From Impossible to Inevitable: How Hyper-Growth Companies Create Predictable Revenue


Aaron Ross - 2016
    It's not about privileges, luck, or working harder. There's a template that the world's fastest growing companies follow to achieve and sustain much, much faster growth.From Impossible to Inevitable details the hypergrowth playbook of companies like the record-breaking Zenefits (which skyrocketed from $1 million to $100 million in two years), Salesforce.com (the fastest growing multibillion dollar software company), and EchoSign--aka Adobe Document Services--(which catapulted from $0 to $144 million in seven years). Whether you have a $1 billion or a $100,000 business, you can use the same insights as these notable companies to learn what it really takes to break your own revenue records. For instance, one of the authors shows how he grew his income from $67,000 to $720,000 in four years while maintaining a 20-30 hour work week and welcoming a new child--nine times.This book shows you how to surpass plateaus and get off of the up-and-down revenue rollercoaster by answering three questions about growing revenue to tens times its size:Why aren't you growing faster? What does it take to get to hypergrowth? How do you sustain growth? This powerful, effective book provides a template for you to kick off your biggest growth spurt yet. This template includes The 7 Ingredients Of Hypergrowth: You're not ready to grow until you Nail a Niche.Overnight success is a fairy tale. You're not going to be magically discovered. You need sustainable systems that Create Predictable Pipeline.Growth exposes your weaknesses and it will cause more problems than it solves--until you Make Sales Scalable.It's hard to build a big business out of small deals. Figure out how to Double Your Dealsize.It'll take years longer than you want, but don't quit too soon. Make sure you can Do the Time.Your people are renting, not owning their jobs. Develop a culture of initiative, not adequacy by Embracing Employee Ownership.Employees, you are too accepting of "reality" and too eager to quit. You can Define Your Destiny to make a difference, for yourself and your company, no matter what you do or where you work. The authors take each ingredient and break it down into specific steps to guide you through implementation. From Impossible to Inevitable helps you take impossible goals and turn them into inevitable successes for your business and team. You will achieve success even bigger than you can imagine from where you're sitting today.

The Wisdom of Crowds


James Surowiecki - 2004
    With boundless erudition and in delightfully clear prose, Surowiecki ranges across fields as diverse as popular culture, psychology, ant biology, behavioral economics, artificial intelligence, military history, and politics to show how this simple idea offers important lessons for how we live our lives, select our leaders, run our companies, and think about our world.

Thank God It's Monday!: How to Create a Workplace You and Your Customers Love


Roxanne Emmerich - 1997
    Roxanne Emmerich introduces you to two CEOs: one desperately struggling to stay afloat and another who's discovered a better route to growth and profitability. As you join them both on their journey, you'll gain valuable insights for jumpstarting positive change from anywhere in the organization, replacing dysfunctional organizational behaviors with passion and creativity, overcoming setbacks and making vision and values actually work! Whether you're on the front line, in an office, or running the show, you'll see how to: - Replace dysfunctional behaviors with passion and creativity - Overcome setbacks with a "bring it on" attitude - Breathe results-generating life into vision and values - Think big and make big things happen "Thank God It's Monday!" presents a unique approach that makes an impact on three groups at once: - Employees discover how to win at work and love their work - Companies turn around results quickly and profoundly - Customers experience a powerful and visible commitment to their success You will shift from a "why we can't" to a "how we can" workplace...in one day! Your customers will go crazy about you. You will find yourself loving to go to work where everyone exclaims, Thank God It's Monday!

TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking


Chris J. Anderson - 2016
      Since taking over TED in the early 2000s, Chris Anderson has shown how carefully crafted short talks can be the key to unlocking empathy, stirring excitement, spreading knowledge, and promoting a shared dream. Done right, a talk can electrify a room and transform an audience’s worldview. Done right, a talk is more powerful than anything in written form.         This book explains how the miracle of powerful public speaking is achieved, and equips you to give it your best shot. There is no set formula; no two talks should be the same. The goal is for you to give the talk that only you can give. But don’t be intimidated. You may find it more natural than you think.         Chris Anderson has worked behind the scenes with all the TED speakers who have inspired us the most, and here he shares insights from such favorites as Sir Ken Robinson, Amy Cuddy, Bill Gates, Elizabeth Gilbert, Salman Khan, Dan Gilbert, Mary Roach, Matt Ridley, and dozens more — everything from how to craft your talk’s content to how you can be most effective on stage. This is the 21st-century’s new manual for truly effective communication and it is a must-read for anyone who is ready to create impact with their ideas.

