Business books for holiday - suggestions :)

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S

sm1

  • #1
    Hi all,

    Almost off to Cannes soon... I want people's suggestions for books.

    I have Steve Krug's - 'Don't make me think' and need to finish that off!

    I would like one of Seth Godin's books, which shall I go for? Something that kind of covers non-specific areas and something from the start.

    I will also be investing in Tim Ferriss' - The 4 Hour Work Week.

    Any more suggestions?

    Cheers :)
     
    F

    FAB Enterprises

  • #6
    "How to think like a Millionaire" - Charles-Albert Poissant

    Gives the stories of ten well known millionaires and how they made their money, highlighting a key attribute, principal of factor that was intrumental in their success and how these attributes are comon to all successful people. A really inspiring book.

    Mason
     
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    Moneyman

    Moneyman

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  • #7
    Forget the stupid self help stuff. get a book about someone who has actually done it. You wont be in the right frame of mind for the sales oriented stuff so duncan ballatynes one or felix denis how to get rich. the best. those two didnt make their cash from lecturing or consulting. so follow them.
     
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  • #8
    Cheers all - sorry forgot to mention I have Duncan's book and almost read it. I am after something to learn from and understand but would also enjoy reading a success story.

    Thanks for current suggestions.

    P.S. - Nothing to heavy! ;)
     
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    adventurelife

    adventurelife

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  • #13
    Considering that you are looking at setting up an outsource service as discussed in other threads I would suggest that " The 4 Hour Week Work Week " by Tim Ferriss is an must read for you.

    Not so you can get to doing just 4 hours ;) just so that you understand how some of us, use outsourcing in a very productive manner.

    Every time I find myself working to many hours I think of this book. I have been testing and living some of his theories since before the book was published and I am about to do my most intensive test.

    The next 7 weeks are the most intense in my business when we deal with double our normal rate of clients.

    I will be in North Africa and Turkey for 5 of those 7 weeks:cool:

    Read the book and think about your potential outsource service when you are on the beach.

    Have a good break
     
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    stockdam

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  • #14
    I like reading the motivational types like Rich Dad, Poor Dad.

    They help me to look inward and realise sometimes that things need to be simplified again and what a business is all about.......I realise that often these books are the writers business and not the businesses that they are talking about but they help me to look at myself critically when I'm away from the trenches.
     
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    solutions4finance

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  • #15
    I thought "Anyone can do it" was written by Bobby and Sahar Hashemi? I didn't know Duncan had one out... I'll have a look in the bookshop at lunchtime I think.

    There is a book about Guerilla marketing that reads well... all stuff we know already (as most of them are!)... but really good for getting you up and running again.

    Have a great trip

    Just
     
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    solutions4finance

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  • #17
    ADVENTURE LIFE... I saw that book at the weekend and thought about picking it up... maybe I should!

    I don't generally tend to read many business type books now, but when i worked for a large bluchip a couple fo years ago all sales chaps 9and chapesses!) were encouraged to read at least one book a fortnight as part of your personal development process... one book and one audio tape. I have to admit that we did all learn a few things from the exercise, so it was worth it.

    Just
     
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    adventurelife

    adventurelife

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  • #18
    solutions4finance said:
    ADVENTURE LIFE... I saw that book at the weekend and thought about picking it up... maybe I should!

    I don't generally tend to read many business type books now, but when i worked for a large bluchip a couple fo years ago all sales chaps 9and chapesses!) were encouraged to read at least one book a fortnight as part of your personal development process... one book and one audio tape. I have to admit that we did all learn a few things from the exercise, so it was worth it.

    Just
    Click to expand...

    It is worth a read if you have specific objectives to reduce the amount of time you work in a week. It is good for those who are not sure in which direction they are going.

    It struck a cord with me as before I read it I was working towards what the guy is doing, I will never be as hands off as he is but I am close to getting to my objectives.
     
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    office man

  • #19
    You are on holiday, why not go for a novel or something - every time i go away i see people on the beach reading business books and i think 'why come away on holiday to read a business book?' surely if you really wanted to read a business book you would be reading it every night at home!!
    Don't get me wrong, i am a big fan of them, i have hundreds of business books - but when i go away - i want to go away from it all.

    just my thoughts.
     
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    adventurelife

    adventurelife

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  • #21
    Write My Site said:
    I agree with Office Man. Holidays are for relaxing. Take a good novel on the plane. You can always read business books during non-holiday time like lunchbreaks, train journeys, bedtime etc.
    Click to expand...


    The OP is very young he has a whole life ahead of him for relaxing once he has his business sorted, and his age relaxing should not be an option.:eek:

    That is what I tell my kids anyway:)
     
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    templarmc

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  • #25
    Hey, I'm da man for books if you ever need tips - we've literally hundreds, there's not a room in the house without reading material! If we stopped reading, Borders and Amazon would collapse. Seriously, reading is fantastic and I'll always take any opportunity to pass on book tips or promote reading more :)

    However, the idea of going on holiday is just that - to rest, recuperate, relax etc. If you must read, then read what's known as 'airport novels', i.e. books you can read easily without any thinking, and probably forget just as easy.

    Take the holiday to take time out from the business, and then read biz books when you get back.

    If needs be, and to persuade you, on your return then I'll write you up a reading list based on sub-genres in business - e.g. biographies, finance, PD, marketing, entrepreneurship, how to, advice etc.

    Don't forget who tipped you off to the Ferriss book first. :cool:;)

    However, if you can't resist taking books then get "Think and grow rich" by Napoleon Hill, "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" (original and 'Cashflow quadrant') by Kiyosaki for the entrepeneur aspect & the Bannatyne, Branson, Ryanair, "How to get rich" by Felix Dennis and Jack Welch books are good bios/autos.

