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The Pumpkin Plan: A Simple Strategy to Grow a Remarkable Business in Any Field
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- Regular Price :$24.49Special Offer: Learn how to get this for $7.49 !
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Average Customer Rating
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LENGTH6 hrs and 5 mins
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RELEASE DATE07-05-12
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AUDIO FORMATS
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Program TypeAudiobook
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PUBLISHER
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Publisher's Summary
Each year Americans start one million new businesses, nearly 80 percent of which fail within the first five years. Under such pressure to stay alive - Let alone grow - it’s easy for entrepreneurs to get caught up in a never-ending cycle of “sell it - do it, sell it - do it” that leaves them exhausted, frustrated, and unable to get ahead no matter how hard they try. This is the exact situation Mike Michalowicz found himself in when he was trying to grow his first company. Although it was making steady money, there was never very much left over and he was chasing customers left and right, putting in twenty-eight-hour days, eight days a week. The punishing grind never let up. His company was alive but stunted, and he was barely breathing.
That’s when he discovered an unlikely source of inspiration - pumpkin farmers. After reading an article about a local farmer who had dedicated his life to growing giant pumpkins, Michalowicz realized the same process could apply to growing a business. He tested the Pumpkin Plan on his own company and transformed it into a remarkable, multimillion-dollar industry leader. First he did it for himself. Then for others. And now you.
So what is the Pumpkin Plan?
- Plant the right seeds: Don’t waste time doing a bunch of different things just to please your customers. Instead, identify the thing you do better than anyone else and focus all of your attention, money, and time on figuring out how to grow your company doing it.
- Weed out the losers: In a pumpkin patch small, rotten pumpkins stunt the growth of the robust, healthy ones. The same is true of customers. Figure out which customers add the most value and provide the best opportunities for sustained growth. Then ditch the worst of the worst.
- Nurture the winners: Once you figure out who your best customers are, blow their minds with care. Discover their unfulfilled needs, innovate to make their wishes come true, and overdeliver on every single promise.
Full of stories of other successful entrepreneurs, The Pumpkin Plan guides you through unconventional strategies to help you build a truly profitable blue-ribbon company that is the best in its field.
©2012 Mike Michalowicz (P)2012 Gildan Media, LLC
What the Critics Say
“Hard-hitting advice aimed directly at the entrepreneur who is stuck being a wandering generality instead of a meaningful specific. Plenty of seeds worth planting.” (Seth Godin, author of We Are All Weird)
What Members Say
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"This one made my top 3 books on business!"
Would you consider the audio edition of The Pumpkin Plan to be better than the print version?Yes, Michael does a superb job reading. I am a little weary of authors who narrate their own books, but for me, I honestly wouldn't want anyone else to read this one.
What other book might you compare The Pumpkin Plan to and why?"Business Upgrade" or "The Intelligent Entrepreneur" are books that I'd relate this book to. They each have very different styles, but all are filled with the principles of building a successful business. "The Pumpkin Plan" is probably the most practical of the three.
Which scene was your favorite?When Michael describes how various industries can be Pumpkin-Planned. These really enforce the steps he teaches. By the end of the book you can sort of test yourself by how well you can predict the next story.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?Yes.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful -
"Great Job...Great Stories and Examples!"
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?Would fully recommend to anyone, I have already had two of my partners purchase and listen to it.
What was one of the most memorable moments of The Pumpkin Plan?I think using the analogy of the pumpkin farmer is one of the simplest way to remember the steps needed to achieve success. Plant the seed...
What does Mike Michalowicz bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?I have listened to many business books, Mike does a great job keeping you entertained and on task.
If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?Look out Walmart, here we come!
1 of 1 people found this review helpful -
"Incredible plan for business & life in general"
What made the experience of listening to The Pumpkin Plan the most enjoyable?He was so detailed in all of his examples and theory's, I'm very happy with my purchase and am already listening to the book over and implementing some of his advice in my daily life.
What does Mike Michalowicz bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?Funny guy, stays animated the whole time and keeps you interested.
Any additional comments?The best thing about this book was the way that he pumpkin (business) planned a number of different industries, my favorite was music. He basically gives you full walkthroughs of how to use the plan to grow your business real big.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful -
"Hard advice but true!"
I have been in the retail business over 40 years and the pumpkin plan is right on! Wish I would have followed mikes plan years ago with intention. I did have a plan though its called NEXT. But some customers and employees went away then I realized it was for the better after the fact. But I had to stomach them longer than I should have. Mike says to plan on removing them with a plan! Have no fear! Replace them with big pumpkins. Great book! Great job on the audio with mike himself.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful -
"Amazing examples on how to GROW your business."
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?We would recommend this book for anyone in business who is looking to grow their business to the next level. Some of the advice is shocking but yet so true!
What was one of the most memorable moments of The Pumpkin Plan?You should be asking for your top clients for their vendor list instead of awkward referrals.
What about Mike Michalowicz’s performance did you like?Mike has a great sense of humor and amazing advice with how to overcome many challenges business owners are faced with everyday.
If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?The million dollar pumpkin plan
Any additional comments?Get "The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur" on audibble / audibook format.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful -
"Wow... pure gold!"
Would you listen to The Pumpkin Plan again? Why?Yes. Michael really makes his points simple and concise and then backs them up with very practical examples. He also makes it very entertaining and believable. I immediately listened to it two times in a row and will probably listen again every few months. I wished this book was around years ago.
What other book might you compare The Pumpkin Plan to and why?This has to be one of the top books that I have read (listened). Simple to understand, entertaining, and very practical to implement.
Which scene was your favorite?The vendor collaboration is pure genius.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?Yes
0 of 0 people found this review helpful -
Laura Garden Grove, CA, United States 11-14-12 Member Since 2007
- HELPFUL VOTES
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- REVIEWS
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"This is the book I've been looking for"
I've been thinking of narrowing my marketing for a while, to focus on one area and one niche of customers. This book takes it even further and shows me how to do it step by step, and WHY I need to to it.
I love the "assignments." Some of them reinforce what I've already done in my business (via "Book Yourself Solid" by Michael Port) and some of them take it even further.
This is an excellent book and I recommend it for any solopreneur / entrepreneur who wants to really be serious about getting out of "overwhelm" and get their business on the right track.
With regard to the narration, it cracked me up that he came up with a different voice for each of his client quotes. Appeals to my theater girl background.0 of 0 people found this review helpful -
"Straight to the head!!!! No Sugar Coating.....A++"
A lot of good ideas and the challenging one! To fire the non productive customer to get the one will appreciate your efforts and create a win-win situation. Highly recommended. Thanks
0 of 0 people found this review helpful -
"Excellent and Entertaining"
Would you listen to The Pumpkin Plan again? Why?Yes. This is one of the most entertaining books that i have ever listened to or read. The author is hilarious - i would listen again just for entertainment value. The best part are the ideas that the author has - they are excellent for anyone interested in either starting a business or developing a business plan in their current job. I would listen to another book by this author without needing to know the content.
What other book might you compare The Pumpkin Plan to and why?No comparison
What does Mike Michalowicz bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?His smooth delivery and I don't know if his humor would come across as funny in print.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful -
"All business owners should read this!"
Would you listen to The Pumpkin Plan again? Why?Yes, and I will. If you are an Entreprenuer, it is a must
What other book might you compare The Pumpkin Plan to and why?How to win and Keep Customers for Life by Brian Lebeouf
Which character – as performed by Mike Michalowicz – was your favorite?NA
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?NA
Any additional comments?If you own a business it is really easy to say that you are focusing on your core competencies, but to actually execute on that is much more difficult. This book will help!
0 of 0 people found this review helpful