In his illuminating “how-to” style business and lifestyle manual, CLIP TOENAILS FOR A LIVING: A Unique Path to Success, Dr. Marcin N. Vaclaw explains how he built a hugely successful podiatry company by first concentrating on the simplest element of the practice: cutting toenails. As he writes, “Finding success, for me, meant starting from a strong foundation and learning to do the necessary, unglamorous things well.” Vaclaw realized that, in his line of work, the day-to-day task of “toenail management” would be a far more reliable way to build a solid business than chasing after the more “glamorous” parts of the job: the surgeries, lecture circuits, or the invention of new techniques or devices.
By becoming very efficient at the basics, Vaclaw soon found that other avenues opened up to him. With the wry humor that drives this very entertaining book, the author likens his approach to that of Michael Jordan and his mastery of the fundamentals of basketball: “Clipping toenails is my version of dribbling and layups.” Later in the book, Vaclaw sees parallels in his struggles in the business world with Rocky Balboa’s battle against Ivan Drago. Of course, everybody has their own idea of success. Vaclaw quotes Arthur Ashe: “Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.” The author’s recounting of his own journey shows how the key to achieving lasting happiness and quantifiable success can be found by hitting the work-life balance, not just chasing down dollar bills. He shares various anecdotes drawn from his own life, which give the book a strong, relatable narrative element that’s both charming and inspirational.
Citing the humble beginnings of Jensen Huang, who famously cleaned toilets in Denny’s before eventually becoming CEO of NVDIA, Vaclaw emphasizes the need for determination and hard work (the “Grind,” as he calls it). He also explains how small incremental steps can lead to great things. To illuminate this, in just one of the many fascinating diversions that make this book so enjoyable, Vaclaw traces how ancient Egyptian and Sumerian horsemanship directly affected the design restrictions on components for rocket ships.
Told with humility and great humor, CLIP TOENAILS FOR A LIVING proves a thoroughly entertaining book that will inform and inspire readers—no matter what their line of work may be.
Written by Dr. Marcin N. Vaclaw, CLIP TOENAILS FOR A LIVING: A Unique Path to Success is an insightful guide to finding a healthy work-life balance.
~ Kent Lane for IndieReader