thimblesofplenty is a group of friends who also happen to be business people and avid readers. We wanted to keep up with the latest business books but found that time was a factor. So we divided out the work and each of us took a book and summarised it for the others. We though it might be a great idea to share these summaries with you. For a small price and a 3 minute time investment, our summary gives you some of the wisdom from the book, some food for thought and hopefully the impetus to make some time to read the whole book!

The must-read summary of Joe Calhoon's book: "The 1 Hour Plan for Growth: How a Single Sheet of Paper Can Take Your Business to the Next Level". This complete summary of the ideas from Joe Calhoon's book "The 1 Hour Plan for Growth" shows that many businesses and business people spend their time continually doing something, but not contributing to company growth. In his book, the author presents a simple solution: set aside one hour and write your precise goals on a piece of paper. This summary details exactly how this hour should be spent and the benefits of using this one-hour system to identify opportunities more quickly and keep track of progress. Added-value of this summary: • Save time • Understand key concepts • Expand your knowledge To learn more, read "The 1 Hour Plan for Growth" and discover how you can manage your time, goals and staff in just one hour.

A proven system for creating a clear and compelling business growth plan There are 15 million businesses in the United States, and 13 million of them don't utilize a planning process. Yet having a planning process is the most reliable predictor of whether a business will grow. The One Hour Plan for Growth provides a proven system for any business to create a clear and compelling business growth plan that fits on a single sheet of paper in about one hour. This book is a quick read, and you and your people stay energized and focused on your top priorities. Covers the six essential elements of the dynamic business growth plan: Vision, Mission, Values, Objectives, Strategies, and Priorities Previously the top-rated speaker for Stephen Covey's organization, the author is now a successful speaker and consultant with some of the world's finest small and mid-sized companies The book delivers a proven planning process that engages employees, develops leadership capacity, improves performance, and accelerates growth.

The one thing investors seek when funding new ideas - here's what to do if you want to turn your business into the next Apple. Having a great idea isn't enough to launch a multi-million-dollar business. Let's face it, investors don't put money in ideas. They need concrete evidence that they'll get return on their investment, and a good business plan gives them such information. Do you have a hard time figuring out how to get a business plan down on paper? Are you tired and confused by all the business jargon, just wanting a straightforward how-to guide outlining exactly what you need to do? Business plans are the heart and soul of a successful company - they give you focus and operational clarity that can kick major mistakes to the curb. No matter how good your business idea is, you will need a plan to create a solid foundation before going on the market or trying to get investors on board. Did you know that even science says you need a business plan to make your startup a success? One study found out that companies with a business plan grow 30% faster than competitors! In addition, startups with a business plan achieve more sustainable success in the long run. So, what's the secret to writing a business plan like a seasoned pro or a Fortune 500 company CEO? It's not something you'll learn in business school, as experience shows a completely different side of running a business. For best results, you need to learn from someone who's already been there and who has conquered the almighty business plan. In How to Write a Winning Business Plan, you will discover: What a business model canvas is and 4 reasons why you should be using it How a great idea dies in the absence of good organization and the one thing to do about it 9 business plan building blocks to put organizational specifics in place Surefire ways to overcome financial conundrums and secure the investment needed to help your business thrive Ways in which successful CEOs mitigate business startup risks A bulletproof technique to write a killer value proposition Tactics for pinpointing the right customers and reaching them through the power of marketing A comprehensive guide to understand your business model in a structured way How to analyze the competition if you want to benefit from some competitive advantage And much more. Most guides focusing on business plan creation are rather vague, abstract, and non-specific. By relying on those, you'll never put together a tailored strategic document that will set you up for success from day one. The methodology you'll find in How to Write a Winning Business Plan is derived from reality and analysis of the best corporate organizational approaches out there. It doesn't matter what field you operate in or how big you want to grow. This methodology is the way to understand your business better, putting together realistic expectations and goals for the future. If you want to learn the secrets to writing a winning business plan, then scroll up and click "Add to Cart" now.

Success in business demands an organization that is agile, innovative, and alert, capable of reinventing itself to handle whatever comes its way. Yet most attempts at transformational change fail, hamstrung by poor strategy, office politics, stakeholder resistance, and the pressures of constant transformation. In Stragility, Ellen Auster and Lisa Hillenbrand provide a powerful, practical, action-oriented approach that equips leaders at all levels to navigate these challenges while building skills and capabilities for the next strategic change. Filled with great examples of leading edge companies, and jam-packed with concrete tips, action steps, and tools, Stragility offers indispensable advice on how to make continuous strategic changes, navigate the politics and emotions of change, and inspire and engage leaders and stakeholders. Building on a field-tested framework the authors have applied in Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, and social sector organizations, Stragility provides the tools for creating a thriving, high-energy organization that will excel at strategic change - again and again.

If you've heard these words from a potential lender, investor, or business partner, and you need a business plan pronto, this book is for you! Step-by-Step Checklists See exactly what you need to do to create a high-quality, successful plan quickly. Easy-to-Use Worksheets Help you quickly work through every section of your plan. Time-saving Tools Shortcuts and resources get you straight to all the information you need. Sample Plan We've done the hard part! Use our carefully designed samples as a model for your own plan. Keys to Success Time-tested tips from insiders help you reach your goals. Expert Advice Written by Rhonda Abrams, America's leading expert on business plan success. It's All Here: Concise, but thorough. Everything you need to develop a winning plan. QuickTips help you finish important tasks fast. Financials made easy! Flow-through financials let you pull together your financial documents quickly. Formatting guidelines ensure that your plan matches industry norms and standards Online Resources po$$ you to key sources of information. Get it done right, get done fast! Book jacket.

Provides the fundamentals, technologies, and best practices in designing, constructing and managing mission critical, energy efficient data centers Organizations in need of high-speed connectivity and nonstop systems operations depend upon data centers for a range of deployment solutions. A data center is a facility used to house computer systems and associated components, such as telecommunications and storage systems. It generally includes multiple power sources, redundant data communications connections, environmental controls (e.g., air conditioning, fire suppression) and security devices. With contributions from an international list of experts, The Data Center Handbook instructs readers to: Prepare strategic plan that includes location plan, site selection, roadmap and capacity planning Design and build "green" data centers, with mission critical and energy-efficient infrastructure Apply best practices to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions Apply IT technologies such as cloud and virtualization Manage data centers in order to sustain operations with minimum costs Prepare and practice disaster reovery and business continuity plan The book imparts essential knowledge needed to implement data center design and construction, apply IT technologies, and continually improve data center operations.