No question, I enjoy researching and writing about mega, compound innovations. My book had plenty of that happening at GE, BP, and other big companies (and countries like China and Germany). Honestly, though, some of my favorite anecdotes in the book came from small companies like Spanning Sync and iCurrent (since acquired by Washington Post), small towns like Lafayette, LA and small countries like Macedonia. And I love to blog about local small businesses we patronize such as
Frenchy’s who rents out waverunners
Bamboo Express, our Chinese takeout place
Scott Galloway, our UPS franchisee
So, I enjoyed reading my friend Phil Simon’s new – his third - book. From Chapters 7 to 16 he profiles many small businesses from dentists to restaurants. The before and after chapters are more set up, definitions of technology sectors, business philosophy etc – needed but I would have enjoyed even more case studies.
I got to know Phil as fellow Wiley author – his second book was also with Wiley. This time around, he “thought small” and self-published with initial support from several friends and fans using Kickstarter – and got as much as he probably would have got as advance from a traditional publisher, without giving up 85% of royalties . He has a nice ecosystem of editors and other book resources and knows how to use social media effectively.
So, in many ways the book is about himself – an entrepreneur using increasingly ubiquitous and affordable technologies. As he says “the book’s voice is that of a small business owner (yours truly) addressing other small business owners who are curious about what they can do to increase revenue, reduce costs and attract and retain highly desirable employees”
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