solopreneurs, who work their business all by themselves.

And, actually, it means what most bloggers do… including myself, for the most part.

That is… you run a business so that you are required to be involved.

Because you are the backbone and the substance of your business, it can’t really survive without you.

And you pretty much do everything that needs to be done.

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This does not mean that you are all alone in building this “solopreneur” business.

Now, you might farm out some of the work that’s required to operate your blog.

But you can’t walk away from it and expect it to run itself.

Solopreneurs Don’t Create A Business, They Create A Job

Now this is a problem on several levels.

First of all, you have to be actively involved in running your business all the time .

This is a very demanding obligation.

And it’s the reason that Gerber observes that when you create this kind of a solopreneur business, you don’t end up with a business at all.

You’ve just created a job for yourself.

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You may be “self-employed” but you still have to go to work every day if you want to make money, and in that respect, it’s not much different than having a job.

If you run your blog, you know what I’m talking about.

You need to develop a steady flow of content.

And, you need to market that content.

Most of all, you need to connect with people and build relationships to amplify your content.

The Problem With  “A Business of 1”

Most bloggers do all these things themselves, or perhaps they hire out some services or assistants.

The use services such as auto-responders, social media automation tools, and similar aids.

For the most part though everything pretty much relies on your personal input and effort.

If you can walk away from your business for a month and nothing changes, then perhaps you have built what Michael Gerber, in Beyond The E-Myth, calls an Enterprise.

But if you walk away from your business for a month and the business deteriorates considerably, profits fall off and you lose clients and customers. then you have “a business of 1.”

Now a problem with the business of 1 model, is that it can’t grow unless you work harder.

I think everybody would like to work less and earn more.

That’s only possible, though, when you build your business from “a business of 1 to a business of 1,000.”

Gerber says there’s no such thing as a solopreneur.

You cannot build a business on your own.

Special: Make 2017 “Your Year”… Join My 30-Day Challenge

You can only create a job for yourself.

If you have a blog where everything requires your input… and all the content, marketing and follow-up is done by you… then you have created a job for yourself.

Working “In” Your Business vs Working “On” Your Business

In Beyond The E-Myth, Gerber says that when people create jobs in this fashion, they have little choice but to spend all their time “doing, doing, doing.”

They are always working in their business.

Never on their business.

He suggests that you treat your business like a commodity.

The commodity is something that you develop, grow and sell.

It’s a business you work on, instead of getting lost inside of it’s daily operation… the “doing, doing, doing” part of it.

Beyond The E-Myth - Michael E. Gerber

Have you ever thought of selling your blog?

If you run your blog from day to day, but don’t work on it to raise it’s intrinsic value, then you’re not treating your business like a commodity.

If you have a commodity, you want to develop it to the point where it is earning income.

But you also want to build equity in that commodity, so it grows in value.

Suppose you have a house that you rent out to tenants.

You can try to make more income by continually raising the rent.

But that’s a very short-sighted goal for the commodity you call your rental property.

If you let the house go without repairs, then you won’t have any equity to speak of.

Increase Equity Value, Not Just Income

In other words, there won’t be much point in ever selling the house because you will not have increased its value.

The same thing with your business.

You want to build up the equity and think in terms of what it’s worth on the market.

That way you can always sell it and move on to something different.

I know most bloggers don’t think of ever selling their blogs.

Special: Make 2017 “Your Year”… Join My 30-Day Challenge

You don’t need to actually sell you blog, though, to develop it’s equity.

By doing so, you are improving your business exponentially, whether you sell it or not.

It’s like maintaining a rental property.

If you treat it as if you might sell it, then you’ll be creating a more substantial equity and, at the same time, will undoubtedly increase it’s income potential.

A Business of 1,000 – Moving Beyond The E-Myth

So, how do you get to the point building your business from 1 to 1,000?

There are defined steps that Gerber discussed in his book.

They begins with 4 preliminary steps.

  • Dream – Define what you want to do.
  • Vision – Decide what form your business will take.
  • Purpose – Know how will it impact your customers.
  • Mission – Create a platform for your business will grow from.

After you’ve accomplished those four preliminary steps, those four foundational steps, you can begin to build a real business through advanced steps.

These include fulfillment services, production, developing a turnkey management system and so forth.

As you develop your business through each of those stages, you will build of 1,000… a business that you can scale to any level you want.

This is when you no longer have a job but an Enterprise.

Special: Make 2017 “Your Year”… Join My 30-Day Challenge

The Dreaming Rooms

Michael E. Gerber is called “the world’s number one small business guru” by Inc. Magazine.

