Entrepreneurship
The 4 – Hour Workweek, by Timothy Ferris, is a must read for entrepreneurs and overworked employees alike. It is a very enjoyable read that promises to offer a new perspective on work in general.
We’re not saying that by reading it you’ll be able to make millions only putting in 4 hours per week, but you will gain valuable insights that will give you a new perspective on how you spend your work day.
The Business Side of Creativity, by Cameron S. Foote is an excellent investment for anyone who is thinking of starting a design or creative agency. This book helped us a great deal during our humble beginning and we’d highly recommend it to anyone planning to start a creative business.
The E Myth Revisited, by Michael Gerber is a must read for both start ups and seasoned business owners. The book is one of those rare reads that inspires you to act as soon as you’ve read it cover to cover. It will get you thinking about working on your business rather than in it day after day. The E Myth is a must read for business owners who are making the transition from technician to manager and is our top pic. Any serious entrepreneur should own this book, or at the very least have read it.
Reality Check, by Guy Kawasaki boasts that it is “The Irreverent Guide to Outsmarting, Outmanaging and Outmarketing Your Competition.” It’s packed with juicy bits of information and insight on everything from getting venture capital to making presentations to writing effective employment ads.
Marketing
Duct Tape Marketing, by John Jantsch is highly recommended for more mom and pop type small business owners who are on very tight budgets. The strategies may seem “obvious” to more experienced marketing mavens, but this book is bound to teach you something or at the very least remind you of a strategy that you may have forgotten.
Hypnotic Writing, by Joe Vitale is one of those books that we picked up because of its cool packaging and inviting cover message. We were not the least bit disappointed. Words are very powerful things (even more powerful than images and artwork) and this book is packed with words of wisdom on writing effectively.
A New Brand World, by Scott Bedbury is (in our humble opinion) one of the best books ever written on branding. It eloquently explains the myriad of factors that contribute to a “company brand” ranging from how the receptionist answers the telephone to the worst experience any customer has had with the company. It’s packed with real world examples from powerhouse brands like Nike and Starbucks.
The SEO Bible, by Jerri Ledford is a well organized no nonsense explanation of the many elements that go into a successful search engine marketing campaign. It’s a must read for any business owner or marketing person who want’s to learn more about the art of search engine optimization.
Cutting Edge Advertising by Jim Aitchison is a book focused on creating truly great print advertising. It’s packed with great examples and case studies from some of the world’s best creative agencies. This book will truly make you rethink your advertising strategy.
Juicing the Orange, by Pat Fallon and Fred Senn illustrates how to turn creativity into a powerful business advantage. Theses guys have done some pretty amazing and extraordinary things over the course of their careers. The campaign examples in this book and on the accompanying website are not to be missed.
For Fun
Color, by Victoria Finlay is a natural history of the palette. It’s filled with great conversation starters about colors and their histories.
