MBA Book Club
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“How Companies Win” by Rick Kash & David Calhoun
Let me start by telling you how I received this book. I actually was surfing Twitter when I saw Gary Vaynerchuck tweet that he was looking for people who review business books. Instantly I tweeted back saying that this is indeed the purpose of my blog! A few days later I received an email from Anthony Liang, Project Manager over at Vaynermedia. He asked if I were interested in reviewing a copy of How Companies Win by Rick Kash & David Calhoun. I agreed, and he was kind enough to send me a complimentary copy in the mail.
When I first received the book in the mail, I have to admit that it didn’t send chills of excitement down my spine. At this point, I’ve read tons of business books and just by the cover alone appeared to be extremely dry. Remember that old saying though…never judge a book by… Before I began reading, I hopped over to Mixergy, which had just featured an interview author Rick Kash. I figured, what better way to get introduced to the book than to hear it from the author himself? After listening to the interview, I threw off my preconceived notions and eagerly dove in.
The thesis of the book is as follows:
“In the years to come, the real power of the supply chain will have less to do with the micromanagement of details regarding cost and performance, or with one’s comparative advantage relative to competitor’s supply chains. Instead, the true measure of power for one’s supply chain will now lie in its ability to more precisely target and serve the right demand at the right time at the right place in the right package in the right environment.”
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“Real-Time Marketing & PR” by David Meerman Scott
This book was actually recommended to me by a colleague over at Bostinnovation. I am surprised to admit but this is the first time that I have read one of David Meerman Scott’s books! Looking at the wide array of marketing books in my library as of late, I’m surprised that this is actually the first to adorne my shelf.
In business it’s important to either take a role as first-mover pioneering a product category to block out your industry competitors. However, many might argue that perhaps the strategy is best to be more of a late-mover and learn from the costly mistakes of those who have come before you. Real-Time Marketing & PR brings a third, and according to David Meerman Scott more critical component in a business strategy, which is the role of “real time.” Things happen on the internet so quickly, that every moments loss could have a devastating effect on your brand. The book uses the prime example of United Breaks Guitars to show the tremendous effects one thought to be little Youtube video could have on a large airline company such as United Airlines. David Meerman Scott demonstrates that if United had responded immediately to David Carroll, rather than clamming up, they could have avoided the fallout.
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“Raising the Bar” by Gary Erickson with Lois Lorentzen
It seems like I start so many of my book reviews like this, but this seriously is one of the best books I’ve ever read. I first stumbled upon this book on my trip to San Francisco. I was browsing around a used bookstore in Berkley, and the cover jumped out at me. Clif bar: a sustainable company, run by somebody who shares my love for the outdoors, and makes a delicious bar…ok Gary, I’m in.
The book starts out with an amazing hook; Gary is faced with the dilemma of whether or not he should sell the company. The company was in trouble and Gary needed to come up with the money to pay off his partner or she would dissolve the company. Struggling with this dilemma, Gary resisted selling the company. With the timer running out, Gary simply looked at the potential buyers and said “send them home.”
The story of Clif Bar was born in Gary’s Mom’s kitchen: “Clif Bar exists because I wanted to make a better product for myself and for my friends.” Throughout the entire story of Raising the Bar Gary never strays from this core determination. He refused to sell the company, and was able to overcome all odds and keep the company private. Clif Bar resemble many of the values that Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos shares in his book Delivering Happiness, the idea that you can build a company whose backbone is based on culture, and sticking to their values.
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MBA Reading List for Thanksgiving and Winter
With the semester winding down, I’ll finally have a chance to catch up on some reading. I currently in the middle of several books so it’s going to be good to finally finish them!
