en-US Tue, 22 Sep 2020 18:23:24 -0700 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg 41215667 New York TimesĚýbestselling author Donald Miller uses the seven universal elements of powerful stories to teach readers how to dramatically improve how they connect with customers and grow their businesses.

Donald Miller’s StoryBrand process is a proven solution to the struggle business leaders face when talking about their businesses. This revolutionary method for connecting with customers provides readers with the ultimate competitive advantage, revealing the secret for helping their customers understand the compelling benefits of using their products, ideas, or services. Building a StoryBrand does this by teaching readers the seven universal story points all humans respond to; the real reason customers make purchases; how to simplify a brand message so people understand it; and how to create the most effective messaging for websites, brochures, and social media. Whether you are the marketing director of a multibillion dollar company, the owner of a small business, a politician running for office, or the lead singer of a rock band, Building a StoryBrand will forever transform the way you talk about who you are, what you do, and the unique value you bring to your customers.]]> Donald Miller Jason 0
If you are working in your business where you are not sure what your message is, if you have customers who scratch their heads when they look at your website... then this book is for you.]]> 4.21 2017
author: Donald Miller
name: Jason
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at: 2020/09/21
date added: 2020/09/22
shelves:
review:
A golden book for those individuals trying to clarify their message to customers.

If you are working in your business where you are not sure what your message is, if you have customers who scratch their heads when they look at your website... then this book is for you.
]]> 40179007 NATIONAL BESTSELLERNAMED ONE OF THE MOST INSPIRING BOOKS OF 2018 BYĚýINC.NAMED ONE OF THE BEST STARTUP BOOKS OF ALL TIME BY BOOKAUTHORITYĚýThe Messy Middle is the indispensable guide to navigating the volatility of new ventures and leading bold creative projects by Scott Belsky, bestselling author, entrepreneur, Chief Product Officer at Adobe, andĚýproduct advisor to many of today's top start-ups. Creating something from nothing is an unpredictable journey. The first mile births a new idea into existence, and the final mile is all about letting go. We love talking about starts and finishes, even though the middle stretch is the most important and often the most ignored and misunderstood.Ěý Ěý Broken into three sections with 100+ lessons, this no-nonsense book will help Ěýâ€�ĚýEndure the roller coaster of successes and failures by strengthening your resolve, embracing the long-game, and short-circuiting your reward system to get to the finish line. •ĚýOptimize what’s working so you can improve the way you hire, better manage your team, and meet your customersâ€� needs. •ĚýFinish strong and avoid the pitfalls many entrepreneurs make, so you can overcome resistance, exit gracefully, and continue onto your next creative endeavor with ease. With insightful interviews from today’s leading entrepreneurs, artists, writers, and executives, as well as Belsky’s own experience working with companies like Airbnb, Pinterest, Uber, and sweetgreen, The Messy Middle will outfit you to find your way through the hardest parts of any bold project or new venture.]]> 416 Scott Belsky 0735218080 Jason 0
I can 100% recommend that founders and investors (those helping founders) read this book.]]> 4.03 2018
author: Scott Belsky
name: Jason
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at: 2020/08/17
date added: 2020/09/22
shelves:
review:
This book was excellent. Scott is a genius at explaining the concepts that exist in the no man's land between starting and being excited about starting a startup and those celebrated exits or huge valuations that you see in the press and on twitter feeds.

I can 100% recommend that founders and investors (those helping founders) read this book.
]]> 36045512
In his 2009 international bestseller Crush It, Gary insisted that a vibrant personal brand was crucial to entrepreneurial success, In Crushing It!, Gary explains why that’s even more true today, offering his unique perspective on what has changed and what principles remain timeless. He also shares stories from other entrepreneurs who have grown wealthier—and not just financially—than they ever imagined possible by following Crush It principles. The secret to their success (and Gary’s) has everything to do with their understanding of the social media platforms, and their willingness to do whatever it took to make these tools work to their utmost potential. That’s what Crushing It! teaches readers to do.

In this lively, practical, and inspiring book, Gary dissects every current major social media platform so that anyone, from a plumber to a professional ice skater, will know exactly how to amplify his or her personal brand on each. He offers both theoretical and tactical advice on how to become the biggest thing on old standbys like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, and Snapchat; podcast platforms like Spotify, Soundcloud, iHeartRadio, and iTunes; and other emerging platforms such as Musical.ly. For those with more experience, Crushing It! illuminates some little-known nuances and provides innovative tips and clever tweaks proven to enhance more common tried-and-true strategies.

Crushing It! is a state-of-the-art guide to building your own path to professional and financial success, but it’s not about getting rich. It’s a blueprint to living life on your own terms.]]> 293 Gary Vaynerchuk Jason 5
I’ve actually reached out via IG to several of the people in this book most of whom are just plain awesome.

Highly recommend.]]> 3.95 2018
author: Gary Vaynerchuk
name: Jason
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2019/02/24
date added: 2019/02/26
shelves:
review:
Loved it. Gary has a way of telling the stories of others and reviewing them in the context of his original book Crush It that is unique.

