BE 2.0: Cómo lograr que tu empresa sea un negocio exitoso y sostenible

by Jim Collins, Bill Lazier

Beyond Entrepreneurship (BE) 2.0 es la ambiciosa actualización de un clásico atemporal escrito por Jim Collins y Bill Lazier sobre lo que motiva a las empresas a ser un negocio exitoso y sostenible. BE 2.0, es un libro que resume los principios que ha desarrollado Jim Collins en todos sus otros libros.

Cuando Bill Lazier y Jim Collins escribieron la edición original de Beyond Entrepreneurship, basada en el contenido del curso que impartían en la escuela de negocios de la universidad de Stanford, decidieron crear una hoja de ruta para los líderes de las pequeñas y medianas empresas que quisieran construir una empresa grande y duradera.

Beyond Entrepreneurship fue el libro más vendido en Silicon Valley e influyó en toda una generación de emprendedores como Reed Hastings de Netflix.

Cuando Bill Lazier falleció, Jim Collins pensó en escribir algo para honrar al que fuera el mejor mentor de su vida. ¿Qué mejor tributo que una edición conmemorativa y actualizada del libro que crearon juntos? Pero BE 2.0 es mucho más que una reedición tradicional. Casi la mitad del contenido de BE 2.0 es totalmente nuevo con respecto a la primera edición. La visión actualizada de Collins aparece junto con el texto original, complementando las lecciones fundamentales de Beyond Entrepreneurship con cuatro capítulos y quince ensayos nuevos.

A lo largo de todo el libro, BE 2.0 se mantiene fiel a la visión original que ambos autores persiguieron en la primera edició que fuera una guía práctica y un mapa conceptual. En esta nueva edición, se incluye un capítulo final que integra los conceptos clave de las décadas de investigación de Jim Collins sobre lo que hace que las grandes empresas funcionen en un marco integral y práctico que denomina «El Mapa".

 

Genres: Business, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Nonfiction, Management, Startup, Buisness

489 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

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

James C. Collins is an American researcher, author, speaker and consultant focused on the subject of business management and company sustainability and growth.

Reviews

[Scott Wozniak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jim Collins delivers a great book again. It's a great book for entrepreneurs. Also, this book is unique among his works in that is includes a summary of all his other books--that section alone is worth the entire book.

Highly recommended for leaders of organizations, not just business leaders.

[Note: for the first time in my life I'm re-reading my favorite books, to reinforce their messages and to see if I would still consider them one of the greats. The review above is my original reaction. The comments below are my thoughts now.]

How does it compare to my memory of the book? Would I still recommend it to others?

The best part of this book is also the worst part of this book. This is by far the most comprehensive of all Jim Collins' books. It not only is longer, but covers everything from what is good leadership to finances to what is a good vision/mission to the role of innovation. It also has a "map" showing how every other book he wrote--every other major concept--fits together and helps you to build an "enduring, great company."

[Josh Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must-read. Although it's an update from an early book, everything in it is as modern as it was when first written.

If you have a smaller company, this is a must-read. You'll walk away with more actionable ideas than you can implement in years, much less months.

[Aksena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Я вважаю ця книга має бути настільною книгою будь-якого власника чи власниці малого чи серендього бізнесу. Вона дуже коротка (на той об‘єм інформації, який там), ілюстративна і практична. Буду рекомендувати всім своїм клієнтам.

Прекрасно розкладає теми:
- місії і цілей
- цінностей
- найму працівників
- як будувати сталі системи для величних компаній
Тощо.

Я в захваті. Це так книга, яку хочеться «смакувати» повільно, але проковтуєш повністю - бо цікаво дочитати що далі. Або я просто гік, яка обожнює управління і управлінські дослідження!

[Leonardo Arango Baena · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book!!

[Jesse Patoka · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, it was recommended reading at Trek. You can definitely see a lot of the guidance in this book was embraced by Trek's corporate culture, and I that's a good thing. Why did I give it only 3 stars? I guess it was a little dry or I wasn't as in the mood for this type of book. The real-life examples were often fun to hear about. I just felt a lot more drawn into a book like Infinite Game where as BE 2.0 I was not as excited to pick it up each time.

