24 Assets: Create a digital, scalable, valuable and fun business that will thrive in a fast changing world

by Daniel Priestley

In every industry, there are companies that take off. They effortlessly hire talented people, attract loyal customers, create cool products and make lots of money. These companies seem to stand out and scale up quickly with support from investors, partners and the media. Sadly, most companies don’t perform this way. Most entrepreneurs aren’t building anything of value. They work hard, make sacrifices, struggle, dream, plan and strive, but in the end, it doesn’t pay off. This book sets out a method for building a business that becomes a valuable asset. It focuses you on transforming your organisation into something scalable, digital, fun and capable of making an impact. It’s time to, stand out, scale up and build a business that has a life of its own. Start now by reading this book.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Entrepreneurship, Buisness, Management, Money, Personal Development

210 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 24, 2017

Reviews

[Richard Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have read ‘The E-myth revisited,’ then 24 Assets will feel like a natural follow up. 24 Assets takes you through twenty-four assets Priestly has defined your business as needing to be successful. He describes himself as a pragmatist rather than an academic so these assets are only described at a superficial level rather than a deep dive.

I listen to audio versions of these business books while I am driving and normally I will listen to them at 2x speed. This is the first book for a long time that I have slowed down so I can listen and absorb it fully at near normal speed…
The premise of this book is to take you through twenty-four assets Priestly has defined your business as needing to be successful. He describes himself as a pragmatist rather than an academic so these assets are only described at a superficial level rather than a deep dive. This approach will enable you to become armed with talking points when discussing your business with professionals and advisors.
‘The 24 assets are the assets you will need to add to, and scale up, your business.’
The delivery of this book is very clean and Priestly comes across as authoritative. This book is a perfect example of using stories of other peoples’ experiences to illustrate a point but not using them for padding.
A valid point is made between desire and design and serves as a refreshing antidote from the veritable sea of mind-set books. Priestley states he has interviewed many a failed entrepreneur as well as the successful ones, and the failed ones always had as much as, if not more desire to succeed. Priestley states that it is not your desire, but the design of your assets that will be the key to your success.
To amplify this point, an analogy is made between a bicycle and a pensioner driving an old Toyota. A cyclist may have all the desire and the best made bike in the world, practice for eight hours a day, and plaster his home in vision boards, but he still cannot beat a pensioner driving an old Toyota because the bike was not designed to go at those speeds.
This feeds into the core premise of the book. Regardless of your business model, lifestyle or performance, it is the design of the assets that will be key to success.
‘A business succeeds because it was designed to succeed, it is an ecosystem of assets that have been developed and utilised efficiently, a blend of intellectual property, capital equipment, staff, leadership, and innovation.’
Regardless of your level of business experience, this book will add to it or increase it. It also has an uncanny knack of poking you in the sore spots. These may be areas of your business development journey where you are going wrong or where you are secretly but deliberately procrastinating.
In conclusion, if you have read ‘The E-myth revisited,’ then 24 Assets will feel like a natural follow up book. I loved it and immediately listened to it all over again once it had finished. I learned a lot and will happily award it a well-earned 10 out of 10. Even if it did make me feel uncomfortable at times by homing in on some of my bad practices. Be prepared to experience this too.
check out my other reviews here: https://businessleuth.com/book-reviews

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book gives an overview of which the author suggests are the 24 assets to create a stable, long term, reliable business.

At the beginning he briefly discusses Performance vs. lifestyle businesses. I think it is worth considering the kind of business you want, but some of the suggestions he makes are off. Think how many people run $500k-1M+ digital businesses working part time? How many outsource everything and make it passively? Passively in the sense it just runs, not passively in what he describes checking your email every weekend on vacation. I think with the internet and these digital businesses he mentions of, it is totally possible to make real passive income, not the way he describes “passive”.

Overall I thought the book was dry and didn’t offer much.  I also think there are huge amounts of unknowns and a book like this tries to oversimplify it. I think we’re living in a day in age where to run a business successfully, you have to be able to capture enough attention. If you can’t, the business fails. As a result, great products and businesses often fail because they couldn’t capture enough attention, while many shitty/awful businesses succeed because of a clever marketing trick to capture attention. The pivot is attention capturing.

Are assets important? Of course. I think the overall premise of the book is to encourage businesses to build assets rather than just try to make sales, and I agree. Though I thought half of the 24 assets mentioned were either oversimplified or unnecessary, depending on the business. 

