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Big Ideas... For Small Businesses: Simple, Practical Tools and Tactics to Help Your Small Business Grow
DO YOU STRUGGLE WITH YOUR WORK/LIFE BALANCE? Do you like the idea of running a lifestyle business, rather than putting in 15-hour days, day-after-day?If so, then this is the book for you. John Lamerton used to work 100+ hours a week, as he strived to become the next Alan Sugar or Richard Branson. Then he had kids, and everything changed - he now works part time, 20 to 25 hours per week as a self-styled "lazy entrepreneur".If you want to grow your small business, without having to learn complex marketing strategies, and without being told to simply “work harder than everyone else”, then “Big Ideas... for Small Businesses” could be the “lightbulb moment” you’ve been waiting for...This book is a collection of the lessons, failures and successes that John now uses to coach and mentor hundreds of small business owners, teaching them to think bigger, work less, and design their business around the lifestyle they want.SOME OF THE “BIG IDEAS” THAT YOU WILL Why the “Dragons” hate lifestyle businesses, and why you should love them.How almost anyone could become a millionaire in their lifetime, given just £200 a month.Why John blames Richard Branson for his early failures.How to get clarity on your business strategy, and bring that into your daily routine.How to sell a dozen eggs for over £500.The ONE thing that truly transformed John’s businessHow to find, hire, (and fire!) your first employee.Why every Luke Skywalker needs a Yoda.EXACTLY how he made over £100k from ONE marketing campaign.The five magic ingredients for success in almost any given field. JOHN LAMERTON is a lazy entrepreneur and investor. He balances running an ambitious lifestyle business with raising two young children. A former “hustler”, he now earns more money “working” 20 to 25 hours a week than he used to pulling all-nighters and “grinding” for 100+ hours per week. He now mentors fellow ambitious lifestyle business owners, teaching them how to design their business around their lifestyle. He's the co-host of the Ambitious. Lifestyle. Business. podcast, and a regular on BBC Radio.Buy this book if you want to have a lifestyle business that gives you a better work/life balance...
228 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 13, 2017
113 people are currently reading
104 people want to read
About the author
John Lamerton
4 books8 followersJohn Lamerton has been described as both a "normal bloke from Plymouth", and a "Routine Freak".
He launched his first business - an Internet Marketing Company, despite:
1. Not knowing ANYTHING about running a company.
2. Not knowing ANYTHING about marketing.
3. Not even owning a computer, let alone knowing ANYTHING about the internet.
Armed with a copy of "Internet Marketing for Dummies" and his girlfriend's parent's computer, John worked hard, made a lot of mistakes, and a little money (he earned £13.51 in his first NINE MONTHS!).
He kept learning, and kept working harder and harder for years, and made more money.
And then he read ONE line, in ONE book that changed EVERYTHING.
John's "lightbulb 💡 moment", when he discovered the ambitious, lifestyle business.
When he realised that you can design your business to deliver the lifestyle YOU want.
That a "lifestyle business" doesn't mean scraping a living, and that you can merge ambition to grow, with being there for your kids.
To have amazing holidays 🏝️ (and leave the laptop at home).
To knock off early, and play golf. ⛳
John has been running ambitious, lifestyle businesses ever since - and his businesses exist PURELY to deliver the lifestyle he wants.
Work to live. Not live to work.
After exiting his business in 2016, John wanted to pass on everything he'd learned to small business owners who are struggling to succeed, and whose only strategy is to "work harder".
He wanted to show them that there IS another way.
That a "normal bloke from Plymouth", with NO experience, NO money, NO contacts, and NO knowledge of what he was doing, can achieve more than he ever dreamed - by becoming a "student of what works".
John wrote his first book - Big Ideas... for Small Businesses as his blueprint for running a successful, ambitious, lifestyle business.
John's second book, Routine Machine shows you how to turn consistency into your superpower, and how simple daily habits and routines can GUARANTEE you success.
John is currently writing his third book "Evergreen Assets", which will be released in late 2021. 📚
He launched his first business - an Internet Marketing Company, despite:
1. Not knowing ANYTHING about running a company.
2. Not knowing ANYTHING about marketing.
3. Not even owning a computer, let alone knowing ANYTHING about the internet.
Armed with a copy of "Internet Marketing for Dummies" and his girlfriend's parent's computer, John worked hard, made a lot of mistakes, and a little money (he earned £13.51 in his first NINE MONTHS!).
He kept learning, and kept working harder and harder for years, and made more money.
And then he read ONE line, in ONE book that changed EVERYTHING.
