In honor of National Read Across America Day—a.k.a. Dr. Seuss Day—let’s take a look at some sage words from entrepreneurial trail blazers. For aspiring entrepreneurs in Tampa Bay, what better way to grow than by reaping the wisdom of those who have the know-how and street smarts to make it to success.
Here are five of ActionCOACH Tampa Bay’s favorite reads for fostering the heart of a smart and inspired business…
#1 The Fire Starter Sessions by Danielle LaPorte
Want to define success on your own terms? Pick up a copy of Danielle LaPorte’s in-the-trenches book infused with integrity and humor. Get ready for some apathy-kicking, integrity-infused reframing of the pursuit of success. The Fire Starter Sessions—where “self-help meets marketing ninja.”
Crackerjack Advice: “If your goals aren’t synced with the substance of your heart, then achieving them won’t matter much.”
#2 The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss
Are you looking to escape the 9 to 5 rat race? Do you want to live anywhere in the world? Or, maybe your big dream is to join the new rich? Not a problem. Timothy Ferriss is here to help with an entire blueprint and compass for revolutionizing your world as you know it.
Crackerjack Advice: “I’m prepared to do battle for a dream that is worth dreaming.”
#3 The $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau
Chris Guillebeau proves you don’t have to be a trust-fund baby or in mammoth debt to start your own business. Guillebeau highlights interesting and informative accounts of various somewhat-accidental entrepreneurs who successfully turned their talent or long-loved hobby into a profitable enterprise. Ultimately, The $100 Startup urges readers to start thinking creatively about how to turn their passion into a verifiable business model.
Crackerjack Advice: “Value is created when a person makes something useful and shares it with the world.”
#4 How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie
Celebrating over 75 years in print, How to Win Friends & Influence People–also known as the “grandfather of all people-skills books”–has stood the test of time as one of the most influential stepping stones to business relationships and success.
Dale Carnegie’s thoughts on financial success? In short, he credited 15 percent to professional knowledge and the other 85 percent to “the ability to express ideas, to assume leadership, and to arouse enthusiasm among people.”
Crackerjack Advice: “I often went fishing up in Maine during the summer. Personally I am very fond of strawberries and cream, but I have found that for some strange reason, fish prefer worms. So when I went fishing, I didn’t think about what I wanted. I thought about what they wanted. I didn’t bait the hook with strawberries and cream. Rather, I dangled a worm or grasshopper in front of the fish and said: ‘Wouldn’t you like to have that?’ Why not use the same common sense when fishing for people?”
#5 Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration by Ed Catmull
Pixar President Ed Catmull shares an intriguing and golden-ticket insights into what creates, inspires and sustains an innovative culture and groundbreaking enterprise. The ultimate question Catmull raises in this book is how can a company sustain creative vitality and excellence over time? You’ll have to get to reading if you want to find out.
Crackerjack Advice: “Don’t wait for things to be perfect before you share them with others. Show early and show often. It’ll be pretty when we get there, but it won’t be pretty along the way.”
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Call ActionCOACH Tampa Bay to learn how we can assist you with a variety of planning and management issues, from cultivating relationships with colleagues to ensuring your business soars to its highest potential. In the meantime, download our free eBooks to take steps towards success today.