The author writes: “The empire builder chooses to play an inspiring game, because the game will never be over as long as they have air in their lungs. It will be the source of joy, frustration, passion, fury, boredom and exhilaration.” This is a very general statement - what is the empire builder really trying to do? What is their objective? I think more often than not empire builders are trying to chase money, which doesn’t optimize for well being. It’s a bad trap to go down. 

Of course the goal is to understand how to create a successful business, but I think there are countless parameters and many people simplify it to find commonalities, which is all find and dandy, with skepticism. But overall I didn’t think the book was too interesting or insightful.

I liked the part towards the end about making a dent and doing meaningful work, not just work for money. A lesson I try to live by is “fall in love with the process, not the result”. If a business is purely about money, it’s easy to burnout. Meaningful work can last a lifetime.


A few highlights from the book:
- If hard work was rewarding, every woman in Africa would be a millionaire. (Work smart, not hard).
- Your job as an entrepreneur is to create assets first and then look for tools that can leverage them.
- Create a video for new employees to watch that will explain the vision and values of the company.
- incomes haven’t risen much in a decade, house prices are 10–15 times their annual pay cheque (Baby Boomers bought houses at 4–6 times the average wage)

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've loved all of Daniel's other books, this was the last one I read (and the only one I paid for, all his others were free on audible!) but this one didn't engage me as much. It felt aimed more towards large performance businesses rather than smaller lifestyle businesses. There were still some useful points though.

[Manu · Rating 5 out of 5]

It contains very good and valuable advice. Nicely written and straight to the point. Enjoyable, I read it in less than a week.

[Brain Forge · Rating 5 out of 5]

An astounding book, even though I disagree with the author’s radical globalist agenda.

In terms of the business advice, it is top of the line, and I am personally working towards implementing every single bit of it. I did find the last chapter a bit saddening. I was surprised that a person of such obvious intelligence and passion could be so thoroughly duped by the authoritarian fascist agenda.

Of course, we all want people to be treated fairly. Of course we all want people to be treated with justice. Of course, we want quality food, and education, and water, and environment. What caring and loving person could possibly not want to further all of these highly worthy goals? Where his good heart clearly takes a turn to the dark side is where he holds up the United Nations as his model. The United Nations is not an organization of peace. There is very little that the United Nations does that is not based on authoritarian control mechanisms designed to remove individual sovereignty in favor of a corporatist elite.

That said, in spite of the fact that I now questioned his ability to think rationally and see reality for what it is, I love Daniel Priestley and wish him nothing but the best. The foundation of freedom and liberty is the right of every individual to hold whatever view they choose to hold. I would gladly break bread with Daniel, at heart I believe he is a good man, although his perception of the global power system is sadly skewed towards the authoritarian elite, which I am sure he does not even realize.

[Jung · Rating 5 out of 5]

Building a business that can thrive independently, adapt to change, and create lasting value is a dream shared by many entrepreneurs. Daniel Priestley’s "24 Assets" offers a practical framework for achieving this by focusing on the development of core business assets. These assets go beyond immediate sales or operational tools to create long-term resilience, scalability, and impact. Spanning intellectual property, brand, market positioning, products, systems, culture, and funding, the 24 assets collectively form a blueprint for crafting a business that can sustain growth and thrive in a fast-changing world.

A business’s intellectual property (IP) is one of its most significant assets. IP includes unique methodologies, proprietary content, and legal protections like trademarks and patents. For example, content assets—such as blogs, videos, or podcasts—allow businesses to reach global audiences, build trust, and scale efficiently. Formalized methodologies, like structured systems or algorithms, not only differentiate a business but also enable scalability. Securing legal protections, such as registering trademarks and patents, ensures long-term ownership and safeguards a business’s identity. Building IP assets requires proactive effort, such as organizing existing materials, documenting processes, and consulting legal experts. Together, these assets create the foundation for a resilient and competitive business.

Brand assets, meanwhile, define how a business is perceived by its customers and stakeholders. A strong brand builds trust, recognition, and loyalty, allowing companies to charge premium prices and differentiate themselves in crowded markets. Central to building brand assets is defining a clear philosophy—values and vision that guide decisions and set a company apart. Consistency in branding, from visuals to tone of voice, reinforces recognition and trust over time. Additionally, brand ambassadors, whether influencers or community partners, amplify reach and credibility. When developed strategically, brand assets contribute lasting value to a business by making it memorable and desirable.

