Lobster Sports, Inc.
Tony Potter, President
www.lobstersports.com

Dear Tom,

People can wonder if your services make sense. Well, today I can testify that your services make dollars and cents. In my case, you saved my company thousands upon thousands of dollars.

On Monday morning I called you reporting that two of my production employees got into a verbal fight, the second fight, in one month. The first altercation came perilously close to a fist fight.

You made the strange suggestion that I should write them up, which I already had, and make their continued employment contingent on having lunch together on the company’s dollar… very strange idea.

I admit I was skeptical, but desperate, desperate enough to actually listen to my business advisor.

At lunch you suggested they ask each other a list of questions…essentially the questions allowed them to get to know one another and see each other as human beings.

The result was shocking. The two returned from lunch smiling, reconciled, like a great weight was lifted off their shoulders. At the end of the day, the production department was all smiles.

For $53 I got to keep two employees instead of having to fire each one and rehire, retrain, etc…

I cannot thank you enough for helping turn a really difficult situation, difficult business wise and emotionally, into an unadulterated success.

At the end of the business day today, I called a production meeting. I congratulated the guys on doing what was uncomfortable, for reaching outside of themselves for the good of the company. I then took their signed, original copies of their Exception Reports and tore them up in front of everyone, handing them the two torn pieces to throw away, which they did enthusiastically.

By the way, the tearing up of the Exception Reports was a brilliant idea, Tom. It really made an impression on the whole team.

Thanks for everything,

Tony Potter

The E-myth Revisited begins with the story of Tom painstakingly writing to each of his clients with a letter summarizing his E-myth lesson of the week.

I am proud to say, that as a client of Tom's for over a year, I not only possess all of the prized "Bardeen Letters" in my personal business development library, but also my very own Operations Manual customized to my unique business.

Tom is a dedicated and committed teacher and coach, who if you entrust one year of your life to, will transform your business and challenge you to continually make it better.

While you may not find each week with Tom as illuminating as the last, I guarantee that you will find at least one nugget each week worth one hundred times the cost of the session.

Please consider this the highest recommendation for a great coach and friend,
Tom Bardeen!

James D. Cohen

Subiaco
Gary Prater, CEC
Western Australia

Hello Tom,

My name is Gary Prater and I am a 'four year' CEC based in Western Australia.  I would like to offer you my personal congratulations.  I have been privileged to have had passed on to me your E-Myth Solutions emails and I think they are an extraordinary work.  You have done a masterful job.  Each one has been insightful, informative, helpful, inventive, and inspirational.  I sit back in awe of how you have truly captured the essence of The E-Myth.  I can only wonder and admire at the time, effort and creativity that has obviously gone into producing these wonderful pieces.

Kind Regards,
Gary Prater

Image Alchemy
Bruce Jaffe, President
Irvine, California

Congrats on the accolades. I've known you were a "success" since before I met you. After all when asked to describe you, the very same Mr. G said: "When it comes to E-Myth, he's a Monster." From that day on I knew our dear Mr. Gerber was a master of understatement.

Love and Light from one of your other biggest fans,

Mr. B

Coleman's Four Seasons Market
Ben Stahl
Ann Arbor, Michigan

Tom,

Congrats on the high praise from Michael Gerber. We feel the same way about you here at Coleman's. You really do know how to teach an old dog new tricks!

Ben

ITF Supply
Dick Whyler, President
Willows, California

Tom,

Thanks for your reply. I will talk to you on Wednesday. Have a good weekend and keep those great Client Samples coming. Lisa and Gerard both told me that the samples were of more benefit than the E-Myth booklet.

Dick

Heritage Valley Resort
Deanna Everett, President
Abbotsford, B.C., Canada

Dear Tom,

Just wanted to send you a quick thank you note. Your letter and words of encouragement over the phone today were like music to my ears. I feel like I have a friend in business who understands what I'm going through and can really help me.

I now feel that I have this person who will really step up to bat for me and guide me and mentor me. It's wonderful!

Bye for now,

Thanks again for your help and support!
Deanna Everett

Girsh Alarm Company: “Solutions for alarming times”™
Jodie Girsh, CEO
Elkins Park, Pennsylvania
Testimonial on Hiring Selection Process

By Telephone Wednesday, January 30, 2002

Hi, This is Jodie, with a very quick update [on Interviews].

It works! We had such a much better pool of candidates than we have ever seen before. When we used the "Tom Bardeen" Ranking System, we got 2 people with a 23, 2 with 20, and 2 with 15 points. So, we are thrilled to pieces!