I’ve actually reached out via IG to several of the people in this book most of whom are just plain awesome.

Highly recommend.
]]> 29939161
"I raced through Radical Candor --It’s thrilling to learn a framework that shows how to be both a better boss and a better colleague. Radical Candor is packed with illuminating truths, insightful advice, and practical suggestions, all illustrated with engaging (and often funny) stories from Kim Scott’s own experiences at places like Apple, Google, and various start-ups. Indispensable." � Gretchen Rubin author of New York Times bestseller The Happiness Project

"Reading Radical Candor will help you build, lead, and inspire teams to do the best work of their lives. Kim Scott's insights--based on her experience, keen observational intelligence and analysis--will help you be a better leader and create a more effective organization." � Sheryl Sandberg author of the New York Times bestseller Lean In

"Kim Scott has a well-earned reputation as a kick-ass boss and a voice that CEOs take seriously. In this remarkable book, she draws on her extensive experience to provide clear and honest guidance on the fundamentals of leading others: how to give (and receive) feedback, how to make smart decisions, how to keep moving forward, and much more. If you manage people--whether it be 1 person or a 1,000--you need Radical Candor . Now." � Daniel Pink author of New York Times bestseller Drive

From the time we learn to speak, we’re told that if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. When you become a manager, it’s your job to say it--and your obligation.

Author Kim Scott was an executive at Google and then at Apple, where she worked with a team to develop a class on how to be a good boss. She has earned growing fame in recent years with her vital new approach to effective management, Radical Candor.

Radical Candor is a simple idea: to be a good boss, you have to Care Personally at the same time that you Challenge Directly. When you challenge without caring it’s obnoxious aggression; when you care without challenging it’s ruinous empathy. When you do neither it’s manipulative insincerity.

This simple framework can help you build better relationships at work, and fulfill your three key responsibilities as a leader: creating a culture of feedback (praise and criticism), building a cohesive team, and achieving results you’re all proud of.

Radical Candor offers a guide to those bewildered or exhausted by management, written for bosses and those who manage bosses. Taken from years of the author’s experience, and distilled clearly giving actionable lessons to the reader; it shows managers how to be successful while retaining their humanity, finding meaning in their job, and creating an environment where people both love their work and their colleagues.]]> 336 Kim Malone Scott 1250103509 Jason 2
You could just read the wheel diagram and then the last "Getting started" steps and takeaway enough from this book.

The anecdotes help, but it felt like a long read. Glad I got through it. Wouldn't recommend it.

Certainly applies less to very small enterprises.]]> 4.05 2017
author: Kim Malone Scott
name: Jason
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2017
rating: 2
read at: 2019/02/10
date added: 2019/02/10
shelves:
review:
It took me a few goes to get through this book. Although it's easy to read I found myself confused as to the execution.

You could just read the wheel diagram and then the last "Getting started" steps and takeaway enough from this book.

The anecdotes help, but it felt like a long read. Glad I got through it. Wouldn't recommend it.

Certainly applies less to very small enterprises.
]]> 40745 A newer edition of this book can be found here.

After decades of research, world-renowned Stanford University psychologist Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D., discovered a simple but groundbreaking idea: the power of mindset. In this brilliant book, she shows how success in school, work, sports, the arts, and almost every area of human endeavor can be dramatically influenced by how we think about our talents and abilities. 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. Mindset reveals how great parents, teachers, managers, and athletes can put this idea to use to foster outstanding accomplishment.

In this edition, Dweck offers new insights into her now famous and broadly embraced concept. She introduces a phenomenon she calls false growth mindset and guides people toward adopting a deeper, truer growth mindset. She also expands the mindset concept beyond the individual, applying it to the cultures of groups and organizations. With the right mindset, you can motivate those you lead, teach, and love � to transform their lives and your own.]]> 276 Carol S. Dweck Jason 5 Started it probably 2-3 times, which was my failing!
Because this book is definitely a MUST read.
The cover is accurate, whether you are interested in parenting, business or personal development the information in this book is essential.
Please please please read this!]]> 4.09 2006
author: Carol S. Dweck
name: Jason
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2006
rating: 5
read at: 2018/12/26
date added: 2018/12/26
shelves:
review:
Finished Mindset.
Started it probably 2-3 times, which was my failing!
Because this book is definitely a MUST read.
The cover is accurate, whether you are interested in parenting, business or personal development the information in this book is essential.
Please please please read this!
]]> 26156469 A former FBI hostage negotiator offers a new, field-tested approach to negotiating � effective in any situation.

After a stint policing the rough streets of Kansas City, Missouri, Chris Voss joined the FBI, where his career as a kidnapping negotiator brought him face-to-face with bank robbers, gang leaders and terrorists. Never Split the Difference takes you inside his world of high-stakes negotiations, revealing the nine key principles that helped Voss and his colleagues succeed when it mattered the most � when people’s lives were at stake.

