5 Books That Kindled an Entrepreneurial Fire
As I child, I was drawn to saving as soon as I was old enough to be trusted with lunch money. It was amazing to me how you could put away some of what you did not use and have it to call upon later. High-school would see me coming up with wild business ideas. An epiphany in college would introduce me to the versatility of the motion designer. I would go on to produce and release a mobile game as part of “ARRG Studios” with my valued friends, Audley Gordon Jr, Esq. and Graham Reid, in 2013 and two more on my own in 2015 and 2016-17.
I came to the realisation that I had a predisposition to entrepreneurship. In the gleeful heights and crushing depths of recent attempts there were a few materials that inspired me to delve deeper and delve seriously. Here they are. I hope they can inspire you and yours towards leading a fulfilling entrepreneurial calling.
Crazy is a Compliment
Fav. Quotes:
Now I believe that entrepreneurship, like great cooking, can be practiced and honed by anybody with a desire to learn.
And it’s realizing that all those people calling you crazy are giving you a huge compliment.
Linda Rottenberg’s book does such a great job in pulling you out of your head and giving numerous examples on just how the business landscape has changed/ is changing. No, you are not crazy, people do want to be valued and respected at their place of work. It is full of insights, realities and encouragements.
2. Manage Your Day to Day
Fav. Quotes:
If you think about it, the world around us, including the world in our computers, is all about trying to tempt us to do things right now. Take Facebook, for example. Do they want you to be more productive right now? Or do they want to take your time, attention, and money right now? The same thing goes for YouTube, online newspapers, and so on.
A popular book among designers. Manage Your Day To Day is filled with insights and hard truths from various designers on managing your day to day and overcoming hurdles. Each step and recommendation is extremely practical and I daresay inspirational.
3. People Over Profit
Fav. Quotes:
Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Or just because it’s smart doesn’t mean it’s right.
The first of Dale Partridge’s books that I read. People Over Profit challenges the notion that a great, profitable business has to mistreat its employees and highlights some contemporary companies doing just that; i.e. valuing their people. It further explores that a people first approach will lead not only to profit but to goodwill toward the business from within and without and that is, arguably, even better.
4. The Freelance Manifesto
Fav. Quotes:
When did we relinquish control over our time and how we spend it—literally, our lives—to somebody else?
Your email is a ray of sunshine on an otherwise bleak day. There’s nothing icky about being that ray of sunshine in a client’s e-mail inbox.
This book is a self confessed trojan horse. Far more than merely advice for freelancing. Joey Korenman goes on to point out why the current 9-5 system itself is fundamentally faulty, how its deceiving us and how a freelance approach with hard work can ultimately be freeing. It then goes on to share impeccable practical techniques and resources for getting and retaining clients.
5. Launch Your Dream
Fav. Quotes:
How do I know that so many people were made to start their own businesses? Because many people who are trying the other option are flat-out miserable.
A more truthful existence awaits you.
Dale Partridge’s second book to make this list. It is my most recent read of this set and a companion book of sorts. This 30 day guide is an abridged version of the 12 month course available at Startupcamp.com. It covers idea development, business plans, content marketing etc and is filled with lessons Dale has learned over his career thus far. Each chapter comes with an estimated reading time and some short to-do items at the end. It is very engaging and extremely digestible.
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Mash up yuh ting (wbuttr),
The Popcorn Maker
