Book Review — REWORK

‘REWORK’ is a book which am reading after a long gap. I wasn’t sure when am going to finish reading this. But I finished within 3 days. This will prove how interesting and relatable this book is. As they say in the introduction this isn’t based on academic theories but based on their experience. This is a book which is suitable for all ind of audience, for those who are running a successful business , who are planning to start one or those who have no plans to start one also. He uses simple language with simple words and explain how a frugal business model should be. He compare with the conventional way of business ; prove that they are wrong and ask us to “rework” the model with what he has implemented and which is real.

The book discuss the following things:

-New reality — anyone can be in business. Tools and technology is accessible.

-Ignore the real world- don’t find excuse by saying it wont be successful or it won’t work in the real world.

-Learning from mistake is overrated — we learn not to make that mistake only but if you learn from your success you will know what will work and we can repeat that again.

-Planning is guessing — Don’t make a long plan. Find the very next important thing and do it. Make decision right before doing it. We should be able to go in new direction which make sense today. Don’t be obsessed with pre-written plan.

- Why grow? — Small business could be a sustainable and profitable. Don’t be insecure about that.

-Workaholism — it is unnecessary. They are not heros, they are inefficient. Heros find a faster way to do things.

- Make a dent in the universe — Do something that matters.

-Scratch your own itch- Make something you want to use, so that we know deep to it and figure if it is of any good. Solve your own problem.

- Start making something- Don’t sit with ideas, there are plenty of them. Execute it.

-No time is no excuse — If we really want to do something then we find time.

-Draw a line in the sand — Take a strong stand and keep it.

-Mission statement impossible — If we have a mission its not about writing it, its about believing in it and executing it.

- Outside money is Plan Z- Take as little cash from outside. Its just not worth the drawbacks connected to it.

-You need less than you think- Be frugal, ask every time that we really need this?

-Start a business not a startup- Startup is a magical place where business physics don’t apply. They ignore reality which eventually they have to face. So act like a real business.

-Building to flip is building to flop- Don’t plan for exit strategy. If you manage to get a good thing going , keep it going, don’t throw away the business which is going good.

-Less mass- avoid gathering mass. If mass is very little , it is easy and less expensive for a directional change. Mass is increased by long term contracts, excess staff, meetings, permanent decisions etc

-Embrace constraints — work with constrained resources. Simple products come from constrained environment

- Build half a product, not a half — assed product — cut your ambition to half. Do just fill your product with so many ideas. Chop some of it and make it a simple product

-Start at the epicenter — Look for the primary thing to be done, that is the epicenter start from that. Everything else will be happening through the course.

-Ignore the details early on — First set the basic then look for details

-Making the call is making progress — Don’t pile up decisions. It will be ignored eventually. Don’t wait for perfect solution. Decide and move forward. Build on top of “Done”.

-Be a curator — There should be an editing process. Be a curator. Look for things to remove, simplify things.

-Throw less at the problems — When things aren’t working then don’t throw more resources to it. Let things go off the list.

-Focus on what won’t change — Don’t follow latest trend. Look for things that won’t change.Focus on permanent features, that never go out of style. Fashion will become outdated.

-Tone is in your finger — The content matters. Don’t get obsessed with tools and technology.

-Sell your byproduct — Everything has a byproduct. When you make something we make something else also. See the business options in byproducts. Like writing a book, or a blog.

-Launch now — Launch when the product do what it is supposed to do. Iterate later.

-Illusions of agreement — Avoid abstraction, they create illusion of agreement. If need to explain something, try getting real with it. Try to remove layers to avoid abstractions.

-Reasons to quit — Ask questions. Do something has value. Don’t invest your good time for bad product.

-Interruption is the enemy of productivity — Have some lone time and finish things without interruptions.

-Meetings are toxic — Loosing multiple man hours. Set timings. Should have an agenda and outcomes.

- Good enough is fine — Product doesn’t need to be glamorous. Maximum efficiency with minimum effort.

- Quick wins — Have momentum for motivation. Set small goals and achieve it. That fuel us.

- Don’t be a hero — If a work had to be finished in 2 hrs and that didn’t happen, then don’t waste extra hours to finish that. Oblivious solution will be quitting.

-Go to sleep — Get enough sleep or it will lead to many bad effects

-Your estimations suck — Keep things smaller so that it become easier to estimate. We may go wrong but it will be smaller one.

-Long lists don’t get done — Break long list to smaller lists. Don’t prioritize

with numbers or label. Write in the order of priority.

