Best High-Tech Businesses
Vance spent over 40 hours in conversation with Musk and interviewed close to 300 people to tell the tumultuous stories of Musk's world-changing companies: PayPal, Tesla Motors, SpaceX and SolarCity, and to characterize a man who has renewed American industry and sparked new levels of innovation while making plenty of enemies along the way. "Ashlee Vance's new book, 'Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX and the Quest for a Fantastic Future,' is a tremendous look into arguably the world's most important entrepreneur. Vance paints an unforgettable picture of Musk's unique personality, insatiable drive and ability to thrive through hardship." "Vance's lively book yields all manner of fascinating insights about Musk's companies, his vision, and his personal life." - Whitney Tilson Founder, Kase Capital Management There are few industrialists in history who could match Elon Musk's relentless drive and ingenious vision. A modern alloy of Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Howard Hughes, and Steve Jobs, Musk is the man behind PayPal, Tesla Motors, SpaceX, and SolarCity, each of which has sent shock waves throughout American business and industry. More than any other executive today, Musk has dedicated his energies and his own vast fortune to inventing a future that is as rich and far-reaching as a science fiction fantasy. In this lively, investigative account, veteran technology journalist Ashlee Vance offers an unprecedented look into the remarkable life and times of Silicon Valley's most audacious businessman. Written with exclusive access to Musk, his family, and his friends, the book traces his journey from his difficult upbringing in South Africa to his ascent to the pinnacle of the global business world. In 1992, Elon Musk arrived in the United States as a ferociously driven immigrant bent on realizing his wildest dreams. After being forced out of PayPal, fending off a life-threatening case of malaria, and dealing with the death of his infant son, Musk abandoned Silicon Valley for Los Angeles. At a time when many American companies are more interested in chasing easy money than in taking bold risks on radical new technology, Musk stands out as the only businessman with enough dynamism and vision to tackle--and even revolutionize--three industries at once. Vance makes the case that Musk's success heralds a return to the original ambition and invention that made America an economic and intellectual powerhouse.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"2 pages in, I decided I was in this for the long haul and sat on the floor, right there in the middle of the store. Because as you experience the story, as you see the challenges Musk went through to reach the pinnacle he's at today, the question nags at you. Musk isn't soft-spoken, or easy on his employees, or a man who kicks his legs up on his desk and snoozes while his companies mill around him. Vance shows how Musk is both the CEO and an employee of his companies, simultaneously the teacher and student. Vance takes you deep into the details, from Musk's childhood and lineage in South Africa, all the way to Canada and the United States, where the bulk of the story unfolds. When Musk looks at big businesses, he sees unmovable behemoths that refuse to change their methodologies. So we follow Musk's journey from his small start-ups, Zip2 and X.com, and move into his larger, more permanent ventures, namely SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity. Did you know SpaceX tested these rockets on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and would fix problems they encountered in a matter of days, as compared to months by standard companies? I'm going to reread this book in a few weeks (probably after the scheduled June 19th third Falcon 9 landing attempt, this time on solid ground, as opposed to a barge). Anyone who wants a ridiculously thorough insight into Elon Musk's life and companies should read this book. This is an incredibly inspiring book, a important look into a game-changing business strategy, and a valuable lesson to the world."
"I loved the insight into Musk and how he operates, and you get a very broad and complete picture of Musk as a driven visionary that is absolutely set on delivering some of the most aspirational goals of any human in history. You also get some great insight into the overall ecosystem around Musk - his companies (SpaceX and Tesla primarily), relationships with other companies and gov entities, as well as the important people around him."
"Solid, well researched book about Musk's early life, early companies (Zip2 and PayPal), and current companies (Tesla, SpaceX and SolarCity). Throughout the book, Vance doesn't just let a startling assertion or quote stand still, he researches events to give the reader a balanced view of what transpired."
In 2009, Simon Sinek started a movement to help people become more inspired at work, and in turn inspire their colleagues and customers. Sinek calls this powerful idea The Golden Circle, and it provides a framework upon which organizations can be built, movements can be led, and people can be inspired. A perspective that is nothing short of the truth.” -MOKHTAR LAMANI, former ambassador, special envoy to Iraq SIMON SINEK , the bestselling author of LEADERS EAT LAST and TOGETHER IS BETTER, is an optimist who believes in a brighter future for humanity.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It reads a little bit like he took articles from his blog, stuck them in a large word-processing document, did some minor editing, and submitted the thing as-is for publication in order to create this book. As far as I can tell, if you're reasonably intelligent you can glean pretty much everything essential to Sinek's idea based on his TED Talk together with this understanding that "HOW" means something different in each of the two contexts he contrasts. What you WON'T get from that is his rather in-depth, incredibly clear exposé of why the "WHAT --> HOW" communication pattern requires manipulating people to some degree or another and why that is by necessity unsustainable in the long run. So in short, the book is a reasonable buy, certainly at the Kindle price, but do consider benefitting from Sinek's wisdom for free in 20 minutes first by watching his TED Talk."
"What I liked: * The message is a very valuable one and if you apply it to your life it's gonna make the difference."
"We all know not everyone is a born leader and Sinek does a really good job of introducing ways to break down silos between different areas of the organization and getting everyone on the same page when it comes to the "why"."
"It is also a key factor in individual success and contentment and so discovering it makes the WHAT and the How part of our lives so much more satisfying and effective."
"It's good information and gets you thinking.. but I forced myself to finish."
"I purchased this book after watching a Youtube feature on Simon Sinek."
"I teach a college-level business course that shows people how to grow their business by word-of-mouth."
"The author was trying so hard to make a many-page book out of the message and it was excruciating to go through this repetition.. Save your money and (most importantly) your time and just watch the TED talk on YT.."
This is just as true for one person in a garage or a group of seasoned professionals in a Fortune 500 boardroom. Inspired by lessons from lean manufacturing, it relies on “validated learning,” rapid scientific experimentation, as well as a number of counter-intuitive practices that shorten product development cycles, measure actual progress without resorting to vanity metrics, and learn what customers really want. "The Lean Startup has a kind of inexorable logic, and Ries’ recommendations come as a bracing slap in the face to would-be tech moguls: Test your ideas before you bet the bank on them. —Mitchell Kapor, Founder, Lotus Development Corp. "At Asana, we've been lucky to benefit from Eric's advice firsthand; this book will enable him to help many more entrepreneurs answer the tough questions about their business." —Dustin Moskovitz, co-founder of Facebook and Asana “Ries' splendid book is the essential template to understand the crucial leadership challenge of our time: initiating and managing growth!” —Warren Bennis, Distinguished Professor of Business, University of Southern California and author of the recently published, Still Surprised: A Memoir of a Life in Leadership. ". — Tim O'Reilly, CEO O'Reilly Media “Eric Ries unravels the mysteries of entrepreneurship and reveals that magic and genius are not the necessary ingredients for success but instead proposes a scientific process that can be learnt and replicated. Ries's ‘read and react’ approach to this sport, his relentless focus on validated learning, the never-ending anxiety of hovering between ‘persevere’ and ‘pivot’, all bear witness to his appreciation for the dynamics of entrepreneurship." —Randy Komisar, founding director of TiVo and author of the bestselling The Monk and the Riddle “How do you apply the 50 year old ideas of Lean to the fast-paced, high uncertainty world of Startups? It provides actionable ways to avoid product-learning mistakes, rigorously evaluate early signals from the market through validated learning, and decide whether to persevere or to pivot, all challenges that heighten the chance of entrepreneurial failure.” —Professor Noam Wasserman, Harvard Business School “One of the best and most insightful new books on entrepreneurship and management I’ve ever read. Seriously stop and read this book now.” —Scott Case, CEO Startup America Partnership “In business, a ‘lean’ enterprise is sustainable efficiency in action. Eric Ries’ revolutionary Lean Startup method will help bring your new business idea to an end result that is successful and sustainable. These tools will help organizations large and small to sustain innovation by effectively leveraging the time, passion, and skill of their talent pools.” — Andrea Goldsmith, professor of Electrical Engineering at Stanford University, and cofounder of several startups “Business is too important to be left to luck. This book is the guided tour of the key innovative practices used inside Google, Toyota, and Facebook, that work in any business.” — Scott Cook, Founder and Chairman of the Executive Committee, Intuit. —Mitchell Kapor, Founder, Lotus Development Corp. "At Asana, we've been lucky to benefit from Eric's advice firsthand; this book will enable him to help many more entrepreneurs answer the tough questions about their business." —Dustin Moskovitz, co-founder of Facebook and Asana “Ries' splendid book is the essential template to understand the crucial leadership challenge of our time: initiating and managing growth!” —Warren Bennis, Distinguished Professor of Business, University of Southern California and author of the recently published, Still Surprised: A Memoir of a Life in Leadership. ". — Tim O'Reilly, CEO O'Reilly Media “Eric Ries unravels the mysteries of entrepreneurship and reveals that magic and genius are not the necessary ingredients for success but instead proposes a scientific process that can be learnt and replicated. Ries's ‘read and react’ approach to this sport, his relentless focus on validated learning, the never-ending anxiety of hovering between ‘persevere’ and ‘pivot’, all bear witness to his appreciation for the dynamics of entrepreneurship." —Randy Komisar, founding director of TiVo and author of the bestselling The Monk and the Riddle “How do you apply the 50 year old ideas of Lean to the fast-paced, high uncertainty world of Startups? It provides actionable ways to avoid product-learning mistakes, rigorously evaluate early signals from the market through validated learning, and decide whether to persevere or to pivot, all challenges that heighten the chance of entrepreneurial failure.” —Professor Noam Wasserman, Harvard Business School “One of the best and most insightful new books on entrepreneurship and management I’ve ever read. Seriously stop and read this book now.” —Scott Case, CEO Startup America Partnership “In business, a ‘lean’ enterprise is sustainable efficiency in action. These tools will help organizations large and small to sustain innovation by effectively leveraging the time, passion, and skill of their talent pools.” — Andrea Goldsmith, professor of Electrical Engineering at Stanford University, and cofounder of several startups “Business is too important to be left to luck. This book is the guided tour of the key innovative practices used inside Google, Toyota, and Facebook, that work in any business.” — Scott Cook, Founder and Chairman of the Executive Committee, Intuit.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"So for me, the biggest takeaway from 'The Lean Startup' was Eric's explanation of the 'Five Whys' method to examine problems within any business."
