CEO’s, founders and marketers share their must read books. These cover a range of topics, from improving relationships to decision making. Delving into these books, you can gain valuable insights and practical knowledge that can be applied when running into challenges. The wisdom shared by these experts through their book recommendations serves as a guide for professionals seeking to enhance their skills and drive success in their careers.
- Change Habits for Leadership Success
- Build a Strong Team
- Embrace Remote Work
- Improve Leadership and Personal Interactions
- Unlock Marketing Insights
- Improve Decision-Making
Change Habits for Leadership Success
“The Power of Habit” by Charles Duhigg delves into the reasons why you do the things you do and teaches you how to change habits that are not helping you in life. It gives examples of other successful people’s effective habits, as well as instances at the company level, to show you they are important in your career too. It has influenced my approach to leadership by making me think about everything I do each day, and why, and if there would be a better way to do things that would be more effective at work and how it translates to leading my team. The habits that I have changed have translated into success at work for myself and in leading my team.
Jessa Farber, Director of Creative Operations, Bristol Associates, Inc.
Build a Strong Team
“Good to Great” by Jim Collins is the most influential business-related book I’ve read in my 20 years in the vehicle-transport industry. It provided me with invaluable insights as I established my business. The focused concept of getting the right people on the bus, in the right seats, and the wrong people off the bus helped me successfully build my team.
The Hedgehog Concept further reinforced our focus on providing exceptional vehicle-transport service, which we do better than anything else. Implementing these principles has significantly contributed to our “Top Rated” status in the industry.
Chris Estrada, CEO & Founder, Nationwide United Auto Transport
Embrace Remote Work
“Remote: Office Not Required” is a transformative book penned by the brilliant minds of David Heinemeier Hansson and Jason Fried. As a travel blogger and CEO of a remote team, its lessons essentially became my guiding principles, highlighting the value of remote work and how it propels businesses toward a future free from the conventional nine-to-five office framework.
With practical advice on tackling common issues such as communication, collaboration, and culture, it’s uniquely positioned to assist leaders in embracing remote work, something I’ve leveraged successfully to create a global, cross-functional team.
This book convincingly aligns with my experiences, demonstrating that a productive work environment isn’t tied to a physical location but to the commitment and passion of the team, wherever they might be.
Yulia Saf, Founder, Miss Tourist
Improve Leadership and Personal Interactions
“How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie is my absolute favorite book, especially valuable for young managers. Carnegie offers straightforward techniques that have profoundly impacted both my business dealings and personal interactions. I first read this book early in my entrepreneurial journey, and its insights have been more valuable to me than any other advice I’ve received.
This isn’t just a guide for making friends; it emphasizes essential principles of leadership in professional settings. It’s about becoming a better person and recognizing behaviors that hinder success in all aspects of life. It’s no surprise that “How to Win Friends and Influence People” has remained a timeless classic for so many years.
Evan McCarthy, President and CEO, SportingSmiles
Unlock Marketing Insights
“Marketing Management” by Philip Kotler is one of the best business-related books I have read. I find it valuable because marketing is essential for achieving success in any business, and this book unlocks a lot of insights about marketing, such as positioning, product, pricing, target market, and many more.
Shubham Ahuja, Digital Marketing Manager, BigOhTech
Improve Decision-Making
The most useful book I have found in my business journey is “Thinking, Fast and Slow” by Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman. This book has fundamentally changed the way I approach decision-making in my business. For instance, while deciding on new product additions, I’ve learned to separate my fast, instinctive thinking (System 1) and slower, logical analysis (System 2). This has led to more comprehensive product evaluations, balancing gut feelings with in-depth market analyses.
Further, Kahneman’s concept of the availability heuristic helped me improve customer service by focusing on what’s easily recallable to customers: timely service, attentiveness, and product quality. In essence, “Thinking, Fast and Slow” offers valuable insights into understanding consumer psychology and improving decision-making, crucial for any business owner like me.
Forrest Webber, Owner, The Trade Table
