Existe un incre ble m todo para convertir un negocio peque o en una compa a multimillonaria l der de la industria: el mismo que utilizan los campesinos para tener las calabazas m s grandes y ganar los concursos de Halloween, el Gran Plan.

Los emprendedores suelen caer en el ciclo sin fin de vender y producir para sobrevivir que los deja frustrados, exhaustos y ante un panorama del cual no saben c mo salir para despegar. En esta situaci n se encontraba Mike Michalowicz, fundador de una peque a empresa de computaci n, en fechas cercanas a la noche de brujas cuando descubri su fuente de inspiraci n en los agricultores de calabazas gigantes. Mike prob el mismo m todo en su propia compa a y en poco tiempo lleg a ser no s lo una empresa millonaria, sino tambi n la n mero uno en el mercado. Ahora es tu turno de probar el Gran Plan en tu negocio y hacerlo crecer como calabaza gigante.

- Planta las semillas adecuadas. No gastes tiempo en hacer un mont n de cosas diferentes para complacer a tus clientes. En su lugar, identifica aquello que t haces mejor que los dem s y enfoca toda tu atenci n, dinero y recursos.

- Deshierba a los perdedores. En un peque o huerto, las calabazas podridas atrofian el crecimiento de las saludables. Lo mismo sucede con los clientes. Identifica qu clientes agregan mayor valor y te dan las mejores oportunidades para un crecimiento sostenido. Y luego deshazte de lo peor de lo peor.

- Nutre a los ganadores. Una vez que descubres qui nes son tus mejores clientes. Descubre sus necesidades frustradas, innova para convertir sus deseos en realidad y entr gales m s en cada una de tus promesas.

A trav s de muchas historias de emprendedores exitosos, El Gran Plan ser tu gu a para aplicar estrategias no convencionales que te ayudar n a construir una compa a lucrativa y ganadora en su campo. «El negocio de los sue os de cualquiera es uno que te apasione y que pague bien. En El Gran Plan, Mike te explica c mo lograr esto y adem s escalarlo. --sof a mac as, autora de Peque o Cerdo Capitalista

ENGLISH DESCRIPTION

Each year Americans start one million new businesses, nearly 80 percent of which fail within the first five years. Under such pressure to stay alive--let alone grow--it's easy for entrepreneurs to get caught up in a never-ending cycle of "sell it--do it, sell it--do it" that leaves them exhausted, frustrated, and unable to get ahead no matter how hard they try.

This is the exact situation Mike Michalowicz found himself in when he was trying to grow his first company. Although it was making steady money, there was never very much left over and he was chasing customers left and right, putting in twenty-eight-hour days, eight days a week. The punishing grind never let up. His company was alive but stunted, and he was barely breathing. That's when he discovered an unlikely source of inspiration--pumpkin farmers.

After reading an article about a local farmer who had dedicated his life to growing giant pump­kins, Michalowicz realized the same process could apply to growing a business. He tested the Pumpkin Plan on his own company and transformed it into a remarkable, multimillion-dollar industry leader. First he did it for himself. Then for others. And now you. So what is the Pumpkin Plan?

- Plant the right seeds: Don't waste time doing a bunch of different things just to please your customers. Instead, identify the thing you do better than anyone else and focus all of your attention, money, and time on figuring out how to grow your company doing it.

- Weed out the losers: In a pumpkin patch small, rotten pumpkins stunt the growth of the robust, healthy ones. The same is true of customers. Figure out which customers add the most value and provide the best opportunities for sustained growth. Then ditch the worst of the worst.

- Nurture the winners: Once you figure out who your best customers are, blow their minds with care. Discover their unfulfilled needs, innovate to make their wishes come true, and overdeliver on every single promise.

Full of stories of other successful entrepreneurs, The Pumpkin Plan guides you through unconven­tional strategies to help you build a truly profitable blue-ribbon company that is the best in its field.