Success Made Simple

The keys to better business from a thriving group of business owners-the Amish Business can be discouraging. According to US Department of Labor figures, only 44 percent of newly-opened firms will last four years. Amish firms, on the other hand, have registered a 95% survival rate over a five-year period. And in many cases, those businesses do remarkably well-as Donald Kraybill writes: "e;the phrase 'Amish millionaire' is no longer an oxymoron."e; Success Made Simple is the first practical book of Amish business success principles for the non-Amish reader. The work provides a platform of transferable principles--simple and universal enough to be applied in the non-Amish world, in a wide variety of business and management settings. Learn how to develop profitable and fulfilling enterprises as Amish explain how to build fruitful relationships with customers and employees, prosper by playing to strengths, and create an effective marketing story Includes interviews with over 50 Amish business owners outline the role of relationships in business and the importance of the big picture-taking in long-term goals, the welfare of others, and personal integrity Offers ideas on practical application of Amish business practices to non-Amish businesses, with bullet summaries at the end of each chapter reviewing the most important take-away points With a focus on relationship-building and the big picture, Success Made Simple offers business owners everywhere the tools for better, smarter, more successful enterprises.

The keys to better business from a thriving group of businessowners-the AmishBusiness can be discouraging. According to US Department ofLabor figures, only 44 percent of newly-opened firms will last fouryears. Amish firms, on the other hand, have registered a 95%survival rate over a five-year period. And in many cases, thosebusinesses do remarkably well-as Donald Kraybill writes: "thephrase 'Amish millionaire' is no longer an oxymoron." Success MadeSimple is the first practical book of Amish business successprinciples for the non-Amish reader. The work provides a platformof transferable principles--simple and universal enough to beapplied in the non-Amish world, in a wide variety of business andmanagement settings.* Learn how to develop profitable and fulfilling enterprises asAmish explain how to build fruitful relationships with customersand employees, prosper by playing to strengths, and create aneffective marketing story* Includes interviews with over 50 Amish business owners outlinethe role of relationships in business and the importance of the bigpicture-taking in long-term goals, the welfare of others, andpersonal integrity* Offers ideas on practical application of Amish businesspractices to non-Amish businesses, with bullet summaries at the endof each chapter reviewing the most important take-away pointsWith a focus on relationship-building and the big pictureSuccess Made Simple offers business owners everywhere the tools forbetter, smarter, more successful enterprises.

Foreword ixBy Donald B. KraybillPreface: Unearthing the Secrets xiiiA Note on Names xix1 Eye to the horizon 1Cultivating a Vision and Thriving Through Crisis2 Getting smart 27Hands-On Versus the Hallowed Halls3 Market-bound 49Excelling at Sales and Marketing4 Doing unto others 75The Crucial Customer Relationship5 Choosing up sides 103Getting the Right People in Place6 Fishing lessons 127Empowering Your Most Valuable Asset7 Around the edges 155Honing an Efficiency Mentality8 The big picture 183Getting What You Came Forconclusion 205Barn Raisingappendix 207Research and Interview MethodologyBibliography 211Acknowledgments 215About the Author 217Index 219