The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Big Things Have Small Beginnings: Learn to Play the Great Game
Because Big Things Have Small Beginnings was Book of the Day, some of our most trusted members have carefully looked over the cover, the description, and other aspects of this book as a part of purchase-intent focus group. We then asked each participant in the focus group if they planned to buy and read the book, and why they planned to buy and read the book or not. Their answer to that question and reasons are displayed below. We call this awesome feature The First Ten Focus Group.
Keep in mind, the responses from the members are not reviews. This is purchase-intent focus group which means the participants are people who have NOT yet bought or read your book. A purchase-intent focus group is an important and extremely useful marketing tool for any product, not just books. For other products, you might walk on the street and show people an item in a package and poll them about whether they would buy if or $X or not. These kind of focus groups are one of the ways big marketing companies find the ideal price points for products and test the effectiveness of different packaging. The focus group can help you identify your market so you how to target ads of your book, and it can (but may not) provide you new useful info about your "packaging" (e.g. your book cover, your book synopsis on Amazon, etc.). The point of the focus group comments is to give you information from people who have not bought or read your book about why they plan to buy your book which will help you in marketing the book. These are not reviews or critiques of your book because they are not from people have read the book. This is a marketing tool, not reviews. The trick of book marketing and book advertising is that you have to convince people who have not read your book yet that your book is worth buying and reading. For marketing, it doesn't matter much if people love your book after reading it if you cannot convince potential buyers before they read it that they will love it.
IMPORTANT: Any score over 10% is considered very good. And any score above 0% is acceptable. This is because we only poll about 20 or so readers, and all readers have to say "no" to almost all books. Over a million books are published each year. Even a very active reader cannot come close to even reading 1% of books out there.
This is also why publishing books is such a tough industry.
Bianka Walter
This is not a book that I would have sampled without the first ten program. I am not a big reader of non-fiction self-help books. Especially those pertaining to money and making a successful business. This author seems really earnest in his teachings. The beginning of this book starts with simple explanations of things like ambition and timing, and moves on to the American business climate. If I was to be reading this entire book, this is where it would have lost me. I am not an American, so this book obviously does not pertain to me. The sample that I read was well edited; I didn't find any errors. However, I will not be reading this book further. As I mentioned above, I don't generally read this genre and being based in America, it doesn't apply to me. The OBC review did not change my mind.
First Ten review added on March 20, 2019, at 4:38 am by Bianka Walter.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Annelore Trujillo
I would not have sampled this book based on the genre, blurb, OBC review, cover and title. I did think the concept was a good one, and the author seems very wise. However, I don’t usually read non-fiction books, and it didn’t seem like one that would really be useful to me. After reading the first ten pages, I won’t be finishing this book. I think this book would be great for people that are looking at starting a business or taking a new path in their life. The message is great. I love that the author points out that you have to pay attention to the small pieces to make the big picture happen. The anecdote about the blacksmith that brought an end to the kingdom by missing one little nail is a great metaphor for this. However, I just don’t have a current purpose for this book in my life. I also didn’t feel like I was learning from it as I already share the beliefs of the author. For example the definition of ambition and the way a balance of it was talked about is a conversation I’ve had with my students before. The book did seem to be professionally edited.
First Ten review added on March 20, 2019, at 4:27 am by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Gravy
I do not read books in the self help genre. Needless to say, I would not have samped this, and there was really nothing it could have done to change my mind.
I didn't notice any errors, and enjoyed the inclusion of the quotes, and especially the application of 'The Art of War' to business. I also appreciate the author mentioning good fortune without a negative connotation. It is so often anathema in the self help I've sampled, which is one of my major issues with the genre (believing (and preaching) that ANYONE can do ANYTHING if they just DO THIS! is unrealistic and, honestly, naive. Doors need to be open (or at least openable) for people to get through them.) I do, however, have to wonder if this comes up later in the book (I've yet to see a self help book that doesn't claim the reader can do ANYTHING! And that good furtune/luck is some sort of excuse "lazy" people use not to succeed).
I believe there was a review for this book, but my opinion would be the same without one. Despite enjoying this more than most (probably all) others of the genre, I still can't say I want to read this, so my not reading this is purely down to personal preferences.