John's "lightbulb 💡 moment", when he discovered the ambitious, lifestyle business.
When he realised that you can design your business to deliver the lifestyle YOU want.
That a "lifestyle business" doesn't mean scraping a living, and that you can merge ambition to grow, with being there for your kids.
To have amazing holidays 🏝️ (and leave the laptop at home).
To knock off early, and play golf. ⛳
John has been running ambitious, lifestyle businesses ever since - and his businesses exist PURELY to deliver the lifestyle he wants.
Work to live. Not live to work.
After exiting his business in 2016, John wanted to pass on everything he'd learned to small business owners who are struggling to succeed, and whose only strategy is to "work harder".
He wanted to show them that there IS another way.
That a "normal bloke from Plymouth", with NO experience, NO money, NO contacts, and NO knowledge of what he was doing, can achieve more than he ever dreamed - by becoming a "student of what works".
John wrote his first book - Big Ideas... for Small Businesses as his blueprint for running a successful, ambitious, lifestyle business.
John's second book, Routine Machine shows you how to turn consistency into your superpower, and how simple daily habits and routines can GUARANTEE you success.
John is currently writing his third book "Evergreen Assets", which will be released in late 2021. 📚
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
May 28, 2021
Disclaimer - I am not exactly an unbiased reviewer of this book. I loved John's second book "Routine Machine" and have since joined his and his business partner Jason's "One Per Cent Club". What I really like about that and this book which is equally as enjoyable as Routine Machine is his philosophy that having your own business is not just about growing it to be as big as you can make it but also running it in a way that you can have the lifestyle that you desire. It is as much about working smart as working hard. So often people running their own business can work much longer hours for much worse pay than they would ever accept in a salaried job. Yet if you are running your own business, you should in theory, be able to work as many hours as you like, with employees and clients that you like and fit it all in around the rest of your life. There is no reason why having a "lifestyle business" should be looked down upon.
The book is very readable and describes John's working life based around his 5 magic ingredients of:
(1) Goals
(2) Desire
(3) Knowledge - continously learning and reading books.
(4) Environment - hanging around the right people
(5) Action - most important of all!
It is full of useful ideas which are summarised in boxes with lightbulbs throughout the book which makes it easy to remember them. I particularly like the "hula hoop" idea of doing things just outside your comfort zone (hula hoop).
Highly recommended and a great book to read if you are contemplating self employment but also one to keep referring back to to keep your business on the right track, once you are established.
The book is very readable and describes John's working life based around his 5 magic ingredients of:
(1) Goals
(2) Desire
(3) Knowledge - continously learning and reading books.
(4) Environment - hanging around the right people
(5) Action - most important of all!
It is full of useful ideas which are summarised in boxes with lightbulbs throughout the book which makes it easy to remember them. I particularly like the "hula hoop" idea of doing things just outside your comfort zone (hula hoop).
Highly recommended and a great book to read if you are contemplating self employment but also one to keep referring back to to keep your business on the right track, once you are established.
June 13, 2021
Good reminders for small businesses
Lots of useful ideas but there are similarities with similar books on the topic, good reminders and a bit of a kick up the backside of you've lost sight of why you are working for yourself.
Lots of useful ideas but there are similarities with similar books on the topic, good reminders and a bit of a kick up the backside of you've lost sight of why you are working for yourself.
November 23, 2019
Definitely not worth reading
Unfortunately a waste of time
All about me myself and I
And some upsell being done all around the book..
Unfortunately a waste of time
All about me myself and I
And some upsell being done all around the book..
March 29, 2021
This was a brilliant book.. hoping to use all the ideas from this book...
June 20, 2021
Great read
This book is a great read with good information and very well written it is to understand and will be very useful to me and my business.
This book is a great read with good information and very well written it is to understand and will be very useful to me and my business.
April 6, 2024
Read by: John Lamerton
Thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook, and it's a good reminder of basic things that we know we need to do, but often forget to.
Key take homes for me:
> Marketing: There is no such thing as just relying on word of mouth to build your business. You have to have a marketing campaign, if you don't, it's like winking in the dark ~ you know what you are doing, but no one else does.
> Setting goals: I love setting goals and ticking them off as I get them done. But, what I particularly like about John Lamerton's suggestion is setting three key goals at a time. I already have my annual and monthly goals, but to reach them, he recommends setting three key goals per week and then three per day to get there. Laser focus on each to get them done and not to be distracted by anything.
> Do something outside of your comfort zone every day.
