Industry Best Practices: What is your favorite business book?

Industry Best PracticesWhat is your favorite business book,and what is the one question you would ask its author if given the chance?The Big White Book of Weddings by David Tutera [is my favorite] due to the ease of the read and [that] the book has more text than pictures. I am a visual person, but when selecting a book to help me with a business question, I look for details within the print, not from a photo. My question to David is: Do you persuade your clients away from current trends?”-Lisa Kenward, PWP™, Lisa Kenward Events, Hilton Head Island, S.C. The Art of the Start by Guy Kawasaki, because his wonderful observations about starting a business were invaluable to me when I started mine. The question I would ask him is, ‘How can you incorporate your long-term goals into your day-to-day activities?’”- Lindsay Barrows Ruggieri, Custom Love Gifts, Events, and Prints, Knoxville, Tenn. My favorite business book is by Marley Majcher’s But Are You Making Any Money? Stop Being Busy and Start Creating CashThe question I would ask her is, ‘Have you ever considered being a Stand Up Comedian? You are hella funny!’”- Monique Hogan, Monique Hogan Weddings and Special Events, Manhattan Beach, Calif. Profit First: A Simple System to Transform Your Business from a CashEating Monster to a Money Making Machine by Mike Michalowicz. This book helped me so much. As owners, we tend to pay ourselves last, then we work 80-plus hours on the business, making it successful and wondering why we have nothing to show for it. He talks about how the successful companies are not the big ones necessarily but the ones that are debt-free with money in the bank. I would ask Mike to spend the day with me going over my books, help me look for other ways to improve how we do things. A day with Mike would really be helpful.”- Colleen Bauer, Fairy Godmother—a Wedding and Event Company, Bakersfield, Calif. My absolute favorite business book right now is Crush It! by Gary Vaynerchuck. He has endless positivity, energy, enthusiasm, and lots and lots of great advice for using social media to connect with your audience/customer base. It’s best to listen to him on audiobook, since he is so much fun! My question to Gary: ‘Will you allow me to submit a proposal for your upcoming company’s holiday party?’”- Davii Mandel, Mi Chicas Celebrations, Spring Valley, N.Y. I have several favorite business books. I have mentioned Good To Great by Jim Collins here before. Another of his books is also in a top choice, Built to Last. I would love to ask [the author] to define the top 10 things that event producers could do differently to take their businesses from good to great.”- Merryl Brown, MA, CWP™, Merryl Brown Events, Santa Barbara, Calif. [My] favorite all-time business book [is] Making Successful Presentations—Self-Teaching Guide by Terry C. Smith. [It] helps you plan, organize, develop, and deliver a presentation that keeps your audience attentive and puts you and your company in the best possible light. [My] question for the author is: ‘Do you think it would be advantageous to start your presentation with a good joke? Do you think this would captivate your audience, and encourage them to continue listening to your presentation?’”- AnnaMarie Wintercorn, MWP™, Elegant Weddings and Events, Stuart, Fla. My one book I recently read was Improve Your Odds:] The Four Pillars of Business Success. This book starts with you, as the business owner, understanding why you are doing what you are doing, helps you to take risks that other business owners in your field have not taken so you are not a follower but a leader. I learned a lot about myself and what I desire for my business. …This book encouraged me to go beyond the natural, go beyond where I am today, and strive for better. I would love to ask the author, Alan Young, ‘Would you recommend small and large business owners read your book before starting their business?’ I find it helpful especially if a business owner wants to know the tips to help them do better starting off.”- Stephanie White, Amorous Weddings and Events by Stephanie LLC, Mesa, Ariz. My favorite business book is You Are a Badassby Jen Sincero. It is a book that motivates you not only in business but in all aspects of your life. Her words push you to take that scary step and work for yourself. Her words encourage you to believe in yourself, think only positively, and do what you love! This book changed my life in so many ways I can’t count them—all amazing! I did get the chance to meet Jen Sincero, and it felt like meeting an old friend.  If I meet her again I would ask her to get a glass of wine!”- Carolyn O’Brien, Creative Celebrations, Lake Oswego, Ore. One of my favorite business books is Dear Preston: Doing Business With Our Hearts: A Practical and Friendly Guide to Running Your Own Creative Service Business. What I would ask the author, Preston Bailey, [is], ‘In this ever-changing [world], what is the hottest and newest business trend, and how do you change with it and keep true to your own style?’”- Brian Joyce, Flourish Floral Productions, Winter Park, Fla. My favorite book [is] [by] Maggie Daniels & Carrie Loveless. [I would ask why] in the section ‘Consultant in Action,’ there are no correct results as to What Would You Do?”- Micki Koument, Always$Forever Events Queens, New York City