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David Allen Pacific Book Review
Shamans the world over will tell you that the remedy for many tropical poisons and plants is often found within inches of the offending agent. Or, that opportunity, money, and success are, like air and water, superabundant: they are all around. The art and magic is knowing how to catch ‘them.’
Look around you. Franchises are everywhere. McDonald’s, and Burger King are the most obvious and blatant examples of the same. Bill McGowan, a forward thinker and entrepreneur-extraordinaire from Australia, takes us on a delightful and supremely informative tour of his Wanderjahre, his formative business years in which he saw the writing on the wall, saw the remedial and facilitative agents of change everywhere — and did something about it.
McGowan became the founding father of Fastway Couriers, an international company based on reliable, expert handling of courier mail, business mail, and packages. McGowan, a self-starter, and impressive autodidact did his homework. He went out and did market surveys. He pored over the literature. Wherever he saw a need, he approached it. When he encountered an opportunity — more power to him! So much groundwork, so little time…
But so much ambition! With humour and a heart of gold, Bill McGowan generously and sumptuously provides readers with sketches, theories, working plans, questionnaires and bullet-pointed To Do lists. Like-minded readers can stand on McGowan’s shoulders and strategize their very own onslaughts.
Be Your Own Boss is organized into two major sections. First, there is the backstory of the company, of McGowan’s self-propelled rise to business and personal success; then there is the very useful workbook which follows, comprising the second half of the book. Readers setting out upon, or dreaming of, businesses of their own will be heartened by McGowan’s unselfconscious and mostly modest account of his own rise. The take-home lessons in this book are extremely valuable — not only to business-minded readers, but to any reader seeking personal, career, and financial liberation.
The illustrations by collaborator/cartoonist Steve Panozzo provide a suitable and breezy accompaniment to the text. Hold on: there’s more. Readers will also cheer McGowan’s uncanny ability, time and again, to align corporate goals with societal and personal ones. Franchises can contribute to Green! A business — and hopefully this book — will be on your event horizon.
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In Be Your Own Boss by Bill McGowan, readers are taken on a journey through the eyes of a young entrepreneur who took a remarkable leap of faith by giving up his current lifestyle to embark on establishing a courier transportation company. This book offers a unique perspective on entrepreneurship, as Bill McGowan recounts how he relinquished everything in his life to pursue his dream. His focus is on catering to small businesses, offering cost-effective solutions, and solving the challenges clients face when dealing with courier companies.
Bill McGowan doesn’t sugarcoat the process; he provides a candid and detailed account of his entrepreneurial journey. He shares not only his successes but also his struggles and the creative problem-solving required to overcome obstacles. From the initial stages when he had to feign being an established company to attract new clients, to eventually growing the business into a global franchise company, Bill McGowan’s story is testament to dedication and resilience.
His firsthand account of the challenges and triumphs encountered along the way serves as a source of inspiration and valuable lessons foe those embarking on their own entrepreneurial journey. It offers a comprehensive breakdown of the entrepreneurial experience, shedding light on the harsh realities of starting a business versus being an employee. Bill McGowan’s narrative is rich in practical insights and strategies that can be invaluable to anyone contemplating taking the same first steps of their own.
It is worth noting that the book does contain some spelling and grammatical errors. It also contains some mild foul language or swear words, which may not be suitable for all readers. However, the overall reading experience is enjoyable as references were made that my own father used in his daily life too which was a wonderful moment of nostalgia for me, but it also provides a behind-the-scenes view of what it truly takes to launch and sustain a small business and what it can take to grow it.
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Over the span of two decades, Bill McGowan has meticulously crafted a masterpiece with “Be Your Own Boss”, a valuable resource tailored for individuals contemplating business launches or acquisitions. Drawing from five decades of personal business acumen, McGowan presents an encompassing guide for those seeking to crystallize their thoughts and evaluate the viability of the entrepreneurial journey.
First and foremost, acknowledging the necessity of substantial groundwork before embarking on any entrepreneurial endeavour is paramount. A deed understanding of the relevant industry serves as a foundational requirement, necessitating aligning skills with the chosen field. Moreover, while self-employment offers autonomy and ownership, recognising its inherent risks is pivotal. “Be Your Own Boss” endeavours to offer insights poised to significantly enhance the likelihood of success.