Market assets enable a business to position itself effectively and connect with its audience. Positioning, the perception customers have of a business, is shaped by factors like awards, certifications, and media coverage, all of which signal credibility. Communication channels, both owned (e.g., social media, email lists) and earned (e.g., media features, partnerships), allow businesses to reach and engage customers efficiently. Data collection and analysis further enhance market assets by enabling businesses to tailor their offerings and predict customer needs. Together, these assets help a business stand out in competitive markets and establish a strong connection with its audience.

Product assets lie at the heart of a business’s offerings. A well-designed product ecosystem includes four categories: gifts, such as free resources that build goodwill; products-for-prospects, like trials or workshops that lower the barrier to entry; core products, which solve a customer’s problem and generate the most revenue; and products-for-clients, such as subscriptions or add-ons that extend the customer journey. Clear and scalable product design ensures consistent quality and customer satisfaction, while effective communication highlights the benefits of each product. A strong product ecosystem not only drives profitability but also enhances customer loyalty by meeting their needs at every stage.

Systems assets streamline operations and create a foundation for scalability. These include marketing and sales systems that generate leads and convert prospects, management systems that track performance and improve decision-making, and operational systems that ensure consistent delivery of products or services. For instance, businesses might use tools like automated emails, dashboards, and workflow software to simplify processes and enhance efficiency. Companies like Amazon and Uber exemplify the power of systems assets, leveraging streamlined processes to deliver seamless customer experiences. By building strong systems, businesses can scale effectively while maintaining high standards of quality and service.

Culture assets shape a company’s identity and performance. These include clearly defined vision and values that align teams with a common purpose, as well as structured systems for performance reviews, training, and rewards. High-performing teams consist of leaders, marketers, managers, and technicians, each requiring tailored tools and resources to succeed. Celebrating team successes and maintaining clear communication fosters trust, morale, and alignment. A strong company culture not only attracts and retains top talent but also drives consistent excellence and innovation.

Finally, funding assets provide the financial resources needed to grow and sustain a business. These assets include professionally crafted business plans, investor memorandums, and independent valuations that demonstrate credibility and potential to investors. A robust business structure, such as a limited liability company or public corporation, adds further appeal. Risk mitigation measures, such as shareholders’ agreements, experienced boards, and insurance policies, reassure investors and protect their capital. By leveraging these funding assets, businesses can secure the investment needed to fuel long-term growth and success.

In conclusion, "24 Assets" emphasizes that lasting business success requires more than hard work and great ideas—it demands the strategic development of assets that create resilience, scalability, and value. By focusing on intellectual property, brand, market positioning, products, systems, culture, and funding, entrepreneurs can build businesses that thrive independently and adapt to change. Whether starting small or aiming for global impact, the principles outlined in this book offer a roadmap for creating a business that not only grows but also holds enduring value for customers, teams, and stakeholders. Now is the time to invest in the assets that will shape your business’s future.

[Kaylen Stuart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good points, but there is a lot of repeating itself.
A book you can skim read without missing much of the content

[R7835 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm surprised this book is rated as highly as it is (as of 2nd June 2019 it has a rating of 4.25/5 on Goodreads). "The Great Waves" chapter was good though.

[Sharon Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute must read for anyone running or working in a small business.

[Sarah Cupitt · Rating 3 out of 5]

more of a recap read

“When you know what you want, find an environment where it would be normal to achieve”

