The Knack: How Street-smart Entrepreneurs Learn to Handle Whatever Comes Up

我的第一個師傅，也是我最好的師父，是紐約市一位小商人。他的生意是沿街叫賣，就像一個四處遊走的一人百貨公司，我會跟著他跑一趟，問很多的問題，而他也會把他這麼做的邏輯解釋給我聽。就這樣，我學到一些至今依然受用的重要生意觀念。

我那時只有八歲。那位沿街叫賣的小販，就是我的父親。每當我在抱怨我對未來的人生感到茫然不知時，他說：「你的鞋子底下就有一百萬；你只要找一找就行了。」一直要到後來成為一個企業家，我才明白他的意思。

這些教誨，對我產生了潛移默化的效果。
他們成了我的心智習慣，
引導我，讓我在不知不覺中照著做。

我知道，不是每個人都想聽這些。很多正要創業的人，比較喜歡逐步條列的成功公式，但是，世上根本就沒有這種東西！我們有的，只是一種思考方式，讓我們可以處理各種不同的情況，並在不同的機會出現時，好好的把喔。有了這套心法，不保證你做什麼事都無往不利，但一定可以大幅提昇你成功的機會。

你將會成多敗少，而你在這場遊戲中活得越久，就越有可能登上高峰。

我們都有生意上的師父
但他們在當我們師父的時候，我們卻未必察覺

本書中文版《師父：那些我在課堂外學會的本事》由早安財經出版

Two of Inc. magazineA's hugely popular columnists show how small-business people can deal with all kinds of tricky situations.

People starting out in business tend to seek step-by-step formulas or specific rules, but in reality there are no magic bullets. Rather, says veteran entrepreneur Norm Brodsky, thereA's a mentality that helps street-smart people solve problems and pursue opportunities as they arise. He calls it A"the knack,A" and it has made all the difference to the eight successful start-ups of his career.

Brodsky explores this mind-set every month in Inc. magazine, in the hugely popular column he co-writes with journalist and author Bo Burlingham (best known for his acclaimed book Small Giants). In both their column and now their book, they tell stories about real companies facing real challenges, and show readers how to apply A"the knackA" to their own businesses.

Brodsky and Burlingham offer essential advice such as:

A Follow the numbersA-thatA's the best way to spot problems before they become life threatening
A Keep focusing on your real goal--itA's amazingly easy to get sidetracked by secondary concerns
A DonA't get so close to the problem that you lose all perspective Brodsky and Burlingham prove that street smarts and business acumen can be within any entrepreneurA's reach.