Friday, 29 September 2017

5 Books to Read Before Starting Your Business

Starting a new business is no small undertaking. There are many factors to be considered, and it is important to do your research and prepare yourself as much as possible, with some 80 percent of new businesses failing within the first couple of years.

Over the past 15 years, I have had the opportunity to be the founder or co-founder of three companies in three different industries. Along this journey, my teams and I have done a lot of things right -- and a lot of things wrong. Building a business is a daunting task -- from originally creating the idea, then planning and validating that idea to fund raising, staffing and achieving profitability. There are many pitfalls in the journey that could easily completely destroy your business.

Luckily, I have always been an avid reader. From my very first read, Og Mandino’s classic, The Greatest Salesman In the World, I developed a hunger for learning. I satisfied that hunger by devouring over 1,500 books on business, leadership, start-ups, business finance, culture creation and many more business-related topics. I am convinced that it was the information I absorbed in these books and the validation from mentors that has helped me to avoid a bunch of potholes on the road to success in business.

ADVERTISING

inRead invented by Teads

Today, I get to speak to entrepreneurs and students heading down the business path on a regular basis. Inevitably, I encourage them all to read books related to their business and management. It’s a free education. There are thousands of books out there to help educate new entrepreneurs about what they’re getting into, so I wanted to review five books that I think will help any entrepreneur succeed with their start up:

1. The Founder's Dilemmas: Anticipating and Avoiding the Pitfalls That Can Sink a Startup, by Noam Wasserman

Image credit: Amazon.com

I have personally given over 200 copies of this book away to new business graduates and friends that I have come across. The book is based on Wasserman’s research at Princeton. He did a masterful job of studying founders from many industries and detailing their experiences, good, bad and ugly. The book is captivating because it uses real identifiable examples, like Twitter and other recognizable companies. It is a must read for anyone who wants to start their own company.

This book focuses on helping entrepreneurs take proactive steps to keep them from making mistakes that, though common, can have a hugely negative impact on their business. It familiarizes new entrepreneurs with business structure and helps them to better understand all that goes into making a things run smoothly. This is a great book for teaching you how to appropriately manage your business and all that comes with it.

2. Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses, by Eric Reis

Image credit: Amazon.com

I’ve learned many lessons from Reis’ book. One of the biggest struggles you will face in building your own business is managing cash flow. You know the old saying, "Cash is king." I don’t think that anyone can go far enough to explain the importance of cash flow management to a new business owner. Lean Startup is a book designed to serve as your guide through the many changes that a startup brings. It will teach you how to effectively manage your budget, allowing you the freedom to innovate and make your way in the business world. If you want your business to thrive, you’ve got to have precise, effective budget-management.

3. Peter Principle: Why Things Always Go Wrong, by Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hull

Image credit: Amazon.com

This one is a classic for a reason. Peter Principle is an amazing book for helping founders to understand when they reach the “point of incompetence” and how to recruit great people to help you. Why do things go wrong? I think it’s safe to say that every business owner has asked this question at some point. In this book, the question is answered by addressing the issue of incompetence in the work force today. You will learn the importance of staffing and how it can make or break your business.

4. Disney Way: Harnessing the Management Secrets of Disney in Your Company, by Bill Capodagli and Lynn Jackson

Image credit: Amazon.com

Over the years, I have realized the importance of building a fun, warm culture into your business. The world’s reigning master of business culture creation is Walt Disney. In Disney Way, the authors do a better job then any other book on Disney to articulate how he thought and what actions led to the creation of the most culturally rich company In the world. This book details how Walt Disney’s mantra of “dream, believe, dare, do” has helped to transform businesses all across the globe. In it, you’ll learn how you can create the most productive, effective and positive environment for your employees and your customers. By adopting the Disney way, you can play a part in transforming our culture, and can impact your industry for the better.

5. Behind the Cloud: The Untold Story of How Salesforce.com Went from Idea to Billion-Dollar Company-and Revolutionized an Industry, by Marc Benioff and Carlye Adler

Image credit: Amazon.com

Behind the Cloud just jumped onto my five-best-books-to-read list. Chris Brady, an Inc Magazine Top 50 leadership expert, suggested I read the book, and I am so thankful. It is the story of salesforce.com and how Benioff and team built a world-caliber company before the term “In the Cloud” existed. Since it’s beginning, salesforce.com has been a leader in innovation. This book details the company’s unhindered journey to success, exemplifying how you can use the unique qualities of your business to generate massive revenue. This book is a great resource for making your business stand out in any circumstance.

Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur, or a first-time business owner, you should never stop looking for ways to make your business better. Examine your strengths and weaknesses and find the areas you wish to grow in. Perhaps you want to learn how to budget better, or maybe you want to strengthen your business structure. Whichever aspect of your business you wish to improve in, there is a book out there to help you do it.

Thursday, 28 September 2017

10 Movies You Need To Watch To Be More Successful

We’ve all had the experience of walking into the movies, and then walking out feeling like different people.

Movies have the potential to inspire, and influence our decisions about life. And why wouldn’t they?

We’re all familiar with the work of Woody Allen, James Cameron, and Quentin Tarantino. Three of the great many writers and directors who know how to emotionally impact an audience.

Sometimes a movie could be our motivational bridge to the success we truly desire.

