Reading Table of Contents of the book The Blendification System: Activating Potential by Connecting Culture, Strategy, and Execution shows Daniel Bruder has an accomplished background. Most solopreneurs I know might never read this book because the content is like bringing a front loader for your solopreneurship garden when a garden trowel will do, its overkill for most. In his Introduction, he states, “Over the past two centuries, capitalism as a social system has exponentially: increased living standards throughout the world; reduced infant mortality; improved life expectancy; expanded leisure time” which while the facts are true, the historical timeline, often quoted, is off—by centuries.
Rodney Stark, in his book, “The Victory of Reason,” outlines that the foundational concepts of capitalism began in the “Dark Ages” when the monk’s economic prosperity meant they had to reconcile it with their Biblical doctrines. Yes, the economic prosperity hockey stick growth showed up in the 1700-1800s, especially in the U.S., but those results were built on their shoulders. Discussing “Strategy in the Bible” in two paragraphs skews his very short commentary of the Bible when the last three commandments of the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20 says you shall not steal, lie, or covet “anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
BARNES AND NOBLE: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-blendification-system-daniel-m-bruder/1135614692
The Bible does not advocate the force of warfare in which Bruder frequently discusses military strategy. Or of fraud by misleading or mistreating your customer or vendor in an “I win, you lose,” but the Bible advocates to treat your customers, vendors, or competitors as you treat yourself. I found nuggets of high quality skimming the book’s content. Bruder’s comment, “my number one StrengthFinders’ theme was ‘competition’’ was a welcome and positive insight for entrepreneurs. His commentary regarding his Focus Spectrum of “Red Side, Green Side” is spot on; however, most understand it as having a fixed/Red versus growth/Green mindset. Bruder’s discussion of humility and confidence within a business context, confidence in who we are and what we know, but humble enough to know we need to learn more and ask for other’s help. Bruder’s and other business books, which frequently reference military strategy, miss a crucial point between business and the military. In most cases, any nation’s military has an end goal of winning and ending the battle/campaign with the surrender of the loser—mostly, it has an end date/goal. However, most businesses in the marketplace either grow and win or fail and go under — it’s an ongoing battle in the market with no end date in sight.
Also, while Bruder includes the “P” for political or policy influences in his STEEP model, but he should advocate pushing back when bad governmental legislative policies create severe and unintended consequences for all stakeholders. While about 75 percent of entrepreneurs have less than five employees, the content presented herein The Blendification System is too complicated for them. It should be intended as a precursor when one has a vision for their business as you grow beyond your five employee
Written by Kevin Cullis, posted by Garth Thomas