Visionary Business: An Entrepreneur's Guide to Success

by Marc Allen

This breakthrough book shows you not only how to envision and create success, but also how to build a truly visionary business: one that supports its employees, the community, and the environment. A combination of Richard Bach’s Illusions and Tom Peters' In Search of Excellence, Visionary Business describes the quest for entrepreneurial success as being far more than the ability to be financially savvy. It tells the story of entrepreneur Marc Allen’s unlikely rise to success. Told as an anecdotal tale of wisdom, Allen makes clear from the start that he learned as he went and that his secret to success lies not so much in management élan but in practical grace and humble persistence. In this story, Allen's steward/mentor, an older investment specialist named Bernie, teaches him the ways of ethical and socially responsible business. Together, they direct Allen's fledgling attempts into a thriving corporate success, founded on principles as diverse as Eastern and Western spirituality, simple kindness, mysticism, and market savvy. Allen summarizes his experience in the “Twenty-five Principles and Practices of Visionary Business.” He discusses the value of benefits and profit-sharing programs; the importance of hiring passionate people; management by goals rather than by crisis; why money, while essential, is secondary; how opportunities lurk within every adversity; why an employee handbook is a powerful tool for success; and how some understanding of a higher power can provide guidance and inspiration.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction

192 pages, Paperback

First published July 15, 1996

Reviews

[Trevor Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining, simple, and straight forward. This book has a lot of good ideas.

[Tami · Rating 5 out of 5]

Visionary Business is written in story form. The book begins with the author and a great idea (to create a new publishing company that we now know as New World Library). Unfortunately, despite his best intentions, the company didn’t take off immediately. In fact, things could very well have gone from bad to worse very quickly.

This could have been where the story ended but fortunately an investor named Bernie came on the scene. This man gave the author advice and means to make the dream into reality. His mentorship made all the difference.

Visionary Business is part business book and part personal self help. You can’t expect a business to be successful without a business plan and a direction. Just the same, if you are in business for the wrong reasons or you hate what you do, success will always be just out of your reach. Clarity is important and sometimes you have to dig deep to find the answers.

[Gina Varga · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this man's life concept! He seems amazing balanced, compassionate and peaceful. The idea of having 1/3 of your time for work, 1/3 for time with others and 1/3 dedicated solely to yourself is something I strive to achieve. Not a typical business book at all and not for the Type A personality, (unless they are looking to destress and actually enjoy life).

[Robert Girling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent introduction to what it takes to start and manage a business. Short and readable told in the manner of a story of a start-up business. Sage and witty advice to any entrepreneur, small business owner who wishes to have an ethical business, or student.

[Kim Kline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Allen's perspective is granting me a new way to look at how to approach the opening of my new business venture, with a great emphasis on ethics and social consciousness. Very grateful to have found this teacher.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read! Kind of a cross between Tuesdays with Morrie" and "The 5 People You Meet in Heaven"- at least the feel. But the material is timeless and appropriate for anyone in business- whether 1 perso1n operation or thousands, whether start-up or in business for years

[Cessaly Denise Hutchinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very impressive: investor looks upon a struggling business, analyzes needs, & provides solutions that are implemented, with great results.

I worked next to a bookstore in San Francisco, so grabbed this as soon as it came out! Couldn't put it down!

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the ideas presented in this book. It put things into perspective for me as far as what's important in life, and it's not necessarily just your business.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Marc Allen's philosophy. I've owned a successful business for 16 years and after reading this book, I'm excited to take some of the ideas and create new roads to a happier and more balanced life and creating long term financial plans.

I would love the having employees/being a boss chapter be updated now that there is a new generation of employees that have different desires and work conditions.

[Maite · Rating 4 out of 5]

M'ha agradat molt la filosofia d'aquest llibre que vaig comprar per Sant Jordi. Hi podreu trobar "receptes" per a aconseguir grans fites empresarials (o no) i alhora trobar l'equilibri de la realització personal. Molt motivador...

[Zoé · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really not a book I would usually read, but was vey much positively surprised. May even bring it to our regenerative book club.

[Marcello Gobbi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delicious business book. Written in a story form that reminds of Zen adectodes, it resists speaking only of numbers and approcheas the business instead as a place to be in the world, in humane support of the community and the self. I wish more business books were like this.
4 stars and not 5 because it has some formal ingenuity, as the student adores his master in a way that was a bit too stylized for my taste

[esther aprovecha y lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tras haber leído el libro de los enanitos adictos al queso y el del comerciante de los pergaminos, puede confirmar que este es el mejor libro de empresa que me he leído hasta ahora. El mensaje viene a ser el mismo de los otros libros, pero le da un enfoque realista, sirviéndose de un protagonista que podría ser cualquiera de las personas que quieren empezar en el mundo de los negocios. Es una lectura muy amena y de la que se pueden sacar multitud de enseñanzas.

[Juan Jose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book on my NSLC summer camp at the university of Northwestern. I really lied it since it gave me the basics of how to start a business, and what characteristics or traits should I acquire to succeed on it. It is really interesting, but you need to be taking constant notes, since you should be applying this concepts on real life to really succeed.

[Christopher Bruno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life Changing

I don’t often reserve words like that for books, but this one might deserve it. If you’ve ever given a thought to starting your own business and felt utterly overwhelmed at the prospect, read this. Today. You will not be disappointed.

[Bookworm(Jack) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It will be good companion with the other book" first thing first "

[Lori Grant · Rating 3 out of 5]

An optional-read book on entrepreneurship for knowledge workers and aspiring entrepreneurs.