Profits Aren't Everything, They're the Only Thing

by George Cloutier

Book Overview

The best family business has one member. Weekends are for working, not playing golf or coaching. Never pay your vendors on time. Wear your control-freak badge with pride. Out denial: If your business is failing during a recession, it's your fault. George Cloutier's controversial rules for doing business aren't taught at Harvard Business School. The founder and CEO of American Management Services and "the leading advocate for small business" (Reuters),...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061856312
• ISBN13: 9780061856310
• Release Date: September 2010
• Publisher: Harper Business
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.2" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

No One Said It Would Be Easy

As an employee of the author, I get it: Profits Aren't Everything, They're the Only Thing is about Ownership. It is a book written by a business owner for other business owners. Through the case study methodology, George Cloutier gives you a guided tour of business mismanagement and profit drainage, identifying the rules that could have prevented or that will repair the damage. If you are tough enough to look in the mirror, I challenge any business owner to read this book and not find a single nugget that addresses at least one long-neglected problem. Is there not one among you who has a child in the business whose middle name is either "Entitled" or "Morale Killer?" Do any of your sales reps not want you to know how many customers were not contacted last week? Chances are, you probably will find several nuggets. Cloutier addresses them bluntly. And for those Owners who already know that this book is about them and their failure to control their companies - they already know the bad news - they just don't know how to fix it. Business owners can hide the truth from their lenders for a while; they may even hide it from their spouses, their partners or, heaven forbid, the IRS. But eventually, when that little voice inside tells you that all is not right or, worse yet, when you bolt upright in the middle of the night with sweat and worry - then you know it is time to give your business the undivided attention and swift, decisive action that Cloutier advocates. If you have read any of the press about this book, you already know that it will not make you popular among your employees - at least not the employees who are quite happy with the status quo. However, when you start implementing some of Cloutier's rules, you likely will find that your smartest and hardest working employees quietly thank you for finally making their co-workers or colleagues accountable. What many owners fail to realize is that their employees, as well as the owners, benefit greatly from a well-run, highly structured organization; job deliverables are clear and unequivocal; success is rewarded monetarily and with increasing job responsibility. Employees work harder when they know that, first and foremost, their job depends on it; and secondly, their compensation will be based on their individual contribution. Yes, we need all employees to cooperate to get the job done, but an owner empowers employees to succeed when the delegation of responsibility includes reporting requirements that are sacrosanct. This means that every employee has clearly-defined duties, responsibilities and deadlines. Is this book controversial? Of course - it's right there on the book cover. As an owner, will you find it painful? Probably. No one said it would be easy. Profits Aren't Everything, They're the Only Thing is not "one-size-fits-all," nor is there any requirement that you tackle all of the ills at once. George Cloutier's book is not only rules to live by - it lets yo

The Hard Truth

During 2008 and 2009 I led a difficult turnaround of my $30M sales manufacturing company. Reading Cloutier's book in 2010 I see the author address all the mistakes that I made over the past 20 years. I also found new opportunities for improvement that I will immediately begin to implement. Cloutier's rules are based on thousands of client experiences, and I can validate them from my own personal experience. Cloutier recognizes the all-important reality that small and medium size businesses are different animals than Fortune 500 companies. Small business requires very strong leadership, intense personal focus, and significant, quick changes when things go wrong. Many assertions challenge the conventional wisdom and none are sugar coated. What Cloutier outlines in this book is the hard truth, and evading this reality will not change it. I know this from experience. My only complaint is that this book wasn't available years ago.

Wake up call!

I own a small business and over the past few years overhead was climbing and as a result profit margins were sliding. This book was exactly what I needed to help me refocus on why I went on my own in the first place- "to make money." This book is great for anyone who has become dispassionate in their business. I did notice some grammatical errors in the text and it reads like someone is lecturing you. Other than that it is a good wake up call for the small business owner!

Best business book on the market

This books is about as simple and direct as you can get. It tells the business owner exactly what needs to be done to be successful. I have read a lot of business books and this is by far the best.

A must read for any business owner.

Every small business owner should read this book. Its short, simple, easy to read, and a good reminder of what we're in business for in the first place.