BUILT TO SELL

John Warrillow

Built To Sell was the first business book I ever read and still remains at the very top of my recommendations list. It's a parable about a small business owner who is trying to be everything to everyone, the entire company hinges on him, and he's at his whits end. I learned from the book the importance of focusing on a single service offering you can be the absolute best at, as well as being selective about your clients to avoid being owned by them. 

THE ART OF SELLING YOUR BUSINESS

John Warrillow

The Art of Selling Your Business is the de facto “trail guide” to navigating the process of an exit. There are many paths that can be taken, and armed with the knowledge contained in these pages, you can blaze a trail that is right for you. Many of you are probably thinking, “How do I get started selling my business?” “What is the process?” “How do I get the most money for my business?” and “How do I avoid getting screwed over?” These are all very important questions to ask yourself. The good news is that John has compiled the answers to these questions and many more in this easy-to-read book. As a bonus, he’s done so in a way that even the most impatient, hyperactive, impulsive, and easily distracted entrepreneur (like me) can digest. 

BLUE OCEAN STRATEGY

W. Chan Kim | Renee Mauborgne

This book opened my eyes to what it means to have true differentiation in the market. The book discusses examples of disruptive brands in highly competitive markets that made a change in the way a product or service was consumed, so much that they nearly had no competition. Personally I learned from this book that I needed to come up with a unique service offering or I'd always be competing with thousands of IT companies just like mine. This book inspired me to move into public cloud managed services and ultimately create Managed DevOps.

TRACTION

Gino Wickman

Traction is the book that introduced the business world to EOS, The Entrepreneurial Operating System (and is also the reason many people refer to EOS as Traction.) If you are interested in implementing EOS in your business then you should certainly start with this book. It gives you an overview of the EOS system and the benefits of implementing it's simple tools for running your leadership team and your business as a whole.

GET A GRIP

Gino Wickman | Mike Paton

Get A Grip is the companion to Traction. It's a story about a fictitious leadership team that is struggling to be effective and their journey implementing EOS. Personally I love these types of books because for me it's easier to digest the content when I can connect with characters. This book is exceptionally great because you will likely have some of these characters in your business, and by the end of the book you'll see how much damage they can really do to growth and productivity. 

ROCKET FUEL

Gino Wickman | Mark C. Winters

Rocket Fuel is for those of who are in more advanced stages of implementing EOS in their business. It focuses in on the Visionary-Integrator relationship and how these two people, when perfectly matched, can propel a business forward. It's a great read for someone who is searching for the "number 2," the person that can really run the business while you focus on the big picture strategy (or vice versa.) If you are currently searching for your business "sole mate," then this book can be extremely helpful.

THE FIVE DYSFUNCTIONS OF A TEAM

Patrick Lencioni

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team is a parable about a leadership team in shambles. It's a great read if you are trying to get your leadership team working together as an effective unit. It teaches you the most important elements of chemistry you need for a team to flourish. It also makes it painfully obvious who on your leadership team is poisoning the well, and gives you the opportunity to coach them up, or ship them out.

THE MIRACLE MORNING

Hal Elrod | Cameron Harold

Ever wonder how some of these highly successful entrepreneurs have the energy to build businesses, do speaking engagements, compete in triathlons, and generally kick-ass? I did, and then I was introduced to the Miracle Morning for Entrepreneurs. The Miracle Morning teaches you how to create a morning routine that get's you out of bed, full of energy and positive thoughts, and improves your overall wellbeing. It comes in multiple editions for different professions as well.

HYPER SALES GROWTH

Jack Daly

I remember it like it was yesterday, the first time I saw Jack Daly speak, OK it was more like screaming at me but it was awesome. Jack is the person who motivated me to build an actual sales team and made it clear if I did not, I was "not going to grow your f******g business!" In his book Hyper Sales Growth Jack ties it all together, how to build the right team and the crucial role culture plays in business and sales success.

THE SALES PLAYBOOK

Jack Daly | Dan Larson

The Sales Playbook is a companion to Hyper Sales Growth. In my opinion it's HIGHLY underrated and is even more valuable than Hyper Sales Growth itself. If you are like me, and you struggle with the role of sales manager, this book is a must have. I learned from this book how to make the basic and advanced tools for managing a sales pipeline, qualifying prospects, and hold my sales reps accountable. If you are in the midst of DIY sales, get this book ASAP!