Official Review: You Are Not A Loser by Wallace Gustafson

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kdstrack
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Official Review: You Are Not A Loser by Wallace Gustafson

Post by kdstrack »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "You Are Not A Loser" by Wallace Gustafson.]
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3 out of 4 stars
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You Are Not A Loser by Wallace Gustafson is a nonfiction book that pulls back the curtain on the entrepreneurial process. Readers observe how an idea becomes a business and how not to lose your soul in the pursuit of building a successful business. The author shared the lessons he learned while developing and managing several successful businesses. The road was not always smooth. He leaned on his faith to help him find his way. “Sometimes, God is there to walk you through the bad times, not around them.”

Wallace divided his book into five sections. The first section recounted his eight years as an employee in the corporate world. He started at the bottom, in the training program at Famous-Barr, accumulating experience and knowledge as he rose through the ranks. Section Two spoke of his transition from employee to company owner. Section Three carried the reader through the productive years when Wallace built up his business. After establishing a successful business, Wallace reflected on the difference between owning or running a business. He revealed his definition for success in Section Four. In the final section, Wallace offered an evaluation of his career.

This nonfiction book is full of practical advice for anyone interested in knowing the details for beginning and running a small business. Continued education, financial advice, people skills, networking, and how to balance family needs with business demands are some of the topics the author developed.

The author’s honesty and sense of humor about his successes and failures made this a captivating read. The description of both the highs and the lows of his business career presented a real picture of the grit and perseverance needed to keep your business afloat or know when to let it go. Wallace considered that his greatest weaknesses were in the areas of hiring, training, and firing. He shared his list of six questions to ask when facing any of these three circumstances.

Decisions that affect your finances and the future of your family can be stressful. Wallace spoke with candor about his prayers and spiritual life as he conversed with God about important decisions he was facing. How do you find time for family when your business is growing and expanding? How do you keep your priorities straight? I appreciated his humility when speaking about his faith without insisting that others be spiritual in order to be successful.

I liked that he included the story of how he chose the title. There are several photos inserted in the text that highlight his family and various business ventures. A list of suggested books, along with a short synopsis of what he learned from the book, helps readers broaden personal knowledge and provides inspiration for entrepreneurial innovation. I appreciated the update on the co-workers he had worked with over the years and who had influenced his career.

I did find more than ten grammar mistakes in the book. The majority of these were missing commas and misspelled words.

The author’s honest reflections about his business career and the helpful suggestions for readers motivate me to award this book 3 out of 4 stars. The number of grammar errors kept me from giving this book the full rating. Anyone who runs a small business, or is thinking of starting one, would benefit from the wisdom shared by this author. I encourage young people to read this book before entering the business world. Anyone in a leadership or human resource management position would appreciate Wallace’s insights and experiences.

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You Are Not A Loser
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Elvis Ondijo
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Post by Elvis Ondijo »

This might be the book have been looking for,i like motivational memoirs like this one,thank you for the great review
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Erin Dydek
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Post by Erin Dydek »

I like non-fiction books in which the author is real and relatable. It sounds like this author did a great job incorporating his faith, family life, and humor into this book while providing sound business advice. Thanks for the helpful review!
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Post by Joshua Jose »

The title brought me here.Sounds like a really great book especially for those of us interested in business,great work writing this review
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Post by Cecilia_L »

The title is catchy, and this sounds like an inspiring read. Thanks for the interesting review.
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Post by kdstrack »

Elvis Ondijo wrote: 17 Mar 2020, 05:09 This might be the book have been looking for,i like motivational memoirs like this one,thank you for the great review
I think you would enjoy this story! It is very motivating and inspiring. I hope you will read Wallace's book. Thanks for commenting!
kdstrack
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Post by kdstrack »

Everydayadventure15 wrote: 17 Mar 2020, 07:54 I like non-fiction books in which the author is real and relatable. It sounds like this author did a great job incorporating his faith, family life, and humor into this book while providing sound business advice. Thanks for the helpful review!
The author's honest recounting of his experiences made it very easy to relate to his story. I would encourage you to read his book and enjoy his story and sound advice. Thanks for reading and commenting!
kdstrack
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Post by kdstrack »

Joshua Jose wrote: 17 Mar 2020, 10:27 The title brought me here.Sounds like a really great book especially for those of us interested in business,great work writing this review
I was attracted by the title, too! The author's story and writing kept me captivated throughout the book. I hope you will like this book. Thanks for commenting.
kdstrack
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Post by kdstrack »

Cecilia_L wrote: 17 Mar 2020, 14:05 The title is catchy, and this sounds like an inspiring read. Thanks for the interesting review.
I knew I wanted to read this book when I saw the title! The author included the story about how he came to choose this title. It was surprising! Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate your comments.
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Post by Julius_ »

Although this isnt my genre, i know of friends who would enjoy this book. I'll recomend it to them. Thanks for the review.
We're all philosophers. When there's a tough choice to be made, when faced with the facts of birth,love or death or simply when thinking about what we want to do with our lives.
kdstrack
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Post by kdstrack »

Julius_ wrote: 17 Mar 2020, 22:51 Although this isnt my genre, i know of friends who would enjoy this book. I'll recomend it to them. Thanks for the review.
This would be a wonderful gift for friends. I am sure they would appreciate your thoughtfulness. Thanks for stopping by, Julius.
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Post by Nkoo »

It appears that this book is highly resourceful for intended and existing business owners. I like the fact that the author took into consideration, work-life-balance in the running and ownership of a successful business. I will add it to my shelf. Thanks for your well-written review.
kdstrack
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Post by kdstrack »

Nkoo wrote: 18 Mar 2020, 09:31 It appears that this book is highly resourceful for intended and existing business owners. I like the fact that the author took into consideration, work-life-balance in the running and ownership of a successful business. I will add it to my shelf. Thanks for your well-written review.
The author shared a wealth of practical advice. I hope you will find his suggestions helpful, too. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
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Post by Shabram22 »

I really like that this businessman is also a person of faith. I also believe this book would give great insight to people in a leadership position anywhere and only in the business world. Great job on your review!
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Post by Carolreads30 »

I am going to share this book with my daughter as she is starting her own small business and it might help her. I doubt that I would find it a good read, but she might. Thank you for your review.
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