The Obvious Choice: Timeless Lessons on Success, Profit, and Finding Your Way

by Jonathan Goodman

Trying to win the internet is a gloriously inefficient way to build a business.  

Forget becoming an influencer. Just because you can sell to the world, it doesn’t mean that you have to––and it’s definitely not where you start.

No matter your goals, The Obvious Choice offers 15 timeless lessons on profit and success. Jonathan Goodman, one of the world’s leading experts on helping people simplify their business, reveals proven frameworks to help you focus more, pray to the social media gods less, and master the art of attracting perfect customers.

For every 18-year-old on social media that thinks they need a big following just to make a few sales, there are 100 silent business owners quietly earning more money with less effort. If you're having trouble finding your way, the problem isn’t you. The problem is what you’ve been made to believe it takes to succeed. 

Building a business and becoming an online entertainer are different games people play––neither’s better or worse but problems arise when you conflate the two––playing by the rules of one and desiring the rewards of the other.

 Goodman makes the argument, backed by case studies ranging from coaches to coffee shops, million-dollar Mompreneurs to billion-dollar start-ups, that modern marketing technology has led us astray.

 This book is for any business owner, coach, or entrepreneur who wants an easier way to make more money, help more people, and have more freedom.

 Specifically, you’ll

How to find the people who already want to buy your thing.The Sesame Street Razor for simplifying hiring and referrals.Why becoming famous to the family is faster, easier, and more profitable than becoming famous on the internet. Algorithms change, humans don’t. No matter who you are and no matter what you sell, your customer is a human. And yet, marketing these days feels so (in)human. Filled with frameworks, entertaining stories, and admittedly bad-Dad jokes, The Obvious Choice is a much-needed recalibration and, at times, a refreshing slap for a business generation that’s lost its way.

Genres: Self Help, Business, Nonfiction, Professional Development, Audiobook

256 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 14, 2025

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Jonathan Goodman was one of Britain's leading historian of crime. The American critic and historian Jacques Barzun described him as "the greatest living master of the true-crime literature", and Julian Symons, another big name in true-crime, thought of him as "the premier investigator of crime past".

His career as a full-time writer began in the 1970s when he edited the Celebrated Trials series which itself was a successor to Notable British Trials. Then in the 1980s, he worked on numerous anthologies, such as The Railway Murders (1984) and The Seaside Murders (1985), often persuading his many friends to provide a chapter and then writing a short introduction. He also continued to research old murder cases, writing books on the Newcastle upon Tyne murder of Evelyn Foster, the New York locked-room mystery of card-playing womaniser Joseph Elwell and, in 1990, The Passing of Starr Faithfull, the daughter of a Manhattan society couple whose body was washed up on Long Beach, New York, in 1931, for which he received the Crime Writers' Association's gold dagger for non-fiction.

He is most well known for uncovering a solution to Britain's most baffling real-life whodunnit, the murder of Julia Wallace in Liverpool in 1931; he not only exonerated the dead woman's husband but identified and traced the man he believed to be the real murderer. This was documented in The Killing of Julia Wallace (1969).

Reviews

[CatReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

In The Obvious Choice, serial entrepreneur and serial author Jonathan Goodman sets out to write a Business Book That's Not Like the Other Business Books (because according to Goodman, most business books only have a handful of key ideas and don't actually deliver much value)...and ends up publishing a Business Book that's Largely Like the Other Business Books (because this book essentially fits the aforementioned mold). His target audience for 2025's The Obvious Choice appears to be business owners who are struggling to break through in competitive markets, who turn to channels like social media advertising to try to find a competitive edge, when per Goodman the way to forge authentic connections with high value customers is to become their "obvious choice" through getting personal referrals or otherwise making themselves seem like a familiar, popular, and/or reputable choice in potential customers' microenvironments. Basically, work smarter, not harder, and don't assume you'll blow up on social media. I think this book may come in handy for that target audience, though its key concepts are likely already intuitive to many.

My statistics:
Book 48 for 2025
Book 1974 cumulatively

[Brian Carpenter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this read, even if the core topics don’t necessarily carry a lot of weight in my day to day life. I think he has some interesting viewpoints on relevant challenges that most people will come across in any business landscape in 2025 (and beyond).

[Stephen Strumos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jon is a fantastic writer. He's masterful at taking complex ideas and simplifying them. One of his noteworthy lines is, "what would this look like if it were easy?" and that's how he approaches business. It's a refreshing look on success that doesn't involve the grindset mindset or just working more and trying to be busy or distract yourself with tasks that don't end up making a difference. If you're a business owner you owe it to yourself to read this book to better simplify and streamline the way you do things and understand why they make a difference in your business. He comes from a fitness background but the lessons here are universal.

[Noriko Hessmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always liked what Jon shares and now it's in a book! He does a great job of weaving personal stories into the writing, and there are a lot of actionables to get your hands dirty.

Some key takeways include:
- how to figure out the habits and actions that move me forward and focus on those.
- "The tighter your target, the clearer your vision, the simpler the execution, and the bigger your profit margin"
- "Life isn't a story, but stories are how we talk about life" -> great reminder on how we can connect to others through story.

[Owais Ahmed Mohyal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obvious Choice by Jonathan Goodman offers an excellent, no-nonsense approach to business. The book is packed with practical, actionable tips that are grounded in real-world examples. What stands out is the absence of filler or unnecessary jargon – it’s straight to the point. If you’re looking for clear, effective business advice without all the fluff, this book delivers. Highly recommended for anyone wanting real, implementable strategies

[Arun Narayanaswamy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple yet deep take on navigating though life choices. Though there is a lot of learning, one big take away is the concept of “good enough”. Not something new, but the way it’s put across by the author makes a good impact. Also loved how the examples of personal training (the author is one ) has been put in the format of self help. Good one overall.

[Bill Murch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've only read part 1 so far, but I wanted to give my feedback now.

So far, 5 stars! I’m finding it easy to read, Goodman's ideas are clear, and the content is making me think differently about how I work in my business, which is a good thing for me. 😊

If you want to learn a different way of working on your business, I highly recommend this book.

[Adam Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

First interaction with Goodman and I can say I really enjoyed this book. Very pithy insights into a lot of different ideas. This book is an easy read and the short bits keep it interesting and engaging. I am looking forward to his new book coming out next year. Goodman has gained a follower in me.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my review!

[Stefani Strehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! Jon gives so many great examples, an entertaining narrator, and simplifies so many concepts and ideas. He keeps it simple and real and it's a breath of fresh air while he gives examples and practical knowledge while also entertaining.

[Steve Brock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have selected this book as Stevo's Business Book of the Week for the week of 1/12, as it stands heads above other recently published books on this topic.

[Saraa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic! Lots of useful tips and techniques!!

[Deb Peters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of great ideas. -easy read

[Jesse Pichardo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book of Jonathon Goodman’ I actually finished. I did really enjoy it. I like conversational tone, and humor, he writes with.