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Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't
James C. Collins - 2001
The findings will surprise many readers and, quite frankly, upset others.The ChallengeBuilt to Last, the defining management study of the nineties, showed how great companies triumph over time and how long-term sustained performance can be engineered into the DNA of an enterprise from the very beginning. But what about the company that is not born with great DNA? How can good companies, mediocre companies, even bad companies achieve enduring greatness? The StudyFor years, this question preyed on the mind of Jim Collins. Are there companies that defy gravity and convert long-term mediocrity or worse into long-term superiority? And if so, what are the universal distinguishing characteristics that cause a company to go from good to great?The StandardsUsing tough benchmarks, Collins and his research team identified a set of elite companies that made the leap to great results and sustained those results for at least fifteen years. How great? After the leap, the good-to-great companies generated cumulative stock returns that beat the general stock market by an average of seven times in fifteen years, better than twice the results delivered by a composite index of the world's greatest companies, including Coca-Cola, Intel, General Electric, and Merck. The ComparisonsThe research team contrasted the good-to-great companies with a carefully selected set of comparison companies that failed to make the leap from good to great. What was different? Why did one set of companies become truly great performers while the other set remained only good? The FindingsThe findings of the Good to Great study will surprise many readers and shed light on virtually every area of management strategy and practice. The findings include:Level 5 Leaders: The research team was shocked to discover the type of leadership required to achieve greatness.The Hedgehog Concept (Simplicity within the Three Circles): To go from good to great requires transcending the curse of competence.A Culture of Discipline: When you combine a culture of discipline with an ethic of entrepreneurship, you get the magical alchemy of great results. Technology Accelerators: Good-to-great companies think differently about the role of technology.The Flywheel and the Doom Loop: Those who launch radical change programs and wrenching restructurings will almost certainly fail to make the leap.
Def Jam, Inc.: Russell Simmons, Rick Rubin, and the Extraordinary Story of the World's Most Influential Hip-Hop Label
Stacy Gueraseva - 2005
Few could or would have predicted that the improvised raps and raw beats busting out of New York City's urban underclass would one day become a multimillion-dollar business and one of music's most lucrative genres. Among those few were two visionaries: Russell Simmons, a young black man from Hollis, Queens, and Rick Rubin, a Jewish kid from Long Island. Though the two came from different backgrounds, their all-consuming passion for hip-hop brought them together. Soon they would revolutionize the music industry with their groundbreaking label, Def Jam Records. Def Jam, Inc. traces the company's incredible rise from the NYU dorm room of nineteen-year-old Rubin (where LL Cool J was discovered on a demo tape) to the powerhouse it is today; from financial struggles and scandals-including The Beastie Boys's departure from the label and Rubin's and Simmons's eventual parting-to revealing anecdotes about artists like Slick Rick, Public Enemy, Foxy Brown, Jay-Z, and DMX. Stacy Gueraseva, former editor in chief of Russell Simmons's magazine, Oneworld, had access to the biggest players on the scene, and brings you real conversations and a behind-the-scenes look from a decade-and a company-that turned the music world upside down. She takes you back to New York in the '80s, when late-night spots such as Danceteria and Nell's were burning with young, fresh rappers, and Simmons and Rubin had nothing but a hunch that they were on to something huge. Far more than just a biography of the two men who made it happen, Def Jam, Inc. is a journey into the world of rap itself. Both an intriguing business history as well as a gritty narrative, here is the definitive book on Def Jam-a must read for any fan of hip-hop as well as all popular-culture junkies.
