The Personal MBA is a great overview of everything related to business. Josh explains concepts in such a way that anyone can understand them. Yet he goes into enough detail for everyone to come away with actionable points. I literally sat there with the book in one hand and my notebook in the other, creating action plans for the couple of businesses that I’m involved in. Here are my notes: Business is made of 5 things. It (1) provides something of value that (2) other people want or need (3) at a price they’re willing to pay, in a way that (4) satisfies the purchasers needs and expectations and (5) provides the business sufficient revenue to make it worthwhile for the owner to continue operation. Sales Starts with trust. No trust, no sale. Value based selling. What is it worth to … Read More
(Book) The Road Less Stupid – Keith J. Cunningham
My summary notes: Intro: A great business book on leadership, delegation, asking the right questions, finding the cause not the symptom. Business is an intellectual sport. The dumb tax – how much money would you have if you could take back 2-3 dumb financial decisions? The discipline of thinking time. Not emotion. Start with a high value question. Find the unasked question. Separate the problem from the symptoms. Check assumptions. Consider second order consequences. Create the machine (plan and execute). “How might I… so that I can…?” Address the core problem, not the obvious symptom. Thinking time. 45min and 15min summary. No distractions. Few things are more common than unrewarded artistic and technical expertise. 4 hats. Creator, technician, owner, investor. Growth is inversely proportional to direct control. I.e. have to delegate, trust and check. Get a board to add valuable … Read More
(Book) The Effective Executive – Peter F. Drucker
My summary notes: Intro: The effective executive manages and leads himself first. Systems, rules, delegation, leadership. The knowledge worker produces ideas and information that someone else has to act on. Working on the right things. Knowledge work is defined by its results. Four realities: The executive’s time belongs to everybody else. Executives are forced to keep operating (i.e. not strategising) unless he changes the reality in which he works. Changes the work flow. He’s in an organisation reliant on other people to make use of what he contributes. The results are outside the organisation. Unless executives work at becoming effective, the realities of their situation will push them into futility. Five practices: Time management Results oriented Building strengths Concentrate on a few major areas Make the right important decisions Don’t start with tasks. Start with time and allocate it. In … Read More
(Book) The 7 habits of highly effective people – Stephen R. Covey
My summary notes: Production vs production capability. Short or long term thinking. Getting the output but taking care of the machine. Read and learn as if you have to teach someone the next day. Be proactive. Take initiative, take responsibility and ownership. Act or be acted upon. Focus on your circle of influence, not circle of concern. Begin with the end in mind. Endstate. Everything is created twice, planning and doing. Visualisation. Important things we tend to delay: Prevention, self-improvement, relationship building, recognising new opportunities, planning, recreation. Roles: Personal development, spouse, parent, business owner, community service, church member, fellow human. Stewardship management. Moving yourself away from the fulcrum so output increases, by effectively delegating. Trust is the highest form of motivation. Expectations need to be explicit, and at the start of any relationship. Win/win or no deal. Four kinds of … Read More
(Book) The obstacle is the way – Ryan Holiday
This is one of those books that you can read at any time of your life, and it’s still relevant. Human nature is to avoid obstacles and look for the easiest path. This directly addresses that, and highlights the benefits to be had by overcoming obstacles. Not just avoiding them, but turning them into advantages. A challenge and a bit of a kick in the pants. The obstacle is the way – Ryan Holiday (highlights, my thoughts in italics) Our actions may be impeded … but there can be no impeding our intentions or dispositions . Because we can accommodate and adapt . The mind adapts and converts to its own purposes the obstacle to our acting . The impediment to action advances action . What stands in the way becomes the way . And from what we know , … Read More
(Book) Influence – Robert B. Cialdini
Various ways to influence and persuade people through scarcity, urgency, reciprocation, consistency, commitment, social proof, liking and authority. Highlights from the book: Weapons of influence As the stimuli saturating our lives continue to grow more intricate and variable, we will have to depend increasingly on our shortcuts to handle them all. And even when it is not initially successful, she can mark the article “Reduced from __” and sell it at its original price while still taking advantage of the “expensive=good” reaction to the inflated figure. Simply put, if the second item is fairly different form the first, we will tend to see it as more different than it actually is. So if we lift a light object first and then lift a heavy object, we will estimate the second object to be heavier than if we had lifted it … Read More
(Book) The E-Myth Revisited – Michael E. Gerber
