My Top 11 Business Reads

New List Added -  Oct 2018

Keep learning is something that I’ve always done. I love finding out new things; thoughts, methods, approaches, technology and techniques.

I wouldn’t say I’m a big bookworm – I have a book by my bed and a Kindle too and I’ve just discovered how Audible can make a long journey speed by!

For me business books need to be digested in the paper format – to be scribbled on, pages marked or turned down – notes and thoughts springing from the pages. For me Kindle and e-readers are great for fiction books, travelling and losing yourself in a great story. Audio is great for getting into your sub-conscious, but frustrating if you are listening when driving as I always want to make some notes – I end up buying the book too!

1. Start with Why by Simon Sinek – We are all fixated by what we do and how we do it forgetting sometimes why we do what we do. This book continually focuses on the Why - Why do we do what we do? Why do we exist? So that you learn that by asking these questions you can unlock the secret to inspirational business.
2. Getting to Plan B by John Mullins and Randy Komisar – The best laid plans of mice and men don’t always work out as we have planned. So what is your back up plan? This book champions the back-up plan and how and why you need to change plans in an ever changing world. So whether you are developing a new plan or doing the quarterly strategic review and re-forecast this is a great guide book.
3. Talk Like TED by Carmine Gallo – Everyone needs to articulate their message and whether you are presenting at TED, to your team, a customer or your local network group this book has many fantastic examples to make your presentations move people.
4. Blue Ocean Strategies by W Chan Kim & Renee Mauborgne - Had enough of competing in shark infested waters? Then it’s time to swim into the clear blue ocean. This book highlights the phenomenal success that business can have by creating their own 'blue oceans': untapped new market spaces that are ripe from growth and with little or no competition.
5. The Goal by Eliyahu M Goldratt – An excellent story to illustrate how a production line can be honed to success.
6. The Pumpkin Plan by Mike Michalowicz – This is one of my favourite books – written with humour and many, many great messages, hints and tips. A great analogy that will have you looking at your business from a completely different perspective at the end of the book.
7. Purple Cow by Seth Godin – A remarkable little book about being remarkable. Marketing has been complicated by new fads, methods and a refusal to let go of the old ways. The simple message is be remarkable. Despite being written in 2002 it’s still valid today.
8. Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell – Now in its fifteenth year, The Tipping Point explains how and why some products spread like wildfire.
9. How to Become a Productivity Ninja by Graham Allcott – Life runs at such a pace that keeping on top of everything is a crucial skill for everyone not just business owners. If you want to get and keep your inbox at zero, work smarter and reduce pointless meetings then this book is for you.
10. 24 Assets by Daniel Priestly - This recent book sets out how important it is to build assets within your business so that they add value. Daniel identifies 24 and details them as well as giving you the option to rate your business by taking his online test.
11. Work the System by Sam Carpenter – You know that you need to systematise your business but the task just seems so massive that you never actually start it. That is exactly where Sam was. He takes you, no, shows you, through his very personal journey how to change into a fully systemised business that charges the most in his industry.

There are so many ways to access information these days that there is no excuse to stop learning. Whether you want to read or listen to books there are over 1.3M business books on Amazon and it grows every day. Trying to choose a really good one is tricky, that why I pulled the list together. But I usually find something of interest in every book I read. Go on buy a book! Read it and recommend it to someone else!