Which Business Books/DVDs can help?

[Grindstone1]

Hello,

We work with kids with autism in their homes and schools. We started a year ago and have been growing. We just got an office and just did a big hiring of 7 staff so we have 25 staff now.

Things are going are OK but I feel we need to start analyzing the different processes in the different departments to improve the shooting from the hip method.

Are there any Business Gurus you guys would recommend for certain areas of Business. I'm interested in improving in all areas of Business like: Management, staff reinforcement, time management, marketing, communication, company culture etc... before you ask : ) There is such a plethora of Books and Information out there. I dont see nearly as much targeted towards small business though.

Thanks ! :)

[vangogh]

The majority of business books I've read are marketing books, and more specifically internet marketing books. I'm not sure if that's what you're looking for, but here are some I liked.

I read through a few of Seth Godin's books. You can download one of his early books Unleashing the Ideavirus (http://www.sethgodin.com/ideavirus/01-getit.html) as a free PDF. Some things in it are dated, but the general ideas hold true. The rest of his books are easy to find.

I also liked the ideas of the Eisenberg brothers at Grokdotcom (http://www.futurenowinc.com/publications.htm). The link will take you to the page showing their books. Again it's mainly internet marketing related.


Other books I've read are classics like Guerilla Marketing and The E-Myth. Both should be easy to find.

When I look around my bookshelf I realize I haven't read a lot of business books. I've searched bookstores and never really cared much for what I found. I tend to read more about business online and run things based mainly on my experience of running a business. Most of my books tend to be more specifically geared toward my business. Books about design and development. I'm guessing those aren't what you're looking for.

[KristineS]

I was going to recommend Seth Godin too. I like his stuff.

Also Scott Stratten, who writes the Unmarketing blog. I like the way he thinks about a lot of marketing related issues.

Malcolm Gladwell who wrote Blink and The Tipping Point is a good author to read too. His books aren't so much about business as they are about getting people to buy your products, but they are interesting.

[Grindstone1]

Thanks,

I have read 3 of the Malcolm Gladwell books, I enjoyed them and they are full of interesting info, Outliers was really good and talks about how different types of cultures behave differently. I'll check out the other authors recommended.

Thanks !! :cool:

[Patrysha]

"Revenge of Brand X" by Rob Frankel
“Can We Do That?! Outrageous PR Stunts That Work— And Why Your Company Needs Them” by Peter Shankman
"The 33 Ruthless Rules of Local Advertising" By Michael Corbett
"The Anatomy of Buzz" By Emanuel Rosen
Wizard of Ads Trilogy by Roy H. Williams
"Confessions of an Advertising Man", "Blood, Brains and Beer" & "Ogilvy on Advertising" by David Ogilvy
"Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion" by Robert B. Cialdini

[vangogh]

"Confessions of an Advertising Man", "Blood, Brains and Beer" & "Ogilvy on Advertising" by David Ogilvy
"Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion" by Robert B. Cialdini

I've been wanting to read both of these for awhile now. Of course I've been wanting to read quite a number of books for awhile now. It's getting close to the time where I invest a couple hundred and get a bunch of new books in here.


Outliers was really good

I haven't read Outliers yet. I've read The Tipping Point and Blink and enjoyed both. Gladwell is a great writer. So easy to read his books and so enjoyable to read them.