"This book is fabulous."
"Second time reading this book and it is a great book to read a second time, to remember his insights and to help formalize the thoughts I have many days at work."
"This is my first enterprise book I have ever read and learning about the Lean Startup that is now becoming a big thing was very helpful with this book."
"Not the be all and end all on the subject and the serious reader will want to dive into some of the other books on the subject."
"In fact, hardware is hard and my research hasn't found anything remotely useful in applying lean start-up principles to hardware. Diarrhea of the word processor resulted in a 365 page definition of a lean start-up, where it could have been boiled down to less than 100 pages (minus 1-star for waste...Distill it down to an A3 using Lean Thinking). (Minus 1-star: As a hardware guy and having extensive experience in lean it's blatantly obvious Ries is just starting his lean journey and his last section (Accelerate) is superficial, survey, regurgitation of some of the lean tools and ideas). Reference More Actionable Books: Running Lean - Ash Maurya. Art of the Start (Ch.1) - Guy Kawasaki. Reference Free Material: Steve Blank's Website & Blog. Simon Sinek - Start with Why."
Best Business Technology Innovation
Vance spent over 40 hours in conversation with Musk and interviewed close to 300 people to tell the tumultuous stories of Musk's world-changing companies: PayPal, Tesla Motors, SpaceX and SolarCity, and to characterize a man who has renewed American industry and sparked new levels of innovation while making plenty of enemies along the way. "Ashlee Vance's new book, 'Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX and the Quest for a Fantastic Future,' is a tremendous look into arguably the world's most important entrepreneur. Vance paints an unforgettable picture of Musk's unique personality, insatiable drive and ability to thrive through hardship." "Vance's lively book yields all manner of fascinating insights about Musk's companies, his vision, and his personal life." - Whitney Tilson Founder, Kase Capital Management There are few industrialists in history who could match Elon Musk's relentless drive and ingenious vision. A modern alloy of Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Howard Hughes, and Steve Jobs, Musk is the man behind PayPal, Tesla Motors, SpaceX, and SolarCity, each of which has sent shock waves throughout American business and industry. More than any other executive today, Musk has dedicated his energies and his own vast fortune to inventing a future that is as rich and far-reaching as a science fiction fantasy. In this lively, investigative account, veteran technology journalist Ashlee Vance offers an unprecedented look into the remarkable life and times of Silicon Valley's most audacious businessman. Written with exclusive access to Musk, his family, and his friends, the book traces his journey from his difficult upbringing in South Africa to his ascent to the pinnacle of the global business world. In 1992, Elon Musk arrived in the United States as a ferociously driven immigrant bent on realizing his wildest dreams. After being forced out of PayPal, fending off a life-threatening case of malaria, and dealing with the death of his infant son, Musk abandoned Silicon Valley for Los Angeles. At a time when many American companies are more interested in chasing easy money than in taking bold risks on radical new technology, Musk stands out as the only businessman with enough dynamism and vision to tackle--and even revolutionize--three industries at once. Vance makes the case that Musk's success heralds a return to the original ambition and invention that made America an economic and intellectual powerhouse.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"2 pages in, I decided I was in this for the long haul and sat on the floor, right there in the middle of the store. Because as you experience the story, as you see the challenges Musk went through to reach the pinnacle he's at today, the question nags at you. Musk isn't soft-spoken, or easy on his employees, or a man who kicks his legs up on his desk and snoozes while his companies mill around him. Vance shows how Musk is both the CEO and an employee of his companies, simultaneously the teacher and student. Vance takes you deep into the details, from Musk's childhood and lineage in South Africa, all the way to Canada and the United States, where the bulk of the story unfolds. When Musk looks at big businesses, he sees unmovable behemoths that refuse to change their methodologies. So we follow Musk's journey from his small start-ups, Zip2 and X.com, and move into his larger, more permanent ventures, namely SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity. Did you know SpaceX tested these rockets on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and would fix problems they encountered in a matter of days, as compared to months by standard companies? I'm going to reread this book in a few weeks (probably after the scheduled June 19th third Falcon 9 landing attempt, this time on solid ground, as opposed to a barge). Anyone who wants a ridiculously thorough insight into Elon Musk's life and companies should read this book. This is an incredibly inspiring book, a important look into a game-changing business strategy, and a valuable lesson to the world."
"I loved the insight into Musk and how he operates, and you get a very broad and complete picture of Musk as a driven visionary that is absolutely set on delivering some of the most aspirational goals of any human in history. You also get some great insight into the overall ecosystem around Musk - his companies (SpaceX and Tesla primarily), relationships with other companies and gov entities, as well as the important people around him."
"This willingness to commit all his resources, sacrificing family time, risking bankruptcy is the necessary driver to striking it rich and making a lasting mark on history. But his true gift is shown in recognizing future trends, motivating people to work like slaves and like Steve Jobs a fanatical attention to detail and making the little things better."
Best Green Business
Access to land is a major barrier for many people who want to enter the agricultural sector, and urban and suburban yards have huge potential for would-be farmers wanting to become part of this growing movement. Curtis Stone is the owner/operator of Green City Acres, a commercial urban farm growing vegetables for farmers markets, restaurants, and retail outlets. The Urban Farmer is a comprehensive, hands-on, practical manual to help you learn the techniques and business strategies you need to make a good living growing high-yield, high-value crops right in your own backyard (or someone else's). Based on a scalable, easily reproduced business model, The Urban Farmer is your complete guide to minimizing risk and maximizing profit by using intensive production in small leased or borrowed spaces.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"How to acquire the needed resources: urban land, primarily lawns and some equipment. Although he is known as "the bike farmer" in this Canadian town where he lives, and thus might be taken for a counter-culture sort, he is very forthright in saying that this identity is a marketing tool. The book is relentlessly focused on the bottom line rather than being wedded to any idealistic principles. Farming is a business, and he tells you how to optimize every aspect of the operation to make it profitable. Call them crunchy cons, yuppies, urban aesthetes, or whatever else, anybody familiar with the American or Canadian social scene will recognize his customer base. There are people who did not want mass-produced, mass marketed food, and are willing to pay a premium for fresh, pure, locally grown produce. Stone serves three sets of customers: local farmers' markets, Community Supported Agriculture, and restaurants. The other outlets being more profitable, Stone devotes more space to describing how to establish oneself with farmers markets and restaurants. The first is that there is a broad market in North America for the kind of high quality, organic produce he is able to grow. They account for between 30 and 60 percent of urban water use, and take a lot of time and gasoline to mow. The most amazing observation I found in the book is how little land it takes to succeed in urban farming. Observe that quarter acre lots are extremely common in the suburbs, and you can conclude that it is not difficult to satisfy the land requirements. Going to the bottom line, Stone writes about generating incomes in the five figure range, comparable with teachers and other professionals who will be among his customers. The urban farmer doesn't need to spend a lot of money on clothes, a car to get to and from work, and the other trappings of a professional life. Being reliant on a bicycle (perhaps battery assisted, to pull around a Rototiller on a trailer) is an immediate money saver. However, the book will be useful to me in planning how to lay out our garden plots, how to use plastic tunnels to extend the growing season, how to control pests and weeds, and how to decide what to plant. Stone writes about the qualities one looks for in an employee "Paying for labor is worth it only if it allows you to do tasks that cannot be delegated as easily." In terms of the human capital that he himself evidently brings, it includes yeoman farmer attributes that we would all like to impute to our ancestors, but we have to observe are rather rare today. Here is the human capital that Stone himself appears to possess: • An innate sense of entrepreneurship. Throughout Stone's day he comes in contact with many, many potential customers, and has the patience and the graciousness to talk with all of them. Stone acquires the knowledge he shares in this book by talking to people, reading, and tinkering and figuring things out. Stone describes how he uses spreadsheets extensively to plan his operations and record his outcomes. So, on the one hand, he started from nothing: no education in farming, no real experience, and precious little capital. These kids emerge from the University chock-full of formal education but with no practical experience, and quite specifically, little notion of the fact that one earns a living by providing the kinds of goods and services that people are willing to pay for. What a blessing it would be to a 16-year-old with no discernible direction in life to get involved in something like urban farming and learn the self-discipline and the talents required to make a success of this fairly basic undertaking. Quick Breakdown of Economics. --- A Viable Farming Business On ½ Acre Or Less. 4."
