Our #SBAlibrary summer reading challenge was a great opportunity to delve into the world of business reading. With help from community members and organizations, we featured books that help entrepreneurs keep up with trends, build important skills, and be inspired by innovation. As we wrap up #SBAlibrary for the year, we want to take an opportunity to spotlight some of the most outstanding business reads that we featured this summer.
Most Recommended:
Originals by Adam Grant
Librarians at both the Vancouver Public Library and the Kelowna Branch of the Okanagan Regional Library recommended Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World by Adam Grant. Grant, an organizational psychologist, is another familiar name for frequent business readers – he has published two other best-selling books – and his TED Talks have been praised for inspiring increased creativity. In Originals, Grant brings together diverse stories and studies to explore how to recognize good ideas, speak up, build effective coalitions, and manage fear and doubt.
Most Social Media Engagement
The Content Planner by Angela Crocker
The Read Local BC project advised us to check out Self-Counsel Press, a North Vancouver-based business publisher, as we collected summer business reads. This led us to The Content Planner by BC author Angela Crocker. Published this year, The Content Planner provides tailored structures for readers to learn to write more professionally, share content consistent with their brand, and better serve their customer base. Appropriately for a book about crafting web content, this book received an especially positive reception from our Twitter followers.
Best Cover Design
In the Company of Women by Grace Bonney
In the Company of Women: Inspiration and Advice From Over 100 Makers, Artists, and Entrepreneurs by best-selling author Grace Bonney stands out for its fascinating interviews with diverse female leaders, but it first drew us in because of its engaging cover design. With its practical and empowering insights, In the Company of Women is just as good as its cover!
Team Pick
Without Excuses by Joe Watson
Here at the SBA we highly value the important contributions of equity and inclusion in the business world. Without Excuses: Unleash the Power of Diversity to Build Your Business by strategic advisor Joe Watson brings a unique perspective to conversations about diversity at work. Watson offers proven, practical strategies for building diversity and challenges readers to push past their comfort zones.
Canadian Read
An Army of Problem Solvers by Shaun Loney
In An Army of Problem Solvers: Reconciliation and the Solutions Economy, Shaun Loney draws on his experiences as one of Canada’s leading social enterprise developers to make a case that Canada cannot achieve reconciliation without allowing the re-emergence of local economies. Loney believes that the key to this re-emergence is the “solutions economy” – social enterprises, social entrepreneurs, and the small farm movement. This book is a must-read for any Canadian interested in social entrepreneurship. Thanks to Burnaby Public Library for the recommendation!
Business Biography
Walking in the Woods by Herb Belcourt
Autobiographies by business leaders offer insights on professional and personal development that entrepreneurs can apply in their daily lives. In Walking in the Woods: A Métis Journey, the late entrepreneur and philanthropist Herb Belcourt reflects candidly on his life experiences. Born in a small log home during the Great Depression, Belcourt became a successful business owner and founded initiatives that have made a difference in the lives of many Métis Albertans. No matter your background, this book has something for every reader.
Modern Classic
Grit by Angela Duckworth
After reading Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, you can understand why author Angela Duckworth won a MacArthur Genius Grant. Duckworth shares findings from her research about success, which revealed that grit – a combination of passion and perseverance for a singularly important goal – is a hallmark of high achievers. Don’t have time to pick up the book? Check out Duckworth’s dynamic TED Talk on the same subject.
To explore the rest of our #SBALibrary recommendations, check out the #SBAlibrary hashtag on Twitter. Are you looking for a personalized or more specific business reading recommendation? Visit your local library for recommendations and resources!