In Beyond The E-Myth he details exactly what you need to do to effect the evolution of your enterprise from a company of 1 to 1,000.

But, that’s not all.

Another exciting development in the E-Myth series has been the establishment of “Dreaming Rooms.”

These are “rooms” that Gerber has developed for people to work out their dreams.

He takes them step by step, one on one, in developing their dream business.

Furthermore, he then helps them and then implement the steps required.

This concept has been expanded even further in Beyond The E-Myth and with the advent of The New Dreaming Rooms (watch for upcoming news about this soon).

Learn more about Michael E. Gerbers’ Beyond The E-Myth…

Beyond The E-Myth - Michael E. Gerber

Economic Growth of the Global Economy

I think what I find most exciting about the whole E-Myth concept is the potential economic growth it fosters.

According to this business model, anybody can achieve a successful enterprise regardless of where they live, how well they’re funded, and other standerd things that we think of when we talk about building a business.

One of Gerber’s greatest visions for the E-Myth movement, is to build global economies from the bottom up, with each person developing their own business, their own private economy.

When enough people do that, the global economy itself will improve irregardless of eternal., top-down influences.

So, you can find out more about Michael E. Gerber and “Beyond The E-Myth” on his social media accounts…

Beyond The E-Myth – Michael E. Gerber & My Disclaimer

I am not an affiliate of Michael E. Gerber, or of any of his books.

It’s just a really important book for all bloggers and online marketers to read, in my humble opinion.

So what do you think?

Are you a “solopreneur”?

Do you think you’re running a “business of 1”?

I’d be really interested in reading your comments below, and please… share this article on your social sites so others can learn about Beyond The E-Myth and Michael E. Gerber.

-Donna

Donna Merrill
Donna is a well known blogger and creator of "Blogging Magic" - an intensive guide to blogging. "Blogging Magic" is for beginners who are trying to figure out how to bring their blogs to life with tons of visits, comments and social media interaction. It's even for advanced bloggers looking to reach new levels of authority and engagement with their audience.

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27 Responses to Beyond The E-Myth – Michael E. Gerber

  1. Joy Healey
    Twitter:
    January 15, 2017 at 12:09 pm #

    Hi Donna,

    I read and enjoyed Michael Gerber’s book quite a while ago. Perhaps I should revisit it.

    Of late I have been feeling that my blog is a JOB that only I can do. Even when I have guest posts I seem to spend just as long fiddling with the posts and comments. I suppose I’m too much of a perfectionist! And given that I already have two offline businesses that only I can do, another one is that last thing I need.

    That’s probably why I’ve reverted to my “network marketing” roots again. At least now I have a trained team that I can hand over to when I need to take a bit of a break – which is becoming more and more attractive to me.

    As Phillip Variel raised the “copy protection” issue, I hope you won’t mind if I just add my two-pennorth…..

    The comments are also protected. So I tried to move a chunk of my comment and couldn’t. Also, because I seem incapable of pressing “Submit” without hitting the wrong button and losing the comment (or some other disaster) I always “Copy All” the comment before submitting so I don’t have to type it out if I lose the original. I can no longer do that.

    I wonder if there’s a way for comments not to be protected. Although having said that… I did see once on Enstine’s blog some clown had copied a valid comment word-for-word and pasted it as his own! LOL.

    Happy New Year,

    Joy – Blogging After Dark
    Joy Healey recently posted..Free eCommerce Store With Products To SellMy Profile

  2. Kathryn Maclean
    Twitter:
    January 8, 2017 at 11:47 am #

    Hi Donna,
    Great interview with such a small business star Michael Gerber. I had heard of him before of course.
    This time it just rang a bell – I will go and get his book. This info sounds great. The entrepreneurial personality.
    Having a dream, vision, purpose and mission. Actually building a business as a product that you can scale and sell
    certainly appeals to me. Thanks for this new way of looking at our businesses. Happy New Year to you!

  3. ikechi
    Twitter:
    January 2, 2017 at 6:30 pm #

    Hi Donna

    I remember reading Micheal’s Emyth book and I must say that he is one guru in small business so it is great that you review his book and how it applies to business.

    Creating a job is great but sometimes one’s business should function without the owner. Thanks for sharing your insight. Take care
    ikechi recently posted..The 10 Most Popular Posts That Rocked in 2016My Profile

  4. Mandy Allen
    Twitter:
    January 2, 2017 at 2:43 am #

    I have a friend who sold his blog, seemed a bit bizarre to me. Unless you have a generic name for it I can’t see why you would want to. I know the value of mine, looked it up some time ago, but I would never consider selling it. I also have a friend who sold his ebay profile for a lot of money too. There’s always money to be made if you have built a reputation and some credit.

