THE MINDSTRETCH: #1 BESTSELLING BUSINESS BOOK
More Information Won't Grow Your Business. Sharper Thinking Will.
Is The MINDstretch a business book? A coaching manual? A mastermind starter? Yes to all three. And more.
The MINDstretch, the #1 bestselling book by Dean Mercado and Barry Laub, delivers 49 insights that each pack a punch, across the seven essential disciplines every business rises or falls on. Pick a discipline. Read one insight. Then put it to work with the Power of SEVEN system contained within.
THE BOOK
No Fluff. No Filler. Just the Insight You Need Right Now.
I co-wrote "The MINDstretch: 49 Inspiring Insights For Business Breakthroughs" for business owners who are drowning in advice and starving for clarity.
The MINDstretch skips the theory and gives business owners one sharp, carefully crafted insight at a time.
Most business books make one good point, then spend 300 pages repeating it.
The MINDstretch does the opposite.
Seven essential disciplines. Seven hard-hitting insights for each. One page per insight, with every single word chosen on purpose.
You won't read it once and shelve it. You'll reach for it when a tough decision weighs on you, when your team is stuck, or when your thinking needs a push.
Any one of these insights can fuel hours of real conversation with your team, your coach, or yourself.
And while The MINDstretch was written for your business, every insight reaches into your life outside of it too.
It's simple to read. It's not so simple to digest. That's exactly the point.
STILL TRUE TODAY
The Tools Changed. The Disciplines Didn't.
The MINDstretch has stood the test of time since 2012 because the book was never about tools, trends, or tactics. The MINDstretch is about the timeless disciplines underneath them, and those disciplines matter even more in the age of AI.
Think about everything that has changed in your business since 2012. Now think about what hasn't. You still need a clear vision. You still need a team that follows your lead. You still need clients who stay. Here are four insights straight from the book, word for word, and why each one hits even harder now.
Beware the Siren Song
From the book...
"Employ marketing tools and platforms that make sense!"
Today...
In 2012, the pressure was the hot new social platform. Now it's the hot new AI tool. Same trap, shinier packaging.
Technology Rocks
From the book...
"Use as an enhancer (not a substitute) for personal connection!"
Today...
Swap the word "technology" for "AI" and that line reads like it was written this morning. AI amplifies. It does not absolve.
Delegate or Stagnate
From the book...
"Trust and show faith in your team!"
Today...
Your team can't deliver on what you haven't clearly expressed. If your business needs you to scale, it won't.
Develop Clients
From the book...
"Eliminate desire to look elsewhere!"
Today...
Customers are transactional. Clients are relationships. When anyone can undercut your price, the relationship is what keeps them from shopping around.
More than a decade later, I'm still pulling insights from this book in my coaching. Not out of nostalgia. Because they work.
purchase nowWHAT'S INSIDE
Seven Disciplines. Which One Does Your Business Need Right Now?
The MINDstretch never has to be read front to back. I recommend that a business owner go straight to the discipline the business needs most right now and start there.
Here's what each discipline covers and what you can expect to take from it...
| Discipline | What to Expect |
|---|---|
| 1. Believe | Your results follow your beliefs. This chapter opens with the Cycle of Causation, which shows how your experiences shape what you believe and what you get, then puts the choices back in your hands. |
| 2. Envision | Running a business without a clear vision is like setting sail with no destination. Here you get clear on your "why," think bigger about what's possible, and find the courage to act so your vision never stays a pipedream. |
| 3. Plan | A plan isn't real until it's written. You'll learn to build a Managed Action Plan (MAP): a living plan that bends without breaking, prepares you for risk, and plays to the strengths of your team. |
| 4. Lead | A great vision isn't enough. It takes leadership to make it real. This is where you learn to inspire rather than motivate, delegate with trust, and draw extraordinary results out of your people. |
| 5. Communicate | Nothing happens in business without people, and people are still people no matter how much technology changes. You'll sharpen how you speak, how you listen, and how you make sure your message lands the way you meant it. |
| 6. Market | People do business with people they know, like, and trust. This discipline shows you how to earn all three by choosing the right target, the right tools, and your own marketing recipe. Great marketing runs on creativity and moxie far more than money. |
| 7. Sell | Sales is honorable, and selling should never feel like a tug-of-war. You'll learn to sell the way people buy: lead with value, speak to what matters to them, and turn customers into clients who have no reason to look elsewhere. |
The Power of SEVEN: Turn Any Insight Into Action
Reading an insight is the easy part. Putting it to work is where the growth happens.
