Four of my favourite business books for small business
There are sooooo many great business books to get you going in business, and I encourage you to read as many as you can get your hands on in the pursuit of knowledge (but not procrastination). And remember you don’t have to buy your books – all of these are available from your local library.
I tried to create a list of three but ended up with four – and the start of a blog series as there are so many more books to talk about. I ended up with four because I think each of them places emphasis on four areas of business I feel are vital for success: passion, USP, systems and understanding self.
The top four are: Anita Roddicks’ Body and Soul, re-enforces the point you have to be passionate about what you do; Seth Godin’s The Purple Cow, for highlighting the importance of having a business that stands out (your USP) Michael Gerber’s The e-Myth revisited for it’s emphasis on systems and processes; and Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People – as you are the most important ingredient for business success.
#Anita Roddick – Body and Soul
Of course having worked with Anita I am totally biased about her books but there are so many gems of wisdom I can pick it up at any time and find some inspiration.
The book is full of passion and conviction on the power and the value of business to achieve positive social and environmental change.
Body and Soul tells Anita’s story as the child of Italian immigrants in a small English seaside town, her hippie adolescence and early adulthood. It talks about the circumstances that lead her to start The Body Shop in Brighton which, in part by accident, would become one of the most successful retail operations in the world.
More than any single point, she stresses the importance of PASSION (in what you do) with religious zeal.
I like it because it’s not a conventional business book. There are lots of illustrations, photographs and an inspiring and unique way of looking at the world-both in a business sense and a humanitarian sense.
It talks about the foundations of The Body Shop’s foray into corporate activism for fair trade, human rights, and against animal testing. Anyone who wants inspiration to create profits with principles – this book is number one.
#Seth Godin – The Purple Cow
Seeing a purple Purple Cow among a crowd of perfectly competent, even undeniably excellent cows – would be remarkable. Something remarkable is worth talking about, worth paying attention to. Boring stuff quickly becomes invisible. The world is full of boring stuff like brown cows which is why so few people pay attention to them.
To stand out from the crowd you need to create a business worth noticing (your USP). Understanding from the outset that if your offering itself isn’t remarkable, then it’s invisible no matter how much you spend on well-crafted advertising.
Either be invisible, uncriticised, anonymous, and safe or take a chance at true greatness, uniqueness, and the Purple Cow. The new rule is: Create remarkable products that the right people seek out.
The Purple Cow model follows five steps:
- Sell what people want to buy
- Identify early adopters and detractors
- Make your product good enough to deserve attention
- Make your product, marketing, and ideas easy to spread and pass along
- Foster relationships that will allow your product to move toward the mass market
If you agree you need to stand out from the crowd read this book.
#Michael E. Gerber – The e-Myth Revisited
I am such a believer in the power of working on your business rather than in your business and Michel Gerber is credited for popularizing this important distinction.
It’s called The E-Myth because it addresses the entrepreneurial myth. The entrepreneurial myth: 1. the myth that most people who start small businesses are entrepreneurs 2: an individual who understands the technical work of a business can successfully run a business that does that technical work.
What I like about the book is the emphasis on developing systems. A systems-based business operates without the interference of individual idiosyncrasies. By putting systems in place for the day-to-day you can focus on spending your time and energy on growing the business i.e. working on the business.
Developing a business capable of running on its own without you, the business owner having to be present – that is: making money while you sleep – is a great aspiration to have.
#Stephen Covey – The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
I believe that self-awareness, as an entrepreneur is vital to long-term success. In his book Covey takes you through how to make paradigm shift on how you perceive and act regarding productivity, time management, positive thinking, developing your “proactive muscles”.
It’s hard to talk about the book without giving you the 7 habits
Habit 1: Be Proactive: Use your resourcefulness and your initiative to work toward your personal goals starting within your circle of influence. The more effective you become, the more your circle of influence will expand.
Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind: Use visualization before a performance, a sales presentation, a difficult confrontation, or the daily challenge of meeting a goal, see it clearly, vividly, relentlessly, over and over again.
Habit 3: Put First Things First: “Organize and execute around priorities.”
Habit 4: Think Win/Win: seeking mutual benefit in your human and business interactions.
Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood: In empathic listening, you listen with your ears, with your eyes and with your heart. You listen for feeling, for meaning. You listen for behaviour. You use your right brain as well as your left. You sense, you intuit, you feel.
Habit 6: Synergize: “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” We must value the differences between people and how they view the world. That difference can be used as a source of insight.
Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw: You must take care of yourself physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually.
Developing good habits creates a platform for personal and business success.
What’s your favourite business book?
If you want a copy of the book I have written The Bizness Book, Building a business that fits with your life (not the other way around), I have copies to give away to the first three people who email me from this blog: Vickie@purplepyjamas.com.au with the subject line: Bizness Book.