Here’s my list for the holiday (Please note, there are no affiliate links are below):
1) “The Age of Acces” by Jeremy Rifkin
2) “Raising The Bar: The Story of Clif Bar Inc.” by Gary Erickson with Lois Lorentszen
3) “Real Time Marketing and PR” by David Meerman Scott
4) “Web Analytics an Hour a Day” by Avinash Kaushik
5) “SEO Made Simple” by Michael Fleischner
6) “What’s Mine is Yours” by Rachel Botsman and Roo Rogers
7) (Audiobook) “Macrowikinomics: Rebooting Business and the World” by Don Tapscott and Anthony D. Williams
Phew! I think that’s a good start. At least I have one audiobook in there so I can multi-task right? What’s on your reading list, anything that I should throw into the mix?
Leave a comment and let me know!
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“Social Media Metrics” by Jim Sterne
I know what you are thinking…aside from the cover, there’s no way measuring, or metrics can be interesting. Let me help you change your mind, because if you at all are thinking of adding Social Media to your business, let one of the smartest guys in the industry, Jim Sterne, show you the way. Before picking up this book I was actually in the middle of reading Avinash Kaushik’s Web Analytics, An Hour a Day when it actually came time for me to work on a project for my MBA Business of Social Media Class. Our project was to put together a Social Media plan for a company, and I decided it was high time to rid my fear of numbers, and tackle the “how to measure part.” It was at that moment I picked up Sterne’s book and plunged in.
This is one of the quickest reads I had the pleasure of experiencing in quite a while. I know…it’s about metrics! Sterne starts you off by making sure you understand the big three core business concerns:
1) Raise Revenue
2) Lower Cost
3) Increase Customer Satisfaction
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“The Science of Social Media” by Dan Zarrella
View more presentations from Dan Zarrella.
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“The Social Media Marketing Book” by Dan Zarrella
Whether you consider yourself a self-anointed Social Media guru, or new to the Social Media realm, Dan Zarrella’s book is a wonderful read. You know how when you purchase a new piece of software they include the manual? This is that manual…for Social Media. Zarrella’s book helps the reader by defining Social Media jargon, and provide helpful hints, tools, and best practices to a variety of Social Media mediums.
As the Social Media Scientist at Hubspot, it’s fascinating to read how Dan breaks down for example, the “Science of Retweets.” What times of the day are the best to tweet? How effective is it to say “please retweet…” surprisingly being polite actually pays off!One of my favorite new tools that I have started using after reading Zarrella’s book is Get Clicky. I have been frustrated with Google Analytics lately since I have to wait to see my traffic from day to day. Get Clicky, FREE of charge, provides you with real-time web analytics, so you can see a user’s actions right as they are happening.
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Tedx - “Keep Going Until We Stop” by Scott Stratten
This talk has nothing to do with marketing. It’s about life. Simply one of the most heart wrenching, and amazing talks I’ve ever seen. Share it with the ones you love.We have to stop, to realize where we’ve gone…
You can find more info Scott Stratten at:
http://www.un-marketing.com/blog/
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Share “The Social Media Marketing Book”
Click on the Book icon below to access the electronic version for FREE
I just picked up a copy of Dan Zarrella’s “Social Media Marketing Book” and wanted to share an electronic copy with everyone! I’ve only read about 50 pages of the book, but it’s already been a great resource and a refreshing perspective on Social Media Marketing.
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“Six Pixels of Separation” by Mitch Joel
This book is nothing short of brilliant:
Everyone is connected. Connect your business to everyone.
If you are looking for a “how to” for new marketing and social media, by all means do not read this book. If you’re looking for insights to a new born philosophy, and a deeper understanding of the times we are living in, than by all means read this book.
Many people believe that history works in cycles, or in a pendulum fashion as it were. ”Six Pixels of Separation” is your philosophical guidebook where the future is taking us:
Prior to mass media, how did the message spread? People shared stories, they got together, they connected, and they participated in on another’s lives.
So what makes Mitch Joel’s ideas different than some of the authors I’ve talked about? The first thing is that, aside from Scott Stratten I relate with Mitch Joel the closest. Mitch comes from a music background and from his work with musicians he bore a love for internet marketing and the future of new media.
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