My Bookshelf
I love to read. As a matter of fact, I really don’t remember not knowing how to read, my mom says I started reading the cans of soup when I was about four. By the time I was six I could read all the signs on the signs on the way to my grandma’s house. I especially liked the one that said “doughnuts” ☺. So, with that said, it shouldn’t come as any surprise that even today I love to read and my bookshelf is full of an eclectic mix of books. Below are some of my favorite business books. These are books that I access all the time, they’ve been read and highlighted and sticky-ed and can almost repeat some of the verbatim. If you’re looking for a place to start your small business journey, or your looking for the solution to a business problem, the first steps of your journey or the solution to your problem can probably be found in one of these tomes. I’ll be adding to this page on a regular basis, so I hope you’ll come back and visit. If you see something that you feel is missing, drop me a line and I’ll read it and add it in!
Getting Things Done by Dave Allen This is the quintessential book on, well, getting things done. However, unlike many other books on time management, Dave Allen wants to make sure you that you answer yes to the question “Am I doing the best thing for me to be doing at this moment”. Which is by far and away a better question than “Am I being productive”. I love his Getting Things Done method (GTD), even while I am still most assuredly a student of the method.
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey If you’ve been in the business world for any length of time, you’ve probably heard of Steven Covey’s Seven Habits. This is one of those books everyone should read, whether they own their own business or not. It’s much more about habits to form to live a useful, successful (whatever success means to you) and empowered LIFE, than about habits to form because they’re good business. My favorite habit is Number Seven: Sharpen the Saw. Sitting back and taking the time to rest and recharge your batteries, investing time in learning new skills and taking the time to plan out the next phase of your life, your business, or even the next quarter is what I have to consciously make time in my life for, so that I actually remember to take time for my life!
It’s Not About The Bike by Lance Armstrong Both heart-warming and hard to read because he lets his emotions bleed out onto the page, this book is about the ultimate struggle to stay alive. It’s not a “business” book, but I’ve yet to read anything else that inspires me to get up and pursue my dreams and goals quite like Lance does. This guy knows and intimately understands the meaning of “tenacity”!
Financial Statement Analysis by Woelfel This is a book I’ve had since college, and without trying to date myself, I couldn’t believe it was still in print! If you need to know what all those numbers on your Balance Sheet and Income Statement mean, and whether or not you’re really making money, then you need to take a hard look at your financial ratios. Knowing your liquidity ratios, activity ratios, return on investment, and all the rest will give you a very real picture of now and trends in your business. Something everybody has to know in order to stay in business.
Guerrilla Marketing by Levenson This is a “Must Have” for anyone who needs to get their message out to their customers and has the marketing budget of a lemonade stand. These guys know the meaning of the words “cheap, stealth, marketing” and they share all their tricks with you. I actually used several of their tactics when I first started my consulting business and they worked like gangbusters to get my client list started, so you could say I’m a fan. ☺
Crush It! By Gary Vaynerchuck This tiny little book packs a huuuuge punch! Gary Vaynerchuck, or, Gary Vee as he’s known throughout the social media world, is a marketing typhoon. He’s all about feeling excitement and passion about your business and passing that excitement and passion on to your customers and readers. If you’re considering creating a blog for your business (and if you don’t have one, you should be!) then this book is a Must Read for you and your entire team. It’s only 142 pages and took me about two hours, maybe less, to read and is totally worth the investment of your precious time.