First Ten review added on March 20, 2019, at 2:28 am by Gravy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sicily Joy
I wasn't interested in reading this book based on the cover, title, and description. I am not interested in a book about making it in the business world. After sampling the book, I decided I didn't want to finish reading it. The book didn't hold my attention because it was too dry. The author did try to use slang and informal speech but it came off as awkward considering the professional nature of the book. For examples, Wes Berry wrote " Soooo" and " shootin' the breeze". The book would have been improved with starting with personal stories of successes and failures as opposed to the informal language. I also didn't like how much time was dedicated to explaining ambition. There really wasn't anything I liked about the sample. However, I didn't find any errors, therefore I believe it was professionally edited. Since this is not my type of book, the positive official review didn't change my mind.
First Ten review added on March 19, 2019, at 11:57 pm by Sicily Joy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Fu Zaila
The cover isn't very appealing, neither is the blurb. But I liked how the author explains the reasons for choosing the title. And I liked that he is willing to show his share of failures and successes to further prove his point. I did not like the tale of the blacksmith, because I hadn't read about it. From the bits and pieces of it that were explained, I have a slight idea of what it is about, but I did not like feeling ignorant for not knowing the story. The writing seems to be edited, but I felt that the sentences could have been shorter. I won't be reading the book because of the genre and because I wasn't invested in the sample.
First Ten review added on March 19, 2019, at 10:54 pm by Fu Zaila.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
va2016
The title and the cover clearly indicate the theme of the book. There are 50 Amazon customer reviews with an average rating of 5 out of 5 stars, which is great! The Amazon summary clearly describes what's inside the book. Based on the above factors, I would have chosen to sample the book even if not for the First Ten program, as I am interested in bestselling books on business success. As I sampled through the book, I found the narration talking about snippets of wisdom from successful business leaders like John Rockefeller, which is exciting. Wes's idea about doing the small things regularly to take care of the business, which will in turn take care of the bigger business success is invaluable. I am going to read the book in full and get to learn the rest. I found the book professionally edited with no grammatical or mechanical errors. What I liked most about the book are the pearls of wisdom about business and life success. I didn't find anything that could be improved in the book. Although I found one OBC review of the book, my decision to read the book in full is based on my own sampling.
First Ten review added on March 19, 2019, at 10:22 pm by va2016.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Dolor
Without The First Ten program I wouldn't be reading this book because the blurb, the official OBC review, and the first ten pages had not piqued my interest. Self-help is not my first choice among the book genres. The title could pique the interest of the business-minded persons. The cover is catchy as well. The pair of dice looks good below the title. The first ten pages talked about ambition. The author said that it is essential in business. It is the achievement of that worthwhile goal that brings us a genuine sense of our own worth. Even if we have not reached our goals yet, ambition makes us people with a purpose. I like the quoted essay, but I feel like I have known the details discussed in the first ten pages, so I will not read on. Here are the errors I found:
*fonts of the titles are capitalized*
AMBITION… FOR BETTER, OR WORSE?
*punctuation location error*
Let’s begin our discussion with “Ambition.”
It requires a whole lot more of us than just our lofty “ambitions,” our dreams in life.
*fragmented sentences*
And it is the achievement of that worthwhile goal that brings us a genuine sense of our own worth.
And success is guaranteed to no one.
Or is it a castigation?
And be assured that this discussion is not a new one.
But, in fact, it sure does ring true!
I don't have further improvement suggestion for this book. Big Things Have Small Beginnings by Wes Berry is a self-help book that provides ideas and #Advice about #Leadership and #Business #Management. It focuses on achieving success by giving attention to the little stuff. It aims to make the readers acknowledge that success is the result of creative thinking, attention to detail, listening skills, hard work, and grit.
#NonFiction #Success
First Ten review added on March 19, 2019, at 8:59 pm by Dolor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
micoleon13
This is not really a cover page which appeals to me. It seems like a self-help book which I don't really enjoy reading. I would not choose this book to read. The OnlineBookClub review was very complementary and outlined a book that I can see would be of use to many people, especially the part about identifying certain traits in employees to benefit the growth of a company. However, it did not change my original opinion about this book. The pages which I read were well written and edited and I liked the anecdote at the beginning of the introduction about the blacksmith bringing down a kingdom with the lack of a nail in a horseshoe. I also like how the author doesn't sugarcoat the idea of success. He states that is necessary to have ambition, but success will come only with a struggle. In spite of appreciating the merits of this book, it simply is not one which appeals to me, so I will not be continuing to read it. I have no ideas for improvement.