"So inspirational, informative, and extremely generous account of his trials as well as his successes."
"There is no reason why any human living decently close to a city cannot make a profit from urban farming with this guide, even part time."
"This was a very informative work."
"If you follow his YouTube channel, you will really love the book."
"Great book and can be scaled down for home use."
"This book is everything you need to eat well from your own yard, and kick your boss to the curb and make a new life for yourself."
"Really great book !"
Best Women & Business
The #1 international best seller In Lean In, Sheryl Sandberg reignited the conversation around women in the workplace. An Amazon Best Book of the Month, March 2013 : Anyone who's watched Sheryl Sandberg's popular TED Talk, "Why We Have Too Few Women Leaders," is familiar with--and possibly haunted by--the idea of "having it all." But Sandberg's point--which affects all of us--is that women who have what it takes to succeed at the highest professional level face many obstacles, both internal and external. With no small amount of self-deprecating humor, a massive quantity of facts and research, plus a liberal dose of very personal anecdotes, Sandberg forces each one of us—woman and man—to reexamine ourselves at work and in life, using a unique filter.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This book CHANGED MY LIFE. I attribute this selection to my newfound confidence in my abilities and contributions to the organization, and I attribute that confidence to this book! I think every working woman should read this (especially working mothers), and possibly more importantly, every manager, male or female, should read this book."
"I'm writing this because I think some of the reviewers are missing what is significant (at least) to me about the book. I've also been criticized for being too direct -- something that is not considered negative for a man. Thinking about these questions made me realize that I can be passive about my career choices. There's a young man in my department who is new to the industry and training for his new position. Even though some of his questions and comments are boarderline embarrassing, I guarantee upper management knows who he is."
"An amazing book written by an amazing woman!"
"I have family where the wife works a high level, full time job and the husband manages the household and is home with the children. Recent news about a FOX broadcaster leaving the network to be with her family created the "Is she doing the right thing?""
"Telling people (not necessarily just women) how to be more visible in your career, and how to climb to the top."
Best Business Life
These approaches have been honed from over three decades of advising tens of thousands of CEOs and executives and helping them navigate the increasing complexities (and weight) that come with scaling up a venture. The goal of this book is to help you turn what feels like an anchor into wind at your back -- creating a company where the team is engaged; the customers are doing your marketing; and everyone is making money. Scaling Up shows business leaders how to get their organizations moving in sync to create something significant and enjoy the ride. Scaling Up is that business book. Verne’s tools and techniques have been critical to helping us drive and manage this growth during my 20 years as CEO ― and ultimately to freeing me up as the founder to pursue other interests.” -- Scott Tannas, founder and Vice Chairman, Western Financial Group; senator, Canadian Parliament. “Scaling up a significant business requires precisely the kind of discipline and focus detailed in Verne’s practical and ‘how-to’ driven book.” -- Scott Farquhar, co-founder and CEO, Atlassian. “Verne Harnish’s Scaling Up is one of the finest business books you'll ever read. Whether you're an entrepreneur who wants to scale up, a CEO who wants to take his business to the next level, or a non-profit executive who wants to leave a legacy, this book will be life-changing.” -- Tan Yinglan, Author of Way of the VC – Top Venture Capitalists on Your Board, Chinnovation – How Chinese Innovators are Changing the World and New Venture Creation - Entrepreneurship For The 21st Century - An Asian Perspective. ( Scaling Up ) Verne Harnish is founder of the world-renowned Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) and chaired for fifteen years EO's premiere CEO program, the "Birthing of Giants" and WEO's "Advanced Business" executive program both held at MIT. Founder and CEO of Gazelles, a global executive education and coaching company with over 150 coaching partners on six continents, Verne has spent the past three decades helping companies scale-up.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"For those leaders who are willing to take Verne's exceptionally well-presented ideas in the areas of People, Strategy, Execution and Cash and IMPLEMENT them consistently (using the practical and customizable tools that he offers both in the book and at the scalingup.com web site), the results will be nothing short of transformative."
"This book was great for our organization."
"Verne's insight is superb, fresh view, clear direction, a lot of new books, you are in good hands!"
"Most businesses in the world turnover less than $1 million and if you want to make it to the 4% this book has solid advice from an experienced entrepreneur on how to become part of the 4%."
"I have read a lot of business books, literally thousands, and I would put this book in my top 10 for sure."
"Excelente teory, dificult to achieve in practice."
"Great book."
"A good book for start ups in both business and other organizations."
Best Business Economics
The Curies' newly discovered element of radium makes gleaming headlines across the nation as the fresh face of beauty, and wonder drug of the medical community. Written with a sparkling voice and breakneck pace, The Radium Girls fully illuminates the inspiring young women exposed to the "wonder" substance of radium, and their awe-inspiring strength in the face of almost impossible circumstances. "Kate Moore's new book will move, shock and anger you" -- The Big Issue Kate Moore is a Sunday Times bestselling writer with more than a decade's experience in writing across varying genres, including memoir and biography and history.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"In The Radium Girls Kate Moore tells the story of these young women, seemingly so fortunate, who were poisoned by the jobs they felt so lucky to have. After some of the women died and more became ill the companies making large profits on radium rushed to dismiss any hint that the work was unsafe. Eventually publicity stemming from lawsuits filed by some of the victims (using their own scanty resources) focused enough attention on the problem that governments felt compelled to set safety standards and regulations. The safety regulations and restrictions which were finally put into place hardly seem adequate, and the Epilogue and Postscript giving details of the women's later lives, as well as an account of another industry that made careless use of radium as late as the 1970s, are especially harrowing."
"This is one these books that will stay with you long after you finished reading it."
"One of the best books I have read in a long time!"
"I learned so much from this book."
"This was such a heartfelt story bringing to life the stories of such brave women and their suffering."
"This a book that should be read by people of all ages and occupation."
"Awesome book could not stop thinking about it for weeks such a long fight these woman had n some did not make it sadly."
"I have not read many of these types of books about real life stories about history and I found this fascinating."
Best Business Accounting
Just as the most effective weight loss strategy is to limit portions by using smaller plates, Michalowicz shows that by taking profit first and apportioning only what remains for expenses, entrepreneurs will transform their businesses from cash-eating monsters to profitable cash cows. · Following 4 simple principles can simplify accounting and make it easier to manage a profitable business by looking at bank account balances. Follow Mike’s counter-intuitive advice and put profits first.”. --VERNE HARNISH, author of Scaling Up “ Profit First is a brilliant smack-upside-the-head revelation for entrepreneurs. Apply the pay-yourself-first principle to your business and watch the profits roll in.”. —CHRIS GUILLEBEAU, author of Born for This and The $100 Startup " Profit First is a game-changer. This book has the potential to change the next 20 years of your small business life.”. —DAWN FOTOPULOS, Associate Professor of Business, The King’s College NYC; author of Accounting for the Numberphobic “ Profit First is a revelation. Profit First makes the process so radically simple that you no longer have an excuse not to be profitable AND have cash flow!”. —GREG CRABTREE, author of Simple Numbers, Straight Talk, Big Profits. “Not only is Mike one of the most innovative small business authors of our time, his Profit First system—simple to apply and impactful in its results—can be the difference between constantly walking the financial tightrope or being predictably profitable. "Why are so few businesses actually profitable for their owners?
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This book is a must read for anyone interested in starting a business or is already a business owner. Business Owners: For years, us accountants have been trying to teach our clients the business owners to run their business using the data in their accounting software and for years business owners have failed to thrive and simply manage sale to sale and payroll to payroll. I have personally witnessed these same business owners implement the stupidly simple strategy this book teaches and completely change the trajectory of their business and their financial position."
"That's right, in the time it takes me to write this review, thanks to the actionable guidance of this book, my business will have gone from mishy-moshy, wishy-washy, kinda-breaking-even to having an actual, hard, bottom-line PROFIT. I am so glad I found this book at the beginning of year two of my business because, otherwise, I was looking at this year as "bleed every last drop of cash into the business to grow, grow, grow, then trim next year and hope for profits" model."
"With the profit first system, you will start taking your profit out first, and if you are not making a profit, your business will start asking you to address the problem."
"This book has truly shifted my thinking in how I run my business."
"Many great examples and explanations on why we as business owners MUST starting taking care of ourselves - paying out for our hard labors - and the system behind it all."
"I am excited to get back home and put the accounts in place and begin the Profit First Journey."
Best Business & Money Skills
-Six ways to make people like you. -Twelve ways to win people to your way of thinking. -Nine ways to change people without arousing resentment. Financial success, Carnegie believed, is due 15 percent to professional knowledge and 85 percent to "the ability to express ideas, to assume leadership, and to arouse enthusiasm among people." You learn how to make people like you, win people over to your way of thinking, and change people without causing offense or arousing resentment.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The realization that my marriage was being effected by my nearly empty toolbox of social skills promoted me to take personal responsibility and shoulder the blame myself for once instead of blaming everyone around me for everything. I grew up with a hypercritical Mother so I think I had promised myself that I would never be criticized again, even if that meant writing people off the instant I felt like I had made myself vulnerable enough to be hurt by them. The strategies are applicable to and helpful in all aspects of my life so far, from my marriage to my job, and even to the way I interact with clerks in gas stations."
