Book Review-- Guerrilla Business Secrets

If you've looked around the Hungry Entrepreneur website at all, you've probably noticed that I'm BIG on reading business books as a cheap form of business education. Simply put- if you're not learning something new all the time, you're not open to growth! It's necessary for your business to thrive... not just survive!

The book Guerrilla Business Secrets is one of a long line of “Guerrilla” books about marketing, sales and other business concepts. I like to read these books because they're written in an “I've been in the business trenches too” tone of voice. The books are sympathetic to the ups and downs that happen in every business.

But this book, the newest in Levinson's “Guerrilla” franchise, is mostly involved in developing a different kind of business than I have experience or interest in. Do you want to start some kind of sales-oriented business, and eventually grow it into a larger, corporate structure? Then Guerrilla Business Secrets would be a good book for you to read. And if you wish to eventually expand into the international market, I'd really recommend reading this book.

Guerilla Business Secrets is written from the co-author Steve Savage's experiences of over 30 + years in business. Savage is a consumate entrepreneur, boot-strapper and guerrilla all at once. His businesses were mostly involved in school fund-raising. I didn't know it was such a BIG business. And I don't know anything about it other than buying cookie dough & gift wrap for my kid's school.

The author built several of these businesses. Some were successful and profitable. Some crashed and burned. The lessons a person learns in one type of venture usually apply to their other kinds of businesses. This book guides the reader thru his many business experiences, starting in the early 70s. The main thing I took away from this book is to never quit trying, and to learn from your failures!

Savage points out what to learn from each chapter or “Guerrilla Business Secret.” I admire the way he points out mistakes made or missed opportunities over the years. He's pretty candid about his mistakes. And Secret #50 should be on every entrepreneur's bulletin board... “don't be afraid to fail.”

Now the tough part... would I recommend that you actually buy this book? It depends. I got my copy of Guerilla Business Secrets at the library. Honestly... it probably won't join the other books in my business library. That could change if my goals change. Right now I'm focusing on learning what I need to know to build my small home-based internet business.

But if your plans for your business involve sales or sales people, managers, risk and eventual growth, yes. Pick up a copy of this book. It will be a good use of your valuable and probably scarce reading time.

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SBI!