Gerber's small business management guide is often called an underground success, but its passionate following has grown far beyond the usual definition of a cult. The "E-Myth," or entrepreneurial myth, of the title refers to the common — and usually disastrous — assumption that a person who excels at the technical or operational work of a business will naturally succeed at running such a business. Gerber dispels the myth by showing that, in addition to being a technician, a successful business owner must be an effective manager (who excels at systematizing the company's profitable work) and entrepreneur (who has a vision for the company's future).