Believe it or not, The E-Myth was the first business book I read and I read it at a critical time in my business – months before I needed to know the difference between working in my business and working on my business.

Many entrepreneurs consider The E-Myth a guide to success for small business owners.

In his book, Gerber discusses each small business has the requirement to fulfill three central roles: the technician, the manager, and the visionary. The technicians of the business are charged with the execution of core tasks that the business performs such as baking a cake (Gerber uses the example of a bakery) or completing the administrative tasks in a service business (bookkeeping, customer service, etc.). Managers in the business are required to direct others in the organization to work effectively as a team. Finally, the visionary, is a critical role in any business to develop a picture of where the business should be in one, five, and ten plus years and plot the course to get there. Essentially, the visionary no longer works in their business (the role of technicians and managers) but evolves to work on their business.

Most entrepreneurs move between all three roles at one point or another in their business – obviously wearing all the hats at the beginning. Gerber posits that more businesses fail because the entrepreneur never makes the move from technician to visionary – never moving beyond working in their business to working on their business.

Any entrepreneur serious about their business growth and longevity should pick up a copy of The E-Myth today!