First Ten review added on March 19, 2019, at 7:47 pm by micoleon13.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Heidi M Simone
If it wasn't for this program, I would not have sampled this book. In general, I have no interest in running my own business and reading business-related books. Therefore, the title, cover, blurb, and genre would not have piqued my interest. The positive OBC and customer ratings do not affect my opinion of the book. I didn't see any glaring errors while reading, which is always great to see. I really enjoyed the conversational tone the author portrays as he spoke of the book's purpose, the importance and ambiguity of ambition, finding the right balance of ambition, and the significance of timing. To include Julius Caesar as an example of an ambitious person was interesting. Though there is much positives about the sample, I'm afraid the content isn't applicable to me at this point in my life. Due to the content not being relatable and the fact that I'm in business, I do not plan on buying and reading the book.
First Ten review added on March 19, 2019, at 6:54 pm by Heidi M Simone.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
MarisaRose
After reading the book blurb for "Big Things Have Small Beginnings" I wasn't all that eager to purchase the book. I don't like to read nonfiction, especially when it has to do with business ventures; these topics just don't appeal to me. That being said, I wouldn't purchase this book blindly. An OBC review wouldn't sway my opinion in this case because the book just didn't interest me at all. After sampling the first ten pages, my initial thoughts were that the author has a great voice that shines through in the writing. He seems credible and also interesting. However, I also noticed that there is too much focus on long-winded explanations. The author goes into details about 'ambition' and 'balance.' However, these are basic concepts that most people have a pretty good understanding of. So the overly wordy descriptions and likening of these two concepts to military personnel seemed boring. I would have liked the beginning of this book better if the author had gotten to the point a bit faster. Grammatically, the sample was sound; I noticed no errors. I wasn't really intrigued by this book after finishing the sample, so I don't plan to read any more of it.
First Ten review added on March 19, 2019, at 11:46 am by MarisaRose.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Alice Heritage
This is an unremarkable cover, and I wouldn't have sampled this book without the programme because I don't have any particular business ambitions. I also won't buy and read this book today because the sample that I read seemed overly focused on masculine aggression. The book does appear to have been professionally edited because I did not notice any errors. I liked learning some new information best. I did not know that the Pax Romana was the longest period of world peace at 200 years; the information about the origins of the insurgent forces in Iraq was also interesting. The argument about guns could be improved. The author claims that a gun is an instrument that can promote peace as if this were incontrovertible - right in the middle of a passage about Julius Caesar and the Pax Romana! There weren't any guns then. The masculine focus is an area that could be improved. Recent UN resolutions highlight the important role of women in peace and security. I didn't check the OnlineBookClub review as I gained enough of an impression from the sample that this book is not for me.
First Ten review added on March 19, 2019, at 6:01 am by Alice Heritage.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Catherine Hsu
If I had not read the sample, I would not have read the book as I do not read self-help books. After reading the sample, I have changed my mind. Surprisingly, I actually loved the writing style, and I liked how the story started with the anecdote about how the blacksmith brought down a kingdom; it really summarized the author's point very well and was also a fun story to read. The writing style was very casual and used second person, so I felt immersed. It was professionally edited. I did not read an official review but that did not affect my decision.
First Ten review added on March 19, 2019, at 4:43 am by Catherine Hsu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Cristina Chifane
I wouldn't have sampled this book without the first ten program since I'm not interested in books on leadership and business growth. I like the title, but the cover could have been more elaborated. The Amazon blurb is well-written and manages to draw the readers' attention, especially with the references to Wes Berry's sucessful business life. With great editorial reviews and a majority of 5-star customer reviews, the book has many things to offer to those who want to make their business successful. I enjoyed reading the story of the blacksmith and the loss of a kingdom at the beginning of the sample. The author's remarks on the importance of ambition and being "people with a purpose" have some unexpected philosophical connotations. I loved Sun Tzu's words that the author mentions in the section on balance: "In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity." I've only noticed the use of a semicolon instead of a comma in the sample: "I'd rather say that some are not meant for a peacetime military (;) although I would prefer to say [...]" (38% of Sample). What I didn't necessarily like was the restrictive label "America - the Land of Amibitious People". Even if the book has a positive OBC review, I'll not be adding it to my reading list mainly because business field isn't my current field of interest.
