Ready, Fire, Aim: Zero to $100 Million in No Time Flat

Ready, Fire, Aim: Zero to $100 Million in No Time Flat

by Michael Masterson
Released January 2008
Publisher(s): Wiley
ISBN: 9780470182026

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Book description

Whether you're thinking about starting a new business or growing an existing one, Ready, Fire, Aim has what you need to succeed in your entrepreneurial endeavors. In it, self-made multimillionaire and bestselling author Masterson shares the knowledge he has gained from creating and expanding numerous businesses and outlines a focused strategy for guiding a small business through the four stages of entrepreneurial growth. Along the way, Masterson teaches you the different skills needed in order to excel in this dynamic environment.

Table of contents

  1. Copyright
  2. FOREWORD
  3. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  4. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  5. I. BEING ALL THAT YOU CAN BE
    1. INTRODUCTION: The Very Best Job in the World
      1. A QUESTION THEY NEVER STOP ASKING
      2. WORLD-CLASS TRAVEL PAID FOR BY MY CLIENTS
      3. BEING IN CONTROL OF YOUR TIME
      4. DOING WHAT YOU LIKE TO DO
      5. HANGING OUT WITH GREAT PEOPLE
      6. WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THIS BOOK
    2. 1. GETTING TO THE NEXT LEVEL
      1. 1.1. THE FOUR STAGES OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
      2. 1.2. PROBLEMS, CHALLENGES, AND OPPORTUNITIES
      3. 1.3. WHAT SHOULD YOU WANT FOR YOUR BUSINESS?
    3. 2. WHY EMPLOYEE SIZE MATTERS: A Different Way of Measuring the Four Stages
      1. 2.1. THE FIRST STAGE: YOU PLUS SEVEN EXECUTIVE EMPLOYEES
      2. 2.2. THE SECOND STAGE: FROM SEVEN FIRST-TIER EMPLOYEES TO 49 SECOND-TIER EMPLOYEES
      3. 2.3. THE THIRD STAGE: FROM 49 SECOND-TIER EMPLOYEES TO 343 THIRD-TIER EMPLOYEES
      4. 2.4. THE FOURTH STAGE: FROM 343 THIRD-TIER EMPLOYEES TO UNLIMITED GROWTH
    4. 3. BECOMING A FIVE-STAR BUSINESS GENIUS
      1. 3.1. FIVE MAGIC WANDS OF BUSINESS GENIUS
      2. 3.2. WHAT EVERY GREAT BUSINESS NEEDS
      3. 3.3. WHEN FAST GROWTH CREATES OPERATIONAL PROBLEMS
      4. 3.4. AFTER MUCH GROWTH, A FLATTENING
      5. 3.5. WHAT KIND OF GENIUS ARE YOU?
  6. II. STAGE ONE: INFANCY
    1. 4. THE SUPREMACY OF SELLING
      1. 4.1. THE REAL BUSINESS EVERY BUSINESSPERSON IS IN
      2. 4.2. THE BIG MISTAKE MOST WANNABE ENTREPRENEURS MAKE
      3. 4.3. SOME LESSONS ARE HARD TO LEARN THE FIRST TIME
      4. 4.4. A TALE OF TWO START-UPS
      5. 4.5. PRIORITIES FOR STAGE ONE BUSINESSES
      6. 4.6. WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY
      7. 4.7. THE ENTREPRENEUR'S FIRST QUESTION: HOW CAN I MAKE THE FIRST SALE?
      8. 4.8. IF I BUILD THE PRODUCT, WILL THEY COME?
      9. 4.9. ANOTHER WOULD-BE ENTREPRENEUR WITH AN IDEA
    2. 5. YOUR OPTIMUM SELLING STRATEGY AND THE FOUR FUNDAMENTAL SECRETS OF SELLING YOUR FIRST PRODUCT
      1. 5.1. INTRODUCING: THE OPTIMUM SELLING STRATEGY
      2. 5.2. THE FOUR SECRETS OF THE OSS
    3. 6. MASTERING THE COPY SIDE OF SELLING
      1. 6.1. FOUR KEY CONCEPTS EVERY MARKETING GENIUS MUST KNOW
    4. 7. SECONDARY-YET IMPORTANT-PRIORITIES FOR STAGE ONE BUSINESSES
