Scale: Seven Proven Principles to Grow Your Business and Get Your Life Back Hardcover – August 14, 2014

SCALE is a more than a how to grow a business text, it contains lessons that can be used to your organizing your daily life (with an eye towards the next quarter), achieve more on your job by working smart (not more) and anticipate changes in your surroundings through careful open observation. While the first few pages are aimed at the already successful the rest of the book has valuable applications for everyone. The processes encouraged are to be maintained and updated, i.e. Write your quarterly plans, Write about your customer’s goals, Update one page summaries to keep everyone on the same page. And use your staff to the best of their ‘inventoried’ abilities. Trust them, and work towards staff happiness (find out what people want and work towards it). Worksheets are provided – it is hard to go astray if you follow the steps. Look for your strengths, your reason to be (in business), and honor your client’s needs. Iif you are on the Development side there is great advice: schedule closed door creativity time. Brainstorm. As Hoffman is a famed innovator there are marvelous suggestions on how to provoke creativity, how to stoke the fire to hit the eureka moment. Experience has shown him, and now us that The Key is escaping your safety zone and experiencing more, don’t let habit strangle you. Spend time observing and talking to people who differ from you in terms of age and experience; or are in different industries or fields. The mix will reward you with new points of view and ideas.The Mantra I took away is “Learn to read the world so that you stay relevant and build your business for tomorrow’s marketplace, not yesterday’s reality. In a rapidly changing world, the status quo is never safe.” (254).I met Jeff Hoffman at the University of Akron.

I have been continuing to follow David's coaching teachings since I became a client 3 years ago (for 1 year). So far I have read 3 chapters and have to put it down (in a good way, later). This book crystallizes his teachings with many examples refreshed. Like his seminars, this book contains choke full of actionable items. Unlike his fast paced seminars, I find myself having the luxury to stop every chapter and work on my action plan, because the book is set up as such. Each chapter also come with online supplemental info (fillable forms and videos) that make the information so much more complete, and encourages me to take action starting with the electronic templates. The book is logically laid out that can either be read from the beginning, or just the chapter you need to work on. it is easy to read and highly practical.

I think this is a purposeful read which includes concept and real examples game plan that we can use immediately. I believe Jeff uses exactly the concept in this book to scale up priceline.com. Of course he must have orchestrated and executed in perfection.In order to have any success I think dedication to utilize these methods are extremely important because there isn't a magic bullet that makes your biz an overnight success.

The information in this book is cutting edge and came at a very crucial time in my business. I plan to use the information in this book to help grow my business. The language of the book is clear and to the point. I appreciate that where the author has something to say it is said efficiently. I was able to attend a seminar where the authors gave background and substance to the material in the book. Great information and Great follow up. The authors have great credentials to present the material as well. What the book presents comes from experience.

This book was the splash of cold water on my face I've really needed. It's all so logical yet important, it has you going, "why haven't I done this yet?" Some of the metaphors were less than entertaining or irrelevant to me personally, (the parking lot one felt as if it droned on for a while), but the content and wisdom packed in here are gold. On a smaller, more personal note, as a female entrepreneur in her 20's, I also appreciated that the authors acknowledged, through fictional examples, that women exist in all the same entrepreneurial roles too. I can't tell you how many times I read other materials on business strategy and the women in the fabled stories are depicted as secretaries or entrepreneurs of pie shops and cleaning companies (really!). So this was a comfort to read. I am invigorated, inspired and excited to carve out systems and flex my delegation muscles until my branding business can thrive without me!The book pairs well with another, "Built To Sell" but I prefer this one for practical, down-to-earth tactics.

In a sea of books that purport to unlock the mysteries of the business universe and turn your scar into a star, this book stands out for it's solid, no nonsense presentation of how to change your business and your future for the better.If you are looking for a 30 second quick fix, skip to Ebay and buy a magic wand. The prescriptions offered in this book take time, thought, effort and change in your beliefs and habits. You'll have to work. But, if you do, this is a stand out process for transforming your small business available.You won't find self-aggrandizing, generalities or platitudes but will find a proven process to transform any business. It's one of the very tiny number of business books I've read in years that actually deliver many of the secret of having a great business.Yes, I like it. Why? Because it follows the same general outline of the FocalPoint Business Coaching program developed by Brian Tracy that has changed the results for over a thousand businesses, you can count on it working for you -- if you do the work.