Official Review: Happy Accidents

Yoli García · Post by **Yoli García** » 08 Feb 2018, 06:34

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Happy Accidents" by David Ahearn, Frank Ford, David Wilk.]

3 out of 4 stars

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David Ahearn, Frank Ford, David Wilk, and Tony Grant were four unemployed stand-up comedians a little more than 20 years ago. Together they took a leap of faith and founded Four Day Weekend, a comedy show that was supposed to run only for 6 weeks. Ahearn, Ford, and Wilk account in Happy Accidents: The Transformative Power of "YES, AND" at Work and in Life how they became successful beyond their wildest dreams. Four Day Weekend turned out to be the longest-running show in the Southwest. They received the Key to the City of Forth Worth, Texas. The have done over 5,700 shows around the world. They performed for President Barack Obama and President George W. Bush. They were part of the Armed Forces Entertainment Tour (AFE). They perform and do team-building workshops for hundreds of Fortune 500 companies. In addition, they are Entrepreneurs-in-Residence at the Neeley School of Business at Texas Christian University.

Ahearn, Ford, and Wilk attribute Four Day Weekend's success to their positive philosophy of "Yes, And," which is a "real place where positive outcomes rule." There is no place for "No, but." The authors believe that people have the power to change their negative mindsets to positive ones. They also believe in the magic of "Happy Accidents," which are unexpected events that turn out to be amazing and "far more miraculous than you ever could have envisioned." They practice the Return on Improvisation (ROI), which is all about giving the customer the best experience possible. Lastly, they invite people to give back and do random acts of kindness.

Happy Accidents is an inspirational non-fiction book about the power of positive collaboration, authenticity, creativity, and persistence in business and life. What I liked the most about this book was the authors' bright and humorous outlook. They sincerely believe dreams manifest when people start saying "yes" to themselves and opportunities. They are advocates of rewarding team work in which every member is valued and heard. The authors argue: "Inclusion makes people work harder, and it fundamentally makes people more dedicated." I really enjoyed that the authors offer all of their advice with enthusiasm and wit. I also commend them for sharing with honesty when things did not go smoothly for Four Day Weekend.

Besides the great content of the book, I liked its structure. It has a detailed and organized table of contents, which makes it easy for the reader to find sections of the book. Each chapter includes an engaging exercise at the end. The exercise in chapter 7 was one of my favorites. The authors ask the reader to inspire and celebrate others because everyone is an expert at something different. Each chapter also has an intermission in which the authors offer thoughtful guidance. My favorite intermission was the one in chapter 2 because the authors call the reader to take on the dream he or she has been thinking about. The time for action is now. Even though I liked the overall structure of the book, I found that it has some typos and formatting issues that can be easily corrected.

I rate Happy Accidents by Ahearn, Ford, and Wilk 3 out of 4 stars because the authors offer excellent advice that can be applied at work and home. I deducted a star because the book needs a final and quick editorial revision. I recommend this book to owners and employees of small businesses and companies because they can benefit greatly from the authors' advice. In addition, it is a superb read for readers who enjoy inspiring stories of success.

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Happy Accidents
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londonmartine · Post by **londonmartine** » 17 Mar 2018, 05:40

I think we can all agree that anyone trying to produce anything creative needs all the inspiration and positivity they can get! I love books like this - if they're done well and aren't too cheesy they can be so uplifting. Good review!

Usmanbala161 · Post by **Usmanbala161** » 17 Mar 2018, 08:45

amazing review,nice one.

Jaime Lync · Post by **Jaime Lync** » 17 Mar 2018, 11:25

Awesome review. I don't own a business but I do fall into the category of people who just love success stories. Thanks for sharing.

Sahani Nimandra · Post by **Sahani Nimandra** » 18 Mar 2018, 08:06

The title speaks for itself! I like what the author has to say. Happy accidents rather coincidence is something that has been happening in my life most often. I think it will be a inspirational out-look for me! Thank you Yolimari!

Yoli García · Post by **Yoli García** » 18 Mar 2018, 13:19

londonmartine wrote: ↑17 Mar 2018, 05:40 I think we can all agree that anyone trying to produce anything creative needs all the inspiration and positivity they can get! I love books like this - if they're done well and aren't too cheesy they can be so uplifting. Good review!

This one is not cheesy. The authors’ tone is down to earth and uplifting. Thanks for reading and commenting!

Yoli García · Post by **Yoli García** » 18 Mar 2018, 13:44

Usmanbala161 wrote: ↑17 Mar 2018, 08:45 amazing review,nice one.

Thanks!

Yoli García · Post by **Yoli García** » 18 Mar 2018, 13:46

Jaime Lync wrote: ↑17 Mar 2018, 11:25 Awesome review. I don't own a business but I do fall into the category of people who just love success stories. Thanks for sharing.

This is a good success story so you might like it. Thanks for reading and commenting!

Yoli García · Post by **Yoli García** » 18 Mar 2018, 13:55

Sahani Nimandra wrote: ↑18 Mar 2018, 08:06 The title speaks for itself! I like what the author has to say. Happy accidents rather coincidence is something that has been happening in my life most often. I think it will be a inspirational out-look for me! Thank you Yolimari!

Yes, they believe things happen because they are meant to be and when they need to happen. They are very positive. Thanks for reading and commenting!

Post by **kandscreeley** » 18 Mar 2018, 14:57

I glad you liked this one. I guess it says something about me that I've never heard of them or that show. Sounds like a pretty inspirational book, but I'm not really looking for this type of read. Thanks, though.

Yoli García · Post by **Yoli García** » 19 Mar 2018, 03:56

kandscreeley wrote: ↑18 Mar 2018, 14:57 I glad you liked this one. I guess it says something about me that I've never heard of them or that show. Sounds like a pretty inspirational book, but I'm not really looking for this type of read. Thanks, though.

I had never heard about them before either. Turns out their comedy theater act is super famous. Thanks for reading and commenting!

revna01 · Post by **revna01** » 20 Mar 2018, 01:56

I am glad for the success of the comedians and that their wildest dreams were actualized. Their success will hopefully continue by means of this book. While I appreciate hearing of others' good fortune, I can't really see myself connecting much with these authors or their story. I thought the review was wonderful, however!

dtb · Post by **dtb** » 20 Mar 2018, 16:02

More and more I am hearing success stories about people who create their own opportunities. It is encouraging. Thanks for a great review.

Poppy Drear · Post by **Poppy Drear** » 20 Mar 2018, 19:45

I've always tried my hardest just to keep my options open, so the mindset of saying "yes" to opportunities and life in general is pretty familiar to me! Hopefully, these authors get another editorial review so the book can really shine.

stacie k · Post by **stacie k** » 20 Mar 2018, 23:02

I like the idea of the engaging exercises in each chapter. We all learn better when we get to practice application. I’d be interested to find some of their comedy acts to get a better feel for who they are. The laughs would be a bonus, too! Thanks for a great review!