Book Reviews

Book Review: The 5AM Club by Robin Sharma

Why I Chose This Book

This book has been mentioned time and time again at business conferences and podcasts. It’s been on my wishlist for quite some. I’m also knee deep into my fitness journey right now and figured waking up at 5am must have something to do with exercise - spoiler alert: it does.

I did listen to the audio version, narrated by Adam Verner.

Quick Summary of 5AM Club

The 5AM club is a self-help book that obviously promotes waking up at 5am. Every. Single. Day. Yes, even weekends.

Robin explains that doing this will maximize productivity, improve focus, and upgrade your overall quality of life. The book follows a fictional story of a billionare mentor guru type who is teaching an artist and an entrepreneur through the life changing magic of waking up at 5am.

“Own your morning, elevate your life.”
— Robin Sharma
 

Top Takeaways for Business Owners

  • Follow the 20/20 Formula
    In the first hour of waking up, from 5 to 6am, divide your hour into 3 parts.

    • Movement: intense exercise for 20 minutes

    • Reflect: Meditate, journal, pray for 20 minutes

    • Grow: Read, study, grow your craft for 20 minutes

  • Habit Installation Protocol
    Robin says forming a habit takes 66 days and can be broken down into three phases.

    • Destruction: Breaking old habits

    • Installation: Creating new habits

    • Integration: Hardwiring new habits to your identiy

  • First 90 Minutes

    The first 90 minutes of your workday should be spent focusing on the most important tasks that will actually move your business forward. No distractions, no meetings, no multitasking.

How I’m Applying It to My Business

Well….I’m not sure that I am. Look, I get the idea. I am intrigued by the idea of waking up each morning before the rest of the house and I do think spending that time to myself reading, journaling, or planning could be great for my business. I don’t think I’ll follow the 20/20/20 rule though. Here’s why

  • My workouts are usually closer to an hour or more and I like it that way

  • Food? Coffee?

  • What about the time spent in between these activities? I don’t think working myself into a sweaty mess and then trying to focus on deep work is going to work for me. That would be a huge distraction

So maybe my real issue is with the workout part. I can see myself adapting the plan to something like this:

  • 20 minutes to reflect

  • 20 minutes to grow (reading)

  • 20 minutes to work on a big project I don’t normally have time to.

And yes, I know he says to do that the first 90 minutes of your work day, but when your workday is in a client’s home, that doesn’t always work.

Do I Recommend This Book?

Meh. I may have enjoyed it more if I actually read it, but there is a lot of fluff in here. A lot of woo woo type stuff and I found myself thinking many times - okay just get to the point already. I feel like we were halfway through the book before any useful strategies were even discussed. So if you’re into story telling, you’d probably love this book. If you’re looking for a book jam packed with actionable information, this may not be it.

Hi, I’m Naomi!

Founder of Charming Spaces, professional organizer, wife, mom of three and passionate advocate for women.

I hope this blog is everything you’re looking for, but feel free to shoot us a message and follow us on Instagram!

Book Review: The Pumpkin Plan by Mike Michalowicz

Why I Chose This Book

Mike Michalowicz is the author of Profit First, which I haven’t read yet, but appears to be the profit bible of small business. People follow and preach Profit First principles in just about every business space I have entered. When I heard about the term “pumpkin plan your business” in the same sentance as “reaching your ideal client and maintaining your client relationships”, from the same author as Profit First, I immediately put it on my wishlist.

I did listen to the audio version, narrated by Mike himself, which I throroughly enjoyed.

Quick Summary of The Pumpkin Plan

In the Pumpkin Plan, Mike draws an analogy between growing a giant, prize winning pumpkin and growing a successful business. Farmers who grow colossal pumpkins focus on the strongest seed, nurture it, and ruthlessly cut off the weaker vines = business owners should focus on their best clients and most profitable offerings and let go of the rest.

Mike argues that the key to sustainable growth lies in narrowing your focus to what works exceptionally well. Don’t try to be everything to everyone, but everything to the right one. There is a mix of story telling and practical actionable advice given throughout the book.

“There is always a direct correlation between diluted focus and a diluted bank account.”
— Mike Michalowicz
 

Top Takeaways for Business Owners

  • Plant the Right Seed
    What are your strengths? What do you like to do? Where do they overlap? What issues aren’t being addressed by your industry? Focus on the thing you do best that has the best potential to stand out.

  • Focus on Your Top Clients
    List your clients in order of revenue, highest to lowest. Strike out any that make you cringe. Evaluate who pays on time, repeat revenue, revenue potential, referral potential, history, or anything else that’s important to your unique business. Then keep your top clients, and cut the rest —EEK!

    • Survey your top clients
      How can you serve the better? What are their biggest gripes about your industry as a whole? Develop a strategy to meet their needs, then call them back and ask for their feedback on this strategy.

    • Go line by line through your expenses and cut everything that isn’t serving your top clients.

    • Create a favorite client policy and share with your team.
      When these clients call, we drop everything. Under promise, over deliver - most of the time.

  • Systematize Every Aspect of Your Business
    We’ve all heard this before. In every business book you’ve ever read…it’s the least exciting part, but probably the most crutial for your foundation.

  • Be Irresistibly Magnetic
    You need to stand out in your industry. Create a venn diagram (or picture one). Top clients, unique offering, systemization. Where these areas overlap, that is your sweet spot and your area for growth.

How I’m Applying It to My Business

I’ve started to identify who our top clients are, the ones who truly value our work, and treating them like gold. This shift in my focus has helped me elevate our customer service and deepen those relationships. At the same time, I’m quicker and more confident in saying no to projects or requests that fall outside of our focus.

Our VIPs are not necessarily the biggest revenue projects. There are many aspects that go into determining who they are. Mike provides an assessment chart and many other great tools to “Pumpkin Plan Your Business”.

Do I Recommend This Book?

ABSOLUTELY! It’s been one of my favorites to date, and one I can see myself reading year after year.

Hi, I’m Naomi!

Founder of Charming Spaces, professional organizer, wife, mom of three and passionate advocate for women.

I hope this blog is everything you’re looking for, but feel free to shoot us a message and follow us on Instagram!