They were all dressed appropriately. They were a nice group of people! We have 2 more people scheduled to come, and, oh, out of the entire group, we only had 2 "no shows", which is astonishing! These are totally different results than the ones we have previously experienced.

We are absolute believers!

Thank You So Much!

Old Smokey's
Kevin DeLucenay, CEO
Ashley, Indiana
Testimonial on Leadership

By Voice Mail Message

"We had our Commitment Meeting a couple of weeks ago, and I thought the employees were gonna carry me out on their shoulders!! A great Meeting! I have all the "song sheets" framed and hanging on the wall [Mission Statement, Beliefs & Values, Strategic Objectives, Our Company Story, Points of View, and Characteristics of Ourselves]. Even in the showroom, I put up an edited version of the Strategic Objectives!

Everyone is working on their Primary Aims...I am their coach.

For the one-on-one meetings, I have been taking all my direct reports to lunch once a week: Finance Manager on Tuesday, Marketing Manager on Wednesday, Service Manager on Thursday, and one other employee, randomly selected, every Friday. That means all my managers get an hour one-on-one with me each week, and all the other employees get an hour with me every 8 to 10 weeks. The company buys the lunch.

The Finance Manager has one employee. The Marketing Manager has 2 employees. They are doing the same thing, taking their employees out for lunch once a week. The company pays for this, too. My Service Manager has 6 employees, which makes weekly lunches a little tougher to do. Right now, the service employees simply come in one day a half-hour early that day.

The Rules of Engagement include: The Supervisor is in a "listen only" mode. The Agenda is up to the employee. The Supervisor is not obligated to do anything about issues that are "verbalized", but not put into writing. On the other hand, any issue submitted in writing gets some kind of answer within 48 hours.

Each Supervisor also has a Department Meeting with all of his/her employees once a week.

You would not believe the changes in the company, just from these Weekly Meetings. I think every one of my people would follow me to the Gates of Hell, if I led them there. Talk about proud to work for our company!"

Fry Orthodontics
Yvonne Graf, CEO
Olathe, Kansas
Testimonial on Hiring Process

Via Voice Mail, May 2, 2001

"Hello Tom, this is Yvonne at Fry Orthodontics...

I just had to check in,and tell you the Good News! We just hired several new employees. We went through your recommended Hiring Process, with the different type of ads, that generated over fifty responses...which is unheard of...

Twenty-three sent resumes, and we selected thirteen of these for interviews. We asked six to come back for second interviews. We then selected three from this group. During the interviewing process,we told them all about their accountabilities, their schedules, and the Company Standards, including what to wear.

For the first time ever, we had an Orientation Day. It was out of this world! We have never done anything like it before. I spent the whole day with them. I started the day off by making a presentation about the Company Story. We had a photo album put together, which really helped to tell the story. I took them around, and introduced them to everybody, very casually. Then we went through the Primary Aims exercise, after which I took them out for an extended lunch, and discussed their Goals and Aims, not just ours.

We had a blast! At the end of the day, they said: "The time just flew by... we didn't even look at our watches. I just can't believe how much fun this was, for a first day at work! We are so glad to be here!"

At the end of the day, we had them sign the relevant documents: The Employment Agreement, The Commitment Pledge, and their own Performance Agreements. It was clear that we had bonded on a level far beyond "working for a wage". I really felt we had joined together to accomplish the same Mission!

I really want to thank you for your advice in this area. I think it will result in just what you promised... a much higher contribution from these employees, and much less turnover for our company. This alone more than justifies the investment we made in the Mastery Program. This is a New Era for us!"

Fry Orthodontics
Yvonne Graf, CEO
Olathe, Kansas
Testimonial on Selection Process

Via E-Mail Message

"Hi Tom, I just had to let you know that another of your suggestions paid off!

You suggested that I contact the employee who declined our offered position because she had already taken another job...just to see how that job was working out for her.

I called her today and found out that it really did not work out at all (the job was not as promised). She was very pleased that I called, and she accepted our previously offered position! She starts next week!

Thanks again!

Yvonne"

Image Alchemy, Inc. 
Mr. Bruce Jaffe, President
Irvine, California  USA
(via Voicemail message)

"Tom, Hi it's Bruce Jaffe.  I...I've been contemplating writing you a letter...But I think this is the most expeditious way to communicate this message, which is ...I want to thank you very profoundly for...for your help, and inspiration.  I've really enjoyed the process so far.  It's hard to say exactly what's changed, but something has changed, and you're certainly a catalyst in the process.  So...I just want to let you know...how I feel, and how much I appreciate it!  Thank you!  Bye..."