Notes:
- While hard work is essential, lasting success comes from building assets – components of a business that hold value over time and make growth sustainable.
- There are many different types of assets – intellectual property, brand strength, market positioning, and a well-designed product ecosystem, among others.
- intellectual property, or IP, assets – unique, scalable elements like content, methodologies, and registered trademarks that embody a business’s value and uniqueness. These assets are the building blocks for a resilient, growth-focused business in a fast-changing, digital-first economy.
- From blogs and videos to podcasts and graphics, content tells your story, clarifies your ideas, and connects you with a global audience. It’s cost-effective, scalable, and multipurpose. A well-written blog can evolve into a book, a video into an infographic, or a podcast into training materials. Businesses that actively produce high-quality content are more likely to gain visibility, trust, and, ultimately, customers.
- IP assets are foundational to a business that lasts.
- A strong brand builds trust, recognition, and a willingness to pay more.
- Display your philosophy on your website, packaging, and social media so that employees, customers, and stakeholders can easily identify what you stand for.
- Consistency is key to establishing a recognizable brand identity.
- Ambassadors amplify your brand’s reach and credibility. High-profile individuals, community partnerships, or local influencers can embody your values and connect your business with new audiences. Even small actions, like sponsoring a local team or hosting events with industry figures, can have a lasting impact.
- Who offers the best quality, the lowest price, or the fastest service? Who can they trust? To claim one of these positions, you need external validation, like awards or certifications, which signal credibility. Aligning with respected organizations or being featured in trusted media also boosts your standing. The goal is to ensure customers associate your brand with positive attributes that make their decision easier.
- Channels are your pathways to reach customers. Owned channels, such as social media, blogs, or email lists, let you control your messaging and distribution. Earned channels, like partnerships or media coverage, expand your reach further. Both are essential for staying connected to your audience and scaling efficiently.
- No business succeeds on one product alone. A thriving business uses a product ecosystem consisting of four categories. Gifts, like free reports or podcasts, attract attention and build goodwill. Products-for-prospects, such as workshops or trials, create an entry point for customers with minimal commitment. Core products solve a problem completely and generate the majority of revenue. Finally, products-for-clients, like subscriptions or add-on services, extend the customer journey and drive recurring income.
- Management systems reduce administrative burdens and improve decision-making. Dashboards displaying key metrics like revenue or cash flow help teams focus on priorities. Tools like Slack, Trello, and Xero integrate communication, project management, and financial tracking into efficient workflows. Operations systems ensure the consistent delivery of your core offering. Whether through training videos, apps, or checklists, these systems help meet and exceed customer expectations.
- With strong systems, even small businesses can scale efficiently and compete with larger organizations.
- Culture assets begin with clarity. Clearly defined vision and values set the tone for your organization, attracting individuals who align with your mission. These should be documented in onboarding videos, team handbooks, and role descriptions. Systems like structured performance reviews, reward programs, and ongoing training ensure that your team continues to grow and excel.
- Every high-performing team includes four key groups: leaders, sales and marketing professionals, managers, and technicians. Leaders inspire innovation and represent the brand. Sales and marketing professionals bring creativity and data-driven strategies to attract and engage customers. Managers and administrators turn vision into actionable steps, ensuring smooth operations. Technicians deliver the products or services that define your business.
- A professionally created Business Plan is one of the most important funding assets. It outlines your goals, strategies, and financial projections while demonstrating your preparedness to handle challenges and opportunities.

[Mir Shahzad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary:

Building a sustainable, scalable, and valuable business is about creating strong assets across key areas like intellectual property, brand, market positioning, product development, systems, culture, and funding. Each of these assets works together to form the foundation of a business that can thrive independently, adapt to change, and consistently deliver value.
From protecting your ideas and developing a recognizable brand to creating a seamless product ecosystem and attracting top talent with a strong culture, the right assets will make your business stand out in competitive markets. Additionally, robust funding assets ensure access to the capital needed to fuel growth, while operational systems streamline processes and keep your business running efficiently.
The ultimate takeaway? A thriving business doesn’t just rely on hard work and great ideas – it depends on the tangible and intangible assets that generate resilience, scalability, and long-term success. By focusing on these areas, you can build a business that grows while also holding enduring value for you, your customers, and your team. Now is the time to start investing in the assets that will shape your business’s future.

[Synthia Salomon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to start a business.
Where to begin? “building a sustainable, scalable, and valuable business is about creating strong assets across key areas like intellectual property, brand, market positioning, product development, systems, culture, and funding. Each of these assets works together to form the foundation of a business that can thrive independently, adapt to change, and consistently deliver value.

From protecting your ideas and developing a recognizable brand to creating a seamless product ecosystem and attracting top talent with a strong culture, the right assets will make your business stand out in competitive markets. Additionally, robust funding assets ensure access to the capital needed to fuel growth, while operational systems streamline processes and keep your business running efficiently.

The ultimate takeaway? A thriving business doesn’t just rely on hard work and great ideas – it depends on the tangible and intangible assets that generate resilience, scalability, and long-term success. By focusing on these areas, you can build a business that grows while also holding enduring value for you, your customers, and your team.”

[David Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a solid book that gives perspective and understanding into the assets one can utilize in order to scale and grow a business. One con (or a pro) is that the book writes from the perspective that the person growing the business is likely trying to grow a larger startup. There’s advice given often inside, such as, hiring professionals to do many portions of your work (accounting, cap table, business plan, etc), which isn’t feasible for bootstrapped founders or teams on a tight budget.

It would be nice to have more insights for bootstrapped founders, but for a venture backed team that’s scaling, I feel a lot of the feedback is useful.