First Ten review added on March 19, 2019, at 3:31 am by Cristina Chifane.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mai Tran
I pick up this book wondering what seemingly small things are often overlooked in business that could create the greatest impact, but the sample seems to be different from what I’ve imagined. It begins with talks about ambition, balance, timing, and Julius Caesar. The book is quite challenging to follow because the author often ponders contradicting opinions as he presents his philosophy. I won’t continue to read this book because I prefer direct writing. The book seems professionally edited.
First Ten review added on March 19, 2019, at 3:25 am by Mai Tran.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Vickie Noel
I wasn't planning on reading this book. Not that there's anything wrong with it; the title is spot-on about what kind of book it is, and the cover is appropriate for the material. I just didn't think I was in the mood for another self-help book. I changed my mind after the sample, especially with the first quote in part one. Then, I loved the way the author broke down the word "ambition" in chapter one. I have a strong feeling I'd benefit a lot from this book. It is also professionally edited but there's an omitted period between "choice" and "And" in the sentence, "He felt he had no choice And sad to say..." The OBC review highly praised the book but I'd kept it in my Not Interested shelf. Now, reading the sample has made me retrieve it from there straight to my TBR list.
First Ten review added on March 19, 2019, at 1:08 am by Vickie Noel.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
CrescentMoon
After reading the blurb, I wouldn't pick this book up because I don't really enjoy non fiction or self help books. But I do really like the title and I think it's excellent advice for those looking to succeed in life. After reading the first ten pages, I didn't see any major spelling or grammar errors. I like the way the author expresses his views to the reader in a friendly and direct tone. I feel like the author is somebody I would appreciate listening to and heeding advice from. I really like how he explains how the daily life grind is necessary in order to really succeed and eventually the big picture will manifest itself. I love the story of how the blacksmith took down an entire kingdom. It explains the author's analogy very well. I also think the beginning quote of ambition by John D. Rockefeller is a great way to further explain the author's goal in explaining to the reader what it really means to want to succeed and be ambitious and how having the superficial goal of being rich isn't really what it means to be ambitious. I think this is a great book to read for those looking for inspiration, but it's not for me.
First Ten review added on March 18, 2019, at 11:29 pm by CrescentMoon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Chelsy Scherba
I enjoyed reading about where success comes from and getting a close-reading explanation of “Ambition” by Francis Bacon. The writing is conversational and engagingly positive, making it fun to read. I like the overall theme of business building and learning the steps to achieve it. I feel I could benefit from this book, so I will gladly read the free copy I received in the giveaway. The editing looks pristine and the review was influential in making me excited to sample this book. I like that this book is advertised as a number one best seller on the cover. I also like that these techniques are described as a game.
First Ten review added on March 18, 2019, at 9:40 pm by Chelsy Scherba.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
LV2R
The cover and title attracted me because it makes things seem possible to start small and get big. I wanted to read the Amazon Blurb about the book. I liked that the author would share key tasks that made famous people successful and also the advice to not overlook the small things that can have the greatest impact over a longer period of time. I wanted to read the sample. The author wrote about the importance of having the right amount of ambition and compared business with war. I best like that he stated, “... when you take care of the little stuff, the big stuff has a real nice way of taking care of itself.” I want to know what the “small stuff” is to be successful. I like that he was a successful businessman that shares his insights and advice. The book seems to be edited well, as I did not notice any errors. The OBC review reported that the author stated, “Success is a result of creative thinking, attention to detail, listening skills, hard work, and grit.” I am interested in what makes a business successful, and I like the overall feeling that I get from this book, things like “creative solutions and positive thinking.” Therefore, I want to buy and read this book
First Ten review added on March 18, 2019, at 9:17 pm by LV2R.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
CataclysmicKnight
I probably would've skipped over this book if it wasn't the book of the day merely because I don't really have any big business aspirations of any sort.
So far I'm blown away by how welcoming and smooth the writing is. Wes's writing skills are very evident; he blends terrific quotes along with perfect explanations of what they mean and how they apply. Most of what I read was about ambition, and Wes covered the negatives, positives, and applications of it in that short amount of time while using quotes from The Art of War and Sir Francis Bacon. I didn't see any grammatical errors or even less-than-smooth parts at all, and what I read definitely changed my mind about wanting to read this one!