Also it is the type of book that is probably not as great as an audio book because you want to have it in your hands and taking notes and highlighting stuff to remember or study. As an audio book you are kind of just nodding along thinking these are great points, but then when asked to summarize your takeaways you will likely be at a loss.

[Alma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wisdom and practical advice for every part of a business, from small teams to the whole company.

[Abhishek Garg · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a revised version of Beyond Entrepreneurship. It had marked the new content and old content. I felt the new content was quite repetitive and was referencing other books by the author a lot.
In contrast, I enjoyed the old content.

So 3 stars for new content.
4 stars for content from original Beyond Entrepreneurship.

[Richard Cerezo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read, jumping between the 1990s and 2020, this was very enjoyable and proof of the enduring value of the author's ideas. I will likely review this book in more details in the future.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jim Collins, researcher and professor of Stanford Graduate School of Business, and also an author of a series of books that have sold more than 10 million copies worldwide, returns to his initial focus on small, entrepreneurial businesses with this ambitious update BE 2.0. According to Forbes, Jim Collins is now one of the 100 Greatest Living Business Minds.

BE 2.0 is a tremendous upgrade to the classic Beyond Entrepreneurship and was born to honor Jim’s coach Bill Lazier who was his professor and his life’s greatest mentor. It incorporates Bill's practical advice as well as the entrepreneurship and small company skills they taught at Stanford.
Along with his other #1 bestsellers “Good to Great”, which examines why some companies succeed while others fail and the timeless classic “Built to Last”, investigating why some businesses remain visionary for generations; Jim’s “BE 2.0” acts as an ideal roadmap for executives in small and mid-sized businesses who want to build long-lasting great organizations.

As a foundation of so many business theories of the past 20-30 years, this is a must read and re-read book for those who want to create enduring companies or have a humongous responsibility to save the company from an ultimate disaster. The real-life examples made this book so much practical along with the knowledge and original insight to be gained. I would highly recommend this inspiring work to any entrepreneur or business owner to consider it as a roadmap for good practices and come back to it again, as there are so many important guidance and recommendations during each stage of company’s growth.

“Get the right people on the bus then figure out where to drive.”
“Take our 20 best people away and I will tell you that Microsoft would become an unimportant company”. - Bill Gates
“Life is too short not to enjoy what you are doing. If we can’t make this fun, we should stop doing it!” - Bill Lazier

[Snorre Lothar von Gohren Edwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really nice book with great examples and making all the content understandable.

This book also humanizes certain processes, thoughts, ways of doing things, that specifically IT take for granted. F.ex we talk about lean and scrum/kanban in IT. But in reality it's not about the frameworks. It's about what principles these frameworks wrap. And these principles, this book talk about in a good way. It also builds on certain aspects of these processes that they feel is lacking. F.ex they don't talk directly about retros, as we well know about in IT, but the nessecity of learning after doing effective work over a good period. But they also up the game to not just talk about what went well and bad. Because then you end up repeating yourself. It's about pointing out the main repetitive learnings in both positive and negative directions.

[Ahmad hosseini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book.
This book is about how to turn an existing enterprise into an enduring great company. This is not a book about how to start a business. I think every business with every size could use this book to move toward a great company and business.
Authors provide clear method to define vision, strategy and tactics. The author also provides clear definition for all of them. He talks about leadership style common elements and provide some advice to be master on them.
Book has a lot of excellent case examples that demonstrate how to use the tips of the book in reality.

[Eduardo Xavier · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Launching a startup is like winning the War of Independence, but building a company that can last is like writing the Constitution”

The phrase above is from the book.

I finished BE 2.0 and all works from Jim Collins and his partners. This one completes all the missing gaps left. That was amazing reading. It made me anxious in way that sometimes I couldn’t move to next page, sometimes.

The only minor inconsistent I found, It was about the details. There is so much emphasis about pursuing execution and have attention to details and somehow they also discuss not be too hard on detail. Anyway… details needed.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really nice to have read this book! I actually have been working with his frameworks without knowing they were coming from him, so it has been super interesting to read more about them. His vision on what makes great companies succeed is very interesting (core purpose, vision, mission, strategy, tactics). I was really inspired by his last reflection talking about how at the end of the day everything comes down to respect and people.
I definiteley want to do a broader summary and analysis of the book in Notion!