[David Moss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enlightening

I've loved this book. Having read a good deal of business based books from some of the most well known creators and entrepreneurs. This book has resonated more. In terms of practically. I'm a small business owner, but this book however has urged me to think bigger. It's made me realise how our vision can become cloudy in the day to day running of a business. And I feel reading this book has focused my attention and hope of creating something meaningful going forward.

[Libby Andrews · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t really find this book valuable for my type of business although there were a few interesting references eg for business valuation. The main emphasis was on identifying and using your assets which Dent stressed as things like making videos, newsletters, books etc. I think it would help others in different industries to identify extra material that they could monetize or use to increase presence and customer satisfaction.

[T. Laane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had so high expectations about this book, too high. Because I totally loved another book by the author - “Oversubscribed”. He was really a great expert on the latter subject, but now this book seems to me like an overall overview of a business where he is “just another guy”. Yes, smart and knowledgeable, but this is not the field he is the best expert in. So … Sadly do not recommend. But DO read “Oversubscribed”, it’s so valuable.

[Alisia · Rating 4 out of 5]

useful breakdown but missing sequence

With great examples of the building blocks of great businesses. Loved that be constantly showed how it would be different for lifestyle business vs those looking to be sold. I wish there was more guidance as to the sequence of asset development. Would make it easier for startups to focus on the right things. You can’t do 24 things at once. But I will be definitely be returning to this book over time.

[Anita Nimoh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just read it!

If you are starting or building a business during this digital and technological age, i. Put every other business book down, ii. read 24 Assets THEN iii. do everything Daniel Priestley advices in the book! Sound ,practical and real advice that is sure to transform your business.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I don't have the words to describe the value of this book.

This book is 100% deserving of 5 stars. Daniel Priestley is a brilliant man and the information he gives is vital. I was not at all expecting the last section of the book to go as it did, but wow! A real eye opener for sure and I am so thankful for the insight! Thank you Mr.Priestley.

[vidyuth Kini · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Excellent Book

I have been in business for about 15 years, starting and failing many, having reasonable success. I wish I had read this book before starting. It is short and right to the point. It doesn’t lecture you and really isn’t one of those self help kind of business books. No matter your experience, I think there is something here for you.

[Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourites. Must read before starting a business!

Thanks Daniel! Amazing content and ideas clearly layout in an easy to follow format.
I now recommend this book to all my business associates and clients!
If you're considering whether or not to get it... Do yourself a favour - Get it and get the audiobook version too while you're at it 😉

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you only buy one business book, this is it.

It is brilliant, I started it a year ago and for some reason, I just couldn't get into it. So I started to re-read about a month ago and treated it as homework/research, got my sticky notes out and got learning.

It is a brilliant blueprint for any business and start-up. I highly rent Daniel Priestley and his company, I love their ethos.

[Shakti Chauhan]

Fabulous Book!

DENT is a great company. I am in their Accelerator now and the amazing thing is I don't ever need to think what the next step is. They have mapped out everything right beautifully from the very beginning until you can really scale and become a mammoth company.

I love how concise the writing was. Did not get bored at all.

Great book!

[Shaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Useful idea. Would probably make a better TED talk. Like all his books, this is more of a brochure for his business products, but hey, if he is offering exactly what you need to achieve your business goal, then may a short educational marketing pitch should be welcome. Just hard to give it the same 5 stars that I gave to such great dense helpful frameworks like Lean Startup by Eric Reis.

[Kevin Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great insight into building a scalable digital business

Daniel communicates in an easy practical style giving sage advice in actionable steps including (my paraphrase) stop reading broadly focus and act. With the context he gives it’s hard to put this work done. The key is to begin the work not just reflecting on the words in the book. An excellent read.

[Michael Hayden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best business book I've ever read.

I haven't tried to implement the advice yet but I've read many business books and this one strikes me as the most accurate and effective way of thinking about building a successful business.

[Kevin McDonagh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good premise that all problems within your business can ultimately be boiled down to deficits in an asset category. Gives you another way to problem solve and quickly conduct a business health check.

[Rand · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it twice!

If you want to have a business that's bigger than you, that can survive without you, that can be sold for a profit, that has real value for your staff, customers, and investors then get out your highlighter and read this book twice.

[Hisham Gurg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. The author did it again. A five star book.

I have read all of the author’s books. Every book is different and offers more practical ideas which any growing business can use and see immediate impact. Highly recommended.

[Steve Rudd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring

Daniel is the business strategist and inspiration for today's entrepreneurs

Every page of every book has a gem a rare jewel I it that I can use

I have read 3 of his 4 books can't wait to get into the fourth