Rooted in the real-life experiences of an intelligence professional at the top of his game, Never Split the Difference will give you the competitive edge in any discussion.]]> 274 Chris Voss 0062407805 Jason 0 currently-reading 4.35 2016
author: Chris Voss
name: Jason
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/12/19
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> 641604
You're either a Purple Cow or you're not. You're either remarkable or invisible. Make your choice.

What do Starbucks and JetBlue and KrispyKreme and Apple and DutchBoy and Kensington and Zespri and Hard Candy have that you don't? How do they continue to confound critics and achieve spectacular growth, leaving behind former tried-and true brands to gasp their last?

Face it, the checklist of tired 'P's marketers have used for decades to get their product noticed - Pricing, Promotion, Publicity, to name a few - aren't working anymore. There's an exceptionally important 'P' that has to be added to the list. It's Purple Cow.

Cows, after you've seen one, or two, or ten, are boring. A Purple Cow, though...now that would be something. Purple Cow describes something phenomenal, something counterintuitive and exciting and flat out unbelievable. Every day, consumers come face to face with a lot of boring stuff-a lot of brown cows - but you can bet they won't forget a Purple Cow. And it's not a marketing function that you can slap on to your product or service. Purple Cow is inherent. It's built right in, or it's not there. Period.

In Purple Cow, Seth Godin urges you to put a Purple Cow into everything you build, and everything you do, to create something truly noticeable. It's a manifesto for marketers who want to help create products that are worth marketing in the first place.

Description from Amazon.com]]> 145 Seth Godin 159184021X Jason 5 3.78
author: Seth Godin
name: Jason
average rating: 3.78
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2018/12/18
date added: 2018/12/18
shelves:
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]]> 34536488 Ray Dalio, one of the world’s most successful investors and entrepreneurs, shares the unconventional principles that he’s developed, refined, and used over the past forty years to create unique results in both life and business—and which any person or organization can adopt to help achieve their goals.

In 1975, Ray Dalio founded an investment firm, Bridgewater Associates, out of his two-bedroom apartment in New York City. Forty years later, Bridgewater has made more money for its clients than any other hedge fund in history and grown into the fifth most important private company in the United States, according to Fortune magazine. Dalio himself has been named to Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Along the way, Dalio discovered a set of unique principles that have led to Bridgewater’s exceptionally effective culture, which he describes as “an idea meritocracy that strives to achieve meaningful work and meaningful relationships through radical transparency.� It is these principles, and not anything special about Dalio—who grew up an ordinary kid in a middle-class Long Island neighborhood—that he believes are the reason behind his success.

In Principles, Dalio shares what he’s learned over the course of his remarkable career. He argues that life, management, economics, and investing can all be systemized into rules and understood like machines. The book’s hundreds of practical lessons, which are built around his cornerstones of “radical truth� and “radical transparency,� include Dalio laying out the most effective ways for individuals and organizations to make decisions, approach challenges, and build strong teams. He also describes the innovative tools the firm uses to bring an idea meritocracy to life, such as creating “baseball cards� for all employees that distill their strengths and weaknesses, and employing computerized decision-making systems to make believability-weighted decisions. While the book brims with novel ideas for organizations and institutions, Principles also offers a clear, straightforward approach to decision-making that Dalio believes anyone can apply, no matter what they’re seeking to achieve.

Here is a rare opportunity to gain proven advice unlike anything you’ll find in the conventional business press.]]> 16 Ray Dalio 1508243247 Jason 0 currently-reading 4.09 2017
author: Ray Dalio
name: Jason
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/12/18
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> 36026802 352 Mike Edmonds 0730349527 Jason 5
Love that Mike doesn’t make it so that being able to achieve a purpose has to mean not-for-profit.

This book is the perfect combination of why you should grow with purpose, how to interrogate your purpose and what to do next once you’ve found it.

Not a wishywashy read and certainly not a business horoscope. You’ll finish it quickly I assure you it’s that good.]]> 4.00
author: Mike Edmonds
name: Jason
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2018/07/03
date added: 2018/07/03
shelves:
review:
Definitely a must read for those who want to lead an organisation with purpose.

Love that Mike doesn’t make it so that being able to achieve a purpose has to mean not-for-profit.

This book is the perfect combination of why you should grow with purpose, how to interrogate your purpose and what to do next once you’ve found it.

