‘Work doesn’t have to suck…’: My conversation with Phil Simon about The New Small, mobile work technology, and workshifting (book giveaway)

I had the pleasure the other day to sit down virtually with author and small business technology expert Phil Simon for a skype video interview to talk about his book “The New Small“.  I recently finished it and in my opinion is a must read for any small business owner, entrepreneur, or solo professional or those thinking about making the jump.

At the end of this post (and the video) I explain how you can enter to win the free signed copy of Phil’s book that he graciously gave me for a lucky reader of The Anywhere Office!

In his book Phil Simon describes “The New Small”: a dynamic breed of  small businesses using 5 key emerging technologies to grow, thrive, and compete with larger companies. Phil breaks it down to these 5 enablers:

• Cloud computing
• Software as a Service (SaaS)
• Free and open source software (FOSS)
• Mobility
• Social technologies

I have long talked about these technologies here on The Anywhere Office – but I love the way Phil Simon codified these 5 as the core that level the playing field. By making smart, strategic use of these 5 enablers, your small business can be flexible, lean, and fun. And as he points out – meaningful work is a big part of what makes up The New Small.Many of the business owners he profiles in the second section of the book left larger companies – stymied by the slow change and beaurocratic red tape that binds every decision – to start (or join) smaller more dynamic companies. Companies that know, as Phil so aptly puts it – “Work doesn’t have to suck”!

The companies he profiles aren’t your usual suspects either  (tech or online companies) – his profiles include a dentist, a law firm, and a restaurant (among the 11). I’ve long said that any small business can take advantage of today’s technology and Phil’s small business stories/case studies prove it!

Our discussion is filled with strategy, philosophy, and tips about how to succeed as a small business. We share some stories and plenty of  laughs. For more information about Phil Simon and his book visit http://TheNewSmall.com or http://PhilSimonSystems.com

In another nod to social media – Phil Simon and I met thanks to Twitter.  Although we have never met in person we have had many skype video chats.  Thanks to video, social media, and the same technologies we discuss in this video – we have quickly become friends.  Without these technologies we might never have met each other. Powerful stuff!

BOOK GIVEAWAY – HOW DO I WIN?

Good question! Of the 5 enablers that Phil discusses in The New Small I feel one of the biggest game changers is Free and Open Source Software (FOSS). My clients are amazed at how affordable it can be to run a business today thanks to things like Gmail, Google Apps, Dropbox, and other free mobile work or virtual team tools.

To win the signed copy of “The New Small” you need to post a comment below answering this questions: “What is your favorite or “must have” piece of free or open-source software for running your business and why”?

Some companies make a free version of their service or software available and allow for upgrading to a paid version for extra storage or enhance features.  For the purpose of this contest I want to hear about those that are/were able to make good use of the free version by itself (even if you eventually upgraded because you loved it so much).

The contest will run all week through Friday night at midnight EST.  During the weekend we will pick, at random, a lucky winner and announce it Monday, April 4th.

I’m looking forward to your comments and learning about new software and services I don’t know about. More tech to play with!