EMyth

series of books/services by Michael Gerber

the myth: that most SmallCo/Start Up-s are created by an Entrepreneur risking capital to make a profit

the reality: it's usually someone (their Technician Persona) just wanting to stop working for a boss
- mental model: 3 Persona-s: Technician, Manager, Entrepreneur
- they end up with a worse boss: their business - "If your business depends on you, then you don't own a business - you have a job."
this illusion leads to the outcome of 80% of SmallCos failing

don't work in your business, work on your business

So: treat SmallCo as Franchise model to avoid Burn Out: apply Systems Thinking to its design.

More recently: the eightfold path (see also strategic context; but Gerber sees this as a sequence of steps)

Dream: It’s the Great Result you intend to produce by forming your Company of One and then growing it. It’s about the market you’re determined to serve.
Vision: the Form your new company will take in order to realize its Dream
Purpose: the profound impact your company intends to have on your most important customer/client
Mission: to invent the stunningly effective Operating System at the heart of your growing enterprise
System of delivery
Client acquisition system: Lead Generation. Lead Conversion. Client Fulfillment. Your Franchise Prototype. The Core Operating System of your ready-to-scale growing company.
Management system
Leadership system

Bill Seitz