Boss Life: Surviving My Own Small Business

Written by Paul Downs

Narrated by Jonathan Hogan

When columnist Paul Downs was approached by the New York Times to write for their "You're the Boss" blog, he had been running his custom furniture business for 24 years strong-or, mostly strong. Now, he embarks on a book length essay that intends to show a portrait of a real business, with a real boss, a real set of employees, and the real challenges they face, in hopes of promoting a better understanding of the behaviors of small business owners. In 1986, fresh out of college, Paul Downs opened his first and last business, a small company that builds custom furniture. With no idea how to run a business, or how to build custom furniture, Downs spent a year teaching himself the business and in 1987, he hired his first employee. That's when things got complicated. As his business began to grow, he had to learn about management, cash flow, taxes, and so much more. Furthermore, globalization and the arrival of the internet made a big impact on the economy, causing him to have to re-evaluate, restructure, and reinvent. Most important, Downs is keenly aware that every small business, no matter the product it makes or the service it provides, starts with people. He writes with tremendous insight about hiring employees, providing motivation to get the best job out of them and incentive to maintain their loyalty and respect, and the difficult decisions he's made to let some of them go. His insights into each of his employees provides a window into how people work together in any professional situation, and how each of their identities lends to the strength and success of his business, both in daily output and end-of-year dividends. Downs also looks outward to his dealings with vendors, clients old and new, negotiating contracts and providing each client with exemplary customer service along each step of the way, from first sales pitch to final delivery. With honesty and conviction, Downs tells the true story behind building and sustaining a successful company in an ever-evolving economy, often airing his own failures and shortcomings to unveil the difficulties that arise from being a boss and a business person. We've heard countless stories from employees about their managers; Boss Life seeks to tell the other side of that story.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Aug 4, 2015
• ISBN: 9781490699455

Reviews for Boss Life

[1randal-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Boss Life is the story of one man's small business experiences. Down's is the owner of a woodworking shop, and this is his chronicle of a year in the life of that business. Except it is so much more. Down's bares his soul and discusses all aspects of running the shop, and of his own personal life. I admit to being very surprised by this book. I know very little about running a business, having been employed by the government almost my entire life. I always thought it would be easy to start, and run my own business. I had NO idea! Down's lays out the nuts and bolts of what happens on a daily basis, from employee relations, advertising, production, shipping, taxes, and on and on. Things that I never even considered. But don't think that this is a technically driven instruction book, because it is not at all. It reads and unfolds like a great story. He has a way of making you feel like you are there with him, wondering what the next day will bring. I really could not put it down. I learned so much from his story, and hope that he keeps writing, as he has a wonderful gift for doing so. Highly recommend this book to all of us salaried, secure in our next paycheck, wage slaves; so that you get an idea of the life of a small businessman!

[nyiper · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What a wonderful book! As a VERY small business owner myself, it was amazing to read book, written with such an in-depth look at everything going on in Downs' life during the year described. Adding his family details gave that behind-the-front-door depth to an already incredibly revealing story of the emotions and financial intricacies of trying to keep a small but several employeed business afloat. I could hardly put the book down and was extremely sad to come to the end of his year and want to know more!! The epilogue helped but when I went into the website I was amazed to see only one or two names that I recognized from the book and find that he has added several employees since the book was completed---adding to his worries as well as solving some of his problems? Yes. I wish his wonderful story could continue---talk about a reality series!! I would be curious what Marcus Lemonis from The Profit TV series would say to Downs. Paul Downs is impressive, for his heartfelt struggle for himself and for the people who work for him---I'm sorry, for him, that it sounds so impossibly difficult and stressful---fortunately, perhaps, he has a terrific head on his shoulders and his optimism continues to bring him around, again and again. This should definitely be required reading for anyone thinking of starting a small business---remembering that when Downs started, it was actually easier to start one!!! Keeping it going is the picture Downs presents, beautifully.