The 10 Second Internet Manager (ISBN 0609607324)

Amazon.com Review:
Remember the old joke "Instant gratification isn't fast enough"? That was something like the reaction Mark Breier had when he picked up a copy of The One Minute Manager, a book he'd once found profound. Now Breier, formerly CEO of Beyond.com and marketing vice president at Amazon.com, found that he was annoyed by the book's leisurely pace. So he sat down to write the Y2K version of one-minute managing, which essentially shows modern executives how to do the job in one-sixth the time. Breier tells two stories in Internet Manager. First is how he became one after a career in the very-slow-moving world of food marketing, where he was considered lightning-quick for developing new marshmallow packaging in just six months. His year at Amazon.com showed him anything was possible if you worked hard and fast enough. And at Beyond.com, which as CEO, Breier helped to take public, he put together everything he learned to run a company. The second story is how anyone can more efficiently manage themselves and their employees. Some of the advice on financing toward the end of the book is strictly high-level stuff, but in between there's a lot of information that every busy employee can use. One of the easiest take-home messages (or, rather, take-to-the-office messages; nobody in this world does much at home except sleep) is this: "E-mail morning, noon, and night, but talk in between." He describes e-mail as "the oxygen of the Internet," because it allows people to stay in close touch without all the forced small talk that accompanies telephone conversation. But he also acknowledges that it has its limits, and suggests this rule: "After the third e-mail on the same subject, walk 'n' talk." In other words, get up, sit down with the other person, and hash it out. Other information--about conducting more effective meetings and developing brand identity--can be used by anyone from ambitious middle managers on up. But the key word here is "ambitious." Anyone who has aspirations for a fast ascent in business today can use all the lessons in this book. And, best of all, it only takes a couple of hours to absorb the entire 10-Second message. --Lou Schuler

If he knew so much, why are all of his companies bankrupt?:
Reading this book today is like reading a book of jokes. When the author wrote this, he was riding the wave of "internet madness" that walloped Wall Street with outrageous stock prices for companies that never produced any profit. Mark Breier was simply a man at the right place at the right time and any insights he has on how to effectively run a business is hindered by the facts that both beyond.com and software.net are now nowhere to be found on the internet. However, an enterprising entrepreneur can read this book and learn what not to do. In addition, there is a paragraph or two that talks about venture capital personalities you will encounter. In summary, do not buy this book if you are looking for successful ways to run your business as a manager. Taking much of his advise will undoubtedly bring you to his final demise. (In fact, he is no longer a CEO; he is back to Chief of Marketing)

streamlining everything you:
This book is primarily about streamlining everything you do in you normal work day so you're moving at light speed. I thought it was full of excellent tips to help manage your time and effort. I've applied many of the ideas with dramatic results. Suddenly things get done so much quicker and I have more time to focus on the important things. I think this book is full of a lot of great tips.... however... I've noticed that I've given this book a higher rating than a lot of other readers. The bad reviews this book gets usually say "all the stuff he says is so simple and obvious". So I'd just like to point out that it's very easy to say "oh that's easy, everyone knows that", but it's not as easy to do the easy things that everyone already knows. EX: Everyone knows excersise is good for you. Everyone knows how to do a push up, and everyone know it will help strengthen your arms. However, how many people do as little as 1 push-up a day? (...)

scott:
Wow, what a wonderful and insightful book from Mark Breier! Mark, Puts you in the executives hot seat in the decision making process of companies such as Amazon and Beyond.com go ahead Mark!

A relic even before it hit store shelves:
This book should be where beyond.com is right now - in the trash. A perfect example of the smug "there at the right time" internet millionaire espousing common sense, and uncommon nonsense as business practice. The tone of the book clearly broadcasts the authors ego and self importance. The content, however, reveals the truth; the bubble was always just full of hot air. If are searching for a reference to help improve your management skills, look elsewhere.

How not to manage yourself or run your business.:
This book is an example of how not to manage yourself or your business. The concepts introduced in this book are neither new nor meaningful, save a few. Throughout the book Mr. Breier talks about doing everything faster than light speed with not a moment to spare for anything. His motto for managing projects seems to be "ready, shoot, aim", a phrase he sprinkles liberally throughout the book. True, fast action is necessary and essential in the internet age, but too many people confuse haste with dynamism. Mr. Breier spends a whole chapter on branding and building a consistent and recognizable brand on the ineternet. This made me laugh. It's ironic, the very company the author brags about is nowhere to be found today. Beyond.com has now become a job seekers' site, and the website oft quoted in the book, www.10secondmanager.com, now has nothing on it save a "google affiliate program" blurb. So much for branding. The author writes a lot about the importance of feedback from customers. Towards the latter part of the book he contradicts himself by advising you to ignore message boards, forums, etc because most people who post in such places are "not your customers, not your friends". I don't know which planet this gentleman comes from, but most people I know, who post on forums and message boards are indeed users of a particular product or customers of some company or service, myself included. This book is all about getting things done at breakneck speed (wrong or right is secondary). The basics of building a strong and long lasting company with good employee loyalty are tossed out. I was fortunate to have picked up this book at a warehouse sale for $2. I'd have cried had I spent any more money on it. If you want to be a ruthless workaholic madman with no time to spare for your family, friends or children, being on the job 24x7x365, then this book is for you.