"I did think several of the principles explained in the book are common sense, but I found that it could be easy for a person to react quickly to conflicts. The first principle emphasizes the importance of avoiding criticism and he describes working with people as: working with people of logic. With this principle, he describes the importance of self-expression and connects it to the importance of thinking in terms of the other person, so that they come up with your ideas on their own, which they will like more. Dale then describes the importance to recall a person's name in the third principle. He further explains this point in principle five: Talk in terms of the other person's interests. Dale describes in the third part of the book the steps to have a person think in terms of your own thoughts. He then explains the importance of agreement and having the person say "yes," at least twice. If all else fails, he explains the importance of competition and how it drives people to feel important and empowered to work efficiently and effectively. He then explains the importance of asking questions that direct the person you’re speaking to, to obtain your idea on their own. He emphasizes the importance of having the person be saved from embarrassment, and then explains the importance of praise again, even if it is small."
"I will say than telling a lie to someone to help them save face may not always be the wisest thing to do. The original "How to Win Friends and Influence People" is still a great book to read and I'd recommend it. This book is also well worth taking the time to read as it provides a modern and positive message which is inspirational."
Best Business Marketing & Sales
Influence , the classic book on persuasion, explains the psychology of why people say "yes"—and how to apply these understandings. Arguably the best book ever on what is increasingly becoming the science of persuasion.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The Harvard Business Review article "Harnessing the Science of Persuasion" by Cialdini, from their October 2001 issue....is a good example. You can even get the Six Principles from the books Table Of Contents...save yourself some time. For salespeople to benefit from a sales book, the ideas have to be explained, understood, proven, accepted, and made real."
"Easy read."
"Great read for anyone that want's to better understand the way people think."
"Excellent book that illuminated many of the techniques sales people, propagandists and others have used on me without me even realizing it."
"Cialdini draws from his own experiences as a salesman and his knowledge of the psychology research literature."
"The six weapons of persuasion are current and useful (even though the author rephrased them to make them more millennial, i think)."
"Probably the best book ive ever read."
"Everybody I try to get advice from adviced this book so I checked it out."
Best International Business & Money
Because of that, he became Putin’s number one enemy, especially after Browder succeeded in having a law passed in the United States—The Magnitsky Act—that punishes a list of Russians implicated in the lawyer’s murder. A financial caper, a crime thriller, and a political crusade, Red Notice is the story of one man taking on overpowering odds to change the world, and also the story of how, without intending to, he found meaning in his life. "The first half of Red Notice traces Browder’s improbable journey from prep-school washout through college, business school, and a series of consulting and Wall Street jobs before becoming Russia’s largest foreign investor....This book-within-a-book does for investing in Russia and the former Soviet Union what Liar’s Poker did for our understanding of Salomon Brothers, Wall Street, and the mortgage-backed securities business in the 1980s. Browder’s business saga meshes well with the story of corruption and murder in Vladimir Putin’s Russia, making Red Notice an early candidate for any list of the year’s best books." "The story of Sergei Magnitsky's life and death is a shocking true-life thriller, and Bill Browder was the man to write it." “In Red Notice , Bill Browder tells the harrowing and inspiring story of how his fight for justice in Russia made him an unlikely international human rights leader and Vladimir Putin's number-one enemy. It is the book for anyone interested in understanding the culture of corruption and impunity in Putin's Russia today, and Browder’s heroic example of how to fight back.” (Senator John McCain ). Bill Browder is an amazing moral crusader, and his book is a must-read for anyone who seeks to understand Russia, Putin, or the challenges of doing business in the world today." It's exciting to read about Browder's roller-coaster ride to wealth in Russia, and to learn how his compassion for Sergei Magnitsky, his murdered lawyer, inspired his memorable struggle against the venal apparatchiks of a corrupt state. This book shows the difference that one person can make when they refuse to back down, as told by a fellow soldier in the battle to hold Putin to account." "Browder’s narrative lays out in vivid detail the often murky mechanisms of Russia’s kleptocratic economy, culminating in an engrossing account of what would surely be the heist of the century were it not so representative of business as usual. The result is an alternately harrowing and inspiring saga of appalling crime and undeserved punishment in the Wild East." It may be that ‘Russian stories never have happy endings,’ but Browder's account more than compensates by ferociously unmasking Putin's thugocracy.” (Kirkus Reviews). "[Browder's] freewheeling, snappy book describes the meteoric rise, and disastrous fall, of a buccaneer capitalist who crossed the wrong people and paid a steep price. “In his new book, Red Notice: A True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man’s Fight for Justice, Bill Browder writes the way he talks—which is always a good strategy. It is both a political thriller and an argument for morality in foreign policy that he could never have expected to make when he began his roaring career in finance.” (The Daily Beast). "I don’t know anything about investment banking except what Browder has taught me in Red Notice , yet as a reader I was fully engaged by the book’s monumental presentation of the risks, rewards, and personal and financial dangers of doing business in Russia....An unusually affecting book...What Browder says he intends to do now is to 'carry on creating a legacy for Sergei [Magnitsky] and pursuing justice for his family.'. "Rattling through the high-finance world of New York and London, and then on to the seedier side of life in Moscow, Red Notice sometimes stretches credulity. But just as Browder really is a hedge fund manager turned human rights activist, so this story of courage combined with a dash of obsessiveness is about the real here and now. “Riveting…Browder’s story of investing bravado turns into a thriller as compelling as any John le Carré spy novel.” (Institutional Investor). “Fast-paced… It is a story worth reading for anyone interested in Russia, but also for those contemplating business or life opportunities in regions where Western ethics do not apply.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette). “Red Notice is a dramatic, moving and thriller-like account of how Magnitsky’s death transformed Browder from hedge-fund manager to global human rights crusader.” (The Guardian (US edition)). Since 2009, when his lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky, was murdered in prison after uncovering a $230 million fraud committed by Russian government officials, Browder has been leading a campaign to expose Russia’s endemic corruption and human rights abuses.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I've read a lot of Russian and Soviet history and I am interested in hedge funds, so I picked this book off the Amazon Vine list. Red Notice is the story of Bill Browder's hedge fund, Hermitage Capital, which at one time was the largest foreign investor in Russia. Hermitage produced extremely high returns and, before its demise, Browder had four and a half billion dollars under management. Boris Yeltsin and his advisers who inherited the Russian state wanted to make sure that communism would never return. Gorbachev had almost been overthrown in a coup by the communist old guard, so Yeltsin and his advisers felt that they had to put the state on an irreversible course away from communism as soon as possible. This was the environment that gave rise to the Oligarchs, brilliant and ruthless men who built multi-billion dollar fortunes from the rubble of the Soviet State. He was fascinated by Eastern Europe and when few people saw the possibilities in Russia he established a hedge fund that became wildly successful buying up under priced Russian assets. He managed to get the famous billionaire investor Edmond Safra to put up the initial money for the fund and went on to make huge profits. The standard share for hedge funds is 20% of the profits, so Browder must also have become a very wealthy man (e.g., hundreds of millions of dollars). After buying the under-priced assets they exposed the corruption, which at least for a time drove the thieves away and caused stock prices to rise. What ever the case, there is some irony in Browder's renouncing his US citizenship, since it was the US that allowed him to gain some measure of retribution by passing the Sergei Magnitsky Act."
"Without giving away too much, the book starts with a brief history of the authors early life before proceeding to his university days at Chicago and Stanford before moving to London to be a research analyst for a few firms. To that end he setup his own firm, Hermitage Capital, moved to Russia and came across amazing opportunities as the fall of the Berlin wall and communism was taking place. Starting out with just $25 Million in seed money from Edmund Safra (one of the richest people in the world), Hermitage Capital went on to become one of the largest investment banks in Russia growing to over $4 Billion. This apparently came from President Obama as it would hurt his total appeasement plan of "resetting" relations with Russia and at the time Kerry himself was trying to get the Secretary of State position after Hillary Clinton. Only after another piece of legislation came to bear and the two were tied did it come to the floor but even then John Kerry gave totally shameful remarks during the passage of the bill."
"I had no idea that they were beating to death innocent people in Russian prisons or manufacturing charges for financial gain."
"I highly recommend this book not only for the story that Bill tells, but also because it sheds light on Vladimir Putin and other criminals that are now in power in Russia."
"On May 15 BBC reported that toxicology studies showed that the Russian businessman turned informer who was found dead in Surrey in 2012 had probably died from a rare poison as Browder had thought."