    Enjoy the journey!

  5. lisa thomson
    Twitter:
    December 28, 2016 at 9:01 pm #

    Wow, this is an interesting concept, Donna. Thanks for sharing your interview with this prolific author. I haven’t thought of my blog as something to sell at some point or as a rental property. Dream, purpose, mission—indeed a big picture. We talk all day about branding but seeing our blogs as a product is an aha moment.
    lisa thomson recently posted..A Year to Build a Dream OnMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill December 29, 2016 at 10:09 pm #

      Hi Lisa,

      I think I reacted to Gerber’s book in the same way as you.

      This is an aha moment for me, too, to think of my blog as a commodity to sell or rent.

      I’ve always thought of my blog as an extension of myself, and as a place where i build a community of people who are all looking for ways to build their online business and blog, just like I’ve done.

      But, yea, this made me step back and look at the bigger picture… my purpose, dream and mission… and ways I can convert my blog into a stronger business model.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Why Does My Blog Fail To Grow And Make Money?My Profile

  6. Amar kumar
    Twitter:
    December 28, 2016 at 1:44 am #

    Hey Donna,

    This really a amazing interview and it has scattered many significant things which we need to collect for better business model. Many Solopreneurs focus on building a thriving web presence because it’s the best way to generate interest and sales.

    We need a good idea of which social network is most commonly used by our target market. When it comes to blogging, we should read successful blogs from Solopreneurs.

    Some blogs, such as those from photographers and interior designers, are image-heavy. These blogs opt to showcase beautiful spaces rather than overwhelm with words. Eventually, thanks for your regular support.

    With best wishes,

    Amar kumar

    • Donna Merrill December 29, 2016 at 6:13 pm #

      Hi Amar,

      It’s a good idea to see what other top bloggers are doing, and how they grow their business. It’s also worth noting how much of a business they build for themselves, or are they working their own self imposed j.o.b.?

      Everybody has to figure out what they really want out of blogging, and then pursue the right course to get there. Seeing what others have done is a great way to get some honest direction.

      Thanks for adding to the conversation here, Amar,
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Why Does My Blog Fail To Grow And Make Money?My Profile

  7. Anand December 27, 2016 at 4:53 am #

    Fascinating post, Donna, as always. Never gave it that much thought, but Mr. Gerber is absolutely right that you spend all your time in the business as a solopreneur, and you’ve got precious little to show for it if and when you stop. I guess it’s about building a brand, as opposed to simply clocking up sales and revenue. I will try to find the time to read Beyond the Emyth, as it sounds very interesting and may be helpful in my work too.
    Anand recently posted..Time Management in SalesMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill December 27, 2016 at 10:26 am #

      Hi Anand,

      It is a fascinating book, and I know it’s geared toward building a big enterprise, but there’s a lot of great ideas there for bloggers and small businesses too.

      The key thing for me was to stop trying to be a solopreneur and start building a business team, and delegate things to others… either Virtual Assistants, or Joint Venture Partners, or even services you can hire to do some of the more routine work that you get so caught up in.

      Make your blog a business, not a j.o.b.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Why Does My Blog Fail To Grow And Make Money?My Profile

  8. Donna Merrill December 26, 2016 at 10:33 am #

    Hi Erika,

    I really never thought of an online business as being a JOB, but this book set my sights on growing a business less dependent on what I do day to day.

    I’m going to be restarting my business in 2017 to do some things to free up more of my time, and spend some of that scaling the business to new heights.

    It’s going to be exciting 🙂

    -Donna
    Donna Merrill recently posted..Why Does My Blog Fail To Grow And Make Money?My Profile

  9. Erika Mohssen-Beyk
    Twitter:
    December 26, 2016 at 1:12 am #

    Hi Donna,
    I was thinking about this for a long time, that what most people do
    in the internet marketing is like a job, only it is at home and instead
    going to work from 9-5, they are at home and work maybe even longer.
    The only good thing is that parents can be more with the kids. I like to
    see when some of the young people work together and everyone is
    doing the part what he is best in. I really like the dream, vision, purpose,
    and it is right is needs a mind shift.
    It is good for many to read the book and start over with a new vision.
    Thank you for the interview, you did great and it is really needed to
    start a new way of thinking about business.
    Erika
    Erika Mohssen-Beyk recently posted..Why Hope Is The Most Powerful Pull Toward A DreamMy Profile

  10. Ash
    Twitter:
    December 25, 2016 at 1:29 pm #

    Hi Donna,

    I’ve read all of Michael’s books — the E-Myth Series — and I actually have his E-myth Mastery book here on my work desk.