Not a wishywashy read and certainly not a business horoscope. You’ll finish it quickly I assure you it’s that good.
]]> 15954298 We aren't stuck with this dysfunctional corporate model, but business needs a new DNA if it is to enact the comprehensive approach we need. Pavan Sukhdev lays out a sweeping new vision for tomorrow's one that will increase human wellbeing and social equity, decrease environmental risks and ecological losses, and still generate profit. Through a combination of internal changes in corporate governance and external regulations and policies, "Corporation 2020" can become a reality in the next decade--and it must, argues Sukhdev, if we are to avert catastrophic social imbalance and ecological harm.
"Corporation 2020" presents new approaches to measuring the true costs of business and the corporation's obligation to society. From his insightful look into the history of the corporation to his thoughtful discussion of the steps needed to craft a better corporate model, Sukhdev offers a hopeful vision for the role of business in shaping a more equitable, sustainable future.]]> 275 Pavan Sukhdev 161091239X Jason 2 3.67 2012
author: Pavan Sukhdev
name: Jason
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2012
rating: 2
read at: 2015/05/27
date added: 2015/05/26
shelves:
review:
There's a good book here. Unfortunately if you're not ready for the assault of statistics and structural analysis of how corporations work then you'll struggle through. Read if there aren't other better interesting forward looking books such as the Great Disruption available at hand.
]]> 2458741 274 David H. Maister 0979845718 Jason 0 currently-reading 3.93 2008
author: David H. Maister
name: Jason
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2015/05/02
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> 18176747
In The Hard Thing About Hard Things, Ben Horowitz, cofounder of Andreessen Horowitz and one of Silicon Valley's most respected and experienced entrepreneurs, draws on his own story of founding, running, selling, buying, managing, and investing in technology companies to offer essential advice and practical wisdom for navigating the toughest problems business schools don't cover. His blog has garnered a devoted following of millions of readers who have come to rely on him to help them run their businesses. A lifelong rap fan, Horowitz amplifies business lessons with lyrics from his favorite songs and tells it straight about everything from firing friends to poaching competitors, from cultivating and sustaining a CEO mentality to knowing the right time to cash in.

His advice is grounded in anecdotes from his own hard-earned rise—from cofounding the early cloud service provider Loudcloud to building the phenomenally successful Andreessen Horowitz venture capital firm, both with fellow tech superstar Marc Andreessen (inventor of Mosaic, the Internet's first popular Web browser). This is no polished victory lap; he analyzes issues with no easy answers through his trials, including demoting (or firing) a loyal friend;
whether you should incorporate titles and promotions, and how to handle them;
if it's OK to hire people from your friend's company; how to manage your own psychology, while the whole company is relying on you; what to do when smart people are bad employees; why Andreessen Horowitz prefers founder CEOs, and how to become one; whether you should sell your company, and how to do it.

Filled with Horowitz's trademark humor and straight talk, and drawing from his personal and often humbling experiences, The Hard Thing About Hard Things is invaluable for veteran entrepreneurs as well as those aspiring to their own new ventures.]]> 304 Ben Horowitz 0062273205 Jason 4
Read.]]> 4.20 2014
author: Ben Horowitz
name: Jason
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2015/05/01
date added: 2015/05/02
shelves:
review:
This book is a must read for anyone planning on being involved in founding and or running/leading a start-up. Regardless of the extensive references to tech, it's relevant to any and all industries.

Read.
]]> 13625909 107 Jeremey Donovan 1468179993 Jason 3
This is a how to book. So if you need that and can appreciate it as I did, then you'll be ok.]]> 4.07 2012
author: Jeremey Donovan
name: Jason
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2012
rating: 3
read at: 2015/03/11
date added: 2015/03/11
shelves:
review:
It's a good read. But it's not what you think.

This is a how to book. So if you need that and can appreciate it as I did, then you'll be ok.
]]> 7108725 Why do you do what you do?

Why are some people and organizations more innovative, more influential, and more profitable than others? Why do some command greater loyalty from customers and employees alike? Even among the successful, why are so few able to repeat their success over and over?

People like Martin Luther King Jr., Steve Jobs, and the Wright Brothers might have little in common, but they all started with why. It was their natural ability to start with why that enabled them to inspire those around them and to achieve remarkable things.

In studying the leaders who've had the greatest influence in the world, Simon Sinek discovered that they all think, act, and communicate in the exact same way—and it's the complete opposite of what everyone else does. Sinek calls this powerful idea The Golden Circle, and it provides a framework upon which organizations can be built, movements can be lead, and people can be inspired. And it all starts with WHY.

Any organization can explain what it does; some can explain how they do it; but very few can clearly articulate why. WHY is not money or profit—those are always results. WHY does your organization exist? WHY does it do the things it does? WHY do customers really buy from one company or another? WHY are people loyal to some leaders, but not others?

Starting with WHY works in big business and small business, in the nonprofit world and in politics. Those who start with WHY never manipulate, they inspire. And the people who follow them don't do so because they have to; they follow because they want to.

Drawing on a wide range of real-life stories, Sinek weaves together a clear vision of what it truly takes to lead and inspire. This book is for anyone who wants to inspire others or who wants to find someone to inspire them.]]> 256 Simon Sinek 1591842808 Jason 4
It's made me ponder more about the business that I'm involved with.

The question of why when consistently pushed cuts to the core of who someone or a business is.

Read.]]> 4.10 2009
author: Simon Sinek
name: Jason
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2009
rating: 4
read at: 2015/03/11
date added: 2015/03/11
shelves:
review:
Very thought-provoking.

It's made me ponder more about the business that I'm involved with.

The question of why when consistently pushed cuts to the core of who someone or a business is.

