The 2013 Business Book-a-Month List

The kind of New Year’s resolution we can all get behind – read more! Here are 12 business books to read in 2013. Read a book per month. Ok, read more. I won’t tell.
Some of these business books are classics, others are new to the scene – all have come recommended from some of the best minds, or hives of minds, in the business world today.

• The Startup Playbook by David Kidder – insider’s views of the highs & lows of entrepreneurship from top innovators (Spanx, LinkShare, Flickr, LinkedIn, TED,etc); a guide for small and large-thinking entrepreneurs [ via Fast Company]

• The Half-Life of Facts: Why everything we know has an expiration date, by Samuel Arbesman;  the world, and its knowledge, advances. Science, technology, medicine, our ability to measure things, and even our understanding of history, are all advancing – so ‘facts’ are changing. Smaller, regular changes often precede and foreshadow larger ‘breakthroughs’. Learn to question assumptions and to gather quality information [hear, hear!!  Info pros have long said that the right info, for the right question, is always an improvement. Need help with that? See below!]   [via Inc]

•  The One World Schoolhouse, by Salman Khan – understanding the power of online education; founder of the Khan Academy – goal of free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere; Khan Academy gives free videos and software on numerous subjects; Khan is rethinking assumptions about education in form, technique, structure and more

• The Book of Business Awesome (and the Book of Business UnAwesome), by Scott Stratten; the power of the customer experience; case studies of successful businesses and “train wrecks” of unsuccessful ones

• Bold Brand: the new rules for differentiating, branding and marketing your professional services firm, by Josh Miles; service firms needing to go beyond the traditional of Yellow Pages ads, signage, dinners, networking and incorporate digital tools for a differentiated identity; for consultants, technical experts, accountants, coaches and others who trade expertise for fees

[above three from Content Marketing Institute’s “Gift Ideas for Content Marketers”]

• The Art of the Start: the time-tested, battle-hardened guide for anyone starting anything, by Guy Kawasaki – a classic; whenever you need to go back and remember why you’re starting something and how to turn your ideas into actions

• The Dip: A little book that teaches you when to quit (and when to stick), by Seth Godin; don’t quit too early, but don’t stay in too long when you should really get out; help with perspective on quitting

• The Zen of Social Media Marketing: An easier way to build credibility, generate buzz and increase revenue [2012 ed], by Shama Kabani; clueless on where to jump in and begin using social media to really propel your biz?  here’s some help and a confidence boost

[above three via Social Media Today, Natalie Sisson’s “13 Must-Read Books to Kick Start your 2013”]

• The Lean Startup by Ries – a nearly cult hit in the small business, entrepreneur, startup communities; logic and guidance for using a ‘lean’ methodology in starting a company [via Forbes]

• Commitment Engine, by John Jantsch [see also his best sellers The Referral Engine and Duct Tape Marketing]

• Punished by Rewards: the trouble with gold stars, incentive plans, A’s, praise and other bribes, by Alfie Kohn; older (1999) but still relevant; based on research on rewards & psychology, a new strategy for motivating people

• To Sell is Human: the surprising truth about moving others, by Daniel Pink  (author of Drive, A Whole New Mind); even if you don’t think you’re “in sales”, you’re trying to move others, get them to do something – so we’re all in ‘sales’

[above three via Seth Godin]

I have more business books as must-reads for my 2013.  What else is on your must-read list?

Want more recommendations and maybe some reviews of other business books? Good! Because they’ll be coming in the new year. Check back often to see which of my reads from 2012 get a thumbs up and review.

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