    I must admit that I was — and maybe I still am — a solopreneur. It occurred to me that I did get myself a job, a fancy job if you will. When I first got started, I didn’t this as a problem. All those years of the excitement of being able to clients anywhere in the world was a little too exciting for me.

    But the years tend to wear you down, and now I wish I really did act on Michael’s advice.

    — I suffer from the “entrepreneur seizure”. I don’t think the people I could easily hire today would ever do what I do for my clients.
    — I don’t think there’s a way to scale my business. Some parts of the business at least. Like, I could never trust others to write for my clients the way I do. I possibly can’t write more than 15 blog posts a single day.
    — I am still trading time for dollars: this is not efficient.
    — My business stops when I do. I put more time in this than I wouldn’t have put on 3 jobs together.

    What do you say about that?
    Ash recently posted..Facebook Ads That Work: 10 Flawless Steps To ProfitsMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill December 29, 2016 at 9:58 pm #

      Hi Ash,

      You’ve made so many good points here.

      The main thing is that it does get pretty difficult to get past the “j.o.b.” structure of your business when you are running everything yourself.

      Now, I realize that what Gerber talks about in terms of building an “enterprise” instead of a “job” pertains more to large scale businesses than small ones, as most blogging businesses are.

      Still, I think it’s a wake up call (to me, at least) to explore ways to bring more technology, services and other people into your blogging business model… to try to lighten your personal burden.

      Like you, I need to be present every day in my business. It just seems to go with the blogging turf. But that doesn’t mean we can’t find ways to spread the tasks and responsibilities as much as possible.

      I think more Joint Ventures is a good place to begin, you think?

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Why Does My Blog Fail To Grow And Make Money?My Profile

      • Ash
        Twitter:
        December 30, 2016 at 12:51 am #

        Hey Donna,

        You are right about using systems, technology, and a wee bit of smart work to help ease out this a bit.

        I was reading this blog post this morning by Jon Morrow (on his new blog at unstoppable) and reading his story made me think: stop complaining.

        If he could do what he did — given his situation — we should be celebrating everything we have.

        Certainly, joint ventures are the way to go, and that’s the need to know people, right?

        Even Guest posting, featuring each other on blogs, podcasts, interviews, etc., would make for great stories I think.

        Good for blogging. Good for business.

        Ash
        Ash recently posted..[Video] Why Your Facebook Ads Aren’t Working?My Profile

        • Donna Merrill December 30, 2016 at 9:07 am #

          Hi Ash,

          I think that as we are all mulling over new directions and strategies for our blogs in 2017, it is good advice to “stop complaining” about what’s not going right, and amplify and increase what is.

          Good advice 🙂

          -Donna
          Donna Merrill recently posted..Why Does My Blog Fail To Grow And Make Money?My Profile

  11. Atish Ranjan
    Twitter:
    December 23, 2016 at 3:13 pm #

    Donna,

    Nice post.

    I have been working with my partner since the beginning. Initially, we did all the work ourselves but gradually we hired people and made a team for working. Also, we tried our best to set some earning model that keep giving money everyday even if we don’t work everyday and that’s where Google Adsense and Amazon affiliate are working great for us. I remember when I went to my home town for almost around 1 month, and I carried my laptop with me to work a bit, but I didn’t work much since I was busy in enjoying. And, the best thing was I was still earning from the sources of earning we have build over the time.

    So, it was like a job earlier, but it’s kind of business now. I don’t have to work every day to earn. But, since I love working, most of my time goes sitting in front of the computer working on my blogs, and helping friends with problems.

    Have a great time ahead, Donna.
    Atish Ranjan recently posted..TAGG Inferno Bluetooth Headphone For Music Buffs [Review]My Profile

    • Donna Merrill December 25, 2016 at 9:01 pm #

      Hi Atish,

      Congratulations on doing such a great job with a business model that’s working so well for you.

      I’m certainly on that path, but always looking to expand more while delegating everything I can that I don’t need to be personally involved in.

      It’s a tough thing to do, though, and I know I can do a better job of lightening my task list, and helping my business grow faster, and my “job” to become less a part of the equation.

      I’m like you… I love working with people and helping them with their business… so I really need to get away from anything that isn’t directly related to that.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Why Does My Blog Fail To Grow And Make Money?My Profile

  12. Ryan Biddulph
    Twitter:
    December 22, 2016 at 5:42 pm #

    Hi Donna,

    Congrats on the interview! After you and I appeared on the round up on Michael’s site – for this inspired eBook – I found out he and I shared the same birth town, good old Elizabeth, NJ.