-Make tiny decisions — Big decisions are hard to make and hard to change. Take small decision which are effective temporary.

- Don’t copy — Copying skip understanding. You never lead. You will always follow. Someone else is doing the bulk work.

-Decommoditize your product — People tend to copy successful business , so make ‘ YOU’ as the part of the product.

-Pick a fight — Pick a fight with the competitor. It differentiate you and brings you followers.

-Underdo your competition — Don’t try for one upping. It will reach at a dead end.

-Who cares what they are doing — focus on what you are doing.

-Say no by default — It is easy to say yes. Think of your product and say no if not needed.

-Let your customers outgrow you — Don’t customize for a single customer. Let them outgrow you. There are still people who want your product.

-Don’t confuse enthusiasm with priority — Should not rush with new ideas and drop everything and go behind it. Set priority

-Be at home good — Make product which are good at home not good at store.

-Don’t write it down — Don’t note down the customer request. If it is genuine they will keep reminding you.

-Welcome obscurity — Be happy to be in shadow. If we make mstake also whole world won’t hear it.

-Build an audience — Share information, speak, write, blog so when you have to get the word out right audience will be there to hear.

-Out teach your competitor — Teach and you will find bond with people. Big companies won’t think of teaching.

-Emulate chefs — Share everything you know like chefs.

-Go behind the scene — Show people how your business works. It changes the relationship with them.

-Nobody likes plastic flowers — Don’t be ‘professionals’ . Be real. Talk to them like we talk to real people.

-Press releases are spam — They don’t know you. What they write won’t be you. Instead call someone , write personal note. Pitch them with interests , passion. Ask them to write. Stand out. Be unforgettable.

-Forget about the Wall Street Journal — Publish in niche blog or trade publication. They look for real value. They will look for fresh ides, fresh stories.

-Drug dealers get it right — Make your product so good, give to taste . Customer will come for the real valued product

-Everything is marketing. It is not a department.

-There is nothing like over night sensation. You have to do what you do for long time for right people to notice you.

-Do it yourself first- So that you get an idea of how everything works. You will have an idea to heir and what they do.

-Hire when it hurts — Hire only when you can’t handle things. If you loose someone don’t replace immediately.

-Pass on great people — Don’t hire if not required even though they are great. That will be a baggage to the organization.

-Don’t be a stranger at a cocktail party — Everyone should feel safe.

-Resumes are ridiculous — Trust your gut. Don’t relay on resume.

-Years of irrelevance — Experience are not always a scale to judge people.

-Forget about formal education — Don’t consider only GPA, consider dropouts, with low GPA’s, community college students.

-Everybody works — There shouldn’t be anyone who delegate work.

- Hire managers of one — They set their own direction.They have their own goals and they will execute them. They don’t need heavy direction.

-Hire great writers — Great writer know to communicate, they think from someone else shoe. They know what to omit. They will connect with people.

-The best are everywhere — Don’t restrict yourself in search. Geography doesn’t matter.

-Test drive employees — See them work. See how they make decisions. See if you get along. Evaluate them.

-Own your bad news — Be the first one to share the bad news. Should come from the top most position. It should be as early as possible.

-Speed changes everything — Get back to clients quickly. Make them feel important and take care of them.

- How to say you’re sorry — Say sorry as a real person. Mean what you say.

-Put everyone in the front line — Everyone should take customer feedback. Feel the hurt the customer is having. It motivate people to fix problem.

-Take a deep breath- Resist the urge to make sudden changes. Relax and take time to settle. If needed make change.

-You don’t create a culture — It happens, it is the result of consistent behaviour.

-Decisions are temporary — Never worry about things that are not a real problem yet. Decisions are not forever. If circumstances changes decision changes.

-Skip the rock stars — Great environment show respect for people who do the work and how they do it.

-They are not thirteen — Don’t treat them as children, if so you will only get childish work. Don’t set policies.

-Send people home at 5 — These people get their work done because they have to be somewhere else after work.

- Sound like you -Mask of professionalism is a myth. Be real . Be like you. Forget rules. Communicate.

-Never use need, must, can’t, easy, just, only and fast because people get upset and create tension and confusion.

-Do not use ASAP to every ending. You are saying everything is important. When every thing is important nothing is.

They have many examples which illustrate every situation mentioned above. I have covered every topic they have discussed because I felt every topic they discuss was relevant and relatable. It was a great experience for me.