Doing Both: Capturing Today's Profit and Driving Tomorrow's Growth Review

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(More customer reviews)If this book was a reality TV show, it would be a flattering portrait of a celebrity's life. Initially an intriguing glimpse into the inner world of someone of interest, then realization dawning that, in the end, you're only seeing what the celebrity wants you to see.
The opening chapters are a useful reminder that business folk often get trapped in false choices such as on-time or high-quality, for example. But that's about the extent of the concept, and the remainder of the book is a collection of anecdotes about Cisco senior executives. The writing is strangely mechanical and almost devoid of style and wit, which makes it hard to keep going. I found myself rapidly losing interest in the middle.
The Cisco examples are like a celebrity magazine cover: photoshopped for maximum effect. I worked at Cisco for five years, joining about the same time as Inder Sidhu in the 1990s. It was truly an exceptional place to work, and my experiences there left a lasting positive impression. I was part of some of the product stories he recounts, and this is where my recollection departs from Inder's. He's not trying to be deceptive, merely carefully selective to support his thesis. I did get a little suspicious of the frequent occurrence of the figure "40%". In so many of the vignettes, this is the stated bookings growth achieved as a result of "doing both".
Summaries of the thought processes for some of the major decisions are thought provoking -- made me think about how I could use the same ideas in my business. The most difficult part of corporate decision-making is bringing the rest of the organization along on the journey, though, and there's precious little on how that was achieved.
In short, an interesting glimpse into the inner life of Cisco, a good-but-not-great business book. Another reviewer describes it as a modern The Innovator's Dilemma: The Revolutionary Book that Will Change the Way You Do Business (Collins Business Essentials) -- I can't agree with that. It's too anecdotal, without the rigor and depth of Christiansen's work.


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Effective Project Management: How to Plan, Manage, and Deliver Projects on Time and Within Budget- Includes CD Review

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(More customer reviews)This book has project management examples for use with MS Project 4.0 included. The macros don't work in the current version of MS Project. The macros are written in Visual Basic and I was able to debug through them, so I could at least install the material.
The book was not well written, the narrators came across too stuffy. There is good material here, but I am having a hard time forcing myself past the middle of the book.
I enjoyed the AMA Handbook of Project Management much better.

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This tutorial on the management of software projects includes an accompanying diskette which guides the user through the project management process. It provides a simulated environment that helps to teach management skills.

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RFPs Suck How to Master the RFP System Once and for All to Win Big Business Review

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(More customer reviews)I have always detested RFPs. They are a big waste of time, talent and resources. But, unfortunately, they are a part of the business world we live in. Two things. First, if you are a responder to RFPs, this book will help you manage the game so that the rules are tipped in your favor. Second, if you create RFPs (you know who you are), then read this book and get a clue on how you can develop an RFP that is not an eternal pit of confusion.
Good book...well worth the time (unlike RFPs).
Joe Pulizzi
Co-author, Get Content Get Customers

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It used to be that you could ignore RFPs. Only a small portion of the market used them in their buying process and you could work around those companies. Today, governance rules dictated by boards and administered by finance have made RFPs and RFQs a dominating component of the large-deal world. Not only can you no longer ignore them, but you need to know that companies use RFPs-and increasingly purchasing and procurement-for many reasons that have little to do with the opportunity offered in the official document. The result? We all have no choice but to go through the expensive and time-consuming process. And though you might like to believe the system is fair, if your company is pitching a disproportionately larger client, you're at a disadvantage from the moment you begin the process.WHY?Because the RFP system is not built for you. It's built for big companies and government institutions that benefit from RFPs.But no matter how hard you try to avoid them, there will inevitably come a day when that irresistible RFP lands on your desk.It's almost like it was written for you. This book is your best guide on what to know, to question and to do when faced with that RFP. It will also help you develop the confidence and understanding to know when to quit the process before it even starts or when to stay in it and win big.

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How To Write A Proposal That's Accepted Every Time Review

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(More customer reviews)I was skeptical. How could one book be worth over $100? And how could Alan Weiss tell me how to write proposals to my unique clients? It has been almost one year since I asked those questions...If I knew then what I know now, I would have paid a $1000 for this book! Here are the facts,when I first started using Alan's proposal templates my closing ratio went down from approximately 90% to 75%. BUT my consulting engagment fees went UP OVER 100%. Now, I have learned to avoid clients who don't value my work and my closing ratio has gone back to about 90% at almost double the value to me! But that is not the biggest benefit, through this book I learned how to get paid in advance...before I ever begin the project. Prior to using Alan's models I was never paid in advance, now 40% of my clients are paying me a much higher fee and paying it in advance.
I no longer have this book. I took the pages apart and filed the proposal templates according to my client base and instructed my client services manager to never deviate from these templates.
There are many books that have helped me think more critically, solve problems quicker and speak more effectively...BUT nothing has helped me increase my consulting revenue like this one by Alan Weiss.