Best Business Biographies & History
In this candid and riveting memoir, for the first time ever, Nike founder and board chairman Phil Knight shares the inside story of the company’s early days as an intrepid start-up and its evolution into one of the world’s most iconic, game-changing, and profitable brands. Above all, he recalls the foundational relationships that formed the heart and soul of Nike, with his former track coach, the irascible and charismatic Bill Bowerman, and with his first employees, a ragtag group of misfits and savants who quickly became a band of swoosh-crazed brothers. It’s an amazing tale.”— Bill Gates, one of his favorite books of 2016 “ Shoe Dog is a great American story about luck, grit, know how, and the magic alchemy of a handful of eccentric characters who came together to build Nike. That it happened at all is a miracle, because as I learned from this book, though we are a nation that extols free enterprise, we also excel at thwarting it. I’ve worn the gear, with pride, but I didn’t realize the remarkable saga of innovation and survival and triumph that stood behind every swoosh. " Shoe Dog is an extraordinary hero's journey, an epic tale of faith, unparalleled determination, excellence, failure, triumph, hard earned wisdom, and love. Phil Knight takes us back to the Big Bang of the swoosh, recalls how he first begged and borrowed from reluctant banks, how he assembled a crew of eccentric but brilliant misfits, how they all worked together to build something unique and paradigm changing. "A fresh historical prospective on one of the most profiled companies in the world...[ Shoe Dog ] builds characters of the people behind the brand, many of whom we've never heard of." As Knight collects the misfits and oddballs who become the core of his growing company, Shoe Dog is more like The Lord of the Rings than a typical mogul memoir." As a business biography, it ranks with such recent works as Neal Gabler’s Disney and Walter Isaacson’s Steve Jobs . But as a personal memoir Shoe Dog reaches a depth of emotional honesty that even the best biographies haven’t touched." “A fascinating warts and all account of the company’s early years, a rascally tale of scrappiness and survival, a great read .
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"To put it bluntly, they are “crap between covers.” There are very few business memoirs that are even good, since most of them make the person writing the memoir seem like a business savant who always knew the right answers and knew things would come out right. Phil Knight’s Shoe Dog: A Memoir by The Creator of Nike is a great business memoir. This will be a great read for anybody, but if you’re thinking about starting a business, especially a business that you expect to grow, this book belongs on your must-read list. If you start a business and that business starts to grow, you are funding the process out ahead of your cash flow. But if you’re in business, and especially if you’re starting a business and wanting to make it grow, this book should be on your must-read list. If you want some seasoned advice to help you run and grow your company, or if you just want to read a great business memoir, pick up a copy of Shoe Dog: A Memoir by The Creator of Nike."
"My experience has been that hardly any avoid being little more than an airbrushed account of an extraordinary genius, with depth of character and business prowess, written by the paragon him or herself. Primarily because, as Gates says, “Knight opens up in a way that few CEOs are willing to do.”. There are no two businesses that could possibly follow the same paths to success. His humourless, stern and brilliant college track coach, Bill Bowerman, eventually became one of his earliest business partners. At the end of the meeting, Knight describes – in passing – the physical exertion he experienced as a spectator, and the beauty and the art of these athletes. The culture of Nike is possibly best described as wild, made up of “losers”, (a disabled athlete confined to a wheel chair; an obese accountant who would never make partner in his firm because he was so large; a needy and obsessive letter-writing lawyer.). Initially it was to pay the few thousand dollars to be able to buy the next shipment of shoes from the Japanese manufacturer, to having the bank cut off their credit line, to being sued by the Customs Department for $25m of unpaid fees for an obscure tax (finally reduced to $9m.). It is not that Knight was the quintessential, ‘Jack Welsh’ quality manager - confident, kind, clear thinking, and a team player. A level of passion that leads you to doing things you may regret – like being sorry your wife will not stay an extra day in hospital after giving birth to your second son, because you wanted to attend an athletics meeting. Passion is what makes an accounting graduate into a “shoe dog”, strong enough to take the whipping that life and business deals you. If you are asked what you learned, you may not be able to articulate a single lesson beyond ‘passion.’ But this is all about you, the entrepreneur, and reading the frank account of the journey of a founder-CEO now worth $10b, will be a meaningful experience."
"I’m so sad it’s over but I can’t wait to hand it to someone else, so they can experience the incredible journey and life lessons of Phil Knight."
"He confessed this because he sent me a message a few weeks ago saying how guilty he felt about that because he ended up loving the book!!!"
"Towards the end where Phil Knight talks about his philanthropic efforts, he makes Africa sound like a charity case."
"Great read with some very funny writing at times."
Best Business Education & Reference
To help people uncover their talents, Gallup introduced the first version of its online assessment, StrengthsFinder, in the 2001 management book Now, Discover Your Strengths. The book spent more than five years on the bestseller lists and ignited a global conversation, while StrengthsFinder helped millions to discover their top five talents. * The more user-friendly StrengthsFinder 2.0 companion website, with a strengths community area, library of downloadable discussion guides and activities, a strengths screensaver, and a program for creating display cards of your top five themes. In the six years since the release of Now, Discover Your Strengths, more than 2 million people have taken the Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment, which means billions of people have not yet had the opportunity. Those who are familiar with the StrengthsFinder assessment know that it is designed to uncover certain key talents -- patterns of thought, feeling, and behavior that can be productively applied. In this interview, Tom Rath, author of StrengthsFinder 2.0, discusses what Gallup scientists have learned since the publication of the first book, what more there is to discover about your talents, and why it's bad to focus on your employees' weaknesses, but simply cruel to ignore them completely. More than two million people have taken the StrengthsFinder assessment, and each month, the number of people learning about their talents goes up. This book helps readers apply strengths theory to any type of role and gives them ideas to help them apply their talents in their daily life. Have you discovered anything new about talents and strengths? We found that if your manager focuses on your strengths, your chances of being actively disengaged go down to one in one hundred. I always thought there were some people who were just destined to be disengaged in their jobs because that was their personality, and no matter how hard managers tried, there wasn't much they could do with some of those people. GMJ: So is that the business case to be made for putting people in roles that play to their strengths? The main business case is that people have a lot more fun and get a lot more done if they're able to spend time in areas where they have some natural talent. Rath: While hundreds of people in our organization continue to research this topic each year, our greatest challenge might be incorporating the new research while making the message even more succinct and applicable to a wider audience. GMJ: The Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment has always categorized talents into thirty-four themes. ABOUT STRENGTHSFINDER. In 1998, the Father of Strengths Psychology, Donald O. Clifton, Ph.D. (1924-2003), along with Tom Rath and a team of scientists at The Gallup Organization, created the online StrengthsFinder assessment. In 2007, building on the initial assessment and language from StrengthsFinder 1.0, Rath and Gallup scientists released a new edition of the assessment, program, and website, dubbed "StrengthsFinder 2.0." Rooted in more than 40 years of research, this assessment has helped millions discover and develop their natural talents.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Each copy includes a scratch off passcode that gives you access to the StrengthsFinder 2.0 test. Knowing these strengths is critical, because they are unchangeable traits that will enable you to succeed to your fullest potential."
"This book definitely lives up to it's hype!"
"This book helped me understand myself and others better."
"A great book and a terrific way to understand how to build better and more engaged teams!"
"One day delivery was nice."
Best Small Business & Entrepreneurship
“I have been in the human potential / personal development movement since 1973, when I did my first EST training and saw a whole new world of possibilities. Since then, I have studied religions, prayer, meditation, yoga, affirmation, visualization, and NLP (neuro-linguistic programming). “What Hal has done with his acronym SAVERS is taken the “best practices”—developed over centuries of human consciousness development—and condensed the “best of the best” into a daily morning ritual. “As my rich dad often said, “I can always make another dollar, but I cannot make another day.” If you want to maximize every day of your life, read Miracle Morning.”. ========================================. What if you could miraculously wake up tomorrow and any—or every area of your life was transformed? What if I told you that there is a "not-so-obvious" secret that is guaranteed to transform any—or literally every area of your life, faster than you ever thought possible? What’s now being practiced by thousands of people around the world could perhaps be the simplest approach to creating the life you’ve always wanted. "Every once in a while, you read a book that changes the way you look at life. If you really want your life to improve, read this book immediately." Reading his first book, Taking Life Head On! After 6 days of fighting for his life, Hal proved that we all have the ability to overcome any obstacle and create the life of our dreams. Not only did he walk, he became an ultra-marathon runner, hall of fame business achiever, international Keynote Speaker, Success Coach, husband, father, hip-hop recording artist, and multiple time #1 bestselling author of "The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed To Transform Your Life... (Before 8AM)" and "Taking Life Head On: How To Love the Life You Have While You Create the Life of Your Dreams"—two of the highest rated and most acclaimed books on Amazon.com. Hal has appeared on dozens of radio and TV shows, and he’s been featured in numerous books, including The Education of Millionaires, Cutting Edge Sales, Living College Life in the Front Row, The Author’s Guide To Building An Online Platform, The 800-Pound Gorilla of Sales and the bestselling Chicken Soup for the Soul series.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I almost didn't get the book because I read the 1 star reviews and they said it was a simplistic redo of the same messages many others had done. I heard Hal Elrod on a webinar and was excited to read the book based upon his presentation, there were a lot of 5 star reviews and I decided to get it. To exercise has been on my goals list for five years and I just couldn't get back to it until I read Miracle Morning."
"A few weeks ago I was exhausted in tears thinking I didn't have "me time". What time alone I had at the end of the day I just wasted watching tv."