Read.
]]> 6667514 The New York Times bestselling author of Better and Complications reveals the surprising power of the ordinary checklist

We live in a world of great and increasing complexity, where even the most expert professionals struggle to master the tasks they face. Longer training, ever more advanced technologies—neither seems to prevent grievous errors. But in a hopeful turn, acclaimed surgeon and writer Atul Gawande finds a remedy in the humblest and simplest of techniques: the checklist. First introduced decades ago by the U.S. Air Force, checklists have enabled pilots to fly aircraft of mind-boggling sophistication. Now innovative checklists are being adopted in hospitals around the world, helping doctors and nurses respond to everything from flu epidemics to avalanches. Even in the immensely complex world of surgery, a simple ninety-second variant has cut the rate of fatalities by more than a third.

In riveting stories, Gawande takes us from Austria, where an emergency checklist saved a drowning victim who had spent half an hour underwater, to Michigan, where a cleanliness checklist in intensive care units virtually eliminated a type of deadly hospital infection. He explains how checklists actually work to prompt striking and immediate improvements. And he follows the checklist revolution into fields well beyond medicine, from disaster response to investment banking, skyscraper construction, and businesses of all kinds.

An intellectual adventure in which lives are lost and saved and one simple idea makes a tremendous difference, The Checklist Manifesto is essential reading for anyone working to get things right.]]> 208 Atul Gawande 0805091742 Jason 4
Well written, thorough examples and interesting personal anecdotes.

If you want to get better at your job/profession this is a must read.]]> 4.00 2009
author: Atul Gawande
name: Jason
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2009
rating: 4
read at: 2015/03/11
date added: 2015/03/11
shelves:
review:
This book was fantastic.

Well written, thorough examples and interesting personal anecdotes.

If you want to get better at your job/profession this is a must read.
]]> 15843041
The safety zone has moved. The propaganda has been exposed, and the old promises have been broken: Conformity no longer leads to comfort. But the good news is that creativity is scarce, and more valuable than ever. So is choosing to do something unpredictable and brave: make art.

Being an artist isn’t a genetic disposition or a specific talent. It’s an attitude we can all adopt. It’s a hunger to seize new ground, make connections, and work without a map.ĚýIf you do those things you’re an artist, no matter what it says on your business card.

Whether you’re a teacher, engineer, doctor, middle manager, or customer service rep, you can fly higher by bringing your best self to work. You can care about what you’re doing today and how you can improve tomorrow. Godin shows us how it’s possible, and convinces us why it’s essential.]]> 256 Seth Godin 1591846072 Jason 4
Read this book if you want some light reading with a strong dose of motivation to fly the coup of the ordinary path.]]> 4.04 2012
author: Seth Godin
name: Jason
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2012
rating: 4
read at: 2014/10/29
date added: 2014/12/31
shelves:
review:
If you've ever wondered why those around you don't necessarily want you to fly too high? They're worried about you. The true problem with having this mentality is that you can often have your wings clipped unnecessarily.

Read this book if you want some light reading with a strong dose of motivation to fly the coup of the ordinary path.
]]> 324748
In this iconic bestseller, popular business blogger and bestselling author Seth Godin proves that winners are really just the best quitters. Godin shows that winners quit fast, quit often, and quit without guilt—until they commit to beating the right Dip.

Every new project (or job, or hobby, or company) starts out fun…then gets really hard, and not much fun at all. You might be in a Dip—a temporary setback that will get better if you keep pushing. But maybe it’s really a Cul-de-Sac—a total dead end. What really sets superstars apart is the ability to tell the two apart.

Winners seek out the Dip. They realize that the bigger the barrier, the bigger the reward for getting past it. If you can beat the Dip to be the best, you’ll earn profits, glory, and long-term security.
Whether you’re an intern or a CEO, this fun little book will help you figure out if you’re in a Dip that’s worthy of your time, effort, and talents. The old saying is wrong—winners do quit, and quitters do win.]]> 80 Seth Godin 1591841666 Jason 3 3.78 2007
author: Seth Godin
name: Jason
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2007
rating: 3
read at: 2014/12/31
date added: 2014/12/31
shelves:
review:

]]> 21856367
What were the talents that allowed certain inventors and entrepreneurs to turn their visionary ideas into disruptive realities? What led to their creative leaps? Why did some succeed and others fail?

In his masterly saga, Isaacson begins with Ada Lovelace, Lord Byron’s daughter, who pioneered computer programming in the 1840s. He explores the fascinating personalities that created our current digital revolution, such as Vannevar Bush, Alan Turing, John von Neumann, J.C.R. Licklider, Doug Engelbart, Robert Noyce, Bill Gates, Steve Wozniak, Steve Jobs, Tim Berners-Lee, and Larry Page.

This is the story of how their minds worked and what made them so inventive. It’s also a narrative of how their ability to collaborate and master the art of teamwork made them even more creative.

For an era that seeks to foster innovation, creativity, and teamwork, The Innovators shows how they happen.]]> 542 Walter Isaacson 147670869X Jason 0 currently-reading 4.09 2011
author: Walter Isaacson
name: Jason
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2014/12/31
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> 2432957 238 Hugh Macfarlane 0975135414 Jason 2
That's the best way to describe it. The reference reading and material from this list is definitely something of value as is some of the methodology espoused. That being said it could have been a 20 page case study from HBR rather than a 200 page story.