In the realm of business, uncertainty is unavoidable, and this book earnestly aims to provide insights that tangibly elevate the odds of success. Its diverse topics range from business planning and dissecting startup failure causes to strategies for sidestepping pitfalls through meticulous research and planning. Furthermore, the guide offers a step-by-step framework for crafting both professional and personal objectives. It delves deeply into securing financing and addresses a myriad of other mission-critical facets.
What sets this book apart is its seamless blend of business insights with humour and introspection. Amusing illustrations counterbalance weightier business content, while thought-provoking questions encourage readers to delve deeper into contemplation. Beyond business, the book aspires to make a positive impact on readers’ personal lives.
Throughout the text, the significance of research is consistently emphasised. Effective research, as underscored by the author’s investment anecdotes, forms the bedrock of any nascent business venture. These narratives convey knowledge while also igniting the reader’s imagination and motivation.
Interwoven within the narrative are the author’s firsthand accounts of overcoming challenges, from navigating government regulations and obtaining operational licences to mastering cost management and facilitating growth. These anecdotes deeply resonate with readers, captivating and inspiring them. However, it’s essential to acknowledge that despite meticulous research, unforeseen challenges will inevitably arise, requiring astute Management.
Ultimately, the book underscores the reader’s agency in shaping their path. It serves as a guide to align aspirations with actions. Amidst numerous manuals tailored for aspiring entrepreneurs, Be Your Own Boss offers not only a panoramic view but also practical tools for embarking on the journey of self-employment. One of the standout features of the book is the personal survey that guides readers in evaluating their strengths, weaknesses, and motivations for entering the business arena.
McGowan’s writing style exudes professionalism and authority, reflecting his domain expertise. He consistently emphasises the importance of independent research and counsel beyond the book’s scope, urging readers to seek guidance from seasoned practitioners. Venting into entrepreneurship is undoubtedly a significant undertaking, and McGowan encourages readers to balance enthusiasm with objectivity and emphasises the necessity of using ‘reality checks’ from impartial sources to offer alternatives, discern risks, and hone plans.
Overall, I would rate the book 4 out of 5 stars. This rating takes into account the minor errors encountered throughout the text. However, it’s important to note that these minor issues do not detract from the author’s core message. I highly recommend this book to all aspiring entrepreneurs and individuals contemplating the path of self-employment.
In the words of McGowan’s Dida, “Set your mind to something, focus on it and if you believe in it 100%, you will be able to do it and be anything or person that you want to be. You don’t have to limit yourself to anything, you are who you believe you are, and you can achieve anything that you believe 100% in.”
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Review by bookexcellence.com http://bookexcellence.com
Be Your Own Boss offers a wealth of valuable information on building a business and getting into franchising; it is clear and user-friendly, offering important foundations for both business and life.
In Be Your Own Boss, Bill McGowan recounts his time as a business owner and, more specifically, as the founder and chairman of Fastway, a group of companies in New Zealand and Australia. He goes on to walk readers through a wide spanning body of advice on how they can break into business, set and meet effective goals, plan their business operations and market their products and services, devoting the last stretch of the book to his specialty: franchising. Following the narrative portion of Be Your Own Boss, the book is organized by topic, and each chapter consists of some context on why that subject is crucial in business, followed by a comprehensive breakdown of statistics, principles, and best practices for how readers can embody that information in their efforts. Many of the chapters close with practical exercises or questions for reflection that readers can complete to actually begin the process of putting what they’ve learned into action.
The content of the book is delivered with exceptional pragmatism -- both in its style and organization. The first standout feature of the book is just how comprehensive it is. McGowan gives you everything you need to get started in business, at least in terms of learned insight and guidance. The second is the clarity, brevity and thoughtfulness with which he organizes the information. He relies heavily on the use of bulleted lists but in such a way that leaves the reader wondering why this isn’t the norm for a book of his genre. His writing is straightforward, and he does a fantastic job of drawing connections between each subtopic that he covers. It is clear how each new list of principles relates to the last and how these components fit together as a whole.
The expansive narrative sharing McGowan’s personal history bears relevance, establishes his credibility and illustrates many of the principles that he goes on to cover in the book. The story is, in itself, compelling, and fans of memoirs and autobiographies could also be drawn to the book as a source of inspiration for their own journeys.
Strap in! Be Your Own Boss could be classified as one of the greatest contributions to its genre. It is definitely well worth the read.
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