Kelly Watson, 05.24.10, 09:30 AM EDT
Even the savviest businesswomen get their inspiration from somewhere. Find out what's on their nightstands.
If you"re looking for some summer reading, take advice from the experts. We asked 21 women entrepreneurs what business books were most influential to them. Responses range from recent bestsellers like The Four Hour Workweek to feminist classics such as Games Mother Never Taught You. Read on to see what books Kathy Ireland, Nell Merlino and other women in business recommend.
"I recommend Principle Centered Leadership by Stephen R. Covey. This dates me, but I think it is even more important today than 20 years ago. The fifth principal, empathetic listening, states "Seek to understand, then to be understood." We normally do not listen to understand but listen to reply. This learning has been invaluable to me. Regardless of the situation, it is critical that the person talking knows you understand from their point of view before you can move forward."
--Kathleen Charlton, owner and manager of Olympic Cellars Winery and Working Girl Wines
"The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. Gladwell's message that ideas can spread like the flu is, I believe, the basis for viral marketing. Just as one sick person can infect a whole population, one collaboration or discussion can create (as I have recently learned from professor Neeli Bendapudi at Ohio State, Fisher College of Business) both customer apostles and customer terrorists. One creative and adventurous leader can motivate a stampede of change."
--Marsha Firestone, Ph.D., president and founder of the Women Presidents' Organization
"I think the best books for women in business are the best books for anyone in business. My personal favorite these days is Malcolm Gladwell's engaging Outliers: The Story of Success. It's wildly helpful in teaching us to acknowledge the cultural, sociological and economic factors that can help or hinder success, regardless of ability or hard work. Or as my mother always told me: Life isn't fair. Even so, it's not a downer; Outliers is a fun and incredibly inspiring read, and I find myself recommending it to everyone from top-level marketers to my taxi driver on the way home to Brooklyn. (Seriously.)"
--Liz Gumbinner, group creative director at Deutsch, publisher of CoolMomPicks and blogger at Mom-101
"At this moment I am devouring Maria Bartiromo's new book The 10 Laws of Enduring Success. Maria's wisdom, genius, work ethic and guidance will help anyone shatter barriers ... especially women in business. I strongly recommend this book because it celebrates vision, courage, purpose, integrity and humility. Maria is one of my heroes, and after reading her brave new book, I'm sure that she will be one of yours as well."
--Kathy Ireland, CEO of Kathy Ireland Worldwide
"I recommend Rework by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, founders of 37Signals. In a refreshingly easy-to-digest style, the book reinforces all that I believe and have lived as a small business owner for the last 11 years. Jason and David simplify the process of starting and growing a business by telling readers it doesn't have to be all that complicated. Too many people muck things up by overthinking and overanalyzing the very things that don't require such intensity--and other people don't dive in because they assume every "i" must be dotted before pulling the trigger."
--Tory Johnson, founder and CEO of Women For Hire
"Several books have influenced me as an entrepreneur, but having to recommend just one book I would suggest Leading from the Front: No Excuse Leadership Tactics for Women by Angie Morgan and Courtney Lynch, two women entrepreneurs who were once captains in the United States Marine Corp. I like this book because it draws upon the authors' experience in the male-dominated Marines, which is akin to women who are aspiring to achieve success in business (also male-dominated). It's not about women vs. men, it's about women recognizing our unique gifts and playing to our strengths."
--Felicia Joy, entrepreneur and host ofMs. CEO
"I really like The Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss. Ferriss teaches some crucial lessons for women. He turns the 40-, 60-, or 80-hour work week on its head by asking key questions that force the reader to focus and prioritize. My research shows women struggle with this due to many competing obligations and the way our brains naturally work."
--Kathy Korman Frey, founder of the Hot Mommas Project
"A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink is the book I most refer to and suggest that others read. Pink writes of the differences between left- and right-directed brains and how this new conceptual age we are currently experiencing most rewards those who embrace and tap design, empathy and play, among other things, in their lives and work. My interpretation of this is that the way women's brains tend to work (being more guided by right-brain traits) are now being recognized as a great training model for all (men and women) who want to thrive in the 21st century and beyond."
--Andrea Learned, co-author of Don't Think Pink, and consumer behavior expert
"One book that has been extremely influential to me in my business is A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink. Pink asserts that right-brain skills such as big-picture thinking, empathy, play, and creativity are key to being successful in the modern business world. As a creative female entrepreneur, this perspective has helped to spark many new, exciting ideas and has given me more permission to embrace and leverage my natural creative intuition in my work."
--Jennifer Lee, certified coach and founder of Artizen Coaching
"Michael Gerber's The E-Myth is a foundational book for all women because it shows how to build a real business from a perspective many of us miss--systems. Reading it will help you go from doing everything yourself to having a real legacy business you can count on, no matter what."
--Alexis Martin Neely, lawyer and CEO of the Family Wealth Planning Institute
"Tamara Monosoff's Your Million Dollar Dream is both a source of inspiration for women who want to live their dreams and excellent guidance for how to make those dreams real. It's a heart-pounding read for entrepreneurs who want answers to all those nagging questions about starting a business. Read it and fly."
