The Art of Profitability
By Adrian Slywotzky
Time Warner Audio Books - September 2002
ISBN: 1586214705 - unabridged edition
Nonfiction (with fiction) / Business / Economics / Finance

Reviewed by Brenda Weeaks, MyShelf.Com
Buy a Copy

Slywotzky offers his followers another book on profit and business. "In The Art of Profitability" it's done in a "wax on, wax off" style as a protégé visits his mentor once a week to learn more about the principles of profitability. The fictional characters converse in a style even a novice can understand.

Steve works for the fictional company, Delcom. The company isn't doing well and he's looking for fresh ideas. He meets Zhao, a lawyer and master at business. They go over various companies and ways to make a profit. Zhao explains a lot about different companies and explains why they are a success or not. Some of the companies given as examples are Disney, Blockbuster, Intel, Microsoft, etc.

Zhao also teaches Steve the positive and negative of working in successful companies - it's not as exciting as some might believe, especially if something goes wrong. At some point, Steve takes some of the advice back to his company, attempting to better it, and runs into opposition.

Zhao takes his time, teaching Steve during only one visit a week. After each session, an enlightened Steve leaves with homework for the next week. The author recommends readers handle his book similarly: one chapter at a time - a chapter a week, at least.

The readers for the audio book are Scott Mosenson, who plays Steve and Narrator, and Jack Ong as Zhao. The two come across as teacher and student wrapped up in a mutual passion of profitability. It's easy listening for both the large and small business-minded.