Before we get started, it’s only fair (especially given the subject matter of this book) to mention that I was given a copy of this book by the publisher free of charge in hopes that I would write a review. They did not require my review to be positive, or try to influence my opinion in any way.
The owner of a car dealership might be the last person you ask for ethics advice, but that’s because you haven’t met Jeff Morrill.
In his book Profit Wise, Jeff shares how he’s put “doing the right thing” at the forefront of all his decisions (what he calls the “Morrill High Ground”. Get it?), even if it meant bucking conventional wisdom.
It takes a brave person to ignore what others in their industry set as a standard, but doing so has not only helped him grow a fantastic (and diverse!) team and loyal customers — but healthy profits as a result.
Though our businesses couldn’t be any more different (I run a one-man web design agency out of my home) our industries have a lot in common — especially when it comes to our reputation about ethics.
Dealing with technology means that I’m often selling things to my customers they don’t fully understand, and if I had a nickel for everytime a customer came to me with a horror story of what their last developer did to them, then I wouldn’t need to sell websites anymore.
While I’d hope to be considered someone with high integrity, this book forced me to analyze some of my practices and decisions from an ethics standpoint that I hadn’t considered. Not to just do the right thing — but to proactively seek out the “Morrill” high ground in every decision I make.
Profit Wise will teach you:
- Why creating a diverse workforce will not only strengthen your company, but open you up to segments of the population that you might have ignored.
- How to hire people based on character, not ability, and train them to develop the skills they need.
- That creating a culture based around ethics will help you retain your best employees and foster their growth.
- How being a better listener will help resolve disputes with customers without resulting in a “winner” and a “loser”.
- And how to play the long-game of business without burning your candles at both ends.
If you like actionable, helpful, straight to the point reading with relatable anecdotes — and you aspire to build a business you’re proud of — then I think you’re going to love this book as much as I do.
Pick up a copy of Profit Wise by Jeff Morrill
Visit TCK Publishing
Learn more about the author, Jeff Morrill
Kyle Van Deusen
After spending 15 years as a graphic designer and earning a business degree, I launched my agency, OGAL Web Design, in 2017. A year later, after finding the amazing community around WordPress, I co-found The Admin Bar, which has grown to become the #1 community for WordPress professionals. I'm a husband and proud father of three, and a resident of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
