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The Personal MBA: Master the Art of Business Paperback – August 28, 2012

by Josh Kaufman (Author)

569 customer reviews

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Getting an MBA is an expensive choice-one almost impossible to justify regardless of the state of the economy. Even the elite schools like Harvard and Wharton offer outdated, assembly-line programs that teach you more about PowerPoint presentations and unnecessary financial models than what it takes to run a real business. You can get better results (and save hundreds of thousands of dollars) by skipping business school altogether.

Josh Kaufman founded PersonalMBA.com as an alternative to the business school boondoggle. His blog has introduced hundreds of thousands of readers to the best business books and most powerful business concepts of all time. Now, he shares the essentials of entrepreneurship, marketing, sales, negotiation, operations, productivity, systems design, and much more, in one comprehensive volume. The Personal MBA distills the most valuable business lessons into simple, memorable mental models that can be applied to real-world challenges.

The Personal MBA explains concepts such as:

The Iron Law of the Market: Why every business is limited by the size and quality of the market it attempts to serve-and how to find large, hungry markets.
The 12 Forms of Value: Products and services are only two of the twelve ways you can create value for your customers.
The Pricing Uncertainty Principle: All prices are malleable. Raising your prices is the best way to dramatically increase profitability - if you know how to support the price you're asking.
4 Methods to Increase Revenue: There are only four ways a business can bring in more money. Do you know what they are?

True leaders aren't made by business schools - they make themselves, seeking out the knowledge, skills, and experience they need to succeed. Read this book and you will learn the principles it takes most business professionals a lifetime of trial and error to master.

The Personal MBA: Master the Art of Business

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Kaufman, a former middle manager at Proctor & Gamble and founder of personalmba.com, argues that those interested in business would be better served by skipping the M.B.A. and focusing on the critically important concepts that really make or break a business. According to the author, much of what is taught in business schools is outdated; you're better off saving the expense and finding other ways to learn about these core principles--which Kaufman synthesizes--in such areas as value creation, marketing, sales, and finance. He also explores the psychological side of business and examines how consumers take in information, make decisions, and decide what to do or not to do. Acknowledging the panoramic overview his approach necessitates, he includes a fairly lengthy list of sources to seek out if more information is needed. While Kaufman's rallying call will not eradicate the need or desire for M.B.A. degrees, he does provide a surprisingly solid alternative full of information that even those already in the workplace will respond to. (Dec.) (c)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"A masterpiece. This is the 'START HERE' book I recommend to everyone interested in business. An amazing overview of everything you need to know. Covers all of the basics, minus buzz-words and fluff. One of the most inspiring things I've read in years."

- Derek Sivers, founder of CDbaby.com and sivers.org

"No matter what they tell you, an MBA is not essential. If you combine reading this book with actually trying stuff, you'll be far ahead in the business game."
- Kevin Kelly, founding executive editor of Wired and author of What Technology Wants

"File this book under NO EXCUSES. After you've read it, you won't be open to people telling you that you're not smart enough, not insightful enough, or not learned enough to do work that matters. Josh takes you on a worthwhile tour of the key ideas in business."
- Seth Godin, author of Linchpin

"I've run across few people who conceptually 'grok' how to get things done better than Josh Kaufman."
- David Allen, author of Getting Things Done

"A creative, breakthrough approach to business education. I have an MBA from a top business school, and this book helped me understand business in a whole new way."
- Ali Safavi, executive director of international sales and distribution, The Walt Disney Company

See all Editorial Reviews

Product details

Series: the personal MBA master art of business
Paperback: 464 pages
Publisher: Portfolio; Reprint edition (August 28, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1591845572
ISBN-13: 978-1591845577
Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1.2 x 8.4 inches
Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 569 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,371 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #7 in Books > Business & Money > Management & Leadership > Training
- #81 in Books > Business & Money > Small Business & Entrepreneurship > Entrepreneurship
- #104 in Books > Business & Money > Skills

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Great Primer Into Business

ByD. Velasquezon May 26, 2017

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

The short concise sections were great. I'm mid-career professional in business without formal business education and this filled in a lot gaps. Also a good book for a budding entrepreneur. The book is a great segue into deciding what to learn about next.

0Comment One person found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

MBA is A-OK!

ByKim B.on February 26, 2017

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Only 1/3 of the way through so far and have taken tons of notes and had several ah-ha moments. Super condensed, readable, relatable, great info!