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Here's the guide you've been looking for -- written by a successful consultant who has himself written hundreds of winning proposals. In this easy-to-read, easy-to-follow book, consultant Alan Weiss takes you step-by-step through the proposal process from definitions, objectives and essential preparation techniques...through the actual structuring and writing process...and on to the all-important client follow-up.How to Write A Proposal That's Accepted Every Time shows you how to acquire the information that creates winning proposals in collaboration with the buyer. "That's the key to proposal acceptance," says Weiss, "Collaboration with and agreement by the client prior to anything being committed to paper."In this practical guide you'll learn how to --Avoid gatekeepers and deal only with the economic buyer (the person who can cause a check to be signed); Establish boundaries and avoid "scope creep."; Effectively convey the value of the project; Frame your intervention in terms of outcomes rather than cost; And much more.Let this detailed, how-to guide lead you to consulting success, before, during and after the proposal process!Book & CD

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One Thousand Ways to Make $1000 (Practical Suggestions, Based on Actual Experience, for Starting a Business of Your Own and Making Money in Your Spare Time) Review

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(More customer reviews)I got this book after I read about it in a Vanity Fair profile of Warren Buffet. It details how many people made a thousand dollars in the 1920s and 30's (about 40-50ks in today's purchasing power). Back then, you could do things like buy a potato chip making machine, bag them in your basement, and sell them to restaurants.
Today, of course, you are expected to file for an LLC (perhaps with a DBA), apply for food handling permits, get WC insurance, get tax ID numbers for federal and state taxes, get a liability bond, withold taxes for any employees, etcetera, all before you can sell your first potato chip. Madness! This is why we were a powerhouse then, and why we are doomed now.

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First published in 1936, One Thousand Ways to Make$1000 is the long out-of-print book that Warren Buffett'sbiographers credit with shaping the legendaryinvestor's business acumen and giving him his trademarkappreciation of compound interest. After pulling a copy of OneThousand Ways off a library shelf at age eleven and devouringF.C. Minaker's plucky and practical business advice, Buffettdeclared that he would be a millionaire by the time he was 35.Written in the immediate, conversational style of Dale Carnegie'sHow to Win Friends and Influence People, this book is fullof inventive ideas on how to make money through excellentsalesmanship, hard work, and resourcefulness. While some ofthe ideas may seem quaint today-goat dairying, manufacturingmotor-driven chairs, and renting out billiard tables to localestablishments are among the money-making ideas presented-the underlying fundamentals of business explained in thesepages remain as solid as they were over seventy years ago.Covering a wide spectrum of topics including investing, marketing,merchandising, sales, customer relations, and raisingmoney for charity, One Thousand Ways to Make $1000 is botha durable, classic business book and a fascinating portrait ofdetermined entrepreneurship in Depression-era America.Every effort has been made to reproduce the content exactly asit was originally presented.

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Small Business, Big Vision: Lessons on How to Dominate Your Market from Self-Made Entrepreneurs Who Did it Right Review

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(More customer reviews)I received a pre-release copy of this book to review, and loved it! I've been an entrepreneur for a long time and am always looking for better ways to build and improve my businesses. This book provides practical advice that anyone can put into use to "dominate their market" as the book says.
I'd strongly recommend this book to anyone who is or wants to be a business owner. Whether you're thinking of starting a business or have been in business for 30 years, there's something for everyone to learn here.
My favorite parts: The chapter on social media marketing, the "Pulling a 180" chapter on turning your business around, and the section on social entrepreneurship. Good stuff!

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Lessons in applying passion and perseverance from prominent entrepreneurs
In the world of entrepreneurship, your vision solidifies your resolve when things get tough, and it reminds you why you went into business in the first place. Authors, brothers, and serial entrepreneurs, Matthew and Adam Toren have compiled a wealth of valuable information on the passionate and pragmatic realities of starting your own business. They've also gathered insights from some of the world's most successful entrepreneurs. This book delivers the information that both established and budding entrepreneurs need, explains how to implement that information, and validates each lesson with real-world examples.
Small Business, Big Vision provides inspiration and practical advice on everything from creating a one-page business plan to setting up an advisory board, and also delivers a call to social entrepreneurship and sustainable business practices. This powerful book:
Offers instruction in whether and how to seek investors
Outlines the pros and cons of hiring employees and provides guidance on how to find the best outsourced workers
Presents a comprehensive action plan for effective social media marketing
Explains how to build an information empire and become an expert

Small Business, Big Vision proves that with a flexible mindset, practical skills, and the passion to keep pushing forward, entrepreneurs can find success, even in today's ever-changing business landscape.

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