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

by Josh Kaufman (Author)

567 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 Even the elite schools like Harvard and Wharton offer outdated, assembly-line programs that teach you more about PowerPoint presentations and unnecessary financial models than what it takes to run a real business.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 the Hardcover edition.

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

"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

"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

"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, Wired, and author of What Technology Wants

"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 Safa vi, executive director of international sales and distribution, The Walt Disney Company

"An absolutely amazing book! I'm highly recommending this to all creative types, for the best overview of the modern business mind-set they need."
-Derek Sivers, founder, CD Baby, sivers.org

"Josh has synthesized the most important topics in business into a book that truly lives up to its title. It's rare to find complicated concepts explained with such clarity. Highly recommended."
-Ben Casnocha, author of My Start-Up Life

"An enterprising and thrifty way to hack business school. This is a fantastic resource for motivated autodidacts looking to get into business."
-Gina Trapani, founding editor, Lifehacker.com, and author of Upgrade Your Life

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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: 5.4 x 1.2 x 8.4 inches
Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 567 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,902 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #9 in Books > Business & Money > Management & Leadership > Training
- #75 in Books > Business & Money > Small Business & Entrepreneurship > Entrepreneurship
- #111 in Books > Business & Money > Skills

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Top customer reviews

If you want to make sure you're smart, you will read this book

ByAndrew Milleron June 23, 2017

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This book is essential and it's a crime this isn't a required before applying for a job. If you want to make sure you're smart, you will read this book. If you want to make sure you're employees are smart and on the same page as you, you will enforce them to read this book. No exceptions

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

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

Key Business Principles in a Book

ByMichael1359on March 17, 2017

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

This book is a well thought-out and thoroughly researched work on most of the major business practices needed to run a successful business. It is well worth the lengthy read.

0Comment 2 people 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

Really like this book

ByAmazon Customeron November 22, 2015

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Really like this book, but it's so much to take in at once. As other reviewers have said it's basically like two hundred blog posts pulled together for one book. But the author does a good job of connecting sections and chapters so that they're somewhat cohesive. The only downside was that he basically just throws a bunch of things at you. It might have been useful if he started with a story of a business and used that to illustrate all the principles as he goes through them.

But right now, all he really does is explain about 200 different business terms.

0Comment One person 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

Solid overview of principles / Not a replacement for an MBA

ByDaniel Teeteron November 12, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Pros: good overview of MBA principles, and a good read for anyone prior to an MBA (to help you understand what you are getting into, and inform your career recruiting decisions)

Cons: none. Pretty good.

Overall: I would buy it again. I don't know that it is a stand-out over the other handful of highly rated MBA books, but it is still a solid overview. You won't go wrong buying it.

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

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Most recent customer reviews

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 13 days 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 25 days 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 27 days 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 1 month 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 1 month 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 1 month 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 1 month ago by Jason Louv

... book arrived a little earlier than expected and in excellent condition. I just started reading the first few ...

The book arrived a little earlier than expected and in excellent condition. I just started reading the first few chalets and so far it's been really informative.Read more

Published 1 month ago by Lisa Sanchez

Good

Good book. Will contact you for more knowledge most possibly.
Thank you for the good book sharing. It is ver useful and inspired me.

Published 1 month ago by Amazon Customer

Well worth the purchased price, even though we can't put a price on knowledge..

I highly recommend it. Very informative and you save time and money from going to an overpriced Ivy league Schools .

Published 2 months ago by Sam Krowe.

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