      1. 7.1. MENTORING AND BEING MENTORED
      2. 7.2. TEACHING YOUR TEAM
      3. 7.3. SETTING BUSINESS TARGETS
    5. 8. A QUICK REVIEW OF THE PROBLEMS, CHALLENGES, AND OPPORTUNITIES FACED BY THE STAGE ONE ENTREPRENEUR
  7. III. STAGE TWO: CHILDHOOD
    1. 9. FROM $1 MILLION TO $10 MILLION AND BEYOND: How to Break through the One-Product-Company Syndrome
      1. 9.1. GETTING CAUGHT IN STAGE ONE LIMBO
      2. 9.2. SELF-EMPLOYMENT COMPANIES VERSUS EQUITY BUSINESSES
      3. 9.3. THE NATURE OF STAGE TWO GROWTH
      4. 9.4. HOW TO DOUBLE YOUR REVENUES ... AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN
      5. 9.5. SOME PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH STAGE TWO GROWTH
      6. 9.6. AN EASY, IF FLAWED, WAY TO CREATE NEW PRODUCTS
      7. 9.7. HITTING THE STAGE ONE PLATEAU
      8. 9.8. IF IT WORKS WELL THE FIRST TIME, DO IT AGAIN
      9. 9.9. GETTING TO $80 MILLION
      10. 9.10. HOW TO CHANGE YOUR COMPANY (AND YOURSELF) AT STAGE TWO
    2. 10. INNOVATION-THE KEY TO SECOND-STAGE GROWTH
      1. 10.1. WHY INNOVATIONS AREN'T USUALLY REVOLUTIONARY
      2. 10.2. WHAT'S WRONG WITH KNOCK-OFFS?
      3. 10.3. IN PRAISE OF MALCOLM GLADWELL
      4. 10.4. BACK TO OUR FRONT-END/BACK-END DISCUSSION ...
      5. 10.5. WHY YOU HAVE TO SET HIGH STANDARDS FOR INNOVATION
      6. 10.6. NEW-PRODUCT IDEAS: HOW TO PRODUCE LOTS AND LOTS OF THEM
      7. 10.7. CHANGING THE CULTURE OF YOUR BUSINESS
      8. 10.8. BECOMING AN ADVOCATE OF INNOVATION
      9. 10.9. CREATING A CULTURE OF INNOVATION
      10. 10.10. A FINAL TIP ON BEING INNOVATIVE
      11. 10.11. THE 24-HOUR RULE FOR PRESERVING THE INSPIRATION OF GENIUS
    3. 11. SPEED: Putting Ready, Fire, Aim into Your Business
      1. 11.1. A SIMPLE FORMULA FOR SECOND-STAGE GROWTH
      2. 11.2. THREE THINGS THAT YOU SHOULD FEEL PASSIONATE ABOUT
      3. 11.3. "MONEY LOVES SPEED"
      4. 11.4. FASTER TESTING MEANS MORE PRODUCTS, WHICH MEANS MORE PROFITS
      5. 11.5. HOW TESTING CAN LEAD TO SPEED, SAFETY, AND PROFITS
      6. 11.6. HOW TO INCREASE SPEED: A CASE STUDY
    4. 12. GETTING READY
      1. 12.1. DO YOU HAVE A GOOD IDEA?
      2. 12.2. DOES IT FEEL LIKE IT WILL WORK?
      3. 12.3. ARE YOUR SALES TARGETS REALISTIC?
      4. 12.4. CAN YOU TEST THE IDEA?
      5. 12.5. DO YOU KNOW THE TASKS THAT NEED TO BE DONE?
      6. 12.6. DO YOU HAVE THE PEOPLE WHO CAN DO THE TASKS?
      7. 12.7. DO YOU HAVE A PLAN B?
      8. 12.8. THE READY, FIRE, AIM BUSINESS PROPOSAL
      9. 12.9. BREVITY IS THE SOUL OF VELOCITY
    5. 13. WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? START FIRING ALREADY!
      1. 13.1. TWO REASONS WHY MOST GOOD IDEAS NEVER GET IMPLEMENTED
      2. 13.2. THOSE LITTLE CHORES THAT NEVER GET DONE
      3. 13.3. A PROFILE IN COURAGE
    6. 14. AIMING THE PRODUCT
      1. 14.1. A TALE OF INCREMENTAL DEGRADATION
      2. 14.2. YOU CAN'T MEASURE INCREMENTS OVER THE LONG RUN
      3. 14.3. DECONSTRUCTING BUSINESS BEHAVIOR: THE GOLDEN RULE OR THE RULE OF GOLD?
      4. 14.4. HOW TO SHARE THE WEALTH: INCREMENTAL IMPROVEMENT
      5. 14.5. HOW TO CREATE GREAT PRODUCTS THAT KEEP GETTING BETTER
    7. 15. AIMING THE MARKETING, PART 1: A Quick Crash Course
      1. 15.1. HOW SALES-ORIENTED ARE YOU?