And in this article, I’m sharing my personal list of 10 movies you need to watch to be more successful’

1. Fight Club: Materialism And Detachment

what-if-tyler-durden-wrote-the-supposed-rules-of-menswear-02

”You are not your job. You are not how much you have in the bank. You are not the contents of your wallet. You are not your khakis. You are not a beautiful and unique snowflake.” – Tyler Durden

Fight Club is a movie that offers more than a few lessons in success. However, one of the greatest lessons we can benefit from this movie is that of Materialism and emotional detachment.

According to Tyler Durden: Fight Club is about freeing yourself from the shackles of modern life, which imprisons and emasculates you. By being willing to give and receive pain and risk death.

Fight Club is one of those movies that can be watched over, and over again, finding something valuable to take away every time.

2. Pumping Iron: Self-Belief And Assertion

“I was always dreaming about very powerful people, dictators and things like that. I was just always impressed by people who could be remembered for hundreds of years, or even, like Jesus, be for thousands of years remembered.”

ADVERTISING

– Arnold Schwarzenegger

Pumping Iron is not just a movie for body builders. No. Pumping Iron is a movie for those who would like to capture the power of self-belief and assertion in action.

Arnold Schwarzenegger shares his mindset, attitude, and personal beliefs in this documentary classic. And will no doubt leave you inspired when you watch it.

3. The Secret: Positive Attitude

“Instead of focusing on the world’s problems, give your attention and energy to trust, love, abundance, education and peace” – The Secret

The Secret, is a movie based on The Law Of Attraction. (Also available as a paperback book). Whilst many are skeptical about the Law Of Attraction, the movie does, however, portray a very positive philosophy for life.

The film has one primary aim: To help you lead a better life by changing your mental attitude. So for anyone who is looking for inspiration and motivation, The Secret is a movie that does just that.

4. The Social Network: Entitlement

”A guy who makes a nice chair doesn’t owe money to everyone who has ever built a chair.” – The Social Network

Everyone should be familiar with The Social Network movie, and the success of Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg.

The Social Network is a movie that will inspire anyone to feel deserving of success, whilst also showing some of the drawbacks that being successful can have with the creation of backstabbing and legal rows.

5. Yes Man: Opportunity

”YES! Say it a million times. Then say it a million more. And the word you will have said two million times is…” – Yes Man

ADVERTISING

Yes Man, is a fun movie that anyone can appreciate. Jim Carrey plays Carl Allen, who lives and average and unfulfilled life.

He finds himself at a self-help seminar called ‘Yes’, and soon, his life makes an interesting shift. This movie will have you thinking about all the opportunities you may have missed by saying ‘no’ to things.

6. Limitless: Getting Things Done

”I wasn’t high. I wasn’t wired. Just clear. I knew what I needed to do and how to do it.” – Limitless

Bradley Cooper plays procrastinating writer, Eddie Morra. One day Eddie finds his life take an immediate shift when introduced to a new drug.

One can’t help to watch this film, and want to get in on the narcotic action. However, instead of using a drug, this film will enlighten you, and get you thinking about all the things you could be doing with your life.

This is a movie that will certainly arouse you to take some action, and produce results with your life.

7. The Wolf Of Wall Street: Drive And Prosperity

”Let me tell you something. There’s no nobility in poverty. I’ve been a poor man, and I’ve been a rich man. And I choose rich every fucking time.” – The Wolf Of Wall Street

Based on the true story of Jordan Belfort, The Wolf Of Wall Street is a film that demonstrates some of the things money can buy, and what it cant.

One can’t help to watch this film and feel empowered by DiCapprio’s performance. The Wolf Of Wall Street is a film that will make you revaluate your current life, and have you aiming for the finer things.

ADVERTISING

8. The Words: Own Your Work

”At some point, you have to choose between life and fiction. The two are very close, but they never actually touch.” – The Words

Another movie featuring Bradley Cooper, playing a struggling writer. The Words demonstrates how success can be a difficult, and provoke you to give up, or in these cases, copy someone else.

This movie will certainly inspire you to take charge of you work, and to do the best you can with what you have.

9. In Pursuit Of Happyness: Never Giving Up

”Hey. Don’t ever let somebody tell you… You can’t do something. Not even me. All right? You got a dream… You gotta protect it. People can’t do something’ themselves, they wanna tell you you can’t do it. If you want something’, go get it. Period.” – In Pursuit Of Happyness

In Pursuit Of Happyness is beautiful film that will almost leave you in tears. Will Smith plays, salesman Chris Gardner who encounters a great financial struggle, becoming homeless.

This film will demonstrate why you should never give up on yourself, and to not allow circumstances to destroy your dreams.

10. Good Will Hunting: Competence

”You think I know the first thing about how hard your life has been, how you feel, who you are, because I read Oliver Twist? Does that encapsulate you? Personally… I don’t give a shit about all that, because you know what, I can’t learn anything from you, I can’t read in some fucking’ book. Unless you want to talk about you, who you are. Then I’m fascinated. I’m in. But you don’t want to do that do you sport? You’re terrified of what you might say. Your move, chief.” – Good Will Hunting

ADVERTISING

Good Will Hunting is a touching film, containing great conversations between characters Will Hunting (Matt Damon) and Sean Maguire (Robin Williams).

For anyone who has a talent, and does not believe themselves worthy of success. This film will certainly inspire you, and prove you competent.

Love this article? Share it with your friends on Facebook