Business Books - Recommendations? | FerrariChat

Business Books - Recommendations?

Discussion in 'Other Off Topic Forum' started by dherman76, Feb 29, 2004.

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  1. dherman76

    dherman76 Formula Junior
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    Feb 25, 2004
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    Boston
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    Darren Herman
    Hello,
    Just wondering if any of you have any good business books that you would recommend other people to read? I'm mostly interested in managerial and marketing style books - but recommend any facet of business books.

    I'll start first, I'm going to recommend 3 books that you should read if interested.

    1. Primal Leadership - (Goleman, Boyatzis, McKee) Excellent book dealing with leadership styles in a business atmosphere

    2. Good To Great - (Jim Collins) Great book in showing how good leaders can become great. Some redundancy though, but all around good book.

    3. The Perfect Store - (Adam Cohen) This book is about how eBay, the #1 Search Engine started and where it is today. Very good for aspiring entrepreneurs.

    I'm in the process of reading Dot Con - which is about how the internet/business side came to be. Very interesting book - deals a lot with Venture Capital, etc.

    Any recommendations?
     
  2. Doody

    Doody F1 Veteran

    Nov 16, 2001
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    the collins/porass book "built to last" is worth a read if you like his other work.

    Dot Con is probably not a great way to learn about venture capital. you should check out jonathan nesheim's High Tech Start Up. while it's a tad dated (pre-bubble) it's educational nonetheless, and things are more pre-bubble today than they are bubble - that's for sure.

    doody.
     
  3. dherman76

    dherman76 Formula Junior
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    Feb 25, 2004
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    Darren Herman
    Doody,
    I'm not reading Dot Con for venture capital information - I'm just reading to see how the internet progressed from an outside (I've always been immersed in it) perspective. As for the other Collins book - yes, it is a great read. I second that.

    DH
     
  4. Uberpower

    Uberpower Formula 3
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    Feb 6, 2004
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    Go out and buy Think and Grow Rich. Don't walk, RUN and get it.

    Thank me later.

    Nick
     
  5. dherman76

    dherman76 Formula Junior
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    Feb 25, 2004
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    Darren Herman
    Nick,
    Thanks for your input about "Think and Grow Rich" - very good book. Read it about 3 years ago. Excellent read!

    Any good books on people management/sales management?

    DH
     
  6. Uberpower

    Uberpower Formula 3
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    hmmm... depends what kind of sales you are talking about.

    My favorite is Strategic Account Management or (LAMP) by Miller / Heiman
     
  7. dherman76

    dherman76 Formula Junior
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    Feb 25, 2004
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    Darren Herman
    Will check the Strategic Account Management book out on Amazon...I haven't read the Dale Carnegie book, How To Win Friends And Influence People - so I think that will be next on my list.
     
  8. ryalex

    ryalex Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Aug 6, 2003
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    Ryan Alexander
    I started "The 25 Laws of Power" the other day in the bookstore and I'm going to go back to buy it. Very saavy and uses historical analysis and philosophy (ie. The Prince, lots of Kissinger tales).
     
  9. TestShoot

    TestShoot F1 World Champ
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    Sep 1, 2003
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    Tax Evasion for Dummies by Capone
    Enron's guide to Corporate Finance
    Barbie's First IPO
     
  10. Doody

    Doody F1 Veteran

    Nov 16, 2001
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    barbie's been IPO'd? man! she PROMISED she was saving herself for me!!!!!

    :(

    doody.
     
  11. bostonmini

    bostonmini Formula 3

    Nov 8, 2003
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    Get both of Benjamin Graham's books, forget their names.
     
  12. Ferruccio

    Ferruccio Formula Junior

    Feb 2, 2003
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    Dan Gordon
    How to win friends and influence people is the best book I ever read.
     
  13. dherman76

    dherman76 Formula Junior
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    Purchased it and its ready to go on my iPod. Will listen to it (all 8 hours of it) Thursday-Saturday while traveling. Sounds amazing.
     
  14. Ike

    Ike F1 Rookie

    Nov 4, 2003
    3,543
    I want to pick up Think and Grow Rich. I was just told about it a few weeks ago. I have heard good things about "The Wave"? series of books. I don't know anything more than that. Anyone know if that is the actual title?
     
  15. Agent Smith

    Agent Smith Formula 3

    Apr 20, 2002
    1,569
    One of my favorite sales books has always been Advanced Selling Strategies by Brian Tracy. Tom Hopkins' sales books were pretty good as well.
     
  16. SRT Mike

    SRT Mike Two Time F1 World Champ

    Oct 31, 2003
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    Trust the capitalist to go with the book that presents the capitalists view :)

    Just kidding Doody, I have that book on my shelf and it should be called "the reality of venture capital funding". I'm green in this area, but even I have run into a lot of those folks looking for $10MM, and are willing to cut you in for 5% if you ACT NOW and of course let them retain full operational control, and forget about their total lack of business leadership experience.

    Do you run into those types a lot? Don't your eyes get tired from rolling every time you talk to these people????
     
  17. Doody

    Doody F1 Veteran

    Nov 16, 2001
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    i've played all sides of the equation (entrepreneur raising money from angels; entrepreneur raising money from VC, angel investor, and consultant to VCs evaluating software companies for them). so i think i've got a pretty broad perspective on the topic. my opinion is that, like any other business endeavour, the gamut runs from wildely-clueless to insanely-clueful.

    at some point, all entrepreneurs are "looking for $MM, and are willing to cut you in for 5% if you ACT NOW and of course let them retain full operational control, and forget about their total lack of business leadership experience". gotta start out somewhere, right? the trick is to separate the guys with real potential from the poseurs, which can be hard.

    truth be told, i've seen more poseurs who have been successful previously. most guys on their first run out are sincere and thoughtful.

    fwiw,
    doody.
     
  18. Jason W

    Jason W Formula Junior
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    Atlas Shrugged.

    Just bought it off Amazon for $2. LOL

    TAI.
     
  19. TSMIV

    TSMIV Formula Junior

    Jan 27, 2004
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    Robert Goodman
    How To Swim With The Sharks Without Getting Eaten Alive

    -- Harvey MacKay

    Warren Buffet has some books out.
     

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