Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 40

ShopTalk Business

Books that improved me
and my business skills
Self-education comes in many forms.
By Chris Ritsema

E

ducation is a valuable asset when
it comes to success in life and
business. Going to college is the
standard road map many people use to
get an education that helps them succeed,
but I never really enjoyed the classroom.
I wanted to get out and get busy. I did
better with hands-on learning, either
by myself or having a mentor working
alongside me and teaching me a process.
I worked in the marine canvas
industry as an employee for 18 years
alongside a great mentor. This style
of learning allowed me to pick up the
trade very quickly. It also helped me
understand the benefit of education
from a different angle. I realized that
I could educate myself outside of the
classroom, and I began to read articles
in Marine Fabricator magazine even
though I wasn't an IFAI member yet.

Book authors have taught
me skills and shared
effective ways to win.
I already knew how valuable
" self-education " was, but I began
to understand that there were many
paths that could lead me to a better
educated self. Books became my
road map to success. In this article,
I will share four of the books that
have helped me become a better
human and a better business owner.

BOOK 1 »The E Myth:Why Most
Businesses Don't Work and
What to Do About It
by Michael E. Gerber

After I spent 18 years working for
one company, that business changed
hands and spiraled downward quickly.
This failure was my opportunity to
start a business of my own. I knew
I needed more education if I was
going to transition from employee
to business owner. A good friend
and mentor with a lot of business
experience as a production floor
manager and an HR director
encouraged me to read The E Myth.
Before starting my own business,
I felt it was important to understand
why so many businesses fail. I had
learned many things from past
employers, and I had been keeping a
mental list of what not to do. However,
this book discusses many things
that can't be seen from the outside.
The book begins by discussing the
fact that many employees think it is
simple to run a successful business.
They believe the boss is making
all the money. I had these same
thoughts when I was an employee.
The book describes a common
experience among many employees
who want to become business
owners, something the author calls
the " entrepreneurial seizure. " This is
the moment most people realize they
have no clue about what running a

40 Marine Fabricator | Jan/Feb 2021

0121MF_p32-CV4.indd 40

12/14/20 11:46 AM



Marine Fabricator January/February 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Marine Fabricator January/February 2021

Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - Cover1
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - Cover2
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 1
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 2
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 3
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 4
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 5
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 6
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 7
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 8
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 9
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 10
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 11
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 12
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 13
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 14
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 15
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 16
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 17
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 18
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 19
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 20
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 21
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 22
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 23
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 24
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 25
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 26
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 27
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 28
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 29
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 30
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 31
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 32
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 33
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 34
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 35
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 36
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 37
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 38
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 39
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 40
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 41
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 42
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 43
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 44
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - Cover3
Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/marinefabricator/marine-fabricator-january-february-2025
https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/marinefabricator/marine-fabricator-november-december-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/marinefabricator/marine-fabricator-september-october-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/marinefabricator/marine-fabricator-july-august-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/marinefabricator/marine-fabricator-may-june-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/marinefabricator/marine-fabricator-march-april-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/marinefabricator/marine-fabricator-tips-and-trends-supplement-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/marinefabricator/marine-fabricator-january-february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/marinefabricator/marine-fabricator-november-december-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/marinefabricator/marine-fabricator-september-october-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/marinefabricator/marine-fabricator-july-august-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/marinefabricator/marine-fabricator-may-june-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/marinefabricator/marine-fabricator-march-april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/marinefabricator/marine-fabricator-january-february-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/marinefabricator/marine-fabricator-november-december-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/marinefabricator/marine-fabricator-september-october-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/marinefabricator/marine-fabricator-july-august-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/marinefabricator/marine-fabricator-may-june-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/marinefabricator/marine-fabricator-march-april-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/marinefabricator/marine-fabricator-january-february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/marinefabricator/marine-fabricator-november-december-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/marinefabricator/marine-fabricator-september-october-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/marinefabricator/marine-fabricator-july-august-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/marinefabricator/marine-fabricator-may-june-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/marinefabricator/marine-fabricator-march-april-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/marinefabricator/0121MF
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/marinefabricator/1120MF
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/marinefabricator/0920MF
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/marinefabricator/0720MF
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/marinefabricator/0520MF
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/marinefabricator/0320MF
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/marinefabricator/0120MF
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/marinefabricator/1119MF
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/marinefabricator/0919MF
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/marinefabricator/0719MF
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/marinefabricator/0519MF
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/marinefabricator/0319MF
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/marinefabricator/0119MF
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/marinefabricator/1118MF
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/marinefabricator/0918MF
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/marinefabricator/0718MF
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/marinefabricator/0518MF
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/marinefabricator/0318MF
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/marinefabricator/0118MF
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com