Book Review: The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur

Title: The Toilet Paper EntrepreneurAuthor: Mike MichalowiczEnd Rating: Worth ReadingTotal Number of Pages: 175Okay, so I’m going to come clean.  I read this book on the toilet.  No lie.  Something about the title and toilet paper on the cover (or perhaps that’s the only place a mom can get dedicated time to read a book) inspired me to read it on the porceline throne.Let me start off by saying I’m a huge fan of Mike Michalowicz, the author, and after first being introduced to him in 2008, I’ve become involved in his community for entrepreneurs.  I’m on his email list (which isn’t annoying and always offers pertinent information), I watch his little movie segments online, and because of him and his emails, I was featured in the project “An American Entrepreneur” in 2009.  He’s started a number of successful businesses and can put his money where his mouth is.I’ll start with what I liked: First of all, his book is overall a great read.  Michalowicz’s passion for business oozes out of every page, and you can tell this guy LOVES business ownership.  It’s a contagious passion that makes me inspired to run my business with more heart and he really digs deep with you PERSONALLY to find out what drives you to run or start your business.  We all have that voice inside us that he calls “The Wall of Limiting Beliefs” that tells us we’ll never make it, we’ll never make a single dollar, and so on, and he helps each person find what drives them to break down that wall.  It was a great reminder for me.  As I prepare for baby #2 (due in December) I’m faced with a whole new “Wall” and his book helped me get through some times when I wanted to just throw in the towel.Second, like it’s title, it inspired me to use what I’ve got and run with it.  Especially in tough economic times, it’s easy to get discouraged and think “I don’t have the resources to …(fill in the blank).”  But we all have unique gifts and talents and we can use the resources we have instead of spending our time wishing we had others.  Michalowicz encourages creativity, ingenuity and hard work to get you through any business situation.  We could all use a reminder to be a little more positive and just get to work.Here’s what surprised me (and I’ve shared my thoughts with him personally through Twitter): If you have a problem with occasional foul language, you’ll be surprised by the use of expletives throughout the book.  Michalowicz is a no-nonsense guy and he says it like it is.  If that’s a big deal to you, at least I warned you in advance.  Rest assured, you won’t find a swear word on every page, but they are there.  Perhaps in support of the “potty” theme throughout the book.  Michalowicz even warns in the introduction, “The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur is not for the faint of heart...”One final note:  This is a GREAT book for those getting started in business or if you have a dream in development.  I’ve been in business for 10 years and I was still able to get GREAT information but he does gear his message towards those who are starting up.Michalowicz says in the book, “My goal for The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur is to be different and far better than the traditional business books and burned-out grad school rhetoric, from the first word to the last.”  Well Michael, to me, you succeeded.  Thanks for a great read and I recommend it to all of you!For more information about Michael Michalowicz and the TPE community go to http://toiletpaperentrepreneur.com.