First Ten review added on March 18, 2019, at 9:08 pm by CataclysmicKnight.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
revna01
I think the title and cover are really sharp. The OBC reviewer stated this four star business book was well-edited and I observed the same, finding no errors in the sample. Wes Berry discusses the importance of tending to the little details in business. Also, wealth is not a sufficient goal or purpose for a business venture. Berry also quotes Sir Francis Bacon, who stated men are not dangerous when allowed their creativity, but become dangerous when held back from their pursuits. I liked the author's use of famous people and scenarios to make his point. I also liked the organization of the opening. I can think of nothing to improve on during the first ten pages. Business is not an interest of mine, so I'll pass on this one.
First Ten review added on March 18, 2019, at 8:43 pm by revna01.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
CinWin
"Big Things Have Small Beginnings" by Wes Berr begins by the author telling us why he wrote this book. He has enjoyed a lot of success in his business and his life, and wants to share the path that led him to where he is today. Chapter 1 leads us into an in-depth explaination of what ambition is. He deals with it mostly from a military view. I would not have chosen this book by its cover because I am not interested in business books. I read the first 10 pages and the author delves in deep with his explaination of ambition. He covers all bases on the subject, mostly the military. Although the author provides a very in-depth study of how to create a successful business, I, personally, am not interested in learning how to make millions in businss, so I will not be finishing this book. Money and the big business game does not drive my life. I am sure there are many others with the same philosophy as the author, and would love this book. There were no typos and there was an onlinebookclub review. The only suggestion I would make is to not make it so dry - spice it up with some stories to grab the readers attention.
First Ten review added on March 18, 2019, at 8:05 pm by CinWin.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
AA1495
Had I not sampled the book, I would not have read it. I usually read pure romance books. Further, I found the cover rather plain (with just the title against a plain black background). However, I liked the title and it made me curious about the content of the book. Having read the sample, I thought that the book was easy to read and follow. The vocabulary and sentence structures used were simple. However, I thought that the book had many informal words such as "Shootin'", "Pullin'" and "Soooo" which distracted me a little. However, I found no major grammatical errors. Since I do not read the genre usually, I will not be buying this book today.
First Ten review added on March 18, 2019, at 7:32 pm by AA1495.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
HRichards
I normally wouldn't have picked up this book because the content doesn't really interest me. Having read the sample, I won't be continuing with the book as the subject it is about doesn't really interest me. The sample deals with the author talking about people who want to be successful needing to concentrate on little things and being thorough. He then goes into describing what ambition is and why successful businesspeople need that trait. The writing is pretty good. I did not notice an grammar errors. Those who are interested in self help might like this book. I'm not really interested in that genre. I have not read any other reviews of this book.
First Ten review added on March 18, 2019, at 6:42 pm by HRichards.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
NuelUkah
The title is a big attraction. The cover is quite matured. I love the author's explanation of ambition and timing. I got a copy before sampling the first ten pages because I want to learn from successful men. Thanks to the Official OnlineBookClub review for a general overview of the book. The book seems to be professionally edited as I found no error. I've bought a copy, and I'm going to read it.
First Ten review added on March 18, 2019, at 6:32 pm by NuelUkah.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Emy Katherine
I would not have chosen to read and sample this book based on the genre as I am not a fan of self-help books. Unfortunately, I did not change my mind after reading the first ten pages. In his book, “Big Things Have Small Beginnings,” Wes Berry focuses on teaching people how to succeed in both business and life. According to him, paying extreme attention to the little things, having the right amount of ambition, and having the right timing is essential to success. I was impressed by the author's writing style; it was pleasant, conversational, and engaging. The book also seems to be professionally edited as I did not find any grammatical errors. People interested in management and leadership careers will surely appreciate it.
First Ten review added on March 18, 2019, at 5:44 pm by Emy Katherine.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jsovermyer
The cover is good for a self-help book. It looks like a big advertisement. I like that this book encourages hardwork and paying attention to detail. This would be a valuable tool to anyone who has their own business or wants to get ahead in their job. My favorite part, of the ten pages I read, was the story of how the blacksmith's mistake in shoeing a horse caused the downfall of the entire kingdom. The part I liked least was the discussion that having ambitious soldiers could be dangerous. The official review rated this book highly and while I agree it is a good book, I didn't find the information very helpful. I didn't see any grammatical or spelling errors and believe that this book has been professionally edited. However, I thought it had a lot of complex sentences. For example on location 72 where it says, "My hope is that, if you too are starting out on that road, or maybe are already well along the way and perhaps have hit a couple of ruts, then what I’m about to tell you might be of assistance to you on your own journey— in your business— and in your life." Smaller sentences would be clearer. Because I am not interested in reading a self-help book at this time, I will not be finishing it.