""Whether you want to make significant improvements in just a few key areas, or you are ready for a major overhaul that will radically transform your entire life--so your current circumstances will soon become only a memory of what was--you've picked up the right book. You are about to begin a miraculous journey, using a simple, but revolutionary process that is guaranteed to transform any area of your life... all before 8:00 am." After 6 minutes of that (near-)death experience, he spent several days in a coma and awoke to discover he had suffered brain damage and was told that he may never walk again. He defied the odds and proved we're all capable of overcoming obstacles while creating the life of our dreams. If you've been looking to jump start your life--or just take it to the next level--there's no better place to start than by dialing in your morning routine and Hal is the perfect guide to help us discover the "not-so-obvious secrets" to rockin' it before 8:00 am! good job of helping us architect our miracle mornings--whether that's a 6-minute plan to start or 60."
"First off, there are a lot of good ideas outlined in the book that I'm looking forward to implementing to improve my mornings and be as productive as I can possibly be. "Thousands of people have reached their potential after utilizing The Miracle Morning." There was so much fluff and shameless self-promotion that had the book not been downloaded on my iPad I would've thrown the physical copy away after ripping out the pages that were actually useful."
"Once on the website, you need to register and get sucked into more commercial advertising and never get the information that was said to be there."
Best Business Management & Leadership
-Six ways to make people like you. -Twelve ways to win people to your way of thinking. -Nine ways to change people without arousing resentment. Financial success, Carnegie believed, is due 15 percent to professional knowledge and 85 percent to "the ability to express ideas, to assume leadership, and to arouse enthusiasm among people." You learn how to make people like you, win people over to your way of thinking, and change people without causing offense or arousing resentment.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The realization that my marriage was being effected by my nearly empty toolbox of social skills promoted me to take personal responsibility and shoulder the blame myself for once instead of blaming everyone around me for everything. I grew up with a hypercritical Mother so I think I had promised myself that I would never be criticized again, even if that meant writing people off the instant I felt like I had made myself vulnerable enough to be hurt by them. The strategies are applicable to and helpful in all aspects of my life so far, from my marriage to my job, and even to the way I interact with clerks in gas stations."
"I did think several of the principles explained in the book are common sense, but I found that it could be easy for a person to react quickly to conflicts. The first principle emphasizes the importance of avoiding criticism and he describes working with people as: working with people of logic. With this principle, he describes the importance of self-expression and connects it to the importance of thinking in terms of the other person, so that they come up with your ideas on their own, which they will like more. Dale then describes the importance to recall a person's name in the third principle. He further explains this point in principle five: Talk in terms of the other person's interests. Dale describes in the third part of the book the steps to have a person think in terms of your own thoughts. He then explains the importance of agreement and having the person say "yes," at least twice. If all else fails, he explains the importance of competition and how it drives people to feel important and empowered to work efficiently and effectively. He then explains the importance of asking questions that direct the person you’re speaking to, to obtain your idea on their own. He emphasizes the importance of having the person be saved from embarrassment, and then explains the importance of praise again, even if it is small."
"This book is a MUST read for anyone, but particularly if you are in management or sales."
"If anything it is even more applicable today as society becomes more technology focused and less human interaction focused."
"Such a great book that everyone should read!!"
"By reading this book, you will learn to 'handle" people."
Best Investing
People with a fixed mindset —those who believe that abilities are fixed—are less likely to flourish than those with a growth mindset —those who believe that abilities can be developed. She introduces a phenomenon she calls false growth mindset and guides people toward adopting a deeper, truer growth mindset. “One of the most influential books ever about motivation.” —Po Bronson, author of NurtureShock “If you manage people or are a parent (which is a form of managing people), drop everything and read Mindset .” —Guy Kawasaki, author of The Art of the Start 2.0. In other words, you are who you are, your intelligence and talents are fixed, and your fate is to go through life avoiding challenge and failure. Dweck provides a checklist to assess yourself and shows how a particular mindset can affect all areas of your life, from business to sports and love. as well as for those who would like to increase their own feelings of success and fulfillment.” —Library Journal (starred review) “Everyone should read this book.” —Chip Heath and Dan Heath, authors of Made to Stick “One of the most influential books ever about motivation.” —Po Bronson, author of NurtureShock “If you manage people or are a parent (which is a form of managing people), drop everything and read Mindset .” —Guy Kawasaki, author of The Art of the Start 2.0.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The book is valuable for its conceit: that there are two types of mind-sets; the growth and the fixed. It's an informational book, but not a great book."
"However, most of the book seems to focus on discussing the difference between "fixed mindset" and "growth mindset" applied to different fields. It is like the author uses the entire book to emphasize how important "growth mindset" is but doesn't really offer much help."
"The challenge and joy of language is its power, to demoralize, teach, frighten, motivate, punish, reward…. Dr. Dweck is a Psychology Professor at Stanford University. Dr. Dweck believes people view the world with only two fundamental vantage points: “fixed” or “growth.” Those with a fixed mentality believe we are born as we are born, and there is no changing that: IQ and “natural talent” dictate all accomplishment. Those with a growth orientation believe we can always learn, always rise above our challenges, always try again and gain something in the process. If we praise efforts rather than results; if we acknowledge that failure teaches; if we decide that we can always learn a little more, we’re doing well in fostering a growth mindset. But, instead, “I want to;” “I appreciate that…”. Lauren Williams, Certified Professional Organizer, Owner, Casual Uncluttering LLC, Woodinville, WA, USA."
"Having a simple model like this is very useful if you understand the details behind it and the book mixes reporting on research with anecdotes to give the concepts both a good psychological basis and resonance for readers."
"Excellent book if you wish to grow."
"If readers are getting a lot out of this book, great."
"The book is filled with (unverifiable) anecdotes and authors seems to think that everything happened because someone had a fixed or a growth mindset."
Best Industries
In The Five Dysfunctions of a Team Patrick Lencioni once again offers a leadership fable that is as enthralling and instructive as his first two best-selling books, The Five Temptations of a CEO and The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive . This time, he turns his keen intellect and storytelling power to the fascinating, complex world of teams. Showing exactly how existing personnel failed to function as a unit, and precisely how the new boss worked to reestablish that essential conduct, the book's first part colorfully illustrates the ways that teamwork can elude even the most dedicated individuals--and be restored by an insightful leader. A second part offers details on Lencioni's "five dysfunctions" (absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results), along with a questionnaire for readers to use in evaluating their own teams and specifics to help them understand and overcome these common shortcomings.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Dysfunction within teams can be covered up with moderate success but greatness will on,y be a i.e. end when those dysfunctions are addressed."
"This book helps take a deeper look at the situation and most common issues experienced within a team."
"I like that the book explains things in details."
"One of the best leadership books I have ever read."
"One of Lencioni's classic takes on management and leadership, 5 Dysfunctions provides great practical guidance and a memorable visual reminder ."
"The book described my workplace, the poor communication."
"One of the strongest books in Patrick Lencioni's growing body of publications, "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team" offers a solid Model for the practice of management."
"Told as a parable, the book is informative and enjoyable."