Gameplan: The Complete Strategy Guide to go from Starter Kit to Silver


Sarah Harnisch - 2016
    

Fish!: A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results


Stephen C. Lundin - 1996
    In Fish! the heroine, Mary Jane Ramirez, recently widowed and mother of two, is asked to engineer a turnaround of her company's troubled operations department, a group that authors Stephen Lundin, Harry Paul, and John Christensen describe as a "toxic energy dump." Most reasonable heads would cut their losses and move on. Why bother with this bunch of losers? But the authors don't make it so easy for Mary Jane. Instead, she's left to sort out this mess with the help of head fishmonger Lonnie. Based on a bestselling corporate education video, Fish! aims to help employees find their way to a fun and happy workplace. While some may find the story line and prescriptions--such as "Choose Your Attitude," "Make Their Day," and "Be Present"--downright corny, others will find a good dose of worthwhile motivational management techniques. If you loved Who Moved My Cheese? then you'll find much to like here. And don't worry about Mary Jane and kids. Fish! has a happy ending for everyone. --Harry C. Edwards

Get Big Things Done: The Power of Connectional Intelligence


Erica Dhawan - 2015
    But in today's hypercompetitive world, even those gifts aren't enough. Get Big Things Done argues that the game changer is a thoroughly modern skill called Connectional Intelligence. Virtually anyone can maximize his or her potential, and achieve breakthrough performance, by developing this crucial ability.So, what is it? Put simply, Connectional Intelligence is the ability to combine knowledge, ambition and human capital, forging connections on a global scale that create unprecedented value and meaning. As radical a concept as Emotional Intelligence was in the 90s, Connectional Intelligence is changing everything from business and sports to academics, health and politics by quickly, efficiently and creatively helping people enlist supporters, drive innovation, develop strategies and implement solutions to big problems.Can a small-town pumpkin grower affect the global food crisis? A Fortune 500 executive change her company's outdated culture through video storytelling? A hip-hop artist launch an international happiness movement? Or a scientist use virtual reality games to lower pain for burn victims? The answer, you'll read, is a resounding yes. Each of these individuals is using Connectional Intelligence to become a power player to get big things done.Erica Dhawan and Saj-nicole Joni's Get Big Things Done unlocks the secrets of how the world's movers and shakers use Connectional Intelligence to achieve their personal and professional goals--no matter how ambitious.

HR from the Heart: Inspiring Stories and Strategies for Building the People Side of Great Business


Libby Sartain - 2003
    They bridge the gaps between the individual and the collective, the person and the purpose. The most successful and effective HR professionals see their careers as a calling, and their work, though driven by corporate goals, is graced by a sense of purpose, a profound generosity, and a love for what they do and the constituencies they serve.HR from the Heart is a book for HR practitioners who love their jobs -- or want to. Libby Sartain, one of the country's top human resources executives, reveals how HR professionals create a synergy between business objectives and the needs and wants of employees. This inspiring book is equal parts motivational message and how-to, confessional and career guide. Filled with stories from Sartain's considerable experience, HR from the Heart offers a first-hand perspective on forging relationships, selling HR to the company, taking diversity beyond ""by the book,"" keeping policy in perspective, and more -- all while making the right career moves, staying engaged, and forwarding the strategic goals of the company."