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had mixed feelings whilst reading this book and really had to struggle through a couple of chapters. In hindsight though, this is a really well constructed exploration of what makes great companies, great. Seeing the similarities between Orion and some of the themes in this book was a welcome but non-surprising find. Might check out another one of Jim’s books in the future

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trust & respect, tactical excellence, people are everything, vision & values come first.

[Michael MacRae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Feels like a strong summary with all the learnings of Collins other books.

[Nicolas Ochoa · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite entrepreneurs, Reed Hastings, once advised young people to memorize the first 86 pages of this book—and honestly, I’d love to remember every single page. It’s an absolute masterclass in strategy.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellent read, as all of Jim Collins' books have been. However, I have a real problem with the fact that almost every idea that Jim later develops in his supposedly inductive approach to research was already present in the 1992 version of BE. This greatly undermines all those self-proclaimed "discoveries" found in Built to Last, Good to Great, Great by Choice, and How the Mighty Fall. Don't get me wrong, I think there is much truth here and knowledge to be gained by reading these books, but the source of this truth is closer to a humanities approach than the rigorous analysis claimed endlessly in Built to Last and Good to Great. Jim's gift is that he's a great storyteller. He brings well known and well-documented knowledge from strategy courses taught in every university to life through literary analogies, sticky labels, etc. He makes management research entertaining and engaging. That's enough to justify reading all of his work. So, if you're looking for a great read about strategy and organization theory, then this book will be up your alley, but prepare yourself to look past the ridiculous claims of analytical rigor and original insight. Those are a stretch. Collins is a brilliant wholesaler of knowledge, but he's not a manufacturer of it, no matter how emphatic he might proclaim otherwise. Enjoy!

[Andre Borges · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you ever read any Jim Collins book, you know what to expect. Consider it another great delivery on the same approach as beyond entrepreneurship from the 90's.

I would advise any entrepreneur, or director of any organization, not to use it as a bible, but at least to consider it as a roadmap for good practices.

Even if you read the original BE from 1992, you'll find that the core message is the same, the rules are the same, but the case studies progressed and some of the concepts were refined.

It's not a light read to do while you're distracted, and it truly broke two records on my side:
-amount of notes taken on a single book
-time to finish a single book

and both are good signs :)

[Eliza Angeli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best leadership book i have ever read. It really has it all: examples, how Tos, simple explinations. Treasure!

[Jesse Nyokabi · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐁.𝐄. 2.0

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 1: 𝐉𝐢𝐦’𝐬 𝐕𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 2020. 𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐞
Build a meaningful life by building relationships.
WHEN, WHOM & WHY have a mentor or mentee.
Mentorship should start early. Nowadays many mentors are more of coaches, and they run mentorship as a business. Passive mentorship is possible through observing those whom we see as our passive mentors or by reading books written by those we perceive as our passive mentors.
Mentees become mentors of the next generation.
Values come before goals, before strategy, before tactics before products, before market choices, before financing, before business plans, and before every decision.
A statement of values: We hold these truths to be self-evident. Values come first, and all else follows - in business, in career, in life.
Living to core values is the hard stuff.
Never confuse a great life with a long life.
Exceed the Limit of our potential.
What is our full potential?
How do you achieve it?
Some people’s lives are different and better because of you.

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 2: 𝐉𝐢𝐦’𝐬 𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 2020. 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐭.
Which Seat do you sit on? What makes for a key seat?
Business is like bus purchases. You might be tempted to pick a destination first. However, the first thing you need to do is decide who will fill the seats.

The person in that seat has the power to make significant people's decisions. Failure in the seat could expose the entire enterprise to significant risk or potential catastrophe.
Pareto rule 80/20: 20% of people do the 80% of the job. They bring the highest revenue to a company/ institution.

Money is not a good motivator.
You can’t retain the best people only through money. More motivation is needed.
Right people
What’s your strategy for hitting that target? By skilling people up for their roles, you can either develop them or replace them with better people. Although it is usually more advantageous to develop rather than replace, there are times when it makes more sense to replace.

