Everything I Know About Business I Learned from my Mama: A Down-Home Approach to Business and Personal Success [Hardcover]

Tim Knox (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Praise for

Everything I Know About Business I Learned from My Mama

"Not your typical success book by any means. It's laugh-out-loud funny, full of great stories and outstanding business ideas, and has real heart. This is one I would spend my money on!"
--Larry Winget, New York Times bestselling author of It's Called Work for a Reason! and star of the A&E hit reality series Big Spender

"Every now and then I find a book that is so inspiring I immediately start making a list of all the people I know who must have a copy. Everything I Know About Business I Learned from My Mama is one of those books."
--Dan Miller, author of 48 Days to the Work You Love

"This book is a great combination: both entertaining and educational. You'll get some terrific ideas and insights and have so much fun in the process, you might not even realize you're learning. I recommend it."
--Mark Sanborn, author of The Fred Factor

"This is one of those rare books that works on every level. Knox is an absolute pleasure to read, his stories are joyfully engaging, and there's a business lesson on every page. I enthusiastically recommend that you get this book immediately. Like me, you won't put it down until you've reached the last page. Hey, Tim, write another one soon!"
--Joe Calloway, author of Work Like You're Showing Off!

"Think of this book as Jeff Foxworthy meets Donald Trump. You get all of The Donald's wisdom dished up in some of the most hilarious business adventures ever described. Only Tim would learn a major business lesson from having his daddy try to electrocute him. If it ain't fun, don't do it. By that advice, you should read this book. It's an entrepreneur's gold mine nestled in a silly foam container."
--Jerry Newman, author of My Secret Life on the McJob

From the Inside Flap

Some business books make success seem like a mystery that can only be unraveled by smooth-talking Harvard MBAs. The fact is, you can learn pretty much everything you need to know about business from your mama . . . or Tim Knox's mama.

If you could combine the business acumen of Steven Covey with the down-home humor of Jeff Foxworthy, you'd have millionaire entrepreneur and former comedian Tim Knox. In Everything I Know About Business I Learned from My Mama, Knox offers a refreshingly funny account of his rise from backwoods poverty to wealth and success. Along the way, he presents commonsense lessons on the basics of business—lessons learned from owning and operating businesses in the real world, not in some business school fantasyland.

Knox might be funny, but his message is pretty serious—you're responsible for your own happiness, not the world, not those around you. Just you. If you believe in yourself and your abilities, and you accept responsibility for your own life, achievement and fulfillment is right around the corner. If you're waiting for success to find you, you'll need a much longer book to keep you busy while you wait. Instead, follow the ancient advice of mamas the world over: If you work hard, treat people right, and use your common sense, you can be anything, do anything, accomplish anything.

To succeed in life and in business, all you really need to do is listen to your mama. Tim Knox did, and in this book is what he learned. Part memoir, part self-help, and part business how-to manual, Everything I Know About Business I Learned from My Mama serves up world-class, Southern-fried business advice—with a side order of common sense. Dig in and see how far Tim's mama's advice can take you.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; First Edition edition (June 22, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470127562
• ISBN-13: 978-0470127568
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #743,820 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Heavy on anecdotes, light on content, July 29, 2007

By	G. Cummins - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Everything I Know About Business I Learned from my Mama: A Down-Home Approach to Business and Personal Success (Hardcover)

I purchased Tim Knox's book during the height of the media blitz surrounding its release. I guess I got caught up in the hype, even though I already receive Tim's email newsletter and am aware of the lack of substance in that.

The book is an easy read. It is full of humorous anecdotes and down-home wisdom. However, it is rather lacking in actual substance. Each chapter (usually 2-5 pages in length) is devoted to making a single, one-line point. Those points are usually nothing earth-shaking, but rather common-sense.

At the cost, I do not feel cheated or ripped off by this book. For $15 it was good for some laughs, but if you are looking for something with content that will truly help you as you prepare to create your own business, you may wish to look elsewhere.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative and funny as heck, October 1, 2007

By	R. Todd "toddcountry" (ID USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Everything I Know About Business I Learned from my Mama: A Down-Home Approach to Business and Personal Success (Hardcover)

I love Tim Knox. He makes his information extremely easy to read and understand using humor and real life situations. I have never had so much fun reading about business stuff. He takes a down home approach in this book and makes it funny and enlightening. Would recommend to anyone interested in life lessons and business.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Few Gems plus a Few Turn Offs, September 22, 2007

By	Lisa Shea "LisaShea.com" - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)

This review is from: Everything I Know About Business I Learned from my Mama: A Down-Home Approach to Business and Personal Success (Hardcover)

Tim Knox is a comedian, and he relishes his southern roots. He prides himself on his tell-it-like-it-is attitude. He also has achieved monumental success through his hard work and savvy decisions. This means that this book does have many wise tips - and a wise-guy attitude.

The book starts on a not-great note. You have to go through a long, almost diary-like section. You're told that anybody who doesn't love this book must enjoy "wallowing in their own depression". The book plays up the fun of saying nasty things about people who are overweight or not beautiful.

Plow past that and you do get some helpful advice. Failing is fine as long as you learn from it. Everyone fails a few times before finding their groove. Network at every possible opportunity you can. You never know which chance meeting will lead to a great result.

Tim doesn't pull any punches. If people are choosing not to buy your product, then you didn't make a great product at a great price. The responsibility falls on your shoulders. You have to do what you love, and love what you do. He explains that about half of all businesses fail in the first four years - and that the majority fail due to bad management, bad financial planning and bad marketing. Proper preparation can really help to ensure long term success.

Tim's book isn't just for young men. He explains that 55% of new startups are now created by women, and that there are over 10 million women-owned businesses in the US alone, creating $2.32 trillion in sales annually. Also, the most dramatic increase in new businesses is with those over the age of 65, as retirees finally have their chance to do what they've always wanted.

So while I really enjoyed some of the knowledge presented, I definitely was turned off by some of the language used. I'm all for speaking straight, ignoring fluff and recognizing our own responsibility for what we do. I don't agree that it should involve ragging on other people to put them down for things that are completely outside their control, like their race or facial structure. Yes, you can make the generous assumption that anything that bothers you here must have been meant tongue-in-cheek. But really, a book should be able to help you improve your business and odds in life without having to disparage others along the way.