That's why the book closes with the Power of SEVEN, a simple five-step system that walks you from "aha" to action on any insight you choose.It won't hand you a checklist. It will make you think, commit, and move.
RAVE REVIEWS
Years of Coaching in One Book!
Readers of The MINDstretch describe a book they keep on their desks, reread many times, and hand to their teams.
Here is what a handful of those readers said, in their own words, on Amazon.
"Years of coaching in one book!"
"I highly recommend adding The MINDstretch to your personal business book library and use it to stimulate your mindset for success! The MINDstretch masterfully wraps up the coaching I paid dearly to obtain over a 4 year period."
Bill Baylis
"Each page is short and simple but eloquent and powerful. Reading through it you may say you already 'know that', but are you doing it?"
Dr. Howard Robins
"I was especially impressed by the reinforcement of being disciplined particularly in the areas of leadership and communication. I will have all my attorneys read The MINDstretch to help our practice grow!"
G. Franklin
"This is not a book to put on your book shelf when you finish. The MINDstretch should be kept on your desk as a permanent companion - to refer to when answering the questions we all deal with on a daily basis."
Rich Fasano
"This book is the business mind on steroids, it constantly probes and expands thought processes. It's like dressing your mind for success."
Phil Gavosto
"The MINDstretch is packed with words of wisdom on each page. It is the sort of business book to leave by your bedside and reread many times, gleaning and consolidating exactly what you need. The authors do a great job at distilling the business cycle into practical steps."
Alyse Parise
QUESTIONS, ANSWERED
Frequently Asked Questions About The MINDstretch
These are the questions I hear most often about The MINDstretch, from what the book covers to where to buy a copy.
Who should read The MINDstretch?
The MINDstretch is a business book for small business owners, entrepreneurs, and leaders who want to think sharper and act on what they already know. The seven disciplines apply in any industry and at every stage, from a brand-new business to one that has been running for 30 years.
Is The MINDstretch written for a specific industry?
No. The MINDstretch applies to any business, because every business has to believe, envision, plan, lead, communicate, market, and sell. Readers who have reviewed The MINDstretch include an attorney, an architect, and a CPA, and I use the book with coaching clients who run service businesses from cleaning to IT.
Where can I get a copy of The MINDstretch?
The MINDstretch is available in paperback on Amazon. Any Purchase Now button on this page takes you straight there. (Link “on Amazon” to the purchase link.)
Can I order The MINDstretch in bulk for my team?
Yes. Bulk orders of The MINDstretch are available for teams, organizations, and events. The book makes a strong team study, one discipline at a time. Contact us, and we’ll work out the details.
Can I get a signed copy of The MINDstretch?
Absolutely. I sign copies of The MINDstretch all the time at the events where I speak, so if you catch me at one, just ask.
Can’t make it to an event? Reach out to my team and we’ll arrange a personalized, signed copy of The MINDstretch. Shipping charges apply.
Do you speak or run workshops on The MINDstretch?
Yes. I speak at conferences and company events, and the disciplines in The MINDstretch run through much of what I teach. Reach out and tell me about your event.
I've read The MINDstretch. What's my next step?
Put one insight from The MINDstretch to work, then find out what’s holding your business back. The free S.C.A.L.E. Bottleneck Buster is a ten-minute diagnostic that shows which of your five S.C.A.L.E. levers is capping your growth.
If you want a guide for the work, check out my private business coaching.