Fix This Next: Make the Vital Change That Will Level Up Your Business

by Mike Michalowicz

April 18, 2021 — May 1, 2021

Los Angeles, CA

I picked up this book initially because I wanted a book that would guide me through improved problem solving, but mainly diagnosing problems to be solved. In my current role, I’m responsible for solving problems (my main role because I jump around roles on a daily basis). The main challenge I face now is diagnosing the problem and figuring out what it actually is to solve it, figuring out how to prevent these problems from happening again, and juggling the responsibility of establishing a world-class solutions system and solving urgent issues that come up almost every other day. This book was not that, at all, it was a book about growing your business, which I did not need at this point. To be honest, my boss has taught me much more than what this book has to offer in a very short period (we move very fast) and I saw a few concept like Objective Key Results (OKRs) or Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) being explained for an entire section, concepts I was given a few days to learn, plan, and deliver on. Keep in mind I didn’t come from a business background (or tech), I studied economics and urban planning. That’s why it’s true that experience teaches you better than schooling does. This book is slightly similar to Building A Storybrand (that book is even mentioned in this one), it’s also talking about improving a business and the author is trying to sell you something, but instead of it being improving your brand and selling you on a service, this author is discussing how to improve your planning and is trying to sell you the other books he’s written. I read through it because it was a simple read, but I was not satisfied by it, not because it’s a bad book (it’s not amazing either), but because I read it with the intention of wanting to learn something else: problem-solving and diagnosis. I’ll summarize the main parts of the book here, because I use my library as a knowledge reference, and might come back and apply these points in the far future.

The book had two main models that I found interesting/useful and would discuss―the Business Hierarchy of Needs (BHN) and the OMEN method (Objective, Measurement, Evaluation, Nurture)―aside from that it’s very repetitive and structured to constantly apply the OMEN method to every business example mentioned. One concept that did serve me very well personally now though is Vital Needs, which helps you focus and solve your core needs within the BHN by identifying, pinpointing, and fulfilling, then repeating with the next core need. This helped me because one of my current growing weaknesses is prioritization, with everything happening at once at high speed, I find myself running in a sandstorm. For the BHN, what I liked is how he converted Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs pyramid into a business pyramid, which I began using to understand what one needs to prioritize and solve first. To focus on the core needs of the business, from top to bottom its Sales, then Profit, then Order, then Impact, then Legacy. With an emphasis to prefer the health of the business rather than the size, to determine and focus on the profits that will allow you to live comfortably personally before thinking of the dream income (can you personally pay rent off of this instead of what do I need for that mansion).

Interesting points I highlighted to remember are that customers don’t buy features instead they buy benefits, to follow the concept of Linchpin Redundancy and never depend on one person to run the company for you (I learned this with dealing with a former potential partner in Egypt who had us delayed by 2 months) and instead depend on several to run the company for you, I also underlined the part where he lists better ways to collect on commitments (payments), and the importance of the idea of being in a constant state of recreation. A line I loved was “if you fail to change, you will fail. Therefore, change must be built into the essence of your business.” Which is why we are in a constant state of recreation.