The Yogi Entrepreneur: A Guide to Earning a Mindful Living Through Yoga
Darren Main - 2011
Finding a balance between sharing yoga with the world and running an ethical business can be challenging. The Yogi Entrepreneur is the definitive manual on starting and growing a yoga business. Whether you are an established teacher, looking to expand your student base, a new teacher fresh out of yoga teacher training, or you are simply considering signing up for your first yoga certification course—this book is for you.The Yogi Entrepreneur offers chapters on becoming a yoga teacher, marketing and branding, ethics, leading retreats and workshops, developing a Wordpress website, managing social media like Twitter and Facebook, and many other important skills for success as a teacher or yoga studio owner. With scores of resources, low-cost marketing tips, and time-saving tools, this book is a yoga teachers toolbox.The Yogi Entrepreneur has been used in hundreds of teacher training programs around the world and has helped thousands of yoga teachers to find their audience, define their brand, and share their unique approach to yoga more effectively. Whether your teaching is rooted in more traditional styles of yoga like Iyengar, Kripalu and Integral, or in more contemporary disciplines such as Forrest, Bikram, Baptiste and Anusara yoga, the simple and straightforward tools outlined in these pages will help you to reach your true potential as a yoga teacher.If you are ready to jumpstart your yoga and meditation business then look no further!__________Darren Main has written another exceptionally practical book for yogis, this one a gem that every yoga teacher should have at his or her fingertips in opening to make a livelihood. —Mark Stephens,
Author of Teaching YogaWhen I read Yogi Entrepreneur, I was struck not only by Darren Main’s thoughtfulness about the topic and his experience in the field, but also by the personal and very real way he conveyed his information. It was more like having a very useful and interesting conversation with a wise and funny friend rather than reading a “how to” book. —Judith Hanson Lasater, Phd., PT,
Author of Yoga Body, What We Say Matters and 30 Essential Yoga PosesFor the yoga teacher looking to make a career of doing what they love, Darren Main’s book, The Yogi Entrepreneur, is invaluable. We will highly recommend it to our teachers and those in our Teacher Training programs.
—Trevor Tice
, Founder CorePower YogaFinally, a much needed book on the business art of yoga. Many of us have the skills and wisdom of yoga to proficiently reach out to people as teachers. Managing the business end of yoga is our downfall. Highly skilled and extraordinary yoga teachers whose careers are shining successes ultimately fail due lack of business skills. This book is a powerful guide to facilitate what teachers are qualified to offer and at the same time make a successful living for themselves. —Yogi Amrit Desai
, Founder of Kripalu Yoga and author of Amrit Yoga
Darren Main has done it again with the Yogi Entrepreneur. His in depth analysis and advice offers unique insight that you won't find in yoga manuals. This masterful book, like his second book Yoga and the Path of the Urban Mystic should be required reading in all teacher training courses. —Darren Littlejohn,
Author of the 12-Step Buddhist
www.the12stepbuddhist.comDarren Main has created an incredibly clear road map on how to build your career as a professional yoga teacher! The Yogi Entrepreneur is an exceptional resource for new and seasoned teachers alike. We recommend this book to all of our Teacher Training graduates. —Rasha Pensanti Shakeri Director, YogaWorks Teacher Training
The Power of Attitude
Mac Anderson - 2004
In The Power of Attitude, entrepreneur Mac Anderson presents some strong suggestions that can guide readers toward success. A complement to his first book The Nature of Success, this book features the same powerful imagery but emphasizes the internal workings of the mind and heart that drive a person in productive paths. As founder of Successories, the leading manufacturer of inspirational and motivational wall decor, Anderson practices what he preaches with notable results. In his introduction, he writes of his hope to "energize and inspire you to live the life of your dreams, and then also to make a positive difference in the lives of others."