    Two good, easy reads you can dip in and out of but give a different slant on things are the two Paul Arden books "Its not how good you are, it's how good you think you are" and "whatever you think, think the opposite".

    Equally good are "Freakonimics' by Stephen Levitt & "Tipping Point"/"Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell. Though not truly outright business books, all very entertaining and illuminating.

    However, if you want to try a different style of book, try "the Monk who sold his ferrari" by Robin Sharma and "the Alchemist" by Paolo Coelho for allegorical/PD type books.

    Lay off the out-and-out PD type book for now :p

    Happy holidays !
     
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  • #26
    Cheers all :)

    Great suggestions - Exec - U - Travel - payment has been made, I pressed your thank you button :)

    deniser - cheers, looks a good read. :)

    adventurelife - thanks for the info, yes it does look good and I will be definitely getting it. Thanks for the 'enjoy the break', I can't wait! :) about 3 weeks to go. I hope everything goes well in Turkey and N. Africa :)
     
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  • #27
    Stockdam - Cheers will take a look. Heard lots of people talking about that book. :)

    Solutions4finance - Cheers Just :)

    Simonr - Sorry I've never heard of that, which book is it? Cheers :)

    And just to say, I'm only young and I enjoy all things business - reading about it is more fun than anything else, not a chore :)

    Cheers all :)
     
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    templarmc

    templarmc

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  • #29
    No problems Stefan, enjoy ! That list should keep you busy for now then?

    I think with your lifestyle management project, reading some of the books about modern life, how we think and behave etc. will enable you to 'pitch' that company better. Another book you should look at is "bullshot bingo" (replace the O with another vowel) as it lists all the buzzwords we tend to use in corporate and business culture today, and is quite funny.

    Then when you're speaking with potential clients, you could drop a few words from it if they seem to be the sort who enjoy that sort of talk? We sometimes have games of it when we've certain clients in our cars (without them knowing of course ;))
     
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    stockdam

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  • #30
    sm1 said:
    Stockdam - Cheers will take a look. Heard lots of people talking about that book. :)

    .........


    And just to say, I'm only young and I enjoy all things business - reading about it is more fun than anything else, not a chore :)

    :)
    Click to expand...



    I bought Rich Dad, Poor Dad 2 last month and read it in California. It's pretty interesting but then again I hate reading novels.......I bought a novel and RDPD2 in the airport and only read the latter. I find that when I read business books I get the motivation that drains away during the year. Some people love novels but for me a business book is more interesting and absorbing.

    Oh just remembered -

    Ricardo Semler's book Maverick was very interesting.
    Mark McCormack's "What they don't teach you at Harvard Business School".
    I haven't read "The Goal" yet so it's on my list.
    Stephen Covey's "7 Habits.....".
    "The One Minute Manager" by Ken Blanchard.
    "Who Moved My Cheese" - by Spencer Johnson - haven't read it.
    "E-Myth Revisted" by Michael Gerber
    "The Richest Man in Babylon" by George Clason.
    "In Search of Excellence" by Tom Peters


    I have some stuff by Robert Kiyosaki (RDPD) on my iPod so try to get your hands on some audio stuff as well.
     
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    office man

  • #33
    sorry, i have read the posts and now i know that the OP is 'still young' - that's even worse he should be in a bar or in the pool - come on guys!

    As for having time to relax 'when his business is sorted' surely this is never going to happen - i know soooo many people who are successful in business, many millionaires - one even sold his company last year for 24 million - and i can hand on heart tell you that they work harder when they have 'made it' than they ever did trying to make it.

    The ones who i really envy are the ones who have the right balance, work, health, family and life (no particular order)

    Go on holiday, have fun
    Come home, work hard
    simple!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
     
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    adventurelife

    adventurelife

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  • #35
    office man said:
    sorry, i have read the posts and now i know that the OP is 'still young' - that's even worse he should be in a bar or in the pool - come on guys!

    As for having time to relax 'when his business is sorted' surely this is never going to happen - i know soooo many people who are successful in business, many millionaires - one even sold his company last year for 24 million - and i can hand on heart tell you that they work harder when they have 'made it' than they ever did trying to make it.

    The ones who i really envy are the ones who have the right balance, work, health, family and life (no particular order)

    Go on holiday, have fun
    Come home, work hard
    simple!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Click to expand...

    All comes down to the individual and their make up. The last guy I answered to in business did not need to work. He had sold is company and was a CEO of a large PLC, he still worked 7 days a week and could not switch off.

    Personally I have found what suits me. I only work at what I want to then it does not seem like work. I work where I want to in the World at any given time and sometimes I decide I do not want to work and take a break but I still earn as the business is structured so I can do that.

    The OP is obsessed with business and that is good it gives him a chance of making it happen.
     
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    adventurelife

    adventurelife

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  • #37
    I read a lot each year and have 3 to 5 books on the go at anyone time

    Current reading is

    Deception by Adrian Levy and Catherine Scott-Clark

    Do not read if you think the world is already a very dangerous place as this is about the Pakistan nuclear programme and the dangerous USA goverment

    Squandered by David Craig

    Very depressing read about how much of OUR money Labour has wasted over the last 11 years

    The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein

    Companies and individuals who are profiting massively on the disasters of weather and war

    Just finished Sniper One by Sgt Dan Mills

    This should be compulsory reading for all in the UK to get a true insight into the lives of normal soldiers in the front line.
     
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