Gung Ho!  Turn On the People in Any Organization

by Ken Blanchard

Management principles are too often presented in remote, dry terminology.  Not here!  Blanchard uses folk stories to teach techniques for building excellent morale in your business.

Gung Ho! is a readable narrative story that helps create good internal motivation.

The E-Myth Revisited

by Michael Gerber

A classic! 

Gerber debunks many myths about starting your own business and about entrepreneurial activity in general.

The subtitle is "Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It".  If you are looking to avoid common pitfalls and to improve your own company's profits, get on the right track with this 275-page masterpiece.

McDonald's:  Behind The Arches

by John F. Love

If you have ever dreamed of owning a franchise business -- not just a McDonald's -- this book is for you.

Love takes you inside the thought process of growing a business franchise.  As Library Journal points out, "This work is not the story of Ray Kroc... but that of all of the individuals... who made McDonald's the undisputed champion of the fast food industry."

This book's value goes beyond telling the story of one company.  It speaks of the details and attitudes you need to master if you want to run a successful franchise.

S.P.I.N. Selling

by Neil Rackham

This book an easy, intuitive, fact-based discussion on how to close major sales.

Rackham's recommended techniques are based on thousands of sales calls over 12 years.  The research is solid:  he studied 116 factors that impact sales in 27 countries.

But, don't let the statistics fool you.  Rackham writes well, focuses on basics, and makes obvious sense.

If sales are important in your business life, get this book!

Built to Last:
Successful Habits of Visionary Companies

by Jim Collins

Collins explores the common threads of great businesses and shows you how to weave them into your company.

He doesn't think that visionary corporations are great from the start and achieve success only because of a charismatic leader behind them.   Instead, his research shows that excellent practices consistently followed are the hallmark of true visionary firms.

This book shares with you the results of Collin's field work and helps you establish the core practices of visionary businesses in your company.

Who Moved My Cheese?  An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life

by Spencer Johnson

Change is threatening.  But, this book makes thinking about change so comfortable that is seems downright cuddly.

It's easy to smirk at the obvious points made by the central characters, some cheese chasing mice. It's almost a children's story on the surface. But, there are valuable messages in the narrative which come across clearly and without menace.

Raving Fans

by Ken Blanchard

Our second recommended book by Blanchard explains how to help your business by using its customers as the marketing team. 

"Your customers are only satisfied because their expectations are so low and because no one else is doing better.  Just having satisfied customers isn't good enough anymore.  If you really want a booming business, you have to create raving fans."

Blanchard provides a non-threatening fairy godmother to guide you though the steps you can take to make your clients raving fans and your marketing mavens.

Fish! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results

by Stephen C. Lundin, Harry Paul, John Christensen

A story of a Seattle fishmonger who turns her company around by bringing energy, passion, and positive attitude to her store. 

The authors provide us with an easy-to-read management parable. Fish! is packed with practical ideas delivered in a comfortable and understandable way.

Go Fish!

Rich Dad, Poor Dad

by Robert T. Kiyosaki and Sharon L. Lechter

Read this for the philosophy behind changing your thought processes to become more financially secure.

This story of two alternative ways of looking at life's situations can stop you unnecessarily narrowing your options.

You may not be able to think yourself rich, but this book shows you that you don't have to limit your possibilities by relying on old and unsuccessful perspectives.