Million Dollar Maverick

April 18, 2016
Weiss (Million Dollar Consulting), a consultant and speaker, dispenses sage advice to entrepreneurs worldwide in this combination of memoir and motivational guide. The book starts with a discussion of the benefits of standing out, either by being better or just by being different. Weiss shows, with examples from his own personal and professional experience, how taking a contrary view can lead to success. He examines the importance of perspective, failure, resilience, and ego, while also identifying influence, critical thinking, and self-promotion as essential components of success. He shows how to be deliberate in relationships and "attract people who attract people." He also lists four levels of successâsurvive, alive, arrive, and thriveâand explains how to rise to a new level. Throughout, he offers short, pithy statements he calls mindsets, such as "Don't bemoan your fate; figure out how to change it" and "If you're not failing, you're not trying." Less frequently, he backs up his advice with case studies. Engagingly written and refreshingly ego-free, this book hold valuable wisdom for everyone chasing success, both those following their entrepreneurial spirit and those who choose more mainstream pursuits.

May 1, 2016

The basic line of reasoning contained in consultant Weiss's (Million Dollar Consulting) book is that the secret to success is simply taking a contrarian or one-off view. The rest of the text fleshes out this concept with suggestions and illustrations for readers to apply to their own situation. One of the key ideas consists of finding out what others are doing in order to know what not to aim for--this helps shift a person's thinking to the untapped areas that have room for future growth. Discovering the path least trod is the goal and provided are principles for utilizing that space once it is found. However, the author does not help uncover those areas of opportunity. The "million dollar" title is probably overstating the actual return on the investment of the book, but the approach of challenging the status quo does have some value. While geared to entry-level entrepreneurs, this work will benefit professionals from various fields as the author's examples span different industries. VERDICT Significant for anyone looking to gain insight into the methods behind successful marketing or business proposals.--Mark Hanson, Maranatha Baptist Univ. Lib., Watertown, WI

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