One Million Followers: How I Built a Massive Social Following in 30 Days
Brendan Kane - 2018
A wizard of the social media sphere, Kane has built online platforms for A-listers including Taylor Swift and Rihanna. He’s advised brands such as MTV, Skechers, Vice and IKEA on how to establish and grow their digital audience and engagement. Kane has spent his career discovering the best tools to turn any no-name into a top influencer simply by speaking into a camera or publishing a popular blog—and now he’ll share his secrets with you. In One Million Followers, Kane will teach you how to gain an authentic, dedicated, and diverse online following from scratch; create personal, unique, and valuable content that will engage your core audience; and build a multi-media brand through platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, and LinkedIn. Featuring in-depth interviews with celebrities, influencers, and marketing experts, including:
Chris Barton, cofounder and board director of Shazam and former head of Android business development for Google
Ray Chan, CEO and cofounder of 9GAG
Julius Dein, internet personality and magician with nearly 16 million Facebook followers
Mike Jurkovac, Emmy Award–winner and creative director of will.i.am and the Black Eyed Peas
Phil Ranta, former COO of Studio71 and VP of network at Fullscreen
Eamonn Carey, managing director at Techstars London
Jonathan Skogmo, founder and CEO of Jukin Media, Inc.
Jon Jashni, founder of Raintree Ventures and former president and chief creative officer of Legendary Entertainment
One Million Followers is the ultimate guide to building your worldwide brand and unlocking all the benefits social media has to offer. It’s time to stop being a follower and start being a leader.
Snap Selling: Speed Up Sales and Win More Business with Today's Frazzled Customers
Jill Konrath - 2010
Potential customers are under extreme pressure to do more with less money, less time, and fewer resources, and they're wary of anyone who tries to get them to buy or change anything. Under such extreme conditions, yesterday's sales strategies no longer work. No matter how great your offering, you face the daunting task of making yourself appear credible, relevant, and valuable. Now, internationally recognized sales strategist Jill Konrath shows how to overcome these obstacles to get more appointments, speed up decisions, and win sales with these short-fused, frazzled customers. Drawing on her years of selling experience, as well as the stories of other successful sellers, she offers four SNAP Rules: -Keep it "Simple" When you make things easy and clear for your customers, they'll change from the status quo. -Be "iNvaluable" You have to stand out by being the person your customers can't live without. -Always "Align" To be relevant, make sure you're in synch with your customers' objectives, issues, and needs. -Raise "Priorities" To maintain momentum, keep the most important decisions at the forefront of their mind. "SNAP Selling" is an easy-to-read, easy-to-use guide for any seller in today's increasingly frenzied environment.
The Effortless Experience: Conquering the New Battleground for Customer Loyalty
Matthew Dixon - 2013
But what if everyone is wrong?In their acclaimed bestseller The Challenger Sale, Matthew Dixon and his colleagues at CEB busted longstanding myths about sales. Now they've turned to a new vital business subject - customer loyalty - with a book that turns conventional wisdom on its head.Companies devote untold time and resources trying to dazzle customers. Yet CEB's careful research proves that is wildly overrated: loyalty has a lot more to do with how well companies deliver on their basic promises than on how dazzling the service experience might be. Forget bells and whistles and just solve your customer's problems. The Effortless Experience lays out the four pillars of a low-effort customer experience, with robust data, insights and profiles. Here are tools and templates you can start applying right away to improve service, reduce costs, and ultimately generate the elusive loyalty that the 'dazzle factor' fails to deliver.The rewards are there for the taking, and the pathway to achieving them is now clearly marked.'A business detective story, in which cherished truths are systematically investigated-and frequently debunked' -Dan Heath, coauthor of Decisive, Switch, and Made to StickMatt Dixon is Executive Director of the Sales & Service Practice at CEB. He is a frequent contributor to the Harvard Business Review, and his previous book, The Challenger Sale, was a Wall Street Journal bestsellerNick Toman is Senior Director of Research for CEB's Sales & Services Practice and is a frequent contributor to the Harvard Business Review.Rick DeLisi is Senior Director of Advisory Services for CEB's Sales & Service Practice and a noted public speaker and facilitator.
Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die
Chip Heath - 2006
Meanwhile, people with important ideas--entrepreneurs, teachers, politicians, and journalists--struggle to make them "stick."In Made to Stick, Chip and Dan Heath reveal the anatomy of ideas that stick and explain ways to make ideas stickier, such as applying the human scale principle, using the Velcro Theory of Memory, and creating curiosity gaps. Along the way, we discover that sticky messages of all kinds--from the infamous "kidney theft ring" hoax to a coach's lessons on sportsmanship to a vision for a new product at Sony--draw their power from the same six traits.Made to Stick will transform the way you communicate. It's a fast-paced tour of success stories (and failures): the Nobel Prize-winning scientist who drank a glass of bacteria to prove a point about stomach ulcers; the charities who make use of the Mother Teresa Effect; the elementary-school teacher whose simulation actually prevented racial prejudice.Provocative, eye-opening, and often surprisingly funny, Made to Stick shows us the vital principles of winning ideas--and tells us how we can apply these rules to making our own messages stick.
How To Start a Business without Any Money
Rachel Bridge - 2012
In fact, studies show that more people start businesses during recessions than at any other time. The good news is that it can be done, provided you follow a few golden rules. Based on Rachel Bridge's popular workshops, this book will help set you on the way to success. As the former Enterprise Editor for the Sunday Times, Rachel has interviewed hundreds of successful entrepreneurs. Join her on her journey as she starts up her very own enterprise, entrepreneurthings.com, and covers all the ups and downs she encounters, while giving examples along the way of how real-life entrepreneurs have coped with the same problems that beset everyone in business at some point.
Rework
Jason Fried - 2010
If you're looking for a book like that, put this one back on the shelf.Rework shows you a better, faster, easier way to succeed in business. Read it and you'll know why plans are actually harmful, why you don't need outside investors, and why you're better off ignoring the competition. The truth is, you need less than you think. You don't need to be a workaholic. You don't need to staff up. You don't need to waste time on paperwork or meetings. You don't even need an office. Those are all just excuses. What you really need to do is stop talking and start working. This book shows you the way. You'll learn how to be more productive, how to get exposure without breaking the bank, and tons more counterintuitive ideas that will inspire and provoke you.With its straightforward language and easy-is-better approach, Rework is the perfect playbook for anyone who’s ever dreamed of doing it on their own. Hardcore entrepreneurs, small-business owners, people stuck in day jobs they hate, victims of "downsizing," and artists who don’t want to starve anymore will all find valuable guidance in these pages.
The New Hustle: Don’t work harder, just work better
Emma Isaacs - 2021
But on the back of the pandemic, entrepreneur and Business Chicks founder Emma Isaacs believes the hustle is now dead. Moreover, traditional ways of working - long commutes, unproductive meetings and outdated systems of bureaucracy - actually don't work at all.Emma believes we don't have to work harder; we just need to work better. In fact, we can slash our hours, take shortcuts and still get more done - without feeling depleted. By becoming more intentional and reimagining the way we work, we can rewrite the old work rules and reinvigorate our lives.The New Hustle condenses Emma's wisdom into 77 anti-rules for maximum dip-in-and-out efficiency. Drawing inspiration from her team, the member of Business Chicks and the many entrepreneurs and leaders who have graced the Business Chicks stage - from Elizabeth Gilbert to Simon Sinek - she guides us towards embracing radical flexibility, making quick decisions and working smarter, from the emails we craft to the talent we recruit . . . and say no to the things that don't matter, so we can say yes to the things that do.Written with humour, insight and a serving of tough love, The New Hustle is your go-to for more productive, creative and meaningful work by one of Australia's most unconventional and effective entrepreneurs: a bestselling author, mum of six - and a woman determined to start an anti-hustle revolution.Praise for The New Hustle'For anyone who's committed to becoming their best self at work and in life.' - Marie Forleo'Refreshingly original. Makes so much bloody sense!' - Lisa WilkinsonPraise for Emma Isaccs'Emma has an inexhaustible joie de vivre, and she delivers an intelligent guide for a new way of working.' - Diane von Furstenberg'Emma Isaacs is a delight. She is kind, and she is smart, and she is grounded, and she is brave and she is funny.' - Elizabeth Gilbert
Successful Women Speak Differently: 9 Habits That Build Confidence, Courage, and Influence
Valorie Burton - 2016
What these women have is a knack for communicating that opens doors and gives them influence. Gleaning from powerful research, bestselling author and life strategist Valorie Burton unearths practical insights you can put to work in your life immediately. Scientific studies are proving what the ancient wisdom of Scripture has shown all along: The power of life and death lies in the very words you speak. Let Valorie teach you how to…recognize the nuances in speech that can mean the difference between success and failureincrease your influence by changing what you think and say in critical momentsspeak accurately about yourself so you don’t sabotage your most meaningful goalsboost your confidence by making simple tweaks to your everyday speechYour words are powerful tools. It’s time to use them to build the life you really want.