--Nell Merlino, founder of Take Our Daughters To Work Day and Count Me In
"When I was trying to write my first book, I had the worst writers' block. Here I had a book contract and a deadline, and spent three months writing and rewriting the first three chapters. At this pace I would not have finished the book in time. A dear friend recommended Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, which is the most influential book I've read for my business. Her wisdom cut right through my paralysis, and unleashed my voice. I got the next 12 chapters done in the following three months, and my book went on to become a New York Times bestseller. Five books later, I still draw upon the lessons I learned in Bird by Bird."
--Julie Morgenstern, time management expert and business productivity consultant
"It's so important for women to know how to manage our money as we build our careers and businesses. My recommended book is On My Own Two Feet: A Modern Girl's Guide to Personal Finance by Manisha Thakor and Sharon Kedar. It is the most accessible, helpful personal finance guide I've found. It's easy and fun to read and full of simple tips, rules and formulas that don't take a lot of time. I feel much more in control of my finances--and my future--because of it."
--Lindsey Pollak, author of Getting from College to Career and LinkedIn global spokesperson
"In the 1970s I was always the only businesswoman in the room. Those days, Games Mother Never Taught You by Betty Lehan Harragan was the only book aimed at women who wanted to succeed in corporate America. Today I focus on entrepreneurship, social justice and women's leadership, three issues that are tightly woven together. Half the Sky by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn does an excellent job explaining why the battle for a better world is far from finished."
--Carol Sands, managing member of The Angels' Forum and The Halo Fund
"Creating Money by Sanaya Roman and Duane Packer is about the energy of money, which is not addressed in other business books at all. I learned to generate significant, consistent revenue by reading and practicing with what's in this book. I recommend this book in most of my 16 books, and highly recommend it to other women in business."
--SARK, author, artist and founder and CEO of Planet SARK
"I recommend Defy Gravity by Rebel Brown. It teaches all of us to think differently, about our business and its value, our markets and the opportunities they provide--and about the way we've always done it. Defy Gravity blends conceptual fundamentals, real-world applications, case studies, questions and exercises to help you think differently."
--Dondi Schumachi, speaker and author of Career Moves
"I recommend How We Lead Matters by Marilyn Carlson Nelson. It offers short insights as to how people handle challenges as well as true short stories about what people did to get through difficult situations. It includes quotes that reference stories that are quite profound. It's not only an intellectual guide, but a spiritual guide as well."
--Judi Sheppard Missett, founder and CEO of Jazzercise
"I recommend Women Don't Ask by Linda Babcock and Sara Laschever. In law school I took a class on negotiation, and I wish this book had been part of the curriculum! Reading this book caused a paradigm shift in my understanding of negotiating, from the authors' very compelling research on the topic (Who knew men negotiate up to nine times more than women?) to their analysis of historical and societal reasons why women so often choose not to negotiate. This book, to put it bluntly, will light a fire under your butt to start actually asking for what you want in your life, today--from little things like negotiating where to go for dinner to getting the right mindset to ask for a big raise."
"I first read Wishcraft by Barbara Sher and Annie Gottlieb after dropping out of college in the mid-1980s. I was serving coffee to homeless customers, working graveyard shift at Dunkin Donuts, and freaking out over the realization that I was one paycheck away from being homeless myself. Wishcraft was my ticket out of hell and into an inspired life. Now in my mid-40s, I've bootstrapped six small businesses, enjoy a net worth of over a million dollars, and live the life of my dreams. My yellowed, copyright 1979 paperback of Wishcraft sits readily available on my bookcase to this day, ready to help me visualize my next dream and craft a plan."
--Jen Smith of Millionaire Mommy Next Door
"Naturally I'm a fan of the must-reads like Peter Drucker and Carnegie ... the wisdom really is timeless. I'm also a fan of Zig Ziglar's selling approach and attitude. When I thought about what book really created immediate action out of me, it isn't an all-time top bestseller. It is Nice Girls Don't Get The Corner Office by Lois Frankel, Ph.D. I identified with this book and it spoke directly to me. Ms. Frankel offers practical coaching tips on women's use of language, paths of pursuits, approaches and beliefs. There were countless development opportunities I identified, I flagged and I began taking action on."
--Kari Taylor, senior director of global accounts, Office Depot
"My most influential book has been The E-Myth by Michael Gerber. I was exposed to this small business bible during the early stages of building my business and it instilled in me a passion for systems. In addition, I'm a big proponent of creating a consistent experience for anyone who visits my websites, blog, podcast, yoga studio, retreat or boutique. I can't recommend this book highly enough."
--Kimberly Wilson, founder and creative director of Tranquil Space Yoga Studio
Kelly Watson is a freelance copywriter and marketing consultant who blogs about marketing for women.
From
Forbes
"I recommend How We Lead Matters by Marilyn Carlson Nelson. It offers short insights as to how people handle challenges as well as true short stories about what people did to get through difficult situations. It includes quotes that reference stories that are quite profound. It's not only an intellectual guide, but a spiritual guide as well."
