Business Made Simple

60 Days to Master Leadership, Sales, Marketing, Execution, Management, Personal Productivity and More

By: Donald Miller

Narrated by: Donald Miller

Length: 6 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's Summary

Is this blue book more valuable than a business degree?

Most people enter their professional careers not understanding how to grow a business. At times, this makes them feel lost or, worse, like a fraud pretending to know what they’re doing.

It’s hard to be successful without a clear understanding of how business works. These 60 daily entries are crucial for any professional or business owner who wants to take their career to the next level.

New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-selling author Donald Miller knows that business is more than just a good idea made profitable - it’s a system of unspoken rules, rarely taught by MBA schools. If you are attempting to profitably grow your business or career, you need elite business knowledge - knowledge that creates tangible value.

Even if you had the time, access, or money to attend a top 20 business school, you would still be missing the practical knowledge that propels the best and brightest forward. However, there is another way to achieve this insider skill development, which can both drastically improve your career earnings and the satisfaction of achieving your goals.

Donald Miller learned how to rise to the top using the principles he shares in this book. He wrote Business Made Simple to teach others what it takes to grow your career and create a company that is healthy and profitable.

These short, daily entries will add enormous value to your business and the organization you work for. In this 60-day guide, listeners will be introduced to the nine areas where truly successful leaders and their businesses excel:

• Character: What kind of person succeeds in business?
• Leadership: How do you unite a team around a mission?
• Personal productivity: How can you get more done in less time?
• Messaging: Why aren’t customers paying more attention?
• Marketing: How do I build a sales funnel?
• Business strategy: How does a business really work?
• Execution: How can we get things done?
• Sales: How do I close more sales?
• Management: What does a good manager do?

Business Made Simple is the must-have guide for anyone who feels lost or overwhelmed by the modern business climate, even if they attended business school. Learn what the most successful business leaders have known for years through the simple but effective secrets shared here.

Take things further: If you want to be worth more as a business professional, listen to each daily entry.

Accompanying figures are available in the audiobook companion PDF download. 

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio. 

©2021 Donald Miller (P)2021 Thomas Nelson

Critic Reviews

"Starting my day with Business Made Simple motivates me to be the best co-worker, leader, and performer I can be." (Deb Vigotsky, Hanover Insurance Group, Instagram, and Twitter)

"The best part of waking up is not Folgers in my cup, it's the simple tip from Donald Miller that grows my small business." (Lee Baker, uScore Soccer)

"Business Made Simple helped me grow my private practice into a thriving group practice in 3 months." (Carole Cullen, My Therapist, Inc.)

Good content, but hated the constant sell

I love to learn about how to make businesses successful. I don't have a business degree or an MBA, but I've learned a lot about helping businesses thrive through a lot of hard work and amazing mentors.

Business Made Simple shares tactical steps on what a person can do every day to improve their effectiveness and reach their goals. Many of the activities are basic, but it's always good to be reminded to ensure you're not letting things slip through the cracks.

I think the most valuable part of the book was the priority checklist. I really found that portion of the book helpful. I'm terrible at filling my day with meetings and working late into the night to get things done when I should have blocked off my mornings and focused on the 2 or 3 things that would have the most significant impact.

What bothers me about this book is the constant sell. I felt that I was being pitched products by the author throughout every section of the book. Even the bonus content seemed to be exclusively a sales pitch for more services. I didn't appreciate that.

I don't see every conversation I have with someone as a way to increase my net worth. Maybe that's why I don't have a mansion or drive rare cars, but to each their own for sure. However, when I buy a book, I've made the investment in learning from that author, and if the content is excellent, I'll find ways to invest more. John Maxwell is a perfect example of this model. His books are a fantastic resource, and I never feel sold.

In the end, the content is useful, but I'll probably not seek out more content regardless of how good it is because the feeling of being sold feels slimy. It comes off like a car salesman trying to get you into the next great car and adding every other service under the sun to increase profitability.

I work in sales, and I love sharing how my company can help organizations create innovation and change how people interact with them. However, every time I talk to my clients, I'm not trying to sell them. I don't need to. I do what I say I'm going to do, and if they want more, they'll come back.

meh

I paid to be advertised to. I felt that the entire book was a sales pitch to buy more.

What happened to StoryBrand?

I’m a true fan of Donald Miller’s StoryBrand. Unfortunately, this book is all Capitan Obvious. Don’t waste your time. Read or reread Storybrand.

A good, solid book

The book is fine. It does have good content. The reason the review isn't 5 stars is because it overdoes the selling piece. It gets annoying. I'm sure it sells lots of copies, subscriptions, etc., but it comes at the cost of annoyance.

great concepts

very useful information, the core of the book is good. know going in that this book is meant to be a gateway into more online learning, or even becoming a business coach. this book is a small part of the author's overall business plan. don't let that detract from the message though. the content is good, if the upsell isn't right for you then just ignore it. take what you want and leave the rest. the bonus material felt repetitive from the book, but got better towards the end. I liked it overall and would recommend

Will listen at least 2 more times...

I am a business fanatic, entrepreneur, business owner, and this is one of the best I have read.

I can't relate

This book must be for someone else. Whoever wants to make it to the Wall Street or something. It is so cold and business driven. There is no personal touch to it. I feel like a business robut listening to it.

Donald Miller provide priceless business educatio

Donald Miller provides priceless business education and shares his wisdom across many topics to run a successful business or be a leader of one.

Audio isnt working - total silence. audible error

I was able to listen to this, but now the audio is totally gone. I love the book's content and value added, but it doesnt work on my audible anymore

Even better than the print version

The audio version has some bonus content that's not included in the print version which is well worth it. Combined with the videos and additional content available through his other books and BMSU you will find yourself well equipped for success as an entrepreneur or leader. Don is the real deal and wants to help people succeed and it shows - Do yourself and your business a favor and pick this book up today - grab one for your team too so you're all on the same page.