For many, nothing is better than curling up with a good book. Reading offers adventures, new lessons and perspectives. The importance and benefits of reading have been advocated for years. Research has shown the positive effects of reading on cognitive function. Evidence from a 14-year study published in 2020 in the journal International Psychogeriatrics found a reduced risk of cognitive decline in people 64 and older who read regularly. Actually, the benefits of reading can not only reduce the risk of cognitive decline, but also help with your business success.
With all of the books available it can be overwhelming as to where to start. But here are a few from a long list of great books that Pearl Collective suggests! They are grouped below in general categories with a brief overview of each. Happy reading!
Personal Improvement
What Got You Here Won’t Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful – Marshall Goldsmith & Mark Reiter
Even successful people may have habits that are holding them back from reaching their full potential. Success can sometimes lead to too much self-confidence and being resistant to change. This book covers the twenty habits that may be holding you back and shares practical advice on how to change these habits. It highlights the importance of self-awareness, humility, and the willingness to change behaviors and improve. Use this guide to help you eliminate behavior challenges and move forward to where you want to go.
The Code of the Extraordinary Mind: 10 Unconventional Laws to Redefine Your Life and Succeed on Your Own Terms – Vishen Lakhiani
What would your life look like if you could forget the rules of the past and redefine what happiness, purpose, and success mean for you? No matter where you are starting from, this book offers a blueprint of those rules/laws to break to free yourself from an ordinary life. Wouldn’t you rather live an extraordinary life? The author shares 10 laws that empower you with powerful exercises, unique models, the skills needed and the ability and desire to change. Learn from questions Lakhiani posed to business people such as Elon Musk, Richard Branson, Michael Beckwith and others. Once you learn the code, you will begin to question your limits and will realize that there are none!
Finance
Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine – Mike Michalowicz
Mike Michalowicz has written a number of excellent business books. This one offers a simple, behavioral approach to accounting – that part of the business that is not necessarily the favorite for many designers. He flips the traditional formula: Sales – Expenses = Profit. Rather than prioritizing expenses over profit, the book prioritizes profit allocation first. This ensures a healthy cash flow and financial stability. It allocates money to its intended use before spending, ensuring a steady profit. You will learn that following 4 simple principles can simplify accounting and make it easier to manage a profitable business by looking at bank account balances. Businesses that reach early and sustained profitability are much more likely to achieve long-term growth. You may learn to love the financial side of your business when your business suddenly transforms from cash-eating to a cash cow. Listen to our podcast episode with Mike here.
Entrepreneurship
Rocket Fuel: The One Essential Ingredient That Will Get You More of What You Want From Your Business – Gino Wickman & Mark C. Winters
This book focuses on the essential relationship between two key roles in a business: the Visionary and the Integrator. The Visionary has innovative ideas and is responsible for providing the overall direction and vision for the company. The Integrator is the one who makes those ideas a reality by implementing and executing the plans. They are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the business. The book explains how an effective relationship between the two is needed to help the business thrive. It offers advice and evaluations to help determine whether you are a Visionary or an Integrator. The combination of the two is the “rocket fuel” for a business which helps it to reach new successes and achieve its goals.
Leadership
The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership: A New Paradigm for Sustainable Success – Jim Dethmer, Diana Chapman & Kaley Klemp
This book offers a new approach to leadership. It focuses on conscious leadership (leading “above the line”) which can offer positive rewards for those who embrace it. Consciousness is not a state of development but a state of mind into which you can switch in or out. They emphasize the importance of the commitment to self-awareness – seeing every interaction as an opportunity to learn and curiosity as a path to quick learning. One of the commitments is to take full responsibility for the circumstances of your life. This includes the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing, and then to support others to do the same. In addition, the book highlights the importance of letting go of the need to be right – a challenge for many. They encourage conscious leaders to instead be open, curious and committed to learning. Another commitment is to feel emotions all the way through to completion, rather than suppressing or denying them. They present a road map you can use to identify where you stand and how to shift to conscious leadership, as well as what the 15 commitments are.
Marketing
The Referral Engine: Teaching Your Business To Market Itself – John Jantsch
The small business expert behind Duct Tape Marketing shares a valuable lesson: how to get your customers to do your best marketing for you. Talk with your customers, not at them. With social networking sites, companies of any size have the opportunity to engage with their customers – but the key is listening. Get your entire team on board and help them realize that everyone has the opportunity to market for and refer the business. Educate your customers. Referrals are only of value if they are given to the right people. Inform your customers and referral partners as to who is an ideal referral. Understand the “Customer Referral Cycle” – the way customers refer others to your firm who, in turn, generate even more referrals. Create an effective marketing machine without a huge budget. You can ensure a healthy referral cycle by moving clients and prospective clients along the path of Know, Like, Try, Buy, Repeat and Refer. Listen to our podcast episode with John here.
Giftology: The Art and Science of Using Gifts to Cut Through the Noise, Increase Referrals, and Strengthen Client Retention – John Ruhlin
Create a strategic approach to gifting that focuses on building meaningful relationships with clients, prospects and partners. The book emphasized the importance of unconditional, selfless giving, rather than transactional promotional gifting. Use planned randomness – unexpected, yet thoughtful gifts to surprise and delight. Focus on tangible luxury – gifts that are long-lasting. Try engraving or personalizing gifts. The book also addresses establishing a budget for gifting and how to prioritize. Then be sure to measure success by tracking the ROI of your gifting efforts and be prepared to adjust strategies accordingly. The positive effects include increased referrals, improved retention, differentiation from the competition, and revenue growth.
Time Management, Self-Management & Productivity
Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time – Brian Tracy
The title of this book comes from a quote by Mark Twain suggesting that if you start your day by doing the most challenging task, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you’ve completed the worst thing that will happen to you all day. The book shares 21 principles and techniques to help you stop procrastinating and get more done in less time. In addition it helps you set clear and achievable goals and maximize productivity.
The Go-Giver, Expanded Edition: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea – Bob Burg & John David Mann
The focus of this book is to shift the focus from “getting” to “giving”. Put the other person first! This mindset is the key to business success and personal fulfillment. This is an expanded edition of their previous book, and the writing style is simple and informal in a story-telling approach. It is a story that shows how putting others’ interests first, while continually adding value to their lives can lead to unexpected returns. The book has become known for helping readers find fulfillment as well as greater success not only in their businesses but also in their personal lives and communities.