Jason's Reading List- 5 books that changed everything for me.
1. Rework by Jason Fried and Heinemeir Hansson
I'm actually pretty embarrassed that I didn't read Rework much sooner. It is the first book anyone should read if they want to succeed in business today. It's an awesome handbook for play-by-play instructions on how to build your business the right way, the first time.
Quote- "Talk like you really talk. Reveal things that others are unwilling to discuss. Be upfront about your short-comings. Show the latest version of what you're working on, even if you're not done yet. It's OK if it's not perfect. You might not seem as professional, but you'll seem a lot more genuine."
2. Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi
I read this when just starting my first job out of college and it completely changed the way I interacted in business settings. Ferrazzi describes how to leverage your network to be successful and preaches that the secret to personal success is reaching out to other people.
Quote- "Never eat alone. The dynamics of status are the same whether you’re working at a corporation or attending a society event— “invisibility” is a fate worse than failure."
3. Lean Startup by Eric Ries
Ries' work is geared a lot more toward the startup crew, but is an awesome introduction to lean methodology. It's all about getting through the build-measure-learn feedback loop as fast as possible. Staying lean is critical for most early stage companies, and this book outlines some best practices to follow.
Quote-A video is even better for this. Click here.
4. Start Something That Matters by Blake Mycoskie
Blake tells the story of starting TOMS, and what it's like to be a social entrepreneur. I read parts of this book often for inspiration because it reminds me to keep the focus of Connect for a Cause on creating social good.
Quote- "Conscious capitalism is about more than simply making money—although it’s about that too. It’s about creating a successful business that also connects supporters to something that matters to them and that has great impact in the world."
5. Crush It by Gary Vaynerchuk
This one was written by the personal branding and social media poster child, Gary Vaynerchuk. I'll hopefully have a post just about him coming soon. This is the book that got me off the bench and into the game of social media. It's all about the HUSTLE.
Quote- “Your latest tweet and comment on Facebook and most recent blog post? That’s your resumé now.”
Have something I should be reading? Hit me up on Twitter.
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