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Most small business owners should have read The E-Myth by Michael Gerber.

The main concept of The E-Myth is that small business owners start their business with the idea that they are becoming entrepreneurs. They start the business because they have a skill. For example, the business owner might be an excellent barber or dog trainer. They put out their shingle and "do the thing" that the business does: cut hair or train dogs. What they discover is they haven't really created a business at all, they have created a job for themselves. They have a terrible employee and a worse boss!

Gerber promotes the Franchise Model - systemizing your business so that it can function without you. Then you have an asset of value that you can sell. Systems free the business owner to do what he or she is supposed to do - work on the business and enjoy his or her life.

When they try to implement The E-Myth in their business, many business owners find it is an overwhelming task.

David Jenyns helps business owners implement The E-Myth.

In his book, SYSTEMology, he breaks down the systemization process into bite-sized chunks. You might say he provides a system for systemization.

The SYSTEMology process consists of seven steps: (1) Define, (2) Assign, (3) Extract, (4) Organize, (5) Integrate, (6) Scale, and (7) Optimize.

Jenyns tells the reader to relax a little bit. Don't try to be McDonald's. The business owner doesn't even have to personally define all of the systems. Team members can work together to document the best practices within the business.

Start with the most critical processes in your business and then work your way through, step-by-step.

The systems should be accessible for team members, such as on the cloud.

As a supplement to the book, Jenyns has a web site with forms to work with. There are also examples of documented systems in the appendix.

You know a system is working properly when you and your employees can go on vacation without disrupting the business and without having to "check in."

Anyone who is starting a new business or work on an existing business to make it function without total reliance on individuals will find SYSTEMology to be an invaluable tool.

Buy it online at Amazon.com: SYSTEMology: Create time, reduce errors and scale your profits with proven business systems.

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