Built to Sell: Creating a Business That Can Thrive Without You Paperback – December 24, 2012

From the organization of the book like a true story, to the tidbits of gold, this book transformed my way of looking at my startup. We need to apply these principles from the very beginning to ensure we maximize the value of our business. I have recommended this book over 100 times to colleagues, friends and people I have met on a plane. This easy to read book will always have a place on my bookshelf.

I read quite a bit but have never written a review. However, after reading Built to Sell, I felt compelled to do so (I received it Friday afternoon, started reading after putting the kids to bed Friday night and finished it that night - it is actually engrossing). And no, as one reviewer questioned of those that have positively reviewed this book, I have not been paid to do so. If perhaps I read this book fifteen years ago, before I started my company, I may not have had such a high opinion of this book - but having lived through building a business, you recognize almost on every page a situation that you have encountered. It brought back many good (and bad) memories.This book is full of wisdom, and the "story telling" approach, which I was doubtful of at first, is a great vehicle for delivering it (in this case it is more successful than even the quite good books such as "The Goal", "Raving Fans" and the "One Minute Manager" series that also employ it). As the author states, it is like a biography of every entrepreneur out there. There is some great advice for those thinking of starting a business, but I surmise that this book best serves those who have already started one - it is both comforting ("I am not the only one!") and inspiring. I can also vouch for what potential buyers are looking for and what this book proposes - a standardized and repeatable model that is not too dependent upon the talents of any individual or group of individuals. As another great book pointed out ("From Good To Great"), you do need great people to build a great company - but as this book points out, it is even more important for an entrepreneur to implement the structure, processes, products, cash-flow and incentives that will attract and permit good/potentially great people to achieve great results. And this book provides a solid path to achieving this, as well as much insight into the acquisition process that I have not seen anywhere else.This is a great book that belongs on every business owner's bookshelf, whether or not they are planning to sell their business. Until this book, my favorite book for entrepreneurs had been "The Knack" (and "Small Giants" is very good too, but gets a little repetitive). If you haven't read them, I would get all three - they are the best three books for entrepreneurs that I have read.Charlie VinalFounder, President and CEOEuclid Technology

This book's primary point is to turn your services into products, which is pretty good advice but requires a lot of creative interpretation if you own one of the vast majority of viable smaller entities which are already in the product business. There is value in stretching your brain muscles but the book is by no means a recipe that you can just follow. It's quite short and written in typical business novel form (the mentor leads the business owner through a learning process) but it is fairly engaging and takes a realistic timespan, two years plus, rather than offering 8 Weeks to Riches. Definitely worth a read.

This is a brilliant book that should really be essential reading for the owner of any small business, wherever they are located.It's an easy to read story of a guy running his own business for 8 years who realises one day that his business ain't worth much to sell. And it's a story of what he does to change his business model, change his product mix, change his staff and even change some of his customers to turn a service business into a product business.This is NOT a theoretical academic text written for students by some teacher who has never done it himself. It's real. Fictional, but real. According to the author, it's not an autobiography. It seems to be more of a composite of the author's own experiences coupled with wisdom the author has gained from many years of talking real business with real business people.So, why read this book?It's a fairly quick read. Not lightweight, but not imposing either. You can knock it over in a couple of nights. And then you can read it again. And again.It's well laid out with concise wisdom and advice intermingled with the main story. It's a good story, and the author is a good story-teller.And at the end, there is a step by step outline of the key stages in the process to turn a service business into a product business.On the downside, some of the process is skimmed over fairly lightly - probably because it could confuse the key message. For example, preparing the legalities and contractual side of selling your business is obviously more involved in reality than is presented in this book, but that is a minor issue compared to the clear processes and advice contained throughout the book for transforming a low-value service business into a saleable asset.This is not a book with "suggestions" for problems that don't really exist. This is a book with solutions. Solutions that address one of the biggest issues facing the owners of small businesses today - getting some significant value back at the time of sale from the blood, sweat and tears they invested to build their business.Too many business owners find they simply can't sell their business - or can't sell it for enough - and they sell out on unfair terms, or terms that dont really give them freedom. Or they just walk away battered and bruised when they've had enough.In Australia (where I live) and in other parts of the Western world, small business is talked about ad being the backbone of the economy - but really gets little support. Small business entrepreneurs often do it tough. I hope this book can help change the lives, fortunes and happiness of business owners throughout the world.Just read it! Then read it again. Then start work changing your business - or help someone you love to change their business. They'll thank you for it.

I have owned several businesses in my life, and I wish I had read this book sooner. I would have saved many headaches and won many more dollars in the process.