Right Culture
One way to build an enduring great company that makes great products is to have the right people working in the right culture.
Now that the key roles have been filled, you should focus on retaining talent by creating an environment that promotes autonomy, responsibility, and recognition among employees.
You don’t have to worry about where you are going as long as you’re on the right bus. It’s halfway there already.

Key Takeaways.
A great culture in an organization is a platform for self-motivation.
Sometimes your request for mentorship might be rejected. Consider passive mentorship.
A moment of prayer. Always remember to pray. Mentor from coincidence with life (Maybe a mistake happened, and someone offered to mentor you so that you don’t make the mistake again) is an answered prayer.
Always strive to retain the best employees.
Test drive for employee: Maybe through referral, internship, or attachment.
Replace or reassign someone if they outgrow their role or the role outgrows them.

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 3: 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏 𝐒𝐓𝐘𝐋𝐄
How do we become better in decision-making?
How do we know we made the right decision? Experience in decision-making. Have the right people on the table of decision-making.
Analytical skills may assist in making decision-making.
Intuition and Gut can assist us to know when we make the right decision.
Charisma does not equate to a great leadership function and style. Too friendly to people at the expense of being firm and fair. Jesus Christ was a great leader with Charisma.
You do not need a powerful charismatic personality to inspire people to do great things.
Key to a leader’s impact is sincerity. To convince them he must himself believe.
Far better to be an uncharismatic leader who gets the right people to confront the brutal facts than to be a magnetic force of personality who leads compliant followers to disaster.
Your leadership style will be a function of your unique personality characteristics.
Quiet, shy and reserved
Outgoing and gregarious
Hyperactive and impulsive
Methodical.
Cultivate your Style; don’t try to be someone you are not or take on a style that doesn’t fit.
Effective leadership consists of two parts: Leadership function and leadership style.
As a leader, you are supposed to catalyze a clear and shared vision for the company and to secure commitment to and vigorous pursuit of that vision.
For great leadership, first, get your “WHY.”
As a leader, counterbalance any criticism in practice with a bit of praise. Positive feedback tends to improve performance.

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 4: 𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍
Have a Vision for yourself. What Vision do you aspire to?
In your personal life, family, career.
As an effective corporate leader, catalyze a clear and shared vision for the company and secure commitment to and vigorous pursuit of that vision.
You begin with Vision, move to strategy, and then to tactics.
Vision is essential to greatness.
A shared vision is like having a compass and a distant destination in the mountains. The vision must transcend the founder.
Your Vision is your WHY.
How do you help entrepreneurs with all the cradles of workers?
Vision messages should be understandable to Five-year-old kids. People will resonate with the message.
Vision is composed of three basic parts:
Core Values and belief
Purpose
Mission.
Mission must be sincere and authentic; something that you want to obtain badly enough that you are willing to make personal sacrifices for its attainment.
Purpose is the fundamental reason for your company’s existence.
Core values and beliefs must be an absolute authentic extension of the values and beliefs you hold in your gut as a leader.

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 5: 𝐋𝐔𝐂𝐊 𝐅𝐀𝐕𝐎𝐑𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓
What is LUCK?
Be at the right place at the right time. Be prepared.
Be prepared for your time: Preparation and persistence are key.
Luck favors the prepared.
Good or bad luck: What you do with the unexpected.
Whatever good or bad luck comes your way; you can use it to achieve great things.
Is the Environment part of the Luck?
Environment accelerates your growth. Your initial seed determines your direction of growth.
Big doesn’t equate to great and great doesn’t equate to big.
Failure stories are never discussed.
Great companies never started great.
Visionary entrepreneurs suffer more setbacks in the early stages of their business. After these setbacks, they developed strategies and structures that rendered them bulletproof against future failures, not just from bad luck.
Taking an alternative route does not equate to quitting. Winners never quit and quitters never win.
Never Never Never give up!
Never Never Never give in!
Ideas are as good as you work on them.

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 6: 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐒 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐄𝐒 𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐊-𝐌𝐀𝐏

Those who think and do, own the future.
Charismatic leaders are so eloquent. But that is not enough to drive a company from good to great.

𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 5 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩.
Level 5 – Level 5 Executive
Level 4 - Effective Leadership
Level 3 – Competent Manager
Level 2 – Contributing Team Manager
Level 1 – Highly capable Individual.
Growth from level 1 to level 5.
You are given level 1, other levels are built.
Most people reach level 3 and stagnate there. Sometimes even if they deliver growth, they become arrogant. They most times don’t take feedback positively.
Brutal Facts.
Bible: Proverbs 27:5-6
5 Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 7: 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐆𝐘

What is the Essence of Strategy?
A strategic plan for a company creates a competitive advantage.
Create value for Customers. Happy customers create value for the company.
What good thing are you good at?
For example, Safaricom is good in MPESA. So far the best in the telecommunication industry in Kenya.
Operationalize your vision through strategic planning.
For example, Kenya Vision 2030: to transform Kenya into a newly industrializing, middle-income country providing a high quality of life to all its citizens.
The strategy follows Vision.
Ask key questions on Vision before getting to strategic planning.
Performance of management. Setting targets for the employee on how to achieve the strategy.
When do you come up with Strategic planning?
Strategic planning is a continuous management tool and a stepping stone to achieving your BHAG.
BHAG: Big Hairy Audacious Goal.
Revise the strategy every 2 years due to the many changing dynamics.
A start-up needs a strategic plan too.
Aligning to your long-term goal through a strategy.
Ask a tough question.
Why are you joining the market?

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 8: 𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍.
Woodwork factor.
By solving your problem, other people who have the same problem come out of the woodwork.
Be the first client of your product.
Articulate your problem and solve it.
Great innovation is out of solving a problem.
Define the problem.
The problem should speak out.
You are invited into a problem by the problem existing.
Mistakes
Innovation requires experimentation and mistakes. You can’t have one without the other.
The lesson learned from a mistake makes it valuable, not the mistake itself.
Conventional wisdom
Breadth and diversity breed creative insights. People with different experiences and backgrounds working on the same problem will usually produce more creative answers.
The single biggest roadblock to creativity and innovation in business is conventional wisdom.
Innovation is not a heavenly visitation. Innovation and punishment don't go hand in hand.
Results and exposure lead to conventional knowledge. Open up, and cross-check what is going around.
The uncommon man fits the rest world into his world.

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 9: 𝐓𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐄𝐗𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄

How do you execute a strategy?
Preparation
Responsibilities.
Challenges for the execution of strategy.
No connection between strategy and people.
Normal operations of an organization away from strategy.
No clear plan for the implementation of the strategic plan.
Who is doing it?
What is being done?
The budget for implementation and the budget are open to everyone who is a stakeholder in the implementation of the strategic plan.

Leaders are the key stakeholders in the implementation of the strategy.
If you have good people/teams and a bad plan, they will change the plan to be good.
Example: The former President, the late Mwai Kibaki used the old constitution for the better part of his term and delivered spectacular development in Kenya.
Leadership is key for strategic plan implementation.
Human beings always shape up. As far as they get to know why they have to do things stipulated in the strategic plan.
Do the right thing at the right time.

Deadline
Every project has a deadline.
Meet the deadline, it calls for discipline and commitment.
Deadline is a test of discipline ~ Dr. Emmanuel Mango.
There is the power of a deadline.

𝐀𝐀𝐑: 𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰.
Implementing lessons learned after review.
The aspect of completeness is inconsistent.

𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒕 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒅𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝑵𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒂 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒆, 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒅.

[Tõnu Vahtra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first significant book that was published by Collins in 1995, at that time I had just started my formal education and knew nothing about those concepts. The founders of Netflix, Google and many other Silicon Valley Tech success stories consider this book the enterpreneurship "bible" and as I had not read the original 1995 version I tried to make sense of it from my own perspective. Built to Last and Good to Great are among the very best enterpreneurship books that I've read and I still consider then the best Collins books, all the later books have not managed to make such an impact. I feel that BE 2.0 is a bit a victim of it's original success. When I was thinking back of my own 15+ year career in business then new concepts and operating models implemented back then felt like inventing the wheel and very novel, but cannot be appreciated by today's people the same way because they have been recycled so much in other books and theories and have become so common sense that most people don't even bother to question why things should be done according to those principles or why different approach does not work. Due to this the book still does read as a classic in 2021 but it does not feel "as novel".