Personal Page
Mr. Martin Childers, General Manager 
Anchorage - Fairbanks - Juneau, Alaska  USA
(Via Letter to Mr. Michael Gerber)

"I have just finished my weekly call with Tom Bardeen, my E-Myth Coach.  I just love Tom.  He has been a real help to me, my family, and my business.  He suggested I write you this note, so here goes!  I have been invited to speak at East High School located in the Anchorage School District by Trudy Keller, the school's Career Coordinator. The venue is "The Real World of Work Symposium". 

My topics to share are: 
1. Written goals. 
2. Michael Gerber's Primary Aim exercise. 
3. How to look for a company with a Strategic Objective. 
4. The importance of linking the Personal PA (Primary Aim) with the company's SO (Strategic Objective) if one is to have a feeling of hope and meaning. 

I am very proud to be an E-Myth Academy Student and very happy for the contribution you have made through the Academy to my quality of life.  I am also very excited about sharing your message with hundreds of young souls about to enter their own "world of work". 

Fleetweather, Inc.
Mr. Jeff Wimmer, President
Hopewell Junction, New York  USA
(via Voicemail message)

"Tom, this is Jeff Wimmer.  Was just fixin' to leave for the office.  We were out until past midnight last night selling to these car wash people, but I was thinking about this, uh, meeting with my competitor, and I was reflecting about how I met with him a year ago, and now I am going to be meeting with him in a week and how different the meeting is going to be, based upon the work we have done with you and the organization, I should say the E-Myth people.  Last year when I met with him, we didn't have an Organizational Chart.  We didn't know who was President.  We didn't know about positions and Position Contracts.  Part of the reason I was meeting with him was out of desperation, because I thought I was never going to be free of the business...and to gain control over my life.  Now, this year, here I am meeting with him [to discuss a possible merger via public offering], and the first thing I am going to do, even before the financials, is I am going to roll out this Organization Chart and I am going to say, "Look at this!  Look at our business!  This is what we have!  And then we are going to go over the financials, and we are going to show our growth, and we are going to say, "Look at this...look at the kind of money that this thing throws off!  This is an incredible business!  And then we are going to sit down, and we are going to see what we can come up with.  But you know, a year ago today, I didn't have a business to sell.  I had an ongoing customer stream.  Half of my employees didn't know what the heck they were doing...you know, who they reported to, or anything else.  And I am not done yet, but boy, the difference between last year and this!  And sitting down with these guys...I mean, if we don't make a deal, I am still going to be free of the business, and it is going to sit there and throw money off.  So, I can't tell you how excited I am!  And, you know, here I am, I am getting ready to go to work, I didn't have enough sleep last night, but I am just so up, and I am so excited about these possibilities that are on the table.  You were very much  a part of helping me feel this good about what is taking place, and I just wanted to thank you.  So, that's the whole purpose of the call.  I hope I didn't call you too early, but I know that you are up there doing something, pounding away, working away [typing the daily meeting agendas at 6:00AM].  No urgency for  you to call me back.  We will either speak later, or tomorrow, depending upon if the mood strikes, and we are both available. 

Have a good day!  Bye..." 

Hector Castro FCPA CEC
Kingsgrove, New South Wales
(via Facsimile)

"I can never express enough gratitude that I have for your support.  Your Samples of the Week are beyond doubt the best training I have been getting in Consultancy Work.

Whether you deal with Frustrations, Time Management, Human Resources, etc. etc.  there is always something that I can apply to my clients immediately and also to myself.

Tom, I have been priviledged in knowing you and feel that your Primary Aim is fulfilled already: "To be remembered" is, in my opinion, a unique feature of your ability, skills and devotion to whatever you do.  You have my total respect and admiration.  I can only wish to be closer to you so I can use you as my role model.  Aren't I selfish?

Remember that after more than twelve months of not dealing with you regularly, our relationship is growing.  Your Sample of the Week is keeping us close.

Once again, many thanks for your Leading qualities supported with the best Human qualities.".

Best regards,

Hector Castro FCPA CEC

E-Myth Worldwide
Michael E. Gerber:
Entrepreneur, Author, Speaker, Revolutionary

"Wow! No wonder Tom Bardeen is the e-myth wonder Consultant in my estimation.  Not only is the stuff he does effective, but look at how passionate he is about it all! "