Tag: books

What I’m Reading: Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup: The Theranos & Elizabeth Holmes Story




by Fred Fuld III

Actually, I’m not currently reading, I just finished reading Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou, and my first comment is “Wow”.  This is the story of the rise and fall of the notorious blood-testing company, Theranos, founded by Elizabeth Holmes when she was 19 years old. The company, which claimed it could do numerous tests from one drop of blood, was valued at $9 billion at one time, and now is out of business.

This is one of the most extensive and thoroughly researched books on a corporate collapse that I have ever read. Carreyrou conducted numerous interviews  and writes the book in such a way that it comes across as a real life mystery and thriller.

If you don’t know the Theranos story, that’s probably a good thing and I won’t ruin it for you by giving away a lot of the details. But those of who were duped by Holmes, according to Carreyrou, include the following:

  • Steve Burd, Safeway CEO
  • Wade Miquelon, CFO Walgreens
  • James Mattis, current United States Secretary of Defense and a former United States Marine Corps general
  • George Shultz, former Secretary of State
  • Henry Kissinger, former Secretary of State
  • Larry Ellison, co-founder, executive chairman and chief technology officer of Oracle Corporation
  • Rupert Murdock, Executive Chairman of News Corp and Executive Co-Chairman of 21st Century Fox (who invested over $100 million in the company)
  • And many, many other wealthy and high level individuals

If you are looking for some “can’t put it down” reading for the fall season, I highly recommend  Bad Blood. It is the twelfth most read book according to Amazon Charts and 90% of the ratings are five stars.

Legacy in the Making: Building a Long-Term Brand to Stand Out in a Short-Term World

Review by Fred Fuld III

The book, Legacy in the Making: Building a Long-Term Brand to Stand Out in a Short-Term World, discusses the importance of branding your your business and the legacy that goes along with it. It is written by Mark Miller, the founder of the Legacy Lab, and Lucas Conley, the author of Obsessive Branding Disorder.

The book is captivating and engaging for several reasons. First, it gives real life examples of extremely successful brands. And the brands are not just limited to businesses, it includes non-profits, sports teams, and film festivals.

Second, the book delves into detail about how and why certain successful brands were created, with specific illustrations. For example, in the chapter “Empower Your Believers” on the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, the authors talked about how the employees are empowered to create the “Wow Factor” for their guests.

Some of the organizations that are examined include The Honest Company, Grey Goose, The San Diego Zoo, The Toronto Maple Leafs, and The Tribeca Film Festival.

In terms of the structure of the book, it is filled with pictures, diagrams, blurbs, and quotes. The book is a brand all its own.

If you own a business or are involved with an organization, I suggest you get  Legacy in the Making and make your brand the best that it can be.

Business and Investment Books On Sale

This is a list of the finance, investment, and business books that are currently on sale, and available on the Amazon (AMZN) Kindle. If you have any interest in these books, you should order them right away, as these sales don’t last long.

The Camino Way
By Victor Prince
Learn to tackle each new management hurdle with seven practical leadership lessons .
$0.99  Retail: $10.99

The Leader Habit
By Martin Lanik
22 essential, teachable leadership secrets with practice exercises.
$1.99   Retail: $12.99

A Team of Leaders
By Paul Gustavson and Stewart Liff
Cultivate the leadership potential of each employee. 
$0.99   Retail: $14.99

Lead Right for Your Company’s Type
By William E. Schneider
How management can produce tangible results using the four types of enterprise.
$1.99   Retail: $14.99

Dot Complicated
By Randi Zuckerberg
A definitive guide to the digital age including best practices for using tech at work and at home.
$1.99   Retail: $7.99

Born for This
By Chris Guillebeau
From the New York Times bestselling author of The $100 Startup.
$1.99   Retail: $13.99

Your Creative Career
By Anna Sabino
Use creativity and artistic passion to lead to business success. 
$0.99   Retail: $15.99

Head Strong
By Dave Asprey
A New York Times bestseller: Upgrade your brainpower and supercharge your productivity just with simple adjustments to your lifestyle. 
$1.99   Retail: $12.99

The Conflict Resolution Phrase Book
By Barbara Mitchell and Cornelia Gamlem
This guide will empower you with the vocabulary to navigate even the most difficult professional situations.
$0.99   Retail: $14.99

Straight Talk for Startups: 100 Insider Rules for Beating the Odds

by Fred Fuld III

If you are an entrepreneur or startuper, you need to read Straight Talk for Startups: 100 Insider Rules for Beating the Odds. The book is written by Randy Komisar and Jantoon Reigersman, both of whom have had extensive startup and venture capital experience.

