Book list

Hi Everyone!

First I want to thank all of you for making the workshop such a great experience. It was really a treat to meet all of you and I left the workshop feeling very inspired by your energy. Please post your photos, thoughts, and anything else you'd like to share.

As promised, here is a list of my favorite books. Right now I am reading "The Google Story." Here are a few sentences from this book I'd like to share:

"Google is a place where technologists think first of ways to solve problems; only later, if ever, do they worry about how to 'monetize' them. Dedicated teams of engineers are encouraged to dream up entireley new ideas..."

"Google does not seek to make as much money as it could in the short run."

"Individual employees are expected to allot 20 percent of their time to exploring whatever ideas interest them most."

I would like to point out that this company, which puts making a good product ahead of short term profits, has shot up to a net worth of $154 billion in the last few years. That's because they are first and foremost trying to create a great product that helps people. Also, google has never advertized-- their whole reputation has spread through their fans.

And now, on to the book list:

1. The E-Myth revisted by Michael Gerber: This has been the single most important book in helping me learn how to run an efficient business. I learned how to automate and delegate the more mundane tasks, so I can focus on creativity and client relations.

2. Never Check E-mail in the Morning by Julie Morgenstern: Helped me understand time management, which is crucial to what the E-Myth talks about, too.

3. Anything by Seth Godin, but especially Small is the New Big and Purple Cow marketing. Seth is a marketing guru, and his books are very easy to read. I also regularly read Seth's

blog at http://sethgodin.typepad.com/

4. Let My People Go Surfing by Yvon Chouinard: This book is about going beyond just making a profit, and thinking about the impact your business has on the world. It is about helping the planet, philanthropy, and treating both employees and customers very well.

5. The following books are less directly related to our businesses, but did help me think about my business differently, and are a great read anyhow: Blink by Malcolm Gladwell, The Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell, and Freakonomics by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner.

Happy reading!

Anna

PS Feel free to recommend more books, too!