By Nathan Hangen “Web Tinkerer” (Tampa, FL)
This review is from: The Benevolent Dictator: Empower Your Employees, Build Your Business, and Outwit the Competition (Hardcover)
I’ve read a lot of business books, and while most of them are usually at least entertaining, they are always lacking in content and in clear advice. Perhaps the only exception to this has been a book like Jim Collins’ “Good to Great,” or Gary Vaynerchuk’s “Crush It.”
The Benevolent Dictator (TBD), on the other hand, reads like a narrative from within the trenches, and I loved that about it.
With TBD, you get a bit of philosophy, a bit of how to raise money for good ideas, and a bit of how to hustle and prevail against the odds, all wrapped in an easy and quick read that pumps you up as much as it educates.
What really got me going was learning how OfficeMax was able to break into an already competitive industry and not only make a mark, but become dominant. Still, my favorite chapter was #11, which referenced Michael’s very interesting (and creative) approach to raising capital without tapping into the traditional venture capital markets.
If you’re looking for a bunch of recycled blog posts and filler content, then you’ll hate that this book makes you think. On the other hand, if you’re ready for a real business book from the trenches that can help you refine and improve your own processes, then I think you’ll enjoy this one.