I have read several books relating to startups, but here is what I like about this one. Straight Talk for Startups has recommendations and advice that you won’t find in other books about running a startup.

Here are some examples.

  • You need two different business plans, not one
  • Why a part time team member may be better than a full time one
  • Why you should NOT provide free lunches to your employees
  • Avoid venture debt
  • If you are looking to be acquired, choose your acquirer, don’t let acquirers choose you.
  • A small board of directors is better than a big board

The authors even provide a sample board meeting agenda.

The book is a well-written, easy read, with every short chapter, each a couple pages long, representing a rule you should follow. There are actually 101 rules in this book, and I believe the last one, covered in the Epilogue is probably the most important.

Whether you are thinking of starting a startup, have recently started a startup, or you are at the point of bringing your startup to a new level, I highly recommend Straight Talk for Startups.

Investment and Business Books On Sale

Here is a list of the finance, investment, and business books that have recently gone on sale, and available on the Amazon (AMZN) Kindle. If you have any interest in these books, I suggest that you order them right away, as these sales don’t last long.

How to Talk to Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere
By Larry King with Bill Gilbert

The keys to successful communication in all areas of life.

$1.99 Retail: $11.99

Your Living Trust & Estate Plan
By Harvey J. Platt

The details of creating a living will and estate plan. Learn to save money and time with tips for everything from charitable deductions and lifetime exemptions to private annuities and protecting beneficiaries.

$1.99 Retail: $16.99

How to Speak Money
By John Lanchester

Explains the language of money without being confusing

$1.99 Retail: $9.62

The 1% Rule
By Tommy Baker

How some people turn their dreams of success into reality and how you can achieve your biggest goals in life.

$0.99 Retail: $9.99

The Power of Habit
By Charles Duhigg

How to increase productivity and achieve superior success.

$2.99 Retail: $12.99

Fill Your Funnel
By Tom Hopkins and Dan Portik

A step-by-step guide that gives you everything you need to convert posts on platforms like Facebook and Twitter into sales.

$1.99 Retail: $7.99

The Go-Giver
By Bob Burg and John David Mann
The five principles for monumental success shows that the secret to achievement lies in giving.
$1.99 Retail: $11.99

Start Something That Matters
By Blake Mycoskie

Written by the founder of TOMS Shoes, he shares a new blueprint for success.

$1.99 Retail: $13.99

The Substance of Style
By Virginia Postrel

Describes what makes consumers attracted to a product and how our sensory experiences guide our choices.

$1.99 Retail: $8.99

Creating Magic
By Lee Cockerell

Written by a former Walt Disney World executive, shares the keys to his success and leadership secrets.

$1.99 Retail: $12.99

Thinkertoys
By Michael Michalko

A guide to out-of-the-box thinking, including hands-on exercises and easy-to-follow tips.

$1.99 Retail: $12.99

The Geometry of Wealth

Book Review: The Geometry of Wealth

by Fred Fuld III

Wealth is not just about money. The book, The Geometry of Wealth, by  Brian Portnoy, PhD, CFA, explains what wealth really is and how it can be achieved.

The book is easy to understand, especially for novice investors, and explains concepts in a way that all investors can comprehend. For example, in Chapter 1, he talks about the three major challenges facing everybody with regards to money: we have more financial control, we are wired for bad decisions, and less room for ever.

Probably the most interesting chapter is “Yes, Not Really, It Depends,” which is all about what happiness really is.

If you are looking for a different spin on money, finance, and wealth, I recommend  The Geometry of Wealth. 