      2. 15.2. HOW TO BE A SALES AND MARKETING GENIUS
      3. 15.3. STEP ONE: EXORCISING THE RIGHTEOUS DEMONS
      4. 15.4. STEP TWO: SHOOTING REVENUES THROUGH THE ROOF WITH THREE BASIC APPROACHES
      5. 15.5. STEP THREE: A CRASH COURSE IN SALES AND MARKETING
    8. 16. AIMING THE MARKETING, PART 2: Understanding the Buying Frenzy
      1. 16.1. THE RAGGED, RATTY, 15-YEAR-OLD CARRY-ON BAG AND THE HUMAN ATM
      2. 16.2. AN APOLOGY FOR CONSUMERISM
      3. 16.3. WHEN IS THE BUYING IMPULSE STRONGEST?
      4. 16.4. THE "SHOES MAKE ME BEAUTIFUL" LOGIC BEHIND GETTING YOUR CUSTOMERS TO BUY
      5. 16.5. WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR CUSTOMERS ARE PRACTICALLY FROTHING AT THE MOUTH
      6. 16.6. HOW TO STIMULATE A BUYING FRENZY
    9. 17. READY, FIRE, AIM IN ACTION
      1. 17.1. HOW TO BECOME A FILMMAKER THE READY, FIRE, AIM WAY
      2. 17.2. MY FIRST READY, FIRE, AIM ATTEMPTS AT FILMMAKING
      3. 17.3. MY FIRST READY, FIRE, AIM ATTEMPT TO PRODUCE AN ALBUM
      4. 17.4. READY, FIRE, AIM TO CREATE A SECOND INCOME
    10. 18. A QUICK REVIEW OF THE PROBLEMS, CHALLENGES, AND OPPORTUNITIES FACED BY THE STAGE TWO ENTREPRENEUR
  8. IV. STAGE THREE: ADOLESCENCE
    1. 19. MAKING THE STAGE THREE TRANSFORMATION
      1. 19.1. THE SECOND MAJOR TRANSFORMATION
      2. 19.2. HOW TO CHANGE YOUR BUSINESS THE RIGHT WAY
      3. 19.3. WHAT YOU NEED TO DO
      4. 19.4. HOW TO MANAGE A $100 MILLION BUSINESS
    2. 20. CHANGING INTO A CORPORATE LEADER
      1. 20.1. FROM ENTREPRENEUR TO INC. 500 CEO: WHAT IT TAKES
      2. 20.2. CONTROLLING OPERATIONS
      3. 20.3. MANAGING YOUR MANAGERS
      4. 20.4. COMMUNICATING YOUR VISION
      5. 20.5. NETWORKING FOR JOINT VENTURES
      6. 20.6. NEGOTIATING DEALS
      7. 20.7. BEING GOOD AT HIRING
    3. 21. FILLING YOUR STAGE THREE BUSINESS WITH STARS AND SUPERSTARS
      1. 21.1. WHERE ARE THE GOOD ONES?
      2. 21.2. TAKING YOUR SEARCH FOR SUPERSTARS ONE STEP FURTHER
      3. 21.3. CREATING YOUR OWN SUPERSTARS
      4. 21.4. THE CARE AND FEEDING OF CELESTIAL EMPLOYEES
      5. 21.5. SOMETHING ELSE TO THINK ABOUT
    4. 22. BOTTLENECKS, BUREAUCRACY, AND POLITICS
      1. 22.1. LEGAL COMPLIANCE
      2. 22.2. OTHER BOTTLENECKS
      3. 22.3. THE INVISIBLE BOTTLENECK
      4. 22.4. BUREAUCRACY
      5. 22.5. OFFICE POLITICS
      6. 22.6. HOW POLITICAL EMPLOYEES WILL HURT YOU
      7. 22.7. THE SOLUTION TO POLITICS
    5. 23. A QUICK REVIEW OF THE PROBLEMS, CHALLENGES, AND OPPORTUNITIES FACED BY THE STAGE THREE ENTREPRENEUR
  9. V. STAGE FOUR: ADULTHOOD
    1. 24. THE LAST BIG CHANGE
      1. 24.1. ROLE 1: THE EMPLOYEE
      2. 24.2. ROLE 2: THE MANAGER
      3. 24.3. ROLE 3: THE BUSINESS BUILDER
      4. 24.4. ROLE 4: THE WEALTH BUILDER
      5. 24.5. NOW IS THE TIME TO REASSESS THE ROLE YOU WANT TO PLAY
      6. 24.6. WORKING EASY
      7. 24.7. HOW TO MAKE YOUR STAGE FOUR WORK FUN AND EASY
    2. 25. ACTING AS YOUR COMPANY'S MAIN INVESTOR
      1. 25.1. PLAYING THE ADVISER ROLE
      2. 25.2. PLAYING THE WARREN BUFFETT ROLE
    3. AFTERWORD
    4. NOTES

Product information

  • Title: Ready, Fire, Aim: Zero to $100 Million in No Time Flat
  • Author(s): Michael Masterson
  • Release date: January 2008
  • Publisher(s): Wiley
  • ISBN: 9780470182026