The Perfect Close: The Secret To Closing Sales - The Best Selling Practices & Techniques For Closing The Deal


James Muir - 2016
     Author James Muir shares unique insights on how ‘closing the sale’ can be done with a natural, non-pushy sales strategy that breaks the stigma often associated with professional sales. Everything has changed. The latest science shows that old, counter-productive closing tactics backfire and hold you back. In The Perfect Close you will learn a closing method that is nearly always successful (in the 95% range). It’s zero pressure and involves just two questions. It’s a clear & simple approach that is flexible enough to use on every kind of sale at every given stage. It can be learned in less than an hour and mastered in a day. It is especially helpful for new and inexperienced salespeople and professionals who dislike the “stigma” of selling or find the selling process awkward or uncomfortable. In The Perfect Close: The Secret to Closing Sales you will learn: A simple method to closing that is nearly always successful (95% range), is zero pressure & involves just two questions. How traditional closing techniques damage trust & what you can do remain on emotionally higher ground. How to close more sales in way that makes clients feel more educated, in control and see you as a facilitator & consultant. A proven and repeatable process for advancing sales that can be used in any kind of sale at any given stage. How to add continuous momentum & advance your sales in a way that results in more closed business & faster closed business. A natural way to close that doesn't require that you change your personality or become someone you're not. How to completely eliminate the stress & tension that some people feel when it comes to asking for commitments. How to add value on every sales encounter. Everything you need to know to advance every sale to closure The Perfect Close represents the best practice in closing sales today. Apply it yourself and discover how this simple technique along with being genuinely authentic creates the highest levels of success and happiness. This is more than a just a book. It's a sales training course that outlines step-by-step what you need to do to advance your sales to closure. If you are new to sales, make this the first book you read. It will teach you how to be effective immediately and will literally teach you the rest of the steps in your sales process. If you are an experienced professional looking for ways to improve your performance, this book will help take your closing skills to a whole new level. SPECIAL BONUSES! With this book you will get access to a myriad of complimentary online resources including: The Perfect Close Reference Model, The Perfect Close Mind Map, Opportunity Research Forms, Encounter Planning Forms, Sample Meeting Agendas, The 21 Closing Secrets Reference Guide, Special Reports and more. Print them out and use these resources to help you while selling or just to refresh what you've learned.

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success


Carol S. Dweck - 2006
    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.

Applied Value Investing: The Practical Application of Benjamin Graham and Warren Buffett's Valuation Principles to Acquisitions, Catastrophe Pricing and Business Execution


Joseph Calandro Jr. - 2009
    Most of these books present different interpretations of value investing and are generally introductory based. Until now, there has not been an advanced hands-on guide for investors and executives who may want to apply the powerful value investing discipline outside of stocks and bonds.Applied Value Investing takes the same time-proven approach Graham introduced with David Dodd in their 1934 masterpiece, Security Analysis, and extends it in a variety of unique and practical ways--including mergers and acquisitions, alternative investments, and financial strategy.This in-depth guide shows financially sophisticated readers how to use value investing in a macroinvesting framework and how to apply it to the emerging area of super catastrophe valuation. It illustrates how to put value investing to use with case studies on:Eddie Lampert's acquisition of SearsWarren Buffett's acquisitions of GEICO and General Reinsurance CorporationThe recent "new economy" boom and bust, and its aftermathThe underwriting of the Pepsi Play for a Billion sweepstakesApplied Value Investing also demonstrates how to incorporate the cornerstones of valuation into an integrated business framework that can be used to assess and manage a franchise (or a firm operating with a sustainable competitive advantage).In addition to its cutting-edge applications of value investing principles, Applied Value Investing sets itself apart by drawing on material published in leading academic journals to form the foundation of its presentation. However, value investing is inherently practical, and this comprehensive resource provides helpful guidance for successfully implementing value investing strategies in the real world.To profit like the masters you have to think like them. Applied Value Investing can open new doors to value creating opportunities.

Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity


David Allen - 2001
    In Getting Things Done, veteran coach and management consultant David Allen shares the breakthrough methods for stress-free performance that he has introduced to tens of thousands of people across the country. Allen's premise is simple: our productivity is directly proportional to our ability to relax. Only when our minds are clear and our thoughts are organized can we achieve effective productivity and unleash our creative potential. In Getting Things Done Allen shows how to:* Apply the "do it, delegate it, defer it, drop it" rule to get your in-box to empty* Reassess goals and stay focused in changing situations* Plan projects as well as get them unstuck* Overcome feelings of confusion, anxiety, and being overwhelmed* Feel fine about what you're not doingFrom core principles to proven tricks, Getting Things Done can transform the way you work, showing you how to pick up the pace without wearing yourself down.

Investment Banking: Valuation, Leveraged Buyouts, and Mergers & Acquisitions


Joshua Rosenbaum - 2009
    Due to the fast-paced nature of this world, however, no one has been able to take the time to properly codify the lifeblood of the corporate financier's work--namely, valuation. Rosenbaum and Pearl have responded to this need by writing the book that they wish had existed when they were trying to break into Wall Street. Investment Banking: Valuation, Leveraged Buyouts, and Mergers & Acquisitions is a highly accessible and authoritative book that focuses on the primary valuation methodologies currently used on Wall Street--comparable companies, precedent transactions, DCF, and LBO analysis. These methodologies are used to determine valuation for public and private companies within the context of M&A transactions, LBOs, IPOs, restructurings, and investment decisions. Using a step-by-step how-to approach for each methodology, the authors build a chronological knowledge base and define key terms, financial concepts, and processes throughout the book. They also provide a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of LBOs and an organized M&A sale process.In the aftermath of the subprime mortgage crisis and ensuing credit crunch, the world of finance is returning to the fundamentals of valuation and critical due diligence. This involves the use of more realistic assumptions governing approach to risk as well as a wide range of value drivers. While valuation has always involved a great deal of "art" in addition to time-tested "science," the artistry is perpetually evolving in accordance with market developments and conditions. In this sense, this book is particularly topical--in addition to detailing the technical fundamentals behind valuation, the authors infuse practical judgment skills and perspective to help guide the science.

The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea


Bob Burg - 2007
    Joe is a true go-getter, though sometimes he feels as if the harder and faster he works, the further away his goals seem to be. And so one day, desperate to land a key sale at the end of a bad quarter, he seeks advice from the enigmatic Pindar, a legendary consultant referred to by his many devotees simply as the Chairman. Over the next week, Pindar introduces Joe to a series of “go-givers:” a restaurateur, a CEO, a financial adviser, a real estate broker, and the “Connector,” who brought them all together. Pindar’s friends share with Joe the Five Laws of Stratospheric Success and teach him how to open himself up to the power of giving. Joe learns that changing his focus from getting to giving—putting others’ interests first and continually adding value to their lives—ultimately leads to unexpected returns. Imparted with wit and grace, The Go-Giver is a heartwarming and inspiring tale that brings new relevance to the old proverb “Give and you shall receive.”

Farsighted: How We Make the Decisions That Matter the Most


Steven Johnson - 2018
    So why do we know so little about how to get them right?Big, life-altering decisions matter so much more than the decisions we make every day, and they're also the most difficult: where to live, whom to marry, what to believe, whether to start a company, how to end a war. There's no one-size-fits-all approach for addressing these kinds of conundrums. Steven Johnson's classic Where Good Ideas Come From inspired creative people all over the world with new ways of thinking about innovation. In Farsighted, he uncovers powerful tools for honing the important skill of complex decision-making. While you can't model a once-in-a-lifetime choice, you can model the deliberative tactics of expert decision-makers. These experts aren't just the master strategists running major companies or negotiating high-level diplomacy. They're the novelists who draw out the complexity of their characters' inner lives, the city officials who secure long-term water supplies, and the scientists who reckon with future challenges most of us haven't even imagined. The smartest decision-makers don't go with their guts. Their success relies on having a future-oriented approach and the ability to consider all their options in a creative, productive way. Through compelling stories that reveal surprising insights, Johnson explains how we can most effectively approach the choices that can chart the course of a life, an organization, or a civilization. Farsighted will help you imagine your possible futures and appreciate the subtle intelligence of the choices that shaped our broader social history.