Tim Healy’s Top Six Business Books

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You name the topic, there is a book about it. But when you are looking for books to help you grow your business, there might actually be too many out there. How do you know which business books are best for your goals?

On today’s edition of The Profit Express, I want to share some of my favorite business books that have had a profound impact on me personally and professionally. Whether you are looking for guidance in marketing or sales, I’m sure this list will have something to help you on the path to business success. 

This week’s episode of The Profit Express is brought to you by Corbett Public Relations, Promoting and Protecting Businesses and Brands for over 30 years.

E-Myth Revisited: Michael Gerber

We all dream of having a personal consultant to help our business succeed. E-Myth Revisited is one of those business books that does exactly that. It has sold millions of copies, and is available in 16 different versions. Listen in at 4:40 as I cover just what is so compelling about this book.

I read this book when I was starting out in business. When I read E-Myth, I felt as though Michael was speaking directly to me about my business. One of the amazing insights he shared was how everyone who goes into business is three personalities in one. Everyone is an entrepreneur(the one who has the ideas), manager (the one who handles the processes), and technician (the one who does the busy work, from making cakes to completing tax returns). 

E-Myth Revisited asks the big question: are you acting like an employee or like a business owner? To me, this book is a must read. It is a classic look into the world of what being an entrepreneur is all about.

Likeable Social Media: Dave Kerpen 

In June of 2011, I was introduced to Dave Kerpen and his (then) new book, Likeable Social Media. At that time, I was just starting to get into social media. I didn’t really know its potential until I read Dave’s book. 

Listen at 8:41 as I discuss how while his book was written 10 years ago and much has changed, the principles on how to best use social media for business still apply. Social media is the world’s largest cocktail party, and we are all invited. Consumers now have the largest and most powerful voice they have ever had – it is up to businesses to appeal to that voice the right way. 

Truthful Living: Jeffrey Gitomer

Those of you in sales simply cannot go wrong with any of Jeffrey’s books. What sets Truthful Living apart from other business books out there? Tune in at 15:45 to learn more about Jeffrey’s stories. 

A few years ago, the Napoleon Hill Foundation uncovered Hill’s ORIGINAL writings and teachings from 1919. The Foundation reached out to Jeffrey and they asked him to edit and annotate Hill’s original writings for the 21st Century. 

The resulting book is filled with Hill’s writings and 23 of Gitomer’s life lessons. One of my favorite lessons is #11: The Law of Harmonious Attraction. Simply put, you get exactly what you give in life. 

Rare Breed: Sunny Bonnell and Ashleigh Hansberger

If you are tired with playing it safe, Rare Breed is for you. At 22:30, I recap this great story of how the two founders of the now award-winning branding and digital agency Motto decided to declare war on the ordinary.  

Sunny and Ashleigh decided to drop out of college with no experience and just $250 to launch their own branding agency. They started their agency by studying the established old school agencies, but they soon realized how tired, static, and homogenized they were.

While they saw initial success with their first campaign, it was an uphill battle fighting for people to understand them.  Then family and friends said they should stop being so crazy and be more conventional. Just when they were about to quit, Sunny’s dad told them “You Two Are a Rare Breed.  Not everyone will love you.  Some may hate you.  But the ones who get you will never forget you.  Now dust yourselves off and get back in the saddle.”

Today, Motto works with huge clients around the world, and is a major success. Rare Breed will inspire you to give yourself and your ideas permission to be bold and daring.

Never Split the Difference: Chris Voss 

One of the most popular business books on negotiation, Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss is largely based on his career as the former head of hostage negotiation for the FBI. His book is largely counter-intuitive to the conventional wisdom of getting to yes or splitting the difference. Listen at 33:10 as I recap this must-read. 

Chris goes through the history of negotiation, discussing how 1980s negotiation classes in universities were taught. These classes approached a negotiation as a logical economic exchange where each party only wanted to maximize their economic interests.  That approach misses the major component to all negotiation – emotion.

In Never Split the Difference, Chris shares how we should never be afraid of the word “no” when negotiating. The key to winning in negotiation is to have the other party have the illusion that they are in control.  

Living with a SEAL: Jesse Itzler

What inspires you to challenge yourself? At 38:40, I cover Living with a SEAL by Jesse Itzler, one of the most recent business books I’ve read. I heard about this book for a while before I was gifted it by a client. Living with a SEAL covers the month author Jesse Itzler spent living with an unnamed Navy SEAL. Although hugely successful in life and in business, Jesse was in a rut.  He connected with the SEAL (David Goggins) and asked if he would live with him for 30 days.

What happens during that month? Itzler gets shaken out of that rut, with physical endurance challenges like running more than 200 miles in 18 degree weather, diving into a lake in the dead of winter, and completing nearly 6,500 pushups over the course of the month.

I was immediately inspired by this book, especially the quote, “Every day do something that makes you uncomfortable.” I set out on my own SEAL challenge of sorts. During December of 2020 I set a goal of 200 pushups per day. Despite how immensely difficult it was, I finished the month with 6,010 pushups.

 

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