It’s the season of giving, and while a partridge in a pear tree would be nice, we thought sharing a list of our 12 favorite books would be a tad more practical. After all, someone’s gonna have to feed that bird, right?
So we asked the team here at FBR to name the most inspiring and motivating books they’ve read this year so we could share them with you. It’s non-returnable, so we hope you enjoy our list of favorite reads this holiday season.
FBR Staff Picks
Amaze Every Customer Every Time by Shep Hyken
Customer experience expert Shep Hyken explains why delivering amazing customer service requires everyone in an organization to be a leader – and how to empower employees to step up and take your company from good to great.
Quiet by Susan Cain
Quiet explores how today’s society dramatically undervalues introverts, diving into the dominant values of American business culture, where the innovation and leadership potential of introverts can be overlooked – and how much we lose in doing so.
“A good book for any business owner (or person) to read to better understand their employees. Many traditional leaders are not ‘quiet’ so it may be especially beneficial for them to understand the other half.” — Sarah Brady, Editorial Director
Predictable Revenue by Aaron Ross and MaryLou Tyler
Learn the outbound sales process that added $100 million in recurring revenue to Salesforce.com without any cold calling or marketing budget – and how you can replicate it.
Disrupt: Think the Unthinkable to Spark Transformation in Your Business by Luke Williams
Think about the companies that are disruptors – Apple, Uber, AirBnB, 23andMe…there’s so many more. We’re in an age of disruption. In order to thrive you need to innovate, but how do you develop a mindset needed to revolutionize your business. Disrupt explores how to think the unthinkable.
The One Thing (audio book) by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan
The perfect holiday read. If you need less on your plate and more out of work and life (and who doesn’t), this book is for you. Learn how to cut through the clutter and master what matters to you.
“Driving growth can be the enemy of staying focused. The One Thing helps you stay on target.” — Eric Stites, CEO
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck
Do you make New Year’s resolutions and break them before the month (or week) is out? Maybe you don’t even make resolutions, knowing that you’re bound to fail. Maybe it’s your mindset. This book explores the differences between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset, and how embracing a growth mindset can motivate and guide you to success.
Radical Candor, by Kim Scott
Can you be a kick-ass boss and still be a compassionate human in the eyes of your staff? Yes…but how? Radical Candor presents a simple framework for building a culture of feedback, cohesiveness, and achieving results within your team.
“One of my favorite books this year. For any leader looking to create a positive culture in which staff and leadership truly care about mutual success, this is a must-read.” —Michelle Rowan, President and COO
The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
Whether you are an actual startup company, a Fortune 500 brand, or somewhere in between, The Lean Startup is a great “ready, fire, aim” reminder that getting a minimum viable product (MVP) in the hands of your potential customers ASAP is so much better than aiming for perfection (or even great).
- Drive by Daniel Pink
What truly motivates people? If you said money, you’d be wrong. Drive dives into what truly motivates people and shatters the myth that rewards (like money) drive performance and satisfaction. Rather, he asserts that motivation is driven by our human need to learn and be better – and how to harness this into action.
- Traction by Gino Wickman
No FBR list would be complete without Traction. Passionate entrepreneur and author Gino Wickman has written two fabulous books on the topic of successfully executing a vision plan: Traction and Get a Grip. These are two of the most practical, results-driven business books ever written. Wickman’s simple approach with his Entrepreneurial Operating System® system will help any franchisor and franchisee bring accountability to their personal and business vision.
- Franchising for Dummies by Michael H. Seid
If you’re just starting out on your franchise journey, Franchising for Dummies is a must read. Written by one of the nation’s leading franchise consultants and by the late Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy’s International, this fun, friendly guide is packed with guidance from top industry professionals.
- The Educated Franchisee by Rick Bisio
A must read for anyone considering a franchise investment. Rick Bisio will guide you in choosing a franchise that is right for you. He also offers advice on: How owning a franchise can create wealth; Where to find quality franchisors; What qualities franchisors look for in a franchisee; How to gather information from franchisees; How to make sure the franchise makes money; How to confidently select the best franchise advisors; and the five keys to long-term success as a franchise.
Bonus!
- How I Built This (podcast) with Guy Raz
NPR’s Guy Raz talks with some of the greatest entrepreneurs of our time from some of the world’s most innovative companies – like Dollar Shave Club, Stitch Fix, AirBnB, Burton Snowboards, Lyft, Whole Foods, and more.
We hope you enjoy these books (and podcast) as much as we did. At FBR, we are constantly adding new content and resources to help prospective franchisees, like you, make a confident business decisions. You can access additional resources on our blog and see who made this year’s Top 200 Franchises. Happy holidays – and happy reading!
