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PRAISE FOR THE BENEVOLENT DICTATOR
"Michael stands out as one of those rare entrepreneurs who started with a blank piece of paper and built a national brand in a crowded field. His book chronicles the seldom discussed aspects of the how-tos of doing it and doing it big, fast." —CHRISTOPHER CONNOR, Chairman and CEO, Sherwin-Williams Company
"In this book, Michael reveals step-by-step how an entrepreneur can navigate the twists and turns of building an enterprise. Expect the unexpected in this narrative, which provides 'the best of the best' reading on how he did it, and how his experiences can help the reader do it, too." —MORRY WEISS, Chairman, American Greetings Corp.
"Sitting through business lectures can be boring at times. Reading The Benevolent Dictator is anything but with its fast-paced prose, punctuated with dry humor. This book uncorks the unique methods that the author used to create huge success by empowering his team and outwitting the competition. Read this book once and it's guaranteed you'll refer to it time and time again." —FELIX ZULAUF, twenty-year member of the Barron's Roundtable, The Dow Jones Business and Financial Weekly
"Using his unorthodox teaching style, Michael keeps my high-potential students on the edge of their seats. He guides readers, too, down the path to accelerated success. His secret is a preoccupation with achieving results; his gift is teaching others how to do it." —RICHARD L. OSBORNE, Theodore M. Alfred Professor of Management, Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University
"Michael Feuer isn't only 'benevolent,' he's also quick, insightful, experienced, and engaging. His lessons and manner of communicating have produced profound benefits to all who serve with him as he advises our board and leadership team. And that's exactly what readers will find when they learn from this vital, no-nonsense, no-holds-barred book." —ALLEN WEISS, MD, MBA, President and CEO, NCH Healthcare System
"The difference between Michael and many other successful CEOs is that he can explain how to replicate his success with his entertaining, yet insightful, and finely honed words. His book accentuates the obvious and unlocks the obscure to help put readers on their own fast track." —JACQUELINE WOODS, Chair, Kent State University; retired president, AT&T Ohio
Phase One Start-Up.
1. Lesson #1: To Successfully Launch a Start-Up, There Must Be a Benevolent Dictator.
2. Lesson #2: The Best Ideas Can Come from What’s Right in Front of Your Nose.
3. Lesson #3: How to Find the Money to Make Big Money.
4. Lesson #4: Once an Entrepreneur, Always an Entrepreneur.
5. Lesson #5: It’s Better to Be Lucky Than Just Good.
6. Lesson #6: ‘‘GOYA’’—The Only Way to Really Test an Idea.
7. Lesson #7: Don’t Underestimate the Power of Focus, Discipline, and Follow-Up.
8. Lesson #8: Competition Stinks.
Phase Two Build Out and Put the Idea to the Test.
9. Lesson #9: Business Is a Series of ‘‘Go’’ and ‘‘No-Go’’ Decisions.
10. Lesson #10: Treat an Idea Like Clay.
11. Lesson #11: Always Be Prepared with Plan B . . . And Sometimes C and D.
12. Lesson #12: You’ll Never Reach Critical Goals without a Definitive Timetable.
13. Lesson #13: Never Be as Weak as Your Weakest Link.
14. Lesson #14: Raising Additional Capital Requires Creating Demand.
15. Lesson #15: Everything You Wanted to Know about the ‘‘D’’ Word but Were Afraid to Ask.
16. Lesson #16: Managing People Is about Achieving Objectives through Others.
17. Lesson #17: Good Intentions Will Get You Only So Far.
18. Lesson #18: Don’t Open the Doors until the Start-Up Passes the Smell Test—And Don’t Be Afraid to Call Time-Out Just to Be Sure.
Phase Three Constant Reinvention.
19. Lesson #19: Pot Stirring 101—The Key to Continuous Reinvention.
20. Lesson #20: Is Perception Reality? How to Manage Risk, Take Chances, and Remain Standing.
21. Lesson #21: How to Keep Lethargy at Bay . . . Or Why Time Is Your Most Precious Resource.
22. Lesson #22: How to Avoid Analysis Paralysis by Learning When to Make ‘‘Battlefield’’ Decisions.
23. Lesson #23: Don’t Drink Your Own Bathwater—You Could Choke 135
24. Lesson #24: When the Wolf’s at the Door, What You Do Can Make the Difference between Living to Fight Another Day and Going Down for the Count.
25. Lesson #25: Using the ‘‘Mother Rule’’ Can Help You Avoid Costly Hiring Mistakes.
26. Lesson #26: When Communicating, Cut to the Chase.
27. Lesson #27: Survival Math—Business Is Not a Zero-Sum Game 160
28. Lesson #28: Manage by the Three Ps—Persistence, Perspiration, and Performance.
29. Lesson #29: You Can’t Live with ’Em—How to Manage Prima Donnas, Employees Who Think ‘‘It’s Not Their Job,’’ and the Perfectionists.
30. Lesson #30: The Golden Rule of Trust and Respect: You’ve Got to Give to Get.
31. Lesson #31: Why You Must Look at Business through the Customer’s Eyes, Not Just from an Operator’s Perspective.
32. Lesson #32: When It’s Time to Pull the Trigger and Fire a Customer or a Vendor.
33. Lesson #33: Spurring Growth—How to Eat an Elephant One Bite at a Time.
34. Lesson #34: If You Don’t Like the Competition . . . Buy Them If You Can.
35. Lesson #35: The Easiest Path to Hypergrowth Is with Other People’s Money.
36. Lesson #36: Beating the Competition Requires That You Know More about Their Vulnerabilities Than They Know about Themselves . . . And Knowing Yourself Better Than They Know You.
37. Lesson #37: If You Negotiate with Yourself, You Have a Fool for an Opponent.
Phase Four The Payday.
38. Lesson #38: Payday . . . And Lessons from the IPO Road Show.
39. Lesson #39: If the Flame Starts Flickering: How to Tell If the Fat Lady Is About to Sing.
40. Lesson #40: How to Put Lightning Back in the Bottle Again and Again—Many Entrepreneurs Are Serial Entrepreneurs.
Epilogue.
Index.
LendMe™
Overview
PRAISE FOR THE BENEVOLENT DICTATOR
"Michael stands out as one of those rare entrepreneurs who started with a blank piece of paper and built a national brand in a crowded field. His book chronicles the seldom discussed aspects of the how-tos of doing it and doing it big, fast." —CHRISTOPHER CONNOR, Chairman and CEO, Sherwin-Williams Company
"In this book, Michael reveals step-by-step how an entrepreneur can navigate the twists and turns of building an enterprise. Expect the unexpected in this narrative, which provides 'the best of the best' reading on how he did it, and how his experiences can help the reader do it, too." —MORRY WEISS, Chairman, American Greetings Corp.
"Sitting through ...