Amy Winehouse Dead: a Wake Up Call for Entrepreneurs ?

Amy Winehouse's sudden death on Saturday has been smothered in speculation and judgment following the troubled singers reputation for drink and drugs, but it is not just addicts who can take lessons from the incident; a Huffington Post blog parallels the troubled singers death with the trials of running a small business.

According to blogger Tricia Fox there is much for small business owners to learn from Winehouse's death. "Whether you are a pop star, a plumber or a business consultant, the same rules still apply: you are the product. And if that's the case, you are going to need to take really good care for yourself if you want your business to succeed."

Fox compares Amy's success at the beginning of her career to that of a small company. "Amy got off to a great start. She had the raw talent and the skills to write and perform. She trained herself, brought the right people around her and she made it to the big time."

The raw talent Fox refers to is exquisitely described in a letter written to Winehouse by Comedian Russell Brand that he published on his Website. "Entering the space I saw Amy on stage with Weller and his band; and then the awe. The awe that envelops when witnessing a genius. From her oddly dainty presence that voice, a voice that seemed not to come from her but from somewhere beyond even Billie and Ella, from the font of all greatness. A voice that was filled with such power and pain that it was at once entirely human yet laced with the divine."

Fox says companies strike success in the same way but when the business starts kicking off and becomes successful, the owners tend to sacrifice their health for extra hours in the office, leaving behind healthy home cooked food and a good night's sleep.

In Fox's theory the cycle of self-abandonment leads to poor decision making in business. "Recruiting too many staff (usually the wrong ones) too quickly. Missing deadlines. Not responding to customers. Falling behind with the business finances. And then the wheels fall off. This is the business equivalent of being booed off stage."

Fox's advice to small business owners (and pop stars): your job is like a marathon, not a 100m sprint. You need to train for it. "You need to maintain your own health and fitness first because if you are at the core of the business. You are the brand. Start eating healthily; stop scrimping on sleep and start going to the gym."

Winehouse's body was found on Saturday at her home in Camden, North London. While there is speculation that the death was caused by excessive drink and drugs, the police have said that currently the cause is 'unexplained. A post-mortem is set to be carried out on Monday.

Must Read: Amy Winehouse Cause of Death: No Drugs Found in the Singer's Home