Key domains covered in the book:
*Great business ideas don't happen without great people.
*Leadership sets the stage for success - or failure.
*Get laser-focused about your vision.
*You can't control luck, but you can capitalize on it (Great by Choice covers this topic in more depth).
*To achieve success in business, start by cultivating discipline.
*Good strategy is simple.
*You can't innovate without ideas.
*Hard work is the secret to success.

Some more keywords on those topics:
First who, then what
Embracing the genius and confronting the brutal facts
Clarifying a Hedgehog Concept (fox VS hedgehog)
Build momentum by turning the flywheel
Achieving breakthrough with 20 Mile March discipline)
Renew and extend via Fire Bullets, then Cannonballs
Practice Productive Paranoia
Do more Clock Building, less time telling
Preserve the core, stimulate progress (towards the next BHAG)
Getting a high return on luck

How many of your key seats are filled with the right people - ideally this should be 100%. “What makes for a key seat? Any seat meeting any one of the following three conditions qualifies as key: The person in that seat has the power to make significant people decisions. Failure in the seat could expose the entire enterprise to significant risk or potential catastrophe. Success in the seat would have a significantly outsized impact on the company’s success.”
When to get rid of the "wrong people":
If keeping someone in the role is costing you other employees, it's probably better to replace them. The same is true if your staff constantly cannot work with or under someone.
When someone sees the role as a job, rather than a set of responsibilities.
Retaining the right people by creating a company culture where employees are given autonomy, responsibility and recognition.

[Samuel Kordik · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a fan of Jim Collins. I've now succeeded in reading all of his books, and over the years, his insight has played an outsize role in how I think about leadership, management, and even how I've made my own career decisions. This book is a fitting capstone work that encapsulates the principles he's built out across all of his other books. If there was such a thing as "The Essential Jim Collins" (such as The Essential DruckerThe Essential Drucker, of whom Collins is both heavily influenced by and a suitable successor), this book is it.

This book is more than just a second edition. It is reorganized, and while the original text remains, a substantial portion of this work is Collin's own notes drawing upon decades of research.

I would roughly summarize the general aims of his books as follows: Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't identifies the hallmarks of a company that can become truly great, and Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos, and Luck—Why Some Thrive Despite Them All describes how a company can succeed during chaotic times. Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies explores what makes a company enduringly great while How The Mighty Fall: And Why Some Companies Never Give In describes the opposite: what exactly leads to great companies failing. This book summarizes all of these ideas and digs further into the key choices entrepreneurs need to make to set their company up to become enduringly great. In particular, the section on vision is invaluable and this work provides particularly useful insights into how to be a great leader. While definitely aimed at an early-to-mid stage startup, the principles in this book are timeless and could apply to any organization. Overall, a phenemonally insightful, useful work.

[Predrag Ilić · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beyond Entrepreneurship 2.0 is a powerful, thought-provoking guide that redefines the way we think about building a successful business. Jim Collins, renowned for his work on organizational greatness in Good to Great, teams up with Bill Lazier to update and expand upon the ideas first introduced in Built to Last. This latest iteration not only revisits those timeless principles but offers modern insights and strategies to help entrepreneurs and leaders navigate the complexities of today's rapidly evolving business world.

The book's true strength lies in its clarity and practicality. Collins and Lazier don’t just talk about theory; they provide actionable advice for building a company that stands the test of time. Their focus on transformational leadership, creating a strong company culture, and staying committed to a bigger purpose resonates throughout the chapters. The emphasis on setting Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAGs) is especially impactful, urging leaders to think beyond incremental growth and embrace bold, audacious aspirations that can spark real innovation and progress.

Another standout feature is the book's holistic approach to business growth. It covers everything from hiring the right people to fostering innovation, and emphasizes that success isn't about short-term profits, but about creating a foundation that allows a company to thrive for generations. The modern updates address how to integrate technology and new business trends, making the book feel relevant in today’s fast-paced environment while staying true to its core message.

What makes Beyond Entrepreneurship 2.0 truly special is its emphasis on resilience and enduring purpose. It’s not a book for those seeking quick fixes or shortcuts. Rather, it’s for leaders who are willing to invest in building something that lasts. The combination of actionable advice, inspiring insights, and a deep commitment to long-term success makes this book an essential read for entrepreneurs, business leaders, or anyone with a passion for creating meaningful, lasting impact in the world of business.

