Review written by Michael Wainwright of Wainwright Training Management:

From Weston to China

What makes Chinese businessmen invite a Financial Adviser from Weston-Super-Mare to travel all the way to China to talk to them, especially as some of the effect of his delivery will be lost in the translation?

Perhaps the answer can be found in a book that I have been reading entitled Dare to be Different, written by Sandro Forte. It offers ' a complete route map for those who want to make it to the top'. Some of us were brought up on the video 'The Widow's Story' which was doing the rounds as far back as the early days of the LIA. In my view, Sandro's 'Foreword' is worth the book's cost and provides a much more personal story. However, many purchasers will waste their money if they do not attempt the actions suggested at the end of each chapter.

I meet many people who are happy in the job they do running their business, but I also see many who have too many worries and too many problems. So one passage in the book certainly rang bells: 'It's astonishing to meet so many people who continue to struggle with a business they are not really in control of; doing the things they feel obliged to do rather than the things they truly believe is good for profit. The problem is that we don't tend to concentrate on our strengths because it is difficult to delegate the non-productive jobs - and it is unpalatable to outsource other disciplines, even if they are not a core activity.'

Most LIA members have probably heard Sandro speak and been electrified by his presentation and ideas. His book will remind them of some ideas and bring them more. I commend it to all those who actually expect and believe that they can and want to achieve their ambitions. To them, and to those who yet to make up their minds, I say 'Buy it, take some risks and dare to be different'.

Buy 'Dare to be Different'