 

Business, Investment & Financial Books on Sale

Here is a list of the finance, investment, and business books that have recently gone on sale, and available on the Amazon (AMZN) Kindle. If you have any interest in these books, I suggest that you order them right away, as these sales don’t last long.

The Effective Executive
By Peter F. Drucker
Essential principles of effective leadership
$2.99 Retail: $11.99

The Big Thing
By Phyllis Korkki
How to beat procrastination and remain motivated while working toward your biggest goals. 
$1.99  Retail: $7.99

The Rational Optimist
By Matt Ridley
Why prosperity is growing exponentially and how to embrace coming changes. 
$2.99  Retail: $10.74

Extreme You
By Sarah Robb O’Hagan
The secret to embracing your extremes and achieving monumental success. $1.99  Retail: $12.99

The Power of Why
By Amanda Lang
How curiosity spurs achievement and provides practical insights for attaining success and fulfillment.
$1.99  Retail: $11.99

Everyone’s an Artist
By Ron Tite, Scott Kavanagh, and Christopher Novais
Learn to treat business as art.
$1.99  Retail: $5.99

Beyond the Label
By Maureen Chiquet
Advice for succeeding in business on your own terms. 
$1.99  Retail: $12.99

Leadership Lessons Vol. 2
By Will Peters
Invaluable leadership lessons from six famous figures who led their nations during challenging periods.
$1.99  Retail: $9.99

Business & Investment Books Now on Sale

It’s time for our periodic list of Amazon Kindle books on sale in the genres of business, investing, and entrepreneurship. If you have any interest in them, you should probably order them right away, as these sales may only last for a few days.

 

Get Smart!
By Brian Tracy
Learn how to think like the world’s most successful people, access your untapped mental ability, and realize your true potential.
$1.99 Retail: $11.99

 

The Essentials of Persuasive Public Speaking
By Sims Wyeth
Develop great communication skills, conquer nerves and command attention.
$1.99 $8.64

 

Warren Buffett’s Ground Rules
By Jeremy C. Miller
The strategy that led to Warren Buffett’s spectacular success. 
$2.99  Retail: $3.49

 

A Random Walk Down Wall Street
By Burton G. Malkiel
How to make Wall Street work for you.
$2.99  Retail: $9.18

 

Leadership Lessons
By Will Peters
Warren Buffett, Walt Disney, and Steve Jobs made an impact on the world. Learn the essential principles of leadership that generated their success. $1.99  Retail: $9.99

 

Top Investment and Business Books On Sale

The following investment and business Kindle books are now on sale at Amazon. If have any interest in these books, you should order them right away as these sales often only last for just a short period of time.

The Big Payoff
By Sharon Epperson
Eight crucial steps to help secure your financial future.
$1.99
Regular price: $11.24

Getting Your Dream Job
By Don Raskin
How-to on impressing a prospective employer, an indispensable guide to landing your dream job.
$0.99
Regular price: $10.99

Great Teams
By Don Yaeger
16 habits that drive optimal performance in the workplace.
$0.99
Regular price: $9.99

Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future
by Ashlee Vance
The biography of Elon Musk
$2.99
Regular price: $11.99

Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life
by Henry Cloud
$1.99
Regular price: $9.99

Capital Gaines: Smart Things I Learned Doing Stupid Stuff
by Chip Gaines
$3.99
Regular price: $9.99

Commanding Excellence
By Gary Morton
How great leaders can inspire others to perform at their best.
$0.99
Regular price: $9.99

Your Hidden Game
By Sharon Rich
10 invisible agreements that are crucial to success; decode, master, and transform the inner workings of any business.
$0.99
Regular price: $9.99

The Productivity Revolution
By Marc Reklau
Concise guide to extreme productivity.
$0.99
Regular price: $4.99

The Number
By Alex Berenson
The root of Wall Street and its mistakes, explores what they mean for today’s economy.
$1.99
Regular price: $8.99

The Latest Top Real Estate Investing Books

You have probably seen those ads on TV about flipping houses and investing in real estate. Before dipping your foot in the water, maybe you should read up on buying and renting homes. The following are some recent top selling books on