Marketing Metaphoria: What Deep Metaphors Reveal About the Minds of Consumers
Gerald Zaltman - 2008
Marketing Metaphoria is a groundbreaking book that reveals how to overcome this "depth deficit" and find the universal drivers of human behavior so vital to a firm's success.Marketing Metaphoria reveals the powerful unconscious viewing lenses--called "deep metaphors"-- that shape what people think, hear, say, and do.Drawing on thousands of one-on-one interviews in more than thirty countries, Gerald Zaltman and Lindsay Zaltman describe how some of the world's most successful companies as well as small firms, not-for-profits, and social enterprises have successfully leveraged deep metaphors to solve a wide variety of marketing problems. Marketing Metaphoria should convince you that everything consumers think and do is influenced at unconscious levels--and it will give you access to those deeper levels of thinking.
Less Is More: How Great Companies Use Productivity As a Competitive Tool in Business
Jason Jennings - 2002
Now Jason Jennings, a bestselling author and international business consultant, offers a groundbreaking look at how to boost productivity and your bottom line.In Less Is More, Jennings shares tested and successful programs from the leading giants in industry and presents new trends that businesses of all sizes will be able to implement. Inside, you'll learn how to:increase sales 300 percent without increasing head countbecome 10 times more efficientkeep track of every pennyuse technology and automation in your favorWritten in the same breezy, informative style of Jennings's previous book, Less Is More is sure to join its predecessor on bestseller lists nationwide.
Fanatical Prospecting: The Ultimate Guide to Opening Sales Conversations and Filling the Pipeline by Leveraging Social Selling, Telephone, Email, Text, and Cold Calling
Jeb Blount - 2015
By ignoring the muscle of prospecting, many otherwise competent salespeople and sales organizations consistently underperform.Step by step, Jeb Blount outlines his innovative approach to prospecting that works for real people, in the real world, with real prospects.Learn how to keep the pipeline full of qualified opportunities and avoid debilitating sales slumps by leveraging a balanced prospecting methodology across multiple prospecting channels.This book reveals the secrets, techniques, and tips of top earners. You'll learn:Why the 30-Day Rule is critical for keeping the pipeline full Why understanding the Law of Replacement is the key to avoiding sales slumps How to leverage the Law of Familiarity to reduce prospecting friction and avoid rejection The 5 C's of Social Selling and how to use them to get prospects to call you How to use the simple 5 Step Telephone Framework to get more appointments fast How to double call backs with a powerful voice mail technique How to leverage the powerful 4 Step Email Prospecting Framework to create emails that compel prospects to respond How to get text working for you with the 7 Step Text Message Prospecting Framework And there is so much more! Fanatical Prospecting is filled with the high-powered strategies, techniques, and tools you need to fill your pipeline with high quality opportunities.In the most comprehensive book ever written about sales prospecting, Jeb Blount reveals the real secret to improving sales productivity and growing your income fast. You'll gain the power to blow through resistance and objections, gain more appointments, start more sales conversations, and close more sales.Break free from the fear and frustration that is holding you and your team back from effective and consistent prospecting. It's time to get off the feast or famine sales roller-coaster for good!