Best Finance
This clear, concise, and accessible guide from two industry insiders shows you how to navigate this brave new blockchain world—and how to invest in these emerging assets to secure your financial future. In addition to offering smart investment strategies, this authoritative resource will help you understand how these assets were created, how they work, and how they are evolving amid the blockchain revolution. By sequentially building on the concepts of each prior chapter, the book will provide you with a full understanding of the cryptoasset economy and the opportunities that await the innovative investor . “As we hurtle into a new, decentralized economy, Burniske and Tatar have laid down something of immense importance: a coherent logic, a new science even, for investing in the assets that will define that coming world.”. “In this sweeping and lucid work, Burniske and Tatar make a compelling case that cryptoassets are foundational to the second generation of the Internet and represent a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the innovative investor. ―Ric Edelman, three-time #1 Independent Financial Advisor ( Barron’s ) and New York Times bestselling author of The Truth About Your Future. Cryptoassets is an excellent introduction to this breakthrough in technology and finance, and a tremendous resource for those eager to get their heads around what can be a daunting and complex subject.”. Chris Burniske and Jack Tatar give the most compelling case for why, with sharp, detailed analysis that reflects their deep understanding of the technology and their strong finance background. The authors surface many historical examples to remind us that in times of excitement, it is even more important to pay attention to the teams and talent behind each project.”. “ Cryptoassets is a must-read for all financial services executives and investors who want to understand the fundamentals and future directions of this burgeoning, new asset class. Within this book, they’ve rolled up their sleeves to provide helpful historical context and a valuation framework that readers will find intellectually stimulating and illuminating for understanding this rapidly emerging world of cryptoassets.”. Cryptoassets explains, in simple to understand terms, the full paradigm of Bitcoin and its successor currencies, and it provides everything needed to explore this exciting world.”. Cryptoassets makes blockchains accessible to the nontechnical by exploring their varied origin stories, use cases, and fundamental value. “Young, Stanford-trained, blockchain analyst and investor Chris Burniske has teamed up with financial planning expert and author Jack Tatar to provide the first comprehensive guide to understanding the fastest growing, most exciting asset class under the sun. “While the cryptoasset space has witnessed exponential growth, to achieve its full potential, it has to be broadly integrated into the real world. With consistent objectivity and clarity, Chris and Jack’s book details cryptoassets as an asset class, and will prove influential in driving institutional investor adoption of this groundbreaking opportunity.”. “ Cryptoassets provides a great introduction to and overview of the young yet rapidly growing universe of all things blockchain. This industry, asset class, and overall idea will make you ponder why abstract concepts like money, identity, and business function like they do in the world today, and how the innovation we’re seeing will completely reshape the economy of tomorrow. From setting the stage to diving into specific protocols and projects to sharing practical knowledge on how to invest in these emerging assets, Chris and Jack’s combination of expertise and familiarity with the complex topics at hand are testament to why I have considered them some of the best resources throughout my journey of falling deeper and deeper down the crypto rabbit hole.”. It’s not a hard read yet delves into much of the detail needed for a complete understanding of the benefits, and risks, of bitcoin, blockchain, and more. I’d totally recommend it to anyone who wants to dive into investing and understanding how cryptoassets will shape the future of society and the creation of value.”. “Those of us who work in the blockchain industry have long realized that the rise of cryptocurrencies as a legitimate asset class was inevitable. Chris was the first buy-side analyst to focus exclusively on this emerging asset class, and Jack was one of the earliest financial journalists to stress its importance. Now, with Cryptoassets , they describe, as nobody has before, why every investor should incorporate bitcoin, ether, and new blockchain-based assets into their portfolios, and how to analyze these tokens in order to make the right investments.”. The authors capture not only the technical and market analysis you need to know to invest in these projects but also the ethos and excitement of the people pushing this envelope. The book provides background and the potential impacts of ICOs, offering insightful knowledge to both those entering the space and experienced investors like myself. The book covers the full potential and array of what this technology offers in piercing the veil to an Internet of value with all the new innovations and crossovers from the traditional realm of finance. Chris and Jack have brought a wealth of knowledge and cross-disciplinary methods to bear from their respective fields and broken new ground in their analysis of this exciting new space.”. Burniske and Tatar are able to leverage their deep industry experience to condense a complex, continually evolving topic into a concise and informative guide for investors looking to be on the cutting edge of a new asset class. “In a world where issuing digital assets becomes as easy as creating a website, Chris and Jack provide a comprehensive guide that will help you separate the wheat from the chaff.”. “As we enter the next great evolution in global financial markets, Chris Burniske and Jack Tatar have authored a unique and much needed volume. The book adapts classic finance pricing models to the challenging task of valuing cryptoassets, offering the reader a solid headstart to investing in this new exciting asset class.”. You’ll learn about their colorful histories, how to apply fundamental valuation techniques, and practical tips to navigate the at-times turbulent markets.”. For curious minds who want to know about emerging technologies or even those who already have an understanding of blockchains, Chris and Jack leave no stone unturned. Chris Burniske and Jack Tatar steer the reader through a torrent of unknowns, illuminating the complicated world of cryptoassets and their underlying technology, which will more than likely become our generation’s most important innovation.”. “A must-read to appreciate the Bitcoin network effect and the wave of innovation that it launched through the community of people who played critical roles in creating all the distributed ecosystems that are transforming business models.”.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"They cover the good, bad, and ugly of bitcoin’s history and bring us into the present world of decentralized applications. The examples include bitcoin, Litecoin, Ripple, Dogecoin, Dash, Monero, Zcash, Ethereum, Auger, dApps in general. They paint a realistic picture of the landscape and give fair warning to those that may embark on a ride of the cryptoasset roller coaster. The authors provide an analysis and valuation framework that lays out the elements to look for and analyze when deciding on weather or not an investment would be worth it. I have added 2 pictures to the review to show you there is a lot of things you’ll want to recall as you go through your journey."
"The book wisely uses textbook features including headings; sidebars; labeled diagrams; charts and graphs; resources, notes and large index; and maps. The history of this surprisingly (to me) large knowledge domain is presented in the most succinct and straightforward manner. But it's way to long to have been a mere essay, and hence we have the first justification for getting the book rather than picking up information piecemeal. Next the text discusses returns on bitcoin and inclusion of cryptoassets in a financial portfolio."
"Whether you’re a traditional investor, a non-investor who’s interested in bitcoin, or an experienced financial professional who isn’t yet familiar with cryptocurrency, read “Cryptoassets: The Innovative Investor’s Guide.” It’s not only for investors—it’s for anyone who wants to learn more about cryptocurrency and blockchain. Chris Berniske and Jack Tatar do an excellent job telling the story behind many cryptocurrencies. Whether you’re an investor in cryptocurrency or not, chances are it’ll be disrupting a vertical near you."
Best Real Estate
Practical, real-world advice for those looking to build wealth and cash flow through rental properties! Brandon Turner’s The Book on Rental Property Investing does that, and does it in a way that puts financial freedom through real estate within reach of anyone who wants it.”. ―J.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This is better then most of the top books on real estate investing, actually explaining "how" to get started and actually steps of action to take. As I read and explored the site I realized this book is amazing and the author knows what he is talking about and actually wants to help instead of asking me to sign up for a week long crash course on making millions of dollars in real estate. This is one of the few books that is not only a good introduction but also has a ton of information for seasoned real estate investors as well."
"This is a good book for newbies to start real estate investment."
"This book is very informative and practical."
"If you want to get serious about rental properties then this is a must read!"
"Great book to reference during the home buying experience."
"Brandon does a good job of categorizing the different aspects of buying and owning rental property and explaining each in layman's terms."
"Fantastic book on real estate investing."
"There are no statistics, no scientific data, no analysis.. just random stories like "I was sitting at a Chinese restaurant, I opened my fortune cookie, and it told me that I'm meant for greater things so I decided to invest in real estate." I'm sorry, but if you're going to suggest people throw all their life savings into one basket, you should maybe give them some hard facts. Instead I was reading about a guy who had loads of luck and managed to build his rental property empire. A piece of free advice from me - if you're going to invest in property, do your own research and don't think it's as easy and as glamorous as some people might make it sound."
Best Personal Finance
After interviewing fifty of the world’s greatest financial minds and penning the #1 New York Times bestseller Money: Master the Game , Tony Robbins returns with a step-by-step playbook, taking you on a journey to transform your financial life and accelerate your path to financial freedom. -The core four principles that most of the world’s greatest financial minds utilize so that you can maximize upside and minimize downside. * The New York Times * Tony Robbins is a philanthropist and #1 New York Times bestselling author.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"There are a few books that I have read, and even before I finished them, realized that they changed something significant about my life. They absolutely mean you need to read it, because all of the principles in the list make sense, and you can know you should do them, but unless you know how, that knowledge is useless. Or you can instead learn from the masters. Read Tony’s book and not only will you learn from him, but you will learn from those he has known and worked with, some of the wealthiest and most successful investors on the planet. You will also learn how to choose a financial advisor of your own, where to set up your retirement funds and how, and even more. If you don’t read another book about building wealth and finances this year, make reading this one a top priority."
"One of the best books about financial freedom that I've read, not only about financial wealth but also about happyness."
"I feel anyone can benefit by reading this book, but especially those just starting out."
"One of the most important books I have ever read."
"Bought this as a gift."
"But as someone interested in learning more after reading his Money Master the Game book, this was hugely disapointing. Read Money Master the Game if you want something from him. Also, I find it funny that Robbins makes it seem like investing is the only way to get rich."
"Tony's book started out fine with John Bogle writing the forward, and with Tony explaining Bogle and Buffets perfect investment philosophy for everyman, investing in ETF's or Vanguard funds, in a diversified portfolio of indexes."
"The gist of this book 1) Ride out the market through highs and lows, don't panic and 2) Fees will eat away at your returns, so choose low fee index funds."
Best Careers
The new expanded edition of Tim Ferriss’ The 4-Hour Workweek includes: • More than 50 practical tips and case studies from readers (including families) who have doubled income, overcome common sticking points, and reinvented themselves using the original book as a starting point. • Real-world templates you can copy for eliminating e-mail, negotiating with bosses and clients, or getting a private chef for less than $8 a meal. • How Lifestyle Design principles can be suited to unpredictable economic times. • The latest tools and tricks, as well as high-tech shortcuts, for living like a diplomat or millionaire without being either. -- Dr. Stewart D. Friedman, Adviser to Jack Welch and Former Vice President Al Gore on Work/Family Issues, Director of the Work/Life Integration Project, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania "Stunning and amazing. -- Phil Town, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of "Rule #1 "The 4-Hour Workweek is a new way of solving a very old problem: just how can we work to live and prevent our lives from being all about work?
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Don't get me wrong, Ferriss makes some excellent points and he's got some really great tips and tricks in here, I'm just not sure how universal they really are. I thought he was just talking about ways to spend less time working, but that "The 4-Hour" just sounded good (since he now has a whole line of books with titles that start that way). I never did understand the point of retirement, so Ferriss's plan sounds much more appealing to me. Granted, that would make my job a whole lot more portable, but I could never get away with only working four hours per week (at least not until after I sell that bestselling novel, which is such a realistic plan!). I, too, thought I could get another job within a few months, but that did not turn out to be the case. So, if I go spend all my money on a mini-retirement now, and then come back only to find that I can't get a job for another year, I'll be screwed. I love them, but they have enough to deal with right now, and the last thing I want to do is burden the people around me because I decided to go globe-trotting for a few months."
"Tim has a great sense of humor, this is an entertaining read and I had several private chuckles (as opposed to the over-rated LOL). 1. using a virtual assistant (that saved me 6 hours on Christmas vacation, the fellow did a much better job than I would have, and I helped a person in a third world country) 2."