Not worth reading except for the back appendices.]]> 3.57 2003
author: Hugh Macfarlane
name: Jason
average rating: 3.57
book published: 2003
rating: 2
read at: 2014/12/28
date added: 2014/12/27
shelves:
review:
Scarily boring narrative with interesting side bar of references.

That's the best way to describe it. The reference reading and material from this list is definitely something of value as is some of the methodology espoused. That being said it could have been a 20 page case study from HBR rather than a 200 page story.

Not worth reading except for the back appendices.
]]> 18050143
The great secret of our time is that there are still uncharted frontiers to explore and new inventions to create. In Zero to One, legendary entrepreneur and investor Peter Thiel shows how we can find singular ways to create those new things.

Thiel begins with the contrarian premise that we live in an age of technological stagnation, even if we’re too distracted by shiny mobile devices to notice. Information technology has improved rapidly, but there is no reason why progress should be limited to computers or Silicon Valley. Progress can be achieved in any industry or area of business. It comes from the most important skill that every leader must master: learning to think for yourself.

Doing what someone else already knows how to do takes the world from 1 to n, adding more of something familiar. But when you do something new, you go from 0 to 1. The next Bill Gates will not build an operating system. The next Larry Page or Sergey Brin won’t make a search engine. Tomorrow’s champions will not win by competing ruthlessly in today’s marketplace. They will escape competition altogether, because their businesses will be unique.

Zero to One presents at once an optimistic view of the future of progress in America and a new way of thinking about innovation: it starts by learning to ask the questions that lead you to find value in unexpected places.]]> 195 Peter Thiel 0804139296 Jason 3
He has some fantastic points about start-ups, working environments for new and small businesses and a strong level of conviction for his methodology and beliefs which is nice to read.

That being said, he's self indulgent in parts of this book - perhaps his choice as a self-made billionaire (I don't know) - and more importantly he spends a lot of time focusing on all the great achievements of his inner circle. There is in fact life beyond silicon valley.

Read it, but don't glorify it.]]> 4.15 2014
author: Peter Thiel
name: Jason
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2014
rating: 3
read at: 2014/11/30
date added: 2014/12/03
shelves:
review:
Peter Thiel's book is definitely worthwhile reading.

He has some fantastic points about start-ups, working environments for new and small businesses and a strong level of conviction for his methodology and beliefs which is nice to read.

That being said, he's self indulgent in parts of this book - perhaps his choice as a self-made billionaire (I don't know) - and more importantly he spends a lot of time focusing on all the great achievements of his inner circle. There is in fact life beyond silicon valley.

Read it, but don't glorify it.
]]> 14500636 216 Edward B. Barbier 1849713537 Jason 3
As it is a revised edition, some years after the original, it provides a solid commentary on the progress and lack thereof within the global community.

Ultimately it is a dry read and doesn't flow overly well. It reads like a textbook. If you're in the mood for detail and stats its a book for you.]]> 3.91 2012
author: Edward B. Barbier
name: Jason
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2012
rating: 3
read at: 2014/08/27
date added: 2014/08/31
shelves:
review:
'Blueprint for a green economy' is a thorough examination of the current challenges within global economies to achieve the balance between development and furthering their sustainable programs.

As it is a revised edition, some years after the original, it provides a solid commentary on the progress and lack thereof within the global community.

Ultimately it is a dry read and doesn't flow overly well. It reads like a textbook. If you're in the mood for detail and stats its a book for you.
]]> 18736925 Capital in the Twenty-First Century, Thomas Piketty analyzes a unique collection of data from twenty countries, ranging as far back as the eighteenth century, to uncover key economic and social patterns. His findings will transform debate and set the agenda for the next generation of thought about wealth and inequality.

Piketty shows that modern economic growth and the diffusion of knowledge have allowed us to avoid inequalities on the apocalyptic scale predicted by Karl Marx. But we have not modified the deep structures of capital and inequality as much as we thought in the optimistic decades following World War II. The main driver of inequality—the tendency of returns on capital to exceed the rate of economic growth—today threatens to generate extreme inequalities that stir discontent and undermine democratic values. But economic trends are not acts of God. Political action has curbed dangerous inequalities in the past, Piketty says, and may do so again.]]> 685 Thomas Piketty 067443000X Jason 0 currently-reading 4.04 2013
author: Thomas Piketty
name: Jason
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2014/08/30
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> 4191136 This business classic written by longtime New Yorker contributor John Brooks is an insightful and engaging look into corporate and financial life in America.

What do the $350 million Ford Motor Company disaster known as the Edsel, the fast and incredible rise of Xerox, and the unbelievable scandals at General Electric and Texas Gulf Sulphur have in common? Each is an example of how an iconic company was defined by a particular moment of fame or notoriety.

These notable and fascinating accounts are as relevant today to understanding the intricacies of corporate life as they were when the events happened.

