Stop Reinventing the Wheel
There are thousands of business books out there, and at $15-$40 a pop, you could quickly go broke just reading everything.
Yet, by the same token, whatever you are trying to do, chances are someone else has already figured it out, and there is no need to reinvent the wheel. Not getting the right book can cost you more than if you bought all of them.
By now I have read dozens, if not hundreds, of business books. I have a passion for learning, and hate to reinvent the wheel myself. My tactic is usually to check a book out of the library first, and then, if it's good, it makes my buy list.
The books listed below all made my buy list. All of these books have solid information, experience, and insight that will help you in your business and in your life.
If you see the cover of the book next to my review, you can click on it to buy it. In most cases you will be taken to Powells Books, for a few to Amazon, and in at least one case the book is only available directly from the author, so you will be taken there. I chose Powells whenever possible, because they are a local Portland bookseller, a great business, and have excellent prices and service.
Happy browsing.
The Bookstore
Good to Great, by Jim Collins and staff.
What I like about Jim Collins is the meticulous research he puts into his findings. The team spent several years researching all of the largest public companies in the country, and identified only 11 that made the g
ood to great criteria, that is, companies that were mediocre and made the leap to greatness. There are some very key findings in this book that are foundational to any organization or project, some that break a lot of assumptions many experienced people have about business. Recommended very highly. www.jimcollins.com
Infoguru Marketing Manual, by Robert Middleton
It's only available online at his website, Action Plan Marketing, and, if you are an independent professional who wants to learn the details of how to market yourself, go get this book. He details everything in clear, easy language, and it works! Of all the marketing structures out there, his is the most elegant and immediately useful. When I work with my clients, I often borrow from him.
Guerrilla Marketing, by Jay Conrad Levinson
Some of my clients are the kind of people who would never buy a book with a military camoflage cover and this title. So I force them to buy it. He has terrific integrity and a good heart, and his books cover the A to Z of the details of low-cost marketing, including some surprising information on deals in advertising. Go get it. www.gmarketing.com
The Corporate Mystic,
by Gay Hendricks and Kate Ludeman.
If you work in, or with, larger organizations, you will want this book. The Hendricks, Gay and Kathlyn, are doing incredible work on integrity in relationships, and their relationship books, The Conscious Heart and Conscious Loving, among others, are some of the best communication books I’ve seen. Their approach saved my marriage, and several business relationships. They can help you, too. www.hendricks.com
The Conscious Heart, by Gay and Kathlyn Hendricks
This is just about the best relationship book I've read. Yes, it is aimed at intimate, loving relationships, but the communication tools and exercises can apply to any relationship in your life. One of the most important topics, in a book full of them, is the one on telling the microscopic truth. If your relationship skills are making life shaky, this book can save your marriage, or your business. www.hendricks.com
Growing a Business, by Paul Hawken
Paul Hawken is one of the leaders in sustainable business today- he also co-wrote Natural Capitalism by Amory and L. Hunter Lovins from the Rocky Mountain Institute. This book is written from his own experience in organically growing two different, successful companies. I recommend all of his books if you are interested in sustainable models of business. www.natcap.org
The E-Myth Revisited, by Michael Gerber
I'll be honest, this is not the best-written book in the world, but it does address one of the most important topics to any entrepreneur. It has nothing to do with the internet, and everything to do with running a healthy business. In plain and simple terms, Gerber shows how most small business owners get caught up in doing everything themselves, and how to create systems and delegation to actually have a business instead of a hobby.
Million Dollar Consulting, by Alan Weiss
I'm not saying that you need to make a seven-figure income. I'm not even saying that it's the right thing to strive for- in many cases it's not. However, Alan Weiss has written THE chapter on value-based pricing, and how to move away from simply charging by the hour, and that chapter alone is worth the price of admission.
Clearing Your Clutter with Feng Shui,
by Karen Kingston.
If you have clutter in your life, and you do, you need to read this book. This book will be instrumental to help you have the inspiration to clear out all the junk in your life. This book will move you into action. In one frenzied weekend, my wife and I finally cleared out our attic and made $1200 in the resulting yard sale. www.spaceclearing.com
Getting Things Done, by David Allen
There are a lot of productivity books out there, and a lot of time management gurus, but from my yet-brief contact with David Allen's work, I believe he has got it down. A very simple approach to breaking down how we ordinarily do things, it's not a system- it's an approach to creating your own system. This is the "Art of Stress-Free Productivity."
The Tipping Point, How little things can make a big difference. By Malcolm Gladwell
For anyone who has been plodding along in your business, wondering if anything is ever going to happen- keep going! Read this book to understand how and when things suddenly tilt in the other direction. www.gladwell.com
The Soul of Money, by Lynne Twist
She covers the topic of money in a very thorough, grounded, spiritual fashion. Her teaching is based in practical experience, and it's a great antidote to a lot of typical approaches to money.
How to Get Out of Debt, Stay Out of Debt, and Live Prosperously, by Jerrold Mundis
Another very grounded and practical book, it is based on the 12-step model of Debtor's Anonymous. There is no need to continue to live in debt! Read this book and get a grasp on your finances.
Taxes Made Easy For Your Home-Based Business
by J.K. Lasser
Know your taxes! Get the current copy, tax laws change yearly. You don't have to be your own accountant, but a little knowledge will make January 1 a lot easier on you. You do get your taxes into your accountant the first week in January, don't you?...
The Wealthy Barber, by David Chilton
Basic financial health in a form that is easy to digest. This is a silly-looking book, written in a silly matter. Read it. If you don't know how insurance works, how wills and estates work, if you are uncomfortable with a lot of the different aspects of financial health, this book is extremely accessible, and very helpful.
Fundraising For Social Change, by Kim Klein
I include this book because Kim Klein is the master of grass-roots fundraising, and most of us are also involved in our communities- you should know about this book. Fundraising is the same as marketing in my opinion, and I started out doing fundraising consulting. Take your business skills, translate them into fundraising with this book, and go help your local church, school, health clinic, or favorite organization. Some of my best learning moments, and feelings of accomplishment, have been times I've spent on boards of directors for different non-profits. www.grassrootsfundraising.org
Soul Proprietor, 100 Lessons from a Lifestyle Entrepreneur,
by Jane Pollack
This book was surprisingly useful- I’ve read LOTS of business books, and she really caught the flavor of being self-employed, with very, very useful hints and lessons. www.janepollack.com
Synchronicity: The Inner Path of Leadership,
by Joseph Jaworsky
This is an excellent book about leadership, collaboration, and finding large dreams in your heart. It was very inspiring to me. Some of the biggest lessons I found in it had to do with how successful business can be a boon to community, and how he was able to bring in a tremendous amount of world-class help on his project. This book shows what can happen when you come into your heart and abandon the bootstrap myth.
If you have a book or a link recommendation, pass it on to me.