Building a Business the Buddhist Way [Paperback]

Geraldine A. Larkin (Author), Geri Larkin (Author, Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1999

The author of "Stumbling Toward Enlightenment" puts a new spin on the principles of entrepreneurship, showing how to use Buddhism to build a business of integrity.

Product Details

• Paperback: 142 pages
• Publisher: Celestial Arts (March 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0890878889
• ISBN-13: 978-0890878880
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #821,800 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Don't let the title scare you away, December 16, 1999

By 

A. C. Shellhase (California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Building a Business the Buddhist Way (Paperback)

Don't let the title fool you. What may sound like a hippie-dippy, touchy-feely, new age book for the Birkenstock crowd is actually a serious, fact-filled planning tool.

If you believe that your business can be successful and still be built on principles then this book will not only reinforce that belief, but walk you through how to go about setting it up that way from the beginning. If you're already in business, you can still use this information to change your direction and refocus your goals.

Geri Larkin's book grew from her own business career, her experiences as a Buddhist seminarian, and as a trainer.

Basically, the idea here is that your values merge with your work. That you strike a balance between having a business and having a life. The steps are easy: 1) simplify your life; 2) make money honestly; and 3) work is one of the most powerful spiritual practices. If you run your business by your own principles, success will naturally follow.

Even if you are not a Buddhist, the planning tools alone are extremely useful. Yes, there are sections about setting your goals and discovering what you want out of your life and business. But it's much more. This is essentially a workbook. It's full of checklists, worksheets, charts, and formulas.

Beginners will find this book most useful, but don't dismiss it if you're already in business. There are entire chapters devoted to cash flow calculations, setting up a marketing plan, and writing a business plan. You know. A business plan. We ALL have one, don't we?

I did remember balance sheets and income statements, but I sure had forgotten how to do a cash flow analysis, how to figure mark-ups, and how useful a budget can be.

This is a book best read with a pencil in hand and a calculator close by.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Right Way to Build a Life and a Business, May 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Building a Business the Buddhist Way (Paperback)

Buy this book. Read it now, especially if you want to start a business which is meaningful and valuable, whether if you are a Buddhist or not. I was among the members of the first class that Geri taught on this topic -- which forms the backbone of the book. It changed my life as an entrepreneur and has changed those of others. I can not recommend it more highly -- it is written in a frank and practical and funny style AND it tells you the real truth about creating your own business using Buddhist ideas. The Budhist component is not overwhelming: this is not a "Zen and the Art of Lucre". It is a truly useable and profound look at the way we can live our lives through our livelihood.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just what I was looking for, June 7, 2000

By 

"czegers" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Building a Business the Buddhist Way (Paperback)

In the first few pages I knew that my desire to open a business I could feel really good about was not some fantasy. The more I read the more I realized that my dream is more feasible than I really thought. I read it through once (quick and easy read), loved it, now I will read it again and go through all the exercises. If it does not prove to be helpful I'll write another review but she gives many other sources for information and guidance that I can't imagine, with the right amount of passion, it can't be done!