0Comment One person found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Absolutely worth my time and money

Bytrombsonon June 8, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Hands down the best non-fiction book I've read in a long time (I finish about one every two weeks). Concise, actionable and most of the time very easy to read. Some parts are more self-help-ish, but I didn't mind because even those concepts were better summarized than in any other book. Quite happy with the ROI.

11 comment 2 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

An absolute must-read !

ByFosteron April 3, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This book has no doubt changed my life already. I'm about 3/4 of the way through it, and I can't wait to finish it to go back and reference all of the sections that I highlighted and circled.

He really explains a lot of complex topics as simply and concisely as anyone possible could. The short sections make the book in general less daunting and much more digestible. I love the advice he has to offer, and I can tell already that it's affected my business and habits heavily.

11 comment One person found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

straight forward and easy understanding of what business is all about

ByAmazon Customeron February 21, 2017

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This book gives a clear, straight forward and easy understanding of what business is all about. Invaluable !
I would recommend it to anyone as it contains the essence of what human endeavour means and how the world is functioning.
This is the best book I ever red on business as it covers the full spectrum of topics involved and makes these accessible to whoever is willing to learn.

0Comment One person found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

The book that saves you $100,000.

ByBrian Sunon August 8, 2011

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

The best thing about The Personal MBA is Josh Kaufman does NOT assume that you already know what businesses are, what they do, and how they work.

Kaufman says "I had to rebuild my understanding of business from the ground up" - and what you and I get is the high quality end result of him weeding out the fluff from the good stuff.

Since Kaufman read like thousands of books to learn all this stuff, there's a ton of good quotes like this gem from Scott Berkun: "There is a difference between (a) what an MBA does to help you prove your abilities to others and (B) what getting an MBA actually does to improve your abilities. They are two different things."

That's the essence of The Personal MBA, that you and I can improve our knowledge and abilities in value creation, marketing, sales, value delivery, finance, the human mind, working with ourselves/others, and understanding/analyzing/improving systems WITHOUT spending $100,000 on business school.

I say this without an ounce of exaggeration...The Personal MBA is one of the (if not the) best business books I've ever read. Thanks, Josh Kaufman. You just saved me $100,000.

0Comment 5 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Good introduction to business for people without business background

ByErik Østrengon May 30, 2016

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

It's OK. It is a useful introduction to business and how money and people work and should be used as such. If you have a science or engineering background, this could be very helpful if you suddenly find yourself in a manager role or aim for one. It is also inspiring to people wanting to start a new business. It is not, however the only book you need (and doesn't promise this either) so it is not some secret sauce. Worth a read though.

0Comment One person found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Good

ByElfon June 7, 2017

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I don't think this book can really replace an MBA, but it's a good book nevertheless if you need an overview of all things business.

0Comment One person found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

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Most recent customer reviews

Very Good!!!

I enjoyed and learn a lot. MBA is not a big deal anymore.

Published 1 day ago by M3

Life changing

I take this everywhere as my life manual.

Published 7 days ago by Amazon Customer

Great book

Good read!

Published 25 days ago by Jc Gonzalez

Great!

Wonderful book really puts the important aspects of business into perspective. This book is full of useful information for new & seasoned entrepreneurs, managers, & CEOS.

Published 1 month ago by Cedric Ladouceur

A good, on point book that delivers key concepts and ...

A good , on point book that delivers key concepts and practices in a very clear way.

Published 1 month ago by SF

Great for somebody who wants an overview of being a ...

Great for somebody who wants an overview of being a business person without getting too into detail. Uses language my dumb self could understand.Read more

Published 1 month ago by Michael J.

Every professional should have this in their library.

I not only wish I had this 20 years ago, I wish I had thought of doing it!

Published 2 months ago by Carl the Reader

Not good.

This book really wasn't that great. I read tons of business books and this had so much fluff. If you have an undergraduate degree in business this book won't hep you at all.Read more

Published 2 months ago by Nelson

Wow Just started reading only on chapter 3 however I ...

Wow Just started reading only on chapter 3 however I am enjoying this book very informative well worth the money

Published 2 months ago by Amazon Customer

A manual of liberation

A profoundly great book. Just this one book can change your entire life, from being unemployed or a wage slave into being the master of your own destiny.Read more

Published 2 months ago by Jason Louv

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