In short, Beyond Entrepreneurship 2.0 is an invaluable resource that stands out in the realm of business literature. It’s a compelling blueprint for creating enduring, great companies and offers a roadmap that any leader or entrepreneur can use to shape a more purposeful and successful future.

[Taras Vasylyshyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Попередня книга «Від хорошого до величного» стала суперхайповою з мільйонними тиражами. Зазвичай за такою популярністю — багато води. Але тут мені видається фундаментальна книга. Не про тактичні інструменти, а саме про стратегію. Місія, візія, бачення, цінності — все розкладено максимально детально.

Книга починається з розвінчання міфу про те, що успіх компанії залежить виключно від харизматичного лідера або революційної ідеї. Натомість автори доводять, що стійке зростання базується на системному підході та дисципліні виконання. Вони вводять концепцію «маховика зростання» — метафору, яка ілюструє, як послідовні, навіть малі зусилля в правильному напрямку накопичуються та створюють незупинний імпульс розвитку.

Особливо цінним є розділ про «правильних людей на правильних місцях». Автори наголошують: спочатку потрібно зібрати команду, а вже потім визначати напрямок руху. Коли в автобусі сидять ті, хто має сидіти, будь-який поворот керма стає безпечнішим і результативнішим — це відчутна практична думка.

Візіонерство — це те, що відрізняє лідера від менеджера. Лідер керує людьми не через формальну владу, а через авторитет. У нього є картинка майбутнього: він знає, куди веде організацію, і люди хочуть з ним туди йти. Багато хто плутає, що таке візія та місія. Місія — це визначення головної проблеми у світі, яку ви намагаєтесь вирішити організацією. А візія — це «фотографія тріумфу майбутнього». Опишіть фотографію того, що ви будуєте. Тобто, місія — заради чого ви будуєте, а візія — як це буде виглядати, якщо все вийде.

Ваша мета — провідна зоря; вона завжди десь там, на горизонті, до неї неможливо дістатися, але вона завжди вабить до себе. Ваша місія — та конкретна гора, на яку ви видираєтеся в певний момент. Опинившись біля неї, ви спрямовуєте свою увагу та енергію на це конкретне сходження. Досягнувши вершини, ви знову кидаєте погляд на провідну зірку (вашу мету) і вирушаєте штурмувати наступну гору (нову місію). Увесь шлях — у межах незмінних цінностей і переконань.

Головна ідея для мене проста і точна: спершу бачення, потім стратегія, а потім — тактика. Переплутати порядок — означає бігти швидко, але не туди.

Сподобалася книга, можливо потрапила в правильний час. Моя оцінка — 5 з 5

[Marc Bowker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beyond Entrepreneurship 2.0: Turning Your Business into an Enduring Great Company
by Jim Collins & Bill Lazier

“The American Dream is not just about doing well for yourself: it is even more about the opportunity to do useful work and to freely give of yourself to others. You might give with money. Or with time. Or with service to a cause or country. Or by teaching and mentoring the next generation. Or putting yourself at risk for something you believe in.” - Jim Collins

I’ve recommended Dave Ramsey’s ‘Entreleadership’ as the number one business book for small business owners to read for over a decade. But now, I have a new number one recommendation: ‘Beyond Entrepreneurship 2.0.’

Originally published in 1992, this is an updated version published in 2020 by Jim Collins, the co-author of Good to Great and Built to Last, and Bill Lazier, one of Jim’s mentors, who passed away in 2004.

It’s a handbook/guidebook for small business owners, covering everything from leadership to hiring, vision to strategy. This updated version includes the original text plus “Jim’s View from 2020” - new entries by Jim Collins nearly 30 years after writing the original book.

Some key takeaways:
Always start with values
Building a great team
Effective leadership
Vision, Strategy & Tactics

As I enter my 20th year as a small business owner, I admit that I’ve made a lot of mistakes. Some of those mistakes may have been avoided if I would have read this book at the beginning of my entrepreneurial career.

But it’s not too late! From what I’ve heard, and the way that I feel, the next 20 years should be the most productive of my life. And now I have the guidebook to make the most of them.

“Life is just too short not to enjoy what you’re doing. If we can’t make this fun, we should stop doing it!” - Bill Lazier

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reed Hastings recommended reading parts of this book he said it was instrumental for him. If it's good enough for read it's good enough for me.

What my ear 👂🏻 Heard below 👇🏻

People rise to what you believe of them
I got a slice of his mentorship
If you define how you view success by money you always lose
You're on a dark journey of despair
Writing is like Wally if Play your Best you Will always hurt
You deliver Superior results
You need the right people far more than you need the right business idea
He became a huge force in our efforts
I have the gift of simplifying a complex world
Your insincerity is nauseating your talk is rhetoric
Live what you say don't you talk about it and do it
You're in a Quagmire of indecision which is usually a recipe for disaster
Indecision is often worse than making a wrong decision
He's a worthy target of my competitive wrath
He turned hurt into bitterness teddy
If your business would have shut down tomorrow who would miss it?
Do more clock building less time telling
Get a better return on lock
If your company cannot be great without you then it is not truly Great
Joyful intensity
You need a few people around you who aren't afraid of you
Confront reality even if reality is unpleasant
Innovation and strategy are inextricably linked
Clear strategic thinking is essential if you want to be on the right track

[Santosh Ambekar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just Finished Reading: Beyond Entrepreneurship 2.0
by Jim Collins & Bill Lazier

Caught in a moment of reflection — a rainy ride, the hum of the road, and this powerful book in my hands.

“Beyond Entrepreneurship 2.0” isn’t just a business book. It’s a masterclass in building enduring companies, navigating change, and, most importantly, becoming a Level 5 leader — someone who blends humility with fierce resolve.

Sitting in a moving car while on the way to office has been my routine for past several days. With raindrops blurring the world outside, I realized how fitting the scene was. Much like entrepreneurship, the road is rarely clear — but with the right vision, values, and leadership, you stay the course.

Key Takeaways:
• Great vision without great people is irrelevant.
• Discipline and creativity must go hand in hand.
• Confront the brutal facts, yet never lose faith.
• Clock-building is better than time-telling — build something that lasts beyond you.

This isn’t just a read, it’s a blueprint for transformation — personal and organizational. If you lead a team, run a business, or are simply looking to grow, I highly recommend diving in.


#Leadership #JimCollins #BeyondEntrepreneurship #BookReview #BusinessGrowth #PersonalDevelopment #EnduringGreatness #RainyReads #LifelongLearning

[Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fantastic guide about some of the biggest and best companies and how they got there.

He breaks down core elements and strategies that every entrepreneur and business leader needs to think through from a company that’s just starting out to being a million dollar company.

Key takeaways:
- case study examples from major brands & companies
- it always starts with you first. You lead out of what you have and who you are.
- every company does it differently — from their values to their go to market strategy to their capital funding — so be careful not to compare
- being an entrepreneur or business leader means you’re always balancing multiple factors & considering different things. Take it a little at a time, with focus and with the knowledge that you learn what works over time.
- big companies and brands were once small, struggling ventures. They have 20/20 looking back now to share what they’ve learned, but at the time, they were making risks and decisions in their fields.
- it’s a journey. You as a leader are always growing and developing. What you go through may be the very path that will change the outcome of your business or your product.
- Steve Jobs 20 years ago was not the same Steve Jobs 10 years ago. That’s how it is with us as leaders.

[Boni Aditya · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book after someone recommended reading the first 100 pages of this book.
The 2.0 has too much fluff that Jim Collins has added, most of it actually makes the book worse.
It does not make it any better.
The original book might have been far more better without the fluff that jim collins has added.
This is like he directors cut for the fans.

The book becomes progressively worse, what starts out as a great book talking about windows vs mirrors and other great metaphors - Bullets vs Cannon Balls and Making Clocks vs Telling Time.

After the CHAPTER 4 about the vision, which is where the book peaks after that it goes pretty much downhill and becomes unreadable after a few chapters.

But I am not greedy, I am ok with whatever the author has given me.
But the author falls prey to his own bias - THE JIM COLLINS BUS

I wish that the author would invest time making the last chapters readable and not pulp fiction, adding more and more pages for the sake of adding them.