First Ten review added on March 18, 2019, at 5:42 pm by Jsovermyer.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sweet Psamy
If I had not sampled the first ten pages of this book, I would have chosen to read it because of its encouraging title - "BIG THINGS HAVE SMALL BEGININGS". I appreciate motivational books so I would have chosen to read it. I would buy and read the whole book because I agree with the author that big things do have small beginnings.
Reading the first ten pages did not change my mind about buying the book. This is because I was inspired after reading them. The author focused on the significant role of small things in the big picture. The book appears to have been professionally edited. What I like most in the bit I read was a statement about the author on the back cover page of the book. It described the author as someone who believes that people can disagree without being disagreeable. I also valued the author's focus on the importance of small things.
I think including results of people who have applied his teachings in his book, would further promote the credibility of the book. The book did not have an official OnlineBookClub review that I saw. The lack of an official OnlineBookClub review did not affect my decision.
First Ten review added on March 18, 2019, at 5:19 pm by Sweet Psamy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Sonya Nicolaidis
The cover design is certainly no-nonsense and leaves little doubt as to the type of book this is. I must say, I was not immediately drawn to this one, as I have had my fill of self-help books for the time being. However, the reviews were pleasing, and so I tried to approach the sample with an open mind. I really liked the introduction to the book, and especially the chatty, informal way the author writes. The next section of the sample started to get a little more involved, talking about ambition and Julius Caesar, and I liked this aspect the least as I felt the author labored the point too much. I'm afraid this is where he lost me. I would maybe suggest moving swiftly over heavygoing analogies, and on to the more practical aspects of 'playing the game'. In spite of great editing with no noticeable errors and his very appealing style, I cannot say I was overly impressed by the sample, and won't be reading this book.
First Ten review added on March 18, 2019, at 4:23 pm by Sonya Nicolaidis.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
unamilagra
Before reading this book, I would not have picked it up, simply because I am not involved in the business world and the book would not apply to me. I read the first ten pages in the free preview, which contained the introduction and the beginning of the chapter about ambition. I liked the way that ambition was discussed in a way that I had never considered before, such as the point the author made that whether "ambitious" is considered a positive or negative characteristic depends on the ambitiousness of the speaker. I also appreciated the conversational tone. I haven't changed my mind about not purchasing this book due to its lack of relevance to me personally, but I think it would be a great choice for its target audience. I didn't notice any errors in the section I read.
First Ten review added on March 18, 2019, at 4:20 pm by unamilagra.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kajori Sheryl Paul
Big Things Come With Small Beginnings is a book written by Wes Berry. The title, blurb, the OBC review, and the customer reviews in Amazon did a good job of convincing me to give the book a try.
The first ten pages of the book leads me to believe that it is a non-fiction book. It talks about getting success in business. I like the way the author starts off the book with an anecdote. I also like the way he draws reference from Sir France Bacon. Also, I like the way he talks about Julius Caesar. I did not find any error. I consider it to be professionally edited. I will give this book a skip as I am not in the mood to read a book of this genre.
First Ten review added on March 18, 2019, at 3:29 pm by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sarah_Khan
At first glance, I would not have picked up this book because I am not interested in business. I think the cover is plain but the title is nice. The first ten pages seem well-edited. I liked that the author speaks directly to the readers in the introduction. I also liked that the writing style is easy to read with easy vocabulary. Unfortunately, the first few pages have still not changed my mind. I did not feel the need to read an OBC review because I know it would not change my mind.
First Ten review added on March 18, 2019, at 3:19 pm by Sarah_Khan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Laura Ungureanu
This book doesn't attract me because I am not interested in bussiness, so I wouldn't have picked it up without this program. However, I agree with its message that is also its title. The sample was pretty convincing. I enjoyed the connection the author makes with the reader and the little story about the blacksmith who doomed the whole kingdom. I found one missing period after "He felt he had no choice". I can't continue reading it because of its genre.
First Ten review added on March 18, 2019, at 1:43 pm by Laura Ungureanu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Camille Turner
I would not have sampled this book without the program because I am not interested in nonfiction books about business, and, based on the cover, title, and Amazon blurb, this is clearly one of those. After reading the first ten pages, I believe the book to be professionally edited as I didn't note any grammatical errors or typos. My impression has stayed the same as this book really focuses on business growth, so I won't buy it today because that topic just doesn't appeal to me personally. However, I wouldn't improve anything because I'm sure nonfiction lovers seeking business guidance will enjoy the book. I did like that the author used the story of the blacksmith who neglected a nail in a horseshoe and, through the butterfly effect, brought down the kingdom. I also liked that the author says you have to pay attention to small details in business and that he says that ambition can be viewed as either a bad or good thing. However, the topic as a whole just doesn't appeal to me, so I won't read it.
First Ten review added on March 18, 2019, at 12:52 pm by Camille Turner.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Scerakor
From the cover, blurb, and review of this book, I wouldn’t have read it. Although I've read some good memoirs in the past, I'm not really interested in business focused books preaching lessons for life. After reading the first ten pages I didn’t change my mind and therefore will not be buying and reading the rest of this book. I appreciated the author's back to basics approach to writing. Not only does he start off with the fundamentals (e.g. Ambition) by defining what it is, he quickly uses three examples (Sun Tzu and Julius Caesar) to back up his points. That being said, I'm not interested enough in business or Berry's advice to merit buying and reading the rest of this book. Although the editing looked fine, the online Kindle version I read did have an awkward image artifact (that says "obj" in a box) beside the image of the pair of dice. I didn’t see anything specific that I would have wanted to change within the sample that I read, but it did seem well written and edited. The official review did not affect my decision at all.
First Ten review added on March 18, 2019, at 12:49 pm by Scerakor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Ekta Kumari
If it wasn't for this program, I wouldn't have read or sampled the book as I'm not interested in its content. In the sample, there is discussion on some very important factors that play major role in a person's professional success. The author sheds light on ambition and how important it is for leaders to guide the ambition of those under them in the right direction. I liked that the writing style is very conversational and lively making it an engaging read. There were no errors, and it seems to be exceptionally edited. There is a very well-written official review that can be read before considering the book. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book to a businessperson or someone in a leadership position. But I'm not going to read this because the content is not of my interest, and I don't think I'm the target audience for this book.
First Ten review added on March 18, 2019, at 11:06 am by Ekta Kumari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kendra M Parker
I’m not a big fan of self-help books. I’m pretty content with myself as I am. As I read the first ten pages, I did enjoy and agree with the author’s analysis of ambition and balance. I think he has a very good point in finding the right balance that will enable an ambitious man (or woman) to work effectively and accomplish great things. Still, I don’t feel that I need a book to tell me more about ambition and managing such things. I did not find any true errors in the passage. There were a couple of places where the commas are probably not necessary, but there is not a definitive rule that was broken, so I will pass on further comment there. Overall, it seems like a fine book, but it’s still a self-help book that I do not feel applies to me right now.
First Ten review added on March 18, 2019, at 11:04 am by Kendra M Parker.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
cpru68
The opening pages of this book offer a great analogy as he tells the story of a blacksmith who acted carelessly and didn’t properly secure a horseshoe. He missed one small nail. However, this caused the horse to fall, the rider to be injured and an important message never to be delivered which then led to defeat for a kingdom at war. This perfectly matches the title of this book because he suggests that many who are in hot pursuit of making it big in business or leadership don’t attend to the small details that could bring it all down.
I liked that as an opening because often times those who are in a position of authority in a business may use short cuts or don’t listen to advice being given. They run over faithful employees in pursuit of something big, but really, the ones helping out the company are a piece of the puzzle that if not treated right can bring the entire operation down.
I also thought the discussion on ambition was also interesting in that too much can have disasterous results and too little will get nothing accomplished.
I am not going to be finishing this one. I am not in a position of leadership or starting a business adventure, so this one is not for me. I didn’t find any errors in punctuation, spelling or grammar so it seems that this is professionally edited.
I probably wouldn’t have found this one on my own search without the online book club because I generally do not read books about business. I appreciate the opportunity to have read the sample pages of this one, and I will send it out on my social media for others to look into.
