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Reader CommentsThere are few people who can write and speak with equal ease on highly specialized topics as well as broad, big-picture notions. Mark Amtower is one of them. He is best-known as America’s leading expert on marketing to government. In Why Epiphanies Never Occur to Couch Potatoes, he widens his focus to dispense wisdom won from the school of hard knocks – common-sense advice and practical ideas that can help you achieve greater success in every important area of your life. Robert W. Bly, world-famous copywriter and best-selling author of over 75 books This is a book chock-full of laws by the biggest outlaw I know. Amy Africa, Chief Marketing Imagina-8-tor, EightByEight.com What do you get when you cross Stephen Covey and Conan the Barbarian? Mark Amtower & Why Epiphanies Never occur to Couch Potatoes! Guy Timberlake, CEO and Chief Visionary of The American Small Business Coalition What a little gem of a personal statement. Don't let the wry title mislead you: Mark Amtower holds back nothing, neither in his personal history nor in his personal philosophy. Statements such as "Fidelity is its own reward" and the more abstruse but certainly profound "The Law of Divine Right to Attention" are worthy of consideration even by those who regard themselves as super sophisticates. Herschell Gordon Lewis, best-selling author and columnist Funny. The word, epiphany doesn't even appear in 3 of the 5 dictionaries I have here at my desk. I know what it means because I grew up Catholic. I guess nobody reads the dictionary anymore anyway since we rely on Wiki for the FAQs now. Although Wiki really doesn't do the word justice... to read the Wiki-meaning,(as in a "feeling") it equates Epiphany to "Gut Instict" or "Intuition" -- the two latter are important personal "tools" and natural instincts; but I always thought an Epiphany was a little more special than Wiki makes it out... but then again, maybe deep down, I am still angry at Wiki for denying my entry for: "Renaissance Woman". Do I feel an Epiphany coming on...Have fun today! MJM, www.NetworkAbundance.com Though this book will only take you a short time to read, the lessons you learn will last a lifetime. Rieva Lesonsky, former editorial director, Entrepreneur magazine Fun, easy and real. Amtower’s outlook on life is simple and unpretentious. I kept finding myself thinking or my own life priorities. Bob Prosen, best-selling author of Kiss Theory Goodbye I haven't read it yet, but will be sure to let you know my comments when I am done. If this book has been written in typical Mark Amtower fashion it will be great!!! Brad Glasco, Microsoft Amtower hits the "ephiphany" nail on the head with this book that inspires and encourages one to take action! It's a must read! Nettie Hartsock, AllBusiness.com Must Read Books Editor
Don Libey, Libey Incorporated Finally a book I can recommend to family and friends. An enjoyable set of stories containing profound life lessons I wished I'd learned 20 years earlier! Bill Harrison, FreePublicity.com Some people make great works of art. Some people build giant corporations. Some people attain high office and bend others to their will. And some people merely go through the world, doing well by doing good. These are the ones who sleep best at night. Mark Amtower is such a person. I’ve known Mark since we started our publishing company Key Communications Group in 1976. Mark was my list broker, helping me choose and obtain mailing lists that led to my company’s early success. Then Mark became an expert on mailing into the Federal government, just as we got into Federal HR. Once again, Mark gave us a leg up, and this time only Mark could do so. Mark was the only person alive who knew anything about this devilishly difficult task – and Mark seemed to know everything about it. Mark entered the seminar business and invited me to speak at one of his “do’s”. That engagement led to a connection with National Audio-Visual Supply and its principal, Scott Heller, that has been one of the most rewarding business friendships I’ve enjoyed. Then Mark introduced our publication, the Federal Personnel Guide, to his federal-marketplace clientele, with the happy result that four Amtower clients bought tens of thousands of copies of the Guide. Did I make some money along the way? Most certainly. Did Mark? I hope so. As I said above ... doing well by doing good has been Mark’s way for the thirty-plus years I’ve known him. How would you like to succeed the Mark Amtower way? You can ... because now Mark has written it all down in Why Epiphanies Never Occur to Couch Potatoes. I’d call this a how-to book but it’s really more of a why-I-did book. Mark spells out the beliefs that have inspired his professional life. Beliefs like --
Mark portrays himself herein as “not God’s brightest child.” If this book has a flaw, I’d say it was false modesty. Mark is among God’s brighter children, I am here to tell you, and anyway – as Mark himself immodestly says – he is among God’s most persistent children. There’s much more here, delivered in Mark’s own folksy style – a philosophy of life translated into business success terms, with entertaining asides and charming cartoon illustrations to make the medicine go down. Will Mark’s aphorisms work for you? That is for you to find out, and I encourage you to do so. That they worked for Mark is beyond question.” Frank Joseph, Long-time Amtower friend and award winning author, To Love Mercy Mark Amtower proves you can achieve greater success in business and in life than you ever imagined possible. He shows you how to stop letting perfectionism and other excuses from holding your back and start creating your dreams. Steve Harrison, Co-founder, FreePublicity.com “Amtower calling” is a welcome topic designator on my incoming email. I haven’t seen Mark in person in about 4 years since I relocated to the Seattle area. But such is his continuing hold on my respect that my cursor moves promptly to open the message. “What’s he up to now?” I wonder. I open the email and once again bask immediately in the Amtower presence. (I almost said “aura,” but that word feels too fancy for this rustic, irreverent sage from Cumberland.) I think we first met at the Tower Club in Virginia. I was amazed at his earthy, opinionated style. “How does he survive,” I asked myself, “in the business environment where a polished patina often outshines real content?” He was intrigued to learn of my book on public speaking. We soon got into a great discussion about my theory on the importance of “the message from your marrow, the authentic things that are true all the way to the center of your bones.” He experimented eagerly with several ideas I offered, learning from both his successes and misfires. All these years later I reflect that he has always “gotten away with,” his “unique” style for 7 reasons:
I guess all this reflecting makes me wish we all demonstrated these qualities to the degree that Mark does. What I do know is that whenever “Amtower (is) calling,” I’ll be listening. Maggie Bedrosian, author, Speak Like a Pro and Life Is More Than Your To-Do List The appealing thing about Mark Amtower is that no one else has the same view of the world as he does. It's always different, sometimes dramatically different. You also never have to wonder what Mark's agenda is. It's right out front. You never have to wonder what he thinks about something or if he is going to tell you straight out. I don't always agree with Mark, but I am always interested in what he is thinking. His 10 laws of survival are an excellent guide to managing business and Life. Anne Armstrong, President and Group Publisher, 1105 Government Information Group
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”The Speech” was one of the finest I have ever heard—from the heart and constructed of timeless integrity and wisdom. Now, the book tells us what lies behind the speech and it makes it all the more important to read and hear this brilliant, multi-faceted jewel, this treasure of honest writing.