"Seriously, he begins by admitting he first made his fortune selling (allegedly) nutritional supplements that cost almost nothing to make and weren't based on science, but were then hyped to the point the uninformed public was paying through the nose to get it. This gave him ideas on how to further hype his message to an even larger audience, without bothering to sell anything tangible. He then gives advice about "paraphrasing and combining points from several books," borrowing from the public domain, and/or compensating some other "expert." Apparently, not knowing a damn thing is a virtue he calls "Cultivating Selective Ignorance." If having an educated and well-informed populace is fundamental to having a flourishing democracy, this is how we'll end up with a plutocracy where the stupidest few prey on the desperate and stupid masses, while outsourcing all the jobs they might create. Outsource everything -- including your brain -- to a 3rd World Country: He hires virtual assistants in various 3rd World Countries, especially India, who are then given fabulous access to all of his personal information to the point they can pretend to be him and make all of his personal and business decisions. Hey, what could possibly go wrong by hiring complete strangers and giving them all information about you in order to think for you, do your work and run your errands? Just tell him you're too busy and further kill morale by then asking those other suckers - aka, co-workers - for a quick breakdown of what happened."
"Truly a waste of time and just another "fluff how to" book that really says nothing with substance."
Best Taxation
New York Times bestelling author T. R. Reid travels around the world to solve the urgent problem of America's failing tax code, unravelling a complex topic in plain English - and telling a rollicking story along the way. Crammed with loopholes and special interest provisions, it works for no one except tax lawyers, accountants, and huge corporations. Successful American companies like Apple, Caterpillar, and Google effectively pay no tax at all in some instances because of loopholes that allow them to move profits offshore. Never talking down or reflexively siding with either wing of politics, T. R. Reid presses the case for sensible root-and-branch reforms with a companionable ebullience. His eye for the telling detail is sharp… Those unfamiliar with economics, accounting or tax law will be better able to understand these subjects by reading “A Fine Mess.”… With enough readers, Reid might even help us to initiate real tax reform by replacing a tax code so complex it includes the anti-complexity rule in Section 7803(c)(2)(B).”— David Cay Johnston, The New York Times Book Review “A fun book on taxes. Throughout his well-reported, clearly written exposé of United States tax policy, [Reid] reveals the follies of the concept of American exceptionalism and the misguided pride of presidents, members of Congress, and Internal Revenue Service commissioners….Though Reid's topic may be anathema to many readers, he makes it relentlessly revelatory and simple to understand.” — Kirkus Reviews [starred].
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"To help us prepare, Reid has written A Fine Mess, an interesting and informative look at our own tax system and tax systems of other developed countries around the world, from Austria to New Zealand. We can read of the elaborate tax evasion schemes used by large corporations, like “inversions”, and get outraged at special provisions like “carried interest” whereby brokers who invest other people’s money can treat their own compensation as capital gains rather than ordinary income, thereby allowing Warren Buffet to pay a lower tax rate than his secretary. Most of his recommendations are no-brainers like retaining a progressive tax rate system, reducing complexity, and eliminating special provisions that benefit some small favored company or group."
"Reid is certainly right in arguing that a major reason for our "fine mess" is the way we go about making public policy in a presidential/congressional system which makes it hard for us to do anything quickly or coherently, even when we aren't as divided as we are today--a point he also made in his book on health care. As a comparative political scientist, he is mentioned in my textbook for his books on Confucianism, the EU, and health care."
"READ THIS BOOK!!! Bottom line it is congress who makes out misery."
"Everyone needs to read this book."
"I like Reid's book, as it reveals taxes in a way that most people can understand."
"It drives me nuts when politicians say that people need "to pay their fair share". A 5th grade education in math suggests that this is not possible... someone has to pay more if the government is going to bring in more money."
Best Organizational Behavior
With a new Afterword by the author In The Power of Habit, Pulitzer Prize–winning business reporter. Charles Duhigg takes us to the thrilling edge of scientific discoveries that explain why habits exist and how they can be changed. NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NPR. BESTSELLER • WASHINGTON POST BESTSELLER • LOS ANGELES TIMES BESTSELLER • USA TODAY BESTSELLER • PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BESTSELLER. NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The Wall Street Journal • Financial Times “Sharp, provocative, and useful.” —Jim Collins “Few [books] become essential manuals for business and living. Charles Duhigg not only explains how habits are formed but how to kick bad ones and hang on to the good.” — Financial Times “A flat-out great read.” —David Allen, bestselling author of Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity “You’ll never look at yourself, your organization, or your world quite the same way.” —Daniel H. Pink, bestselling author of Drive and A Whole New Mind “Entertaining . The stories that Duhigg has knitted together are all fascinating in their own right, but take on an added dimension when wedded to his examination of habits.” — Associated Press “There’s been a lot of research over the past several years about how our habits shape us, and this work is beautifully described in the new book The Power of Habit .” —David Brooks, The New York Times “A first-rate book—based on an impressive mass of research, written in a lively style and providing just the right balance of intellectual seriousness with practical advice on how to break our bad habits.” — The Economist “I have been spinning like a top since reading The Power of Habit, New York Times journalist Charles Duhigg’s fascinating best-seller about how people, businesses and organizations develop the positive routines that make them productive—and happy.” — The Washington Post. A. I first became interested in the science of habits eight years ago, as a newspaper reporter in Baghdad, when I heard about an army major conducting an experiment in a small town named Kufa. The major had analyzed videotapes of riots and had found that violence was often preceded by a crowd of Iraqis gathering in a plaza and, over the course of hours, growing in size. When the major met with Kufa’s mayor, he made an odd request: Could they keep food vendors out of the plazas? Since starting work on this book, I've lost about 30 pounds, I run every other morning (I'm training for the NY Marathon later this year), and I'm much more productive. By learning how to analyze my habit, I figured out that the reason I walked to the cafeteria each day wasn't because I was craving a chocolate chip cookie. And the cue for my behavior - the trigger that caused me to automatically stand up and wander to the cafeteria, was a certain time of day. So, I reconstructed the habit: now, at about 3:30 each day, I absentmindedly stand up from my desk, look around for someone to talk with, and then gossip for about 10 minutes. The most surprising thing I've learned is how companies use the science of habit formation to study - and influence - what we buy. Target collects all kinds of data on every shopper it can, including whether you’re married and have kids, which part of town you live in, how much money you earn, if you've moved recently, the websites you visit. Charles Duhigg not only explains how habits are formed but how to kick bad ones and hang on to the good.” — Financial Times “A flat-out great read.” —David Allen, bestselling author of Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity “You’ll never look at yourself, your organization, or your world quite the same way.” —Daniel H. Pink, bestselling author of Drive and A Whole New Mind “Entertaining . a serious look at the science of habit formation and change.” — The New York Times Book Review “Cue: see cover. Reward: fully comprehend the art of manipulation.” — Bloomberg Businessweek “A fresh examination of how routine behaviors take hold and whether they are susceptible to change . The stories that Duhigg has knitted together are all fascinating in their own right, but take on an added dimension when wedded to his examination of habits.” — Associated Press “There’s been a lot of research over the past several years about how our habits shape us, and this work is beautifully described in the new book The Power of Habit .” —David Brooks, The New York Times “A first-rate book—based on an impressive mass of research, written in a lively style and providing just the right balance of intellectual seriousness with practical advice on how to break our bad habits.” — The Economist “I have been spinning like a top since reading The Power of Habit,New York Times journalist Charles Duhigg’s fascinating best-seller about how people, businesses and organizations develop the positive routines that make them productive—and happy.” — The Washington Post “An absolutely fascinating . Instead, what is needed is to teach the managers to identify the cues that lead to these bad habits and rewards, and then learn alternative routines that lead to similar rewards, i.e. business and personal success.” — Forbes “ The Power of Habit is chock-full of fascinating anecdotes . how an early twentieth century adman turned Pepsodent into the first bestselling toothpaste by creating the habit of brushing daily, how a team of marketing mavens at Procter & Gamble rescued Febreze from the scrapheap of failed products by recognizing that a fresh smell was a fine reward for a cleaning task, how Michael Phelps’ coach instilled habits that made him an Olympic champion many times over, and how Tony Dungy turned the Indianapolis Colts into a Super Bowl–winning team.” — Los Angeles Times “Duhigg clearly knows that people do not like, or even buy, the idea that we’re not creatures of choice.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Part one is the heart of the book; it explains what habits are about, where they come from, how they’re hard-wired into our brains, and how they can be enormously powerful —both to enslave us and to free us if we only we learn how to handle them well (the book’s mission). I found this part of the book to be truly outstanding: well-researched, engagingly written and extremely persuasive. By taking the concept of habits beyond what it can solidly explain, parts 2 & 3 detract a bit of value and credibility from the book."
"Only three chapters are both interesting and useful, but they all slow down when the author drags us through stories that could have been condensed into a few sentences or a couple paragraphs. Basically the book is one big series of stories about how people changed habits to succeed in life. The author offers a small bit of useful advice: Basically, you look for the cues/triggers that are starting the routine/habit that you are not happy with but cannot seem to stop. Discovering the triggers and rewards takes time and introspection--all left up to you."
"What a great book!!"
"I have found the info helpful to my private clients who are feeling the pain of their unhealthy habits and are motivated to change."