Stories about Wall Street are infused with drama and adventure and reveal the machinations and volatile nature of the world of finance. John Brooks’s insightful reportage is so full of personality and critical detail that whether he is looking at the astounding market crash of 1962, the collapse of a well-known brokerage firm, or the bold attempt by American bankers to save the British pound, one gets the sense that history really does repeat itself.]]> 408 John Brooks 0575003499 Jason 0 currently-reading 3.81 1969
author: John Brooks
name: Jason
average rating: 3.81
book published: 1969
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2014/08/30
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> 19060935 A major new analysis and action plan to deal with two linked challenges to human ingenuity and human survival - the crisis of climate change and the world economic crash.'Gilding says that our current economic model is driving the system over a cliff. We are already living beyond the planet's capacity to support us and a crisis is no longer avoidable' The Times'If you're planning to stick around for the 21st century, this might be a useful book to consult' Bill McKibben, author of Eaarth and The End of NatureIt's time to stop just worrying about climate change, says Paul Gilding. Instead we need to brace for impact, because global crisis is no longer avoidable. The 'Great Disruption' started in 2008, with spiking food and oil prices and dramatic ecological change like the melting polar icecap. It is not simply about fossil fuels and carbon footprints. We have come to the end of Economic Growth, Version 1.0, a world economy based on consumption and waste, where we lived beyond the means of our planet's ecosystems and resources. The Great Disruption offers a stark and unflinching look at the challenge humanity faces - yet also a deeply optimistic message. The coming decades will see loss, suffering and conflict as our planetary overdraft is paid. However, they will also bring out the best humanity can compassion, innovation, resilience and adaptability. Gilding tells us how to fight, and win, what he calls 'the One Degree War' to prevent catastrophic warming of the earth, and how to start today. The crisis we are in represents a rare chance to replace our addiction to growth with an ethic of sustainability, and it's already happening. It's also an unmatched business old industries will collapse while new companies literally reshape our economy. In the aftermath of the Great Disruption, we will measure 'growth' in a new way. It will mean not quantity of stuff, but quality, and happiness, of life. And, yes, there is life after shopping. The Great Disruption is an invigorating and well-informed polemic by an advocate for sustainability and climate change who has dedicated his life to campaigning for a balanced use of Earth's limited resources. It is essential reading.]]> 305 Paul Gilding Jason 4
Definitely a book that everyone needs to read if they intend to understand not just what's happening and the impact but perhaps have a strong look at the clear path to sorting out some of the mess.]]> 4.00 2011
author: Paul Gilding
name: Jason
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at: 2013/11/30
date added: 2014/05/01
shelves:
review:
Outstanding read.

Definitely a book that everyone needs to read if they intend to understand not just what's happening and the impact but perhaps have a strong look at the clear path to sorting out some of the mess.
]]> 6489716
The modern economy is reliant on economic growth for stability. When growth falters, politicians panic, businesses fail, people lose jobs, and recession looms. Tim Jackson argues, however, that continual growth is just not possible, not sustainable—to believe so is ignoring our knowledge of the finite resource base and fragile ecology in which we live.

The book starts with a compelling analysis of the consequences—for the planet and for people’s wellbeing—of the relentless pursuit of economic growth and material goods. It illustrates why a return to business as usual after the current financial crisis is not an option. Prosperity for a few founded on ecological destruction and persistent social injustice is no foundation for a civilized society.

The current economic crisis presents a unique opportunity to invest in change and a future that delivers lasting prosperity for the predicted 9 billion people who will inhabit the earth in 2050. The author—a leading expert and advisor to the UK government—concludes by outlining pathways towards a sustainable economy. It involves radically changing our “shop until you drop� mentality, as well as engaging other disruptive economic practices. Jackson doesn’t claim this will be easy, but points out that while action is urgent, it is possible.

The book opens up dialogue on the most urgent task of our times—the challenge of a new prosperity encompassing our ability to flourish as human beings—within the ecological limits of a finite planet.]]> 286 Tim Jackson 1844078949 Jason 3
Must confess it's taken me 2 years to go away and come back to this book and then start it again in order to finish it.

There's some relatively economic heavy components in here and then it feels like on specifics in other areas where you would like more detail around solutions (although who has them!).

It's worth reading but compared with Paul Gilding's "The Great Disruption" it's less of a great eye-opener and more of a solid reference point to a lot of other works in the area of climate change, sustainability & re-thinking capitalism. This does have value though and the richness of references and the referrals to other texts probably is ultimately it's downfall as one finds oneself looking up other ancillary details and information as a result of Jackson pointing out interesting reads.

Put it on the 3 stars "must read but when you have time list".]]> 3.95 2009
author: Tim Jackson
name: Jason
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2009
rating: 3
read at: 2014/04/06
date added: 2014/04/06
shelves:
review:
Just finished.

Must confess it's taken me 2 years to go away and come back to this book and then start it again in order to finish it.

There's some relatively economic heavy components in here and then it feels like on specifics in other areas where you would like more detail around solutions (although who has them!).

