So far this year I’ve really enjoyed reading some new business books and returning to old ones. Here are my top picks for reading and then a podcast I listened to three times (it was that good!)
1) Never Lose A Customer Again. I have no idea how I missed this book when it came out, but I love it so much I have ordered copies for my whole team. This book is immediately practical for anyone who owns a business and their team. The message is to help you focus on the first 100 days of your customer's experience and how this is often where life-long loyalty is created or lost. Especially at the Inspiration Lab we know we have so much more growing to do in this area and our newest members will start experiencing changes due to this book. Get it RIGHT NOW (sorry to shout at you) if you own a business!
2) The Wizard of Ads. This book was written when I was in high school, but if you love marketing and advertising, you gotta get your hands on this gem. This isn’t like any modern business or marketing book you have read and that is a good thing. It is challenging, entertaining and at least every other page I am marking it up, having thoughts I feel compelled to write down, it is just that good at getting you to think. I read a few pages of this every night before bed, the lessons are often so rich you don’t just want to plow through this in one sitting.
3) This is Marketing by Seth Godin. I am a huge Seth Godin fan and he never ceases to inspire me. One thing I really loved from this book is his focus on culture...which I have been super passionate about since day one. “If you want to make change, begin by making culture. Begin by organizing a tightly knit group. Begin by getting people in sync. Culture beats strategy - so much so that culture is strategy.” Drop the mic, that is SO true and the book is filled with little paragraphs like that.
4) The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph. This is a book I picked up at a bookstore, because I loved the cover and the title. This is a stoic’s guide to life and although I don’t agree 100% with everything there is so much wisdom in this small book. The author quotes philosophers from start to finish and really helps concepts come to life. If you’d like to get a little less rattled when life doesn’t go your way, this is an awesome book. Take it slow, so you can apply and ponder the ideas.
And just for fun, here is a REALLY good listen. I have re-listened to this podcast about Leadership three times! This is from the Q&A from the Summit event with Simon Sinek, Marcus Buckingham and of course, Dave Ramsey. Get ready to take notes and hit rewind.
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