> Who you associate with matters, the five people that you spend the most of your time with, will impact your thinking and behaviour. Choose wisely.
Thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook, and it's a good reminder of basic things that we know we need to do, but often forget to.
Key take homes for me:
> Marketing: There is no such thing as just relying on word of mouth to build your business. You have to have a marketing campaign, if you don't, it's like winking in the dark ~ you know what you are doing, but no one else does.
> Setting goals: I love setting goals and ticking them off as I get them done. But, what I particularly like about John Lamerton's suggestion is setting three key goals at a time. I already have my annual and monthly goals, but to reach them, he recommends setting three key goals per week and then three per day to get there. Laser focus on each to get them done and not to be distracted by anything.
> Do something outside of your comfort zone every day.
> Who you associate with matters, the five people that you spend the most of your time with, will impact your thinking and behaviour. Choose wisely.
February 19, 2019
Some stellar advice in this book! Really suitable for people that are starting out, people with many doubts and questions. I read this book at a time in my life when my motivation was quite low, but this helped me feel better and seek inspiration. It's amazing how words have the power to change things and have a positive effect on a person, especially when you hear about other people just like you, who have gone through the business hassles and problems just like you are.
The best part is this book is free of technical jargon, no crazy theories or matrixes involved. Very easy to read, understand and follow!
The best part is this book is free of technical jargon, no crazy theories or matrixes involved. Very easy to read, understand and follow!
September 20, 2019
Brilliant and informative
A really easy book to read which doesnt fill your head with promises and unachievable goals! It starts to set you up with the right mindset to either start your business on the right footing or improve your business with simple tips and ideas. Definatley happy i chose this book and if you are thinking about a book on business stop looking you have found it! John's writing style is very down to earth and he is just a normal person like you or i.
A really easy book to read which doesnt fill your head with promises and unachievable goals! It starts to set you up with the right mindset to either start your business on the right footing or improve your business with simple tips and ideas. Definatley happy i chose this book and if you are thinking about a book on business stop looking you have found it! John's writing style is very down to earth and he is just a normal person like you or i.
November 15, 2025
I am not impressed, there were part where he was sounding rather like a used car salesman, and he was selling a couple of times in the book as well and I am not very keen on this kind of agressive approach, but this is a personal preference. Not likely that I will read/listen from him anything else.
November 29, 2018
Generally good advice and gets straight to the point. I have it three stars just because the writing style was a bit pedestrian (although nicely readable) and the ideas were just rehashes of other books and writers and nothing I had not already read. But worth reading
February 11, 2020
Fantastic book, packed with useful and thought provoking information. No doubt the author has more to teach, but he appears to have given this book everything as it’s so rich in content. I can apply some strategies immediately and will definitely be reading again
May 8, 2020
Exactly what it says on the cover!!
A very simple and practical guide and reminder that all business owners need. John is very engaging and it feels like he is 'one of us'. A fabulous book, a must buy and more importantly a must do!!
A very simple and practical guide and reminder that all business owners need. John is very engaging and it feels like he is 'one of us'. A fabulous book, a must buy and more importantly a must do!!
March 25, 2018
Good read, some real sound advice.
The writer is clearly passionate about the subject. His experiences are interesting sometime go on a bit but provides some good personality.
The writer is clearly passionate about the subject. His experiences are interesting sometime go on a bit but provides some good personality.
July 15, 2018
Highly recommended!
Have read a lot of business help books and this is easy to understand, practical and simple to follow. Excellent
Have read a lot of business help books and this is easy to understand, practical and simple to follow. Excellent
October 4, 2019
Great book for business owners, thank you John.
Gives you great motivation & methods to achieve what's right for your business, and the kick to go and get it done.
Gives you great motivation & methods to achieve what's right for your business, and the kick to go and get it done.
April 11, 2020
Great easy to listen book about practical ideas on how to be more productive in your on line business.
November 22, 2020
Practical steps to make your business grow and to keep your focus
January 6, 2023
I liked it and I like him. Genuine and sound.
December 15, 2023
Very interesting perspective on growing a small business
Written by a real person. Someone who has struggled with success and had to work for it. Inspirational and some very eye-opening ideas. My 2nd time reading this book. It is going to be my 2024 Bible. I feel motivated and inspired to make some changes to my business and my lifestyle
Written by a real person. Someone who has struggled with success and had to work for it. Inspirational and some very eye-opening ideas. My 2nd time reading this book. It is going to be my 2024 Bible. I feel motivated and inspired to make some changes to my business and my lifestyle
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews