BROKEN TO BETTER

An entrepreneur shares his guiding principles in this debut.

The CEO of a facilities management firm, Kurland adopted the mantra “Be Better” when he launched his company in 2014. He embedded that notion into the corporate culture, distilling it into 13 principles that he discusses chapter by chapter. His goal, writes Kurland, is to help the reader “lead with emotional intelligence.” The principles themselves are far from unique; for example, “Be Fearless,” “Be Purposeful,” and “Be Inspiring” aren’t exactly breakthrough exhortations. As Kurland admits in the introduction, the content “may seem like common sense,” and the result is a book that is clearly geared to those who are thinking about or just starting a business. Still, Kurland puts a positive spin on each principle, writing with an enthusiasm that is infectious. His candid advice, based on his own experience, is steeped in practical wisdom. “Following up is both an often-forgotten activity and the primary reason why business deals fall through,” he counsels in the first chapter. “Understanding which of your tasks need to be delegated is the initial step in figuring out who you should hire first,” he advises in a principle he terms “Be People-Centric.” Regarding purpose, Kurland proclaims, “The single most important thing you can do as a business owner and CEO is to define the core values of your company.” While some readers may regard these as platitudes, such statements have intrinsic value for budding entrepreneurs who doubtlessly need the most basic form of guidance. Kurland’s writing style is personal and direct; the brief chapters and clearly marked subsections facilitate scanning; and the plentiful tips throughout the book lend themselves to highlighting and notations. Ever the marketer, Kurland cleverly wraps up each chapter/principle by referencing a specific relevant episode of his podcast series. Kurland’s aim to build a cadre of caring business owners may be best expressed by these thoughts in the final chapter: “Be authentic. Be vulnerable. Be gentle when you’re delivering hard messages. Be kind.”

A well-considered business primer with feeling.