Award-winning author of It’s YOUR Future...Make it a Good one!, Wheelwright delivers another gem that is both spectacular and necessary in its unpacking of the small business methods through which one can anticipate impactful global and local factors. At a time when infectious diseases are ravaging the globe, small businesses are one of the hardest-hit entities. This timely piece provides the tools and metrics to not only understand how to navigate through the various stages of business development but also to have enough foresight to anticipate any changing economic or technological trends that will almost certainly affect any small business.

This work includes numerous charts and trend lines to demonstrate the value of external forces. In particular, STEEP (social, technological, economical, ecological, political), SWOT (strengths, weakness, opportunities, threats), and the Futures Wheel help create awareness for the future of small businesses regardless of where the owner is in the eight designated stages of development. In addition to the tools, the author provides his audience with the relatability factor by connecting his commentary to popular socio-cultural works such as Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point.

Coming from the experience and knowledge of a professional futurist, what this book provides beyond anything else is a diverging perspective from the sometimes singular-focused business owner who believes sheer competitive drive will be enough to succeed in all social and economic landscapes. While Wheelwright’s work is nothing short of a manual for small businesses to adjust to the ever-evolving trends, its comprehensive nature combined with its simplicity to understand complex business concepts like vulnerability analysis and contingency planning makes this ideal for everyone ranging from the layman who aspires to initiate a small business to someone who has been operating a solo business for many years.

RECOMMENDED by the US Review

Return to USR Home