A tactical book on the common reasons why businesses fail, and what to do about it. Knowing how to do the work is a lot different from knowing how to run a business. Everybody is a combination of 3 people: Technician, manager, entrepreneur. It’s knowing which one you need to be at certain times that’s the key. It advocates setting up a business as if it were a franchise, being able to replicate and systemise everything. The E-Myth Revisited (highlights) People who are exceptionally good in business aren’t so because of what they know but because of their insatiable need to know more. The mundane, tedious little things done right make a business great. Business is a way to know ourselves. A mirror to what we know and how we act. Just because you like baking pies doesn’t mean you … Read More
(Book) Awaken the giant within – Tony Robbins
I wish I had read this when I was in my late teens or early twenties, as I think it would have had a greater impact then. A very useful tool to make you look at what you’re doing now. What you’re linking pain or pleasure to, what limiting or empowering beliefs you have, your value hierarchy, goals, frame of reference, and states. Attempts to help us master the five areas of life we need to master: Emotional, physical, relationship, financial, time. Awaken the Giant Within (highlights) Lasting change: Raise your standards, change limiting beliefs, change your strategy. Five areas of life we need to master: Emotional, physical, relationship, financial, time. What actions can I take today that will shape my ultimate destiny? The father of action is decision. “This is what I am. This is what life is about. … Read More
(Book) The inevitable – Kevin Kelly
A book by someone who has spent most of his life thinking about the future. My thoughts in italics. The Inevitable – Kevin Kelly (highlights) Our greatest invention in the last 200 years was not a gadget or a tool, but the invention of the scientific process itself. 1. Becoming Everything requires energy to maintain itself. Existence is chiefly maintenance. Because things need endless upgrading, we’ll constantly be newbies. Protopia is a state of becoming. Things are a little better today than they were yesterday. Kurt: Imagine a world where no one owns a home. Everyone lives in standard automated accommodation, the same the world over. You can move when you want. Global shared ownership of these facilities. Business idea: Shared ownership of hotel like apartments in major cities, standardised. Can move cities when you want. People predicted … Read More
(Book) Ego is the enemy – Ryan Holiday
Ego has stopped many people (including myself) from learning, improving and doing really great work. This book is a clear example and reminder of the constant battle we face. Ego is the enemy of ambition, success and resilience. It’s especially relevant in the age of social media, likes and follows. A must read for anyone, regardless of your aspirations in life. This is one book I will be reading again. My thoughts and key takeaways: Ego is an unhealthy belief in our own importance. Stay grounded and do not fool yourself about your own ability. Silence is strength, talking takes away from doing the actual work. To be or to do. To receive praise or do work that is important. Substitute passion with purpose. What steps must you take now? Discipline trumps passion, which can disappear. Remain a student. Have … Read More
(Book) Your move: The underdog’s guide to building your business – Ramit Sethi
A direct, to-the-point, guide on how to sell. Yes, it covers more than just selling but this is the main point of the book. It has some good tips and examples, not just to do with actual selling techniques but it addresses our beliefs and mindsets first. In brief: Make sure your product/service is great Focus on the customer and ensure you’re giving them exactly what they want Be bold in selling, the more you sell, the more value you can create Your move: The underdog’s guide to building your business – Ramit Sethi (highlights) But when you start your own business, there’s no limit to how much you can earn. But the biggest failures aren’t things you did. They’re things you didn’t do. And I still read books and get advice from people whose businesses are a fraction of … Read More
(Book) Born for this – Chris Guillebeau
A book that actually takes the pressure off ‘finding your passion’. It’s not so much about finding and focusing on the one thing that you were born for. It’s more about trying different things, taking calculated risks and thinking about the future. A good book if you’re still working for someone else, feel stuck and don’t quite know what to do next. My thoughts are in italics. Born for this – Chris Guillebeau (highlights) Even if you work for someone you’re still essentially self-employed. No one will look out for your interests as much as you. What work would you do if you no longer needed money? There’s more than one path you can pursue, and the may lead to the same place. There’s probably one path that’s best of all. Social scripts, norms, expectations can be particularly unhelpful. … Read More
How to become a private investigator: Break into the industry with little or no experience