First Ten review added on March 18, 2019, at 9:44 am by cpru68.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mercelle
This book's bold cover motivated me to sample it, and the OBC review convinced me to read it when it mentioned that the author dishes business advice based on his experience. When I read the first ten pages, I liked that the author emphasized that ambitious men become industrious when they are allowed to engage in their passion. Since I noticed no errors, I will conclude that the text underwent professional editing, and I will read the rest of the book because the sample captivated me. As it is, there's nothing I would change about the bit I read.
First Ten review added on March 18, 2019, at 9:31 am by Mercelle.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
desantismt_17
This book’s title and description didn’t hook me. I’m not much for business books. Before sampling, I wasn’t thinking about reading. After sampling, though, I think I’ll give this a try. The book appears professionally edited. I noticed no errors. The conversational tone of the writing drew me in. The author says the information in these pages can be put toward everyday life as well as business, and that caught my attention. Focusing on the small things might not be such a bad thing to get better at. I found the exploration of ambition fascinating, especially the notion that men only become dangerous when unable to pursue ambition. I always thought of ambition as an overwhelmingly good thing, but this book showed me that it has its downsides, like everything else. Without reading more, I have no improvements to suggest to this book. The OnlineBookClub.org review was positive. It was a combination of the review and sample that got me interested in this book. I look forward to seeing what comes in later pages.
First Ten review added on March 18, 2019, at 9:10 am by desantismt_17.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Christina O Phillips
The title is simple but thought provoking. The cover is boring. Based on the summary, this is not my usual kind of read so without this program I would have skipped this book. There were no errors that I noticed. I like the way the chapters are organized: a definition of an idea and then examples and examinations of how this idea (being ambitious, for example) applies to life and business. Using Julius Caesar and George Washington and using simple language ensures that the reading is accessible for anyone who wants to learn from this book. As I said before, this is not my usual read and if I were to want to learn more about business I would think this is a good resource, but I am not business-minded so I will be skipping this read but recommending it to others.
First Ten review added on March 18, 2019, at 9:02 am by Christina O Phillips.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Theresa Moffitt
The cover and title of the book are eye-catching. My attention was drawn to the cover and it clearly indicates the subject matter of the book. I didn’t read any reviews of this book before I read the first ten pages. The first ten pages were well-written and direct. The author included stories as examples to illustrate his points. For example, he told the story about a horse bringing down a kingdom. When the blacksmith failed to properly attach a horse shoe to the horse, a message was not delivered that could have changed the outcome of the war. The points the author made were interesting. The remainder of the first ten pages focus on ambition and the positive and negative aspects of being more ambitious in your pursuits. The book appears to be professionally edited because I did not see any errors in the first ten pages. Although the book is well-written and interesting, the subject matter of the book is not that appealing to me personally and I don’t think I will finish this book.
First Ten review added on March 18, 2019, at 7:52 am by Theresa Moffitt.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
sarahmarlowe randomeducator
The cover is professionally done and leaves potential readers no doubt as to the topic of the book. I wouldn’t have picked it up because it is a topic I am not concerned with. The sample was well-written, and I found no errors. The author did a good job of bringing in famous sources and explaining how their thoughts could be applied to ambition, an important part of growing a business. I have not read an OBC review. I do not plan to read this book.
First Ten review added on March 18, 2019, at 7:36 am by sarahmarlowe randomeducator.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
gali
I wouldn't have sampled the book on my own, as I don't read a self-help book. The blurb was far too detailed and could be shortened. I didn't change my mind after sampling the book. While a self-help book advising how to build up business sounds useful, it isn't applicable to me. It is impressive that the author turned his family’s flower business into a $60 million-dollar international business. I like his motto that "Small things matter if you want to achieve BIG things". I found the book well- organized, but it didn't keep my attention. I didn't notice any glaring errors.
I won't read the book, as it isn't relevant to me. The official review didn't sway my decision either way.
First Ten review added on March 18, 2019, at 6:26 am by gali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Total ~ 23%
Big Things Have Small Beginnings earned a score of 23%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 23% plan to read the whole book.
IMPORTANT: Any score over 10% is considered very good. And any score above 0% is acceptable.
Over a million books are published each year. Any given person could not even read .0001% of the books out there. This means readers have to be very selective. Even taking the time to look over reviews and blurbs, let alone read samples, is more time than most readers can afford for most books. The First Ten is a powerful focus group that addresses those issues. It creates a helpful tool for authors, publishers, and other readers.
Go to main Bookshelves page for Big Things Have Small Beginnings