    Seeing Michael’s take, and observing many billionaires like Richard Branson and Mark Z and guys like Tony Robbins, I am thinking through the concept of scaling. As I learn and expand and leverage, I am handing more tasks over to other people, and more importantly, I am thinking like a CEO versus a blog owner or solopreneur.

    It makes you realize; if you make a ton of friends, and enter into business partnerships, you will begin to leverage and hand off tasks and begin to create something that doesn’t require your 24-7 attention to grow and expand.

    Awesome interview, awesome advice.

    Ryan
    Ryan Biddulph recently posted..3 Cheap Haircuts from My World TravelsMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill December 25, 2016 at 8:54 pm #

      Hi Ryan,

      Yes, two big things you need to build a great online business… leverage and scalability.

      Partnerships, virtual assistants, software, systems… these are all things that come into play.

      It just makes so much sense to build a well founded business, rather than operate on your own, doing every little thing yourself… like Gerber points out – that all amounts to having a job instead of a business.

      Good luck building your enterprise, Ryan.

      Your efforts are certainly inspirational.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Why Does My Blog Fail To Grow And Make Money?My Profile

  13. Philip V Ariel
    Twitter:
    December 22, 2016 at 3:54 pm #

    Hi Donna,
    This is yet another amazing interview.
    Thanks for introducing Michael Gerber to your readers.
    Amazing tips he shared and you did a wonderful job in getting squeezed almost everything LOL
    I like the house story illustration!
    Thanks again for the connected link to his page and to Amazon 🙂
    The book looks like an amazing offer and is a must read to all bloggers.
    Thanks for telling about it Donna.
    Have a great time to Michael and you.
    Keep sharing
    Best Regards
    ~ Phil
    PS:
    Hey, one sad thing to note in relation to your blog page, Hey why a content protection on your page? Are you afraid of content theft? Well there are many options to catch such thieves LOL
    This will give a trouble to your genuine readers, suppose they want to share your posts on pages like inbound or any other IM pages it’s difficult to copy and paste. and another thing is that if someone wants to make a comment about the post by quoting one or two sentences from the page it’s difficult to do so.
    Just my concern 🙂
    Philip V Ariel recently posted..6 Business Ideas for Online Startup AspirantsMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill December 25, 2016 at 8:47 pm #

      Hi Philip,

      Glad you enjoyed leaning about Michael Gerber.

      When I first connected with him I knew I had to interview him for my readers. He’s an amazing guy, bursting with energy and sharp as a whip at the age of 80 🙂

      As for the content protection I have installed, you’ve made some good reasons to drop it, and I’ll certainly consider that… thanks for your input my friend.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Why Does My Blog Fail To Grow And Make Money?My Profile

  14. Don Purdum
    Twitter:
    December 22, 2016 at 3:14 pm #

    Hi Donna,

    For years I followed Micheal Gerber closely and I have all of his books. I re-read them periodically for reference and reminder.

    It’s so easy to get trapped in the “busy being busy” mentality that we never grow beyond giving ourselves a J.O.B.

    I’m repositioning UnveilTheWeb and the results are phenomenal to date. Much of it is due to me analysis and re-thinking what Gerber said in the interview.

    The goal is in six months this business is operationally running on its own and I’m free to run it and do the things I love to do.

    Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year’s Donna!

    I wish you an David the absolute best!!!

    ~ Don
    Don Purdum recently posted..The Ultimate Google Hack to Increasing Organic Traffic and ConversionsMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill December 23, 2016 at 2:07 pm #

      Hi Don,

      Michael is amazing and this latest book has changed my mindset. For a long time I had created a job for myself, but not anymore…

      Delegating some work, using time management wisely, and having carved out part of my day to enjoy my life is wonderful.

      I too wish you a great Christmas to you and yours.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Why Does My Blog Fail To Grow And Make Money?My Profile

  15. Ravi Chahar
    Twitter:
    December 22, 2016 at 6:18 am #

    Hey Donna,

    Michael has pointed some crucial points here.

    Solopreneurship is like a job. I agree with him. People run their for which they have to work every day.

    A business is something you build and get the revenue for a long time.

    Working for and working in a business are two different things.

    I am really intimidated with this interview.

    ~Ravi
    Ravi Chahar recently posted..How To Install XAMPP On A USB Drive Properly With No Errors?My Profile

    • Donna Merrill December 22, 2016 at 8:39 pm #

      Hi Ravi,

      Since I’ve read Michael’s book I’ll never call myself a solopreneur again! I realize that in the past I have created a job for myself, but that is all changing.

      The book will change your mindset and I’m not an affiliate…just passing along good information.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Why Does My Blog Fail To Grow And Make Money?My Profile

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