It's worth reading but compared with Paul Gilding's "The Great Disruption" it's less of a great eye-opener and more of a solid reference point to a lot of other works in the area of climate change, sustainability & re-thinking capitalism. This does have value though and the richness of references and the referrals to other texts probably is ultimately it's downfall as one finds oneself looking up other ancillary details and information as a result of Jackson pointing out interesting reads.

Put it on the 3 stars "must read but when you have time list".
]]> 15751404 The Tipping Point, Blink, and Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell has explored the ways we understand and change our world. Now he looks at the complex and surprising ways the weak can defeat the strong, the small can match up against the giant, and how our goals (often culturally determined) can make a huge difference in our ultimate sense of success. Drawing upon examples from the world of business, sports, culture, cutting-edge psychology, and an array of unforgettable characters around the world, David and Goliath is in many ways the most practical and provocative book Malcolm Gladwell has ever written.]]> 305 Malcolm Gladwell 0316204366 Jason 3
For me however this book doesn't seem to have a clear purpose. It is essentially a gathering of case studies of individuals without the necessary concluding thoughts that I prefer in a book. This is just my preference, not necessarily a judgement on the author's style.

That being said it's easy to read and worthwhile having a look.]]> 3.97 2013
author: Malcolm Gladwell
name: Jason
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2013
rating: 3
read at: 2014/01/02
date added: 2014/01/12
shelves:
review:
Thorough book with touching / heartfelt stories of individuals who have risen above their tough mental/physical/childhood apparent weakness to achieve a greater purpose.

For me however this book doesn't seem to have a clear purpose. It is essentially a gathering of case studies of individuals without the necessary concluding thoughts that I prefer in a book. This is just my preference, not necessarily a judgement on the author's style.

That being said it's easy to read and worthwhile having a look.
]]> 5867865
We buy “herbal� shampoos that contain industrial chemicals that can threaten our health or contaminate the environment. We dive down to see coral reefs, not realizing that an ingredient in our sunscreen feeds a virus that kills the reef. We wear organic cotton t-shirts, but don’t know that its dyes may put factory workers at risk for leukemia. In Ecological Intelligence , Daniel Goleman reveals why so many of the products that are labeled green are a “mirage,� and illuminates our wild inconsistencies in response to the ecological crisis.

Drawing on cutting-edge research, Goleman explains why we as shoppers are in the dark over the hidden impacts of the goods and services we make and consume, victims of a blackout of information about the detrimental effects of producing, shipping, packaging, distributing, and discarding the goods we buy.

But the balance of power is about to shift from seller to buyer, as a new generation of technologies informs us of the ecological facts about products at the point of purchase. This “radical transparency� will enable consumers to make smarter purchasing decisions, and will drive companies to rethink and reform their businesses, ushering in, Goleman claims, a new age of competitive advantage.]]> 276 Daniel Goleman 0385527829 Jason 4
Outlines the importance of the current state of the world and our consumption tendencies without scare-mongering and in a scientific manner.]]> 3.61 2009
author: Daniel Goleman
name: Jason
average rating: 3.61
book published: 2009
rating: 4
read at: 2013/07/01
date added: 2014/01/12
shelves:
review:
Great book. Underlined just about every second sentence. Concepts referenced meticulously (sometimes overboard!).

Outlines the importance of the current state of the world and our consumption tendencies without scare-mongering and in a scientific manner.
]]> 17349126 Bestselling author Daniel Goleman returns with a groundbreaking look at today's scarcest resource and the secret to high performance and fulfillment: attention

For more than two decades, psychologist and journalist Daniel Goleman has been scouting the leading edge of the human sciences for what's new, surprising, and important. In Focus, he delves into the science of attention in all its varieties, presenting a long overdue discussion of this little-noticed and under-rated mental asset that matters enormously for how we navigate life. Attention works much like a muscle: use it poorly and it can wither; work it well and it grows. In an era of unstoppable distractions, Goleman persuasively argues that now more than ever we must learn to sharpen focus if we are to contend with, let alone thrive, in a complex world.

Goleman boils down attention research into a threesome: inner, other, and outer focus. A well-lived life demands we be nimble at each. Goleman shows why high-achievers need all three kinds of focus, as demonstrated by rich case studies from fields as diverse as competitive sports, education, the arts, and business. Those who excel rely on what he calls Smart Practices such as mindfulness meditation, focused preparation and recovery, positive emotions and connections, and mental "prosthetics" that help them improve habits, add new skills, and sustain excellence. Combining cutting-edge research with practical findings, Focus reveals what distinguishes experts from amateurs and stars from average performers. Ultimately, Focus calls upon readers not only to pay attention to what matters most to them personally, but also to turn their attention to the pressing problems of the wider world, to the powerless and the poor, and to the future, not just to the seductively simple demands of here-and-now.]]> 320 Daniel Goleman 0062114867 Jason 0 currently-reading 3.52 2013
author: Daniel Goleman
name: Jason
average rating: 3.52
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at: 2014/01/12
date added: 2014/01/12
shelves: currently-reading
review:

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