About Gihan Perera
In a nutshell: I’m an Internet coach for business owners.
Since 1997, I’ve worked with some of Australia’s leading thought leaders, change agents and entrepreneurs, helping them leverage their expertise, individually and in groups, on and off the Internet.
I’m an entrepreneur, business consultant, speaker, mentor and interviewer. I love writing, and I’ve published many books (this is my tenth), numerous e-books and a series of audio programs.
My formal background is in science and technology, and I’ve been using the Internet since 1987. Most people didn’t know about the Internet in 1987, and even now many people don’t even realise there was an Internet in 1987! But for me – and my fellow students at the University of Western Australia – it was an important part of our lives.
I don’t love technology for its own sake. But I do love it when we use technology to get a message across more effectively. When I first started using the Internet, we didn’t have Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Foursquare, Groupon or Google. But, in the days of green computer monitors and dial-up modems, we still had the basic functions of the Internet – including e-mail, discussion groups and chat rooms. We were even doing social media, although of course we didn’t call it that at the time.
In 1997, when the Web was young, spam was just a luncheon meat, and Google wasn’t even a twinkle in its owners’ eyes, I founded First Step Communications, one of Australia’s earliest Web design businesses. Since that time, it’s grown to include clients in every continent (except Antarctica). I still operate as CEO in that business, while also running my own consulting/speaking business.
I wrote Fast, Flat and Free because I saw so many business owners struggling with what the Internet means for them and their business. It’s easy to be intimidated and overwhelmed, especially when talking to techies who can’t speak plain English and confuse you with buzzwords and jargon. The truth is, it’s not so difficult to understand how the Internet affects your business; and you probably don’t need to take desperate (and expensive) measures. But you do need to do the right thing – and that’s why I wrote this book.
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What People Say
“That rare find: a high quality, self-published book whose content is vastly more valuable than the cover price. Indeed, what stood out for me as I read the book was how generous he has been with his material.”
— Dr Liz Alexander
“With its dog-eared corners and relevant strategies for changing the way we use the Internet, this book is unlikely to gather dust. If you are looking for a different spin on using the Internet to market your business, this book will give you a massive advantage.”
— Donna Hanson
“Want to know how to market yourself on the web? This book is ideal for anyone who is either starting out on the web, or who has been doing so for years.”
— Candy Tymson
“This book really excels, by putting all the technical advice into a context that's easy to follow.”
— Shelley Dunstone
"It cuts through the many ‘social media’ and ‘web’ myths and practically demonstrates what really matters on the ‘net’. This is the one book every entrepreneur and business owner must read to sustain and secure their future business potential."
— David Penglase
"This book is now my bible for creating an effective online presence. It is not just conceptual but practical, with easy to implement strategies. Great work."
— Jani Murphy
"There is so much hype and blather about social media and Internet marketing. Usually it's the same old cliches trotted out with little real application. The best thing about Perera's work is that it puts it all in a real business perspective. Great effort."
— Alan Hargreaves
"This book is exactly like my experience of Gihan: relevant, respectful, highly insightful and jargon-free. Anyone who is looking for a layman's guide to taking advantage of what the Internet offers businesses could gain much by reading this book."
— Ross Clennett
"This book cuts through the hype. It doesn’t speak geek - it talks to people about their business strategy online in ways that make sense and go to the heart of making the web work for you. In my twenty-five years of being in business, I'd be hard pressed to name a person that I’ve learned more from than Gihan Perera."
— Ann Rolfe
"Fast, Flat and Free has become my new reference guide for smart marketing of my business online - and also offline. This book is worth many multiples its cost, so I strongly recommend it to business owners. I especially recommend it to the self-employed who may not yet be big enough to outsource to specialists. (And I recommend it to 'control-freaks' like me who like to be informed consumers of other consultants.)"
— Matt Hern
"Brilliant book. Great simplification of the extraordinary complexity we face online today. Gave me 6 'must do's to implement. And I write books on a similar topic. Well worth a read, particularly if you are an author or a Thought Leader."
— Toby Marshall
"This is probably the best book on the integration of marketing and the internet that I have read. If you want to know more about social media, the internet and small business marketing, this is the book for you."
— Michael Harrison
"If you are online now or wanting to put your business online, then this book is essential. It cuts through to the issues that really matter to capture your customers and clients. A great book that has saved me so much time."
— John Highman
"I have been paying Gihan money every month for more than a decade, and regard him as integral to the success of my businesses. In this book he outlines everything anyone would ever need to know about being successful online."
— Ian Berry
"Gihan has an amazing ability to capture current issues and trends then simplify them for easy access, without losing any of the richness of the concepts. It's a must-read."
— Helen Macdonald
"Gihan, you have done it again. This is a wonderful book. I have been following your pearls of wisdom for years and you always make me think differently. Thank you for taking the time to share your insights and expertise."
— Keith Abraham
"Gihan always makes my life and work so much easier and 'Fast, Flat and Free' is yet again just another example. I love everything this book does!"
— Ian Hutchinson
"Hey Gihan, I've nearly finished reading your book and it's amazing. It has revolutionised my thinking, not only of my Internet business idea, but also of my 'real world' business."
— Melvin Yeo
"I must tell you, I'm not very happy with this book. I was hoping I could do a quick scan flip-through and then put it on the shelf with all the others. Now I realise I must . . . must . . . sit down and read entire this book with a pen in hand. And I will end up with a long to-do list that will be critical to the future of my business! This is simply brilliant stuff, and well written and well organised."
— Warren Evans
"Fast, Flat and Free is an excellent resource and essential reading for anybody serious about doing business online. I particularly liked the chapter on creating your positioning statement and market niche. Keep up the good work!"
— Peter Thorpe