So, you want to know how to become a private investigator? Great! You have a desire to enter one of the most exciting professions available. One where no two days are the same. One where you are constantly challenged and need to remain alert and engaged. One where you’ll regularly stop and think ‘…and I’m actually getting paid for this!’ However, if you’re like a lot of people, there are some roadblocks: Little or no law enforcement or related experience Sick of sending resumes and calling companies only to hear ‘no’ Want to start your own business but don’t know how Want to know what it’s really like being a P.I. but struggle to find any good information A few years ago I was in exactly the same position. I had wanted to be a private investigator for years. Yet, … Read More
(Book) Growing great families – Ian & Mary Grant
A well-researched book on growing great families that pulls no punches. It puts the onus squarely back on the parents whilst giving lots of tips. If you read this there’ll be plenty of notes to take and actions to implement once you finish! 1. What is a community? Focus on the need for connection and community – found in a family. Not an individualistic focus. It’s a very secure thing for a child to be born into a family which already stands for something, has values, principals, goals and leadership. It takes a village to raise a child. Truth and love are the bricks and mortar of community. We were designed for connection and belonging. To be part of a team. Make your family a team, able to rely on each other. We bond to things we invest in. … Read More
(Book) The war of art – Steven Pressfield
A book about discipline. It’s written about making art but it really applies to all areas of life, since to live is to create. My notes from the book: What stops you being creative is resistance. It’s not the act, it’s starting. We have two lives. The life we live and the un-lived life within. Between them stands resistance. Any act that rejects short term and favours long term elicits resistance. “Those who will not govern themselves are condemned to find masters to govern over them.” The more fear we have about something the more certain we can be that it’s important. The professional knows that success is a by-product of work. It may or may not come. You turn a corner when you turn pro. Suddenly you take it seriously and do the work. Principle of priority. Know the … Read More
(Book) Anything you want – Derek Sivers
This book is worth 10 years of life and business experience and it only takes about an hour to read. I suggest you just read it, even if you’re not in business. It’s a great reality check for a lot of areas in life. You can do anything you want. Choose wisely. My notes from the book: What’s your compass? Don’t pursue little distractions in life because you don’t know which way to go. Chase your big dreams. Making a company is a great way to improve yourself to the world. It’s your utopia where you design your perfect world. Your business plan is moot. You don’t know what people really want until you start doing it. With CD Baby, Derek wasn’t trying to make a business. He started off helping a few friends out and, with his love of … Read More
(Book) Tribe – Sebastian Junger
An interesting take on how we live in the modern world compared to how our ancestors lived. Individual vs. tribal societies and the role of war and initiation rites. Tribe – Sebastian Junger. These are the ideas that I took away: Introduction How do you become and adult in a society that doesn’t ask for sacrifice. How do you become a man in a world that doesn’t require courage? A tribe may be the people you’re compelled to share the last of your food with. Humans don’t mind hardship, in fact they thrive on it; what they mind is not feeling necessary. Modern society has perfected the art of making people not feel necessary. It’s time for that to end. The men and the dogs In the US, immigration almost always went from civilised to tribal, not much movement the other … Read More
(Book) What to do when it’s your turn – Seth Godin
Another great book from Seth about your turn, in his words: “I think we’re wasting the chance of a lifetime. This is an urgent call to do the work we’re hiding from, a manifesto about living with things that might not work and embracing tension when doing your art.” Here are the ideas that jumped out at me, my own thoughts are in italics. Opportunity? It’s everywhere. Freedom is our problem and freedom is our opportunity. We automatically limit ourselves yet we have so much choice. Being stupid is associated with learning. Embrace the stupid. This might not work. the cost of being wrong is less than the cost of doing nothing. The safest dreams are the ones with no hope of coming true. This is hiding. Concrete dreams are possible. They expose us to hope and risk. Great work … Read More
(Book) What matters now – things to think about (and do) this year
I’ve just finished this great little booklet about what matters, from various thought leaders such as Seth Godin, Kevin Kelly, Arianna Huffington, Guy Kawasaki, Steve Pressfield, Derek Sivers and more. You can find it here: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/files/what-matters-now-1.pdf It’s only 82 pages so you should read the whole thing, but the highlights for me were: Generosity – Seth Godin When the economy tanks, it’s natural to think of yourself first. You have a family to feed a mortgage to pay. Getting more appears to be the order of business. It turns out that the connected economy doesn’t respect this natural instinct. Instead, we’re rewarded for being generous. Generous with our time and money but most important generous with our art. If you make a difference, people will gravitate to you. They want to engage, to interact and to get you more involved. … Read More