Fix This Next

Make the Vital Change That Will Level Up Your Business

by Mike Michalowicz

4.7(545 ratings)

11 min read

Brief overview

This book offers a practical framework to identify and fix the most critical business issues one step at a time. Using a hierarchy of needs model, it shows how to build a company that not only grows financially but also achieves a lasting impact. By focusing on the right problem at the right moment, you can avoid chaos and move confidently toward a healthier, more sustainable business.

Introduction

Ever feel like your business is a maze of urgent problems, late payments, and endless demands? This summary presents a fresh way to escape that chaos. Instead of juggling every issue all at once, you’ll discover how to fix the one thing that truly needs fixing—and watch everything else fall into place.

We’re going to explore a clear sequence for diagnosing the health of your business, starting with the foundation of cash flow and moving toward creating a lasting, meaningful legacy. If you’ve been in perpetual fire-extinguishing mode, this approach offers a calmer, more strategic path ahead.

Along the way, you’ll hear stories about entrepreneurs who overcame crippling debt, or got stuck chasing the wrong goals—only to turn things around by finding the right problem to solve next. These personal experiences bring each concept to life.

So take a deep breath, grab your metaphorical toolbox, and let’s begin. After all, no business owner wants to spend every day playing firefighter. It’s time to build a system that grows and thrives—without running you ragged.

Always Putting Out Fires

Many entrepreneurs live in constant crisis mode: a sudden cash shortage, a big client complaint, or staff scrambling to meet unrealistic deadlines. It’s tempting to react to whatever screams loudest rather than stepping back to find the root cause.

The trouble is, firefighting only provides a short-term fix. After one blaze is doused, another sparks up, and the cycle repeats. Meanwhile, deeper issues—like an unprofitable sales model, chaotic operations, or lackluster customer retention—go unchecked.

Real change demands that you identify the single biggest barrier—what the book calls your Vital Need—and direct your energy there first. In practice, this means resisting the urge to go after quick wins or easy tasks if they don’t address the real bottleneck.

When you chase every problem at once, you fix nothing permanently.

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What is Fix This Next about?

"Fix This Next: Make the Vital Change That Will Level Up Your Business" by Mike Michalowicz is a compelling guide designed for entrepreneurs caught in the relentless cycle of addressing business crises. Michalowicz introduces a revolutionary framework that helps business owners pinpoint their most pressing issues and address them systematically to foster sustainable growth. At its core, the book relies on the Business Hierarchy of Needs, a structured model mirroring Maslow’s hierarchy, prioritizing needs from sales and profit to order, impact, and legacy.

Through practical steps, the book offers business leaders the tools they need to identify and address their biggest challenges, ensuring that urgent problems don’t overshadow the truly important needs. With lessons drawn from personal experiences and an empathic understanding of the business world, Michalowicz's work provides a roadmap to transform businesses from survival mode into thriving enterprises that leave a lasting impact. Its insights propel entrepreneurs to not merely boost revenue but to create a balanced, enduring business that transcends financial gains, emphasizing meaningful relationships and purpose-driven missions.

Review of Fix This Next

In "Fix This Next," Mike Michalowicz offers an innovative perspective on business management, turning conventional wisdom on its head by urging leaders to focus on the most critical need that will provide exponential benefits. The book’s key strength lies in its actionable, clear-cut approach. Michalowicz simplifies complex business issues into a series of workable steps—allowing readers to identify the immediate cause of dysfunction and resolve it efficiently.

The writing style is direct yet accessible, cracking through jargon to present ideas in a user-friendly manner. Such an approach ensures the book's relevance across a broad spectrum of business sizes and industries, making it an invaluable resource for anyone from a startup owner to a seasoned CEO. The strategic focus on impact and legacy makes it equally relevant for businesses keen on not just profitability but also creating deeper connections.

One of the practical applications is the "Fix This Next" analysis, a diagnostic tool that balances operational health and strategic vision, ideal for transforming every level of business operations. Michalowicz’s advice encourages intentionality with resources, promoting profitability and long-term sustainability. Whether struggling with sales or aiming to create legacy systems, the book's structured guidance is a timely recommendation for those looking to propel their business forward in a calculated and thoughtful manner.

Who should read Fix This Next?

Entrepreneurs juggling multiple business issues simultaneously will appreciate the structured approach to prioritize and resolve their biggest challenges.
Business consultants who advise companies seeking to streamline operations and enhance efficiency can benefit from the book's practical framework.
CEOs and senior leaders looking to instill a strategic vision, focusing beyond immediate profits to create lasting impact, stand to gain from its long-term perspective.
Startup founders can learn to establish solid foundations early on using the hierarchy model, ensuring sustainable growth as they scale.
Business coaches seeking tools to help clients break out of "survival mode" will find the Fix This Next methodology particularly beneficial.

About the author

Mike Michalowicz is an American author, entrepreneur, and lecturer. He is known for his innovative entrepreneurial strategies and has written several business books, including "Fix This Next," which details a strategy for businesses to determine what to do next to ensure healthy, fast, and permanent growth. With a background in finance and management science from Virginia Tech, he has founded and sold multiple multi-million-dollar companies and is a former small business columnist for The Wall Street Journal and business makeover specialist on MSNBC. He has also authored other notable works such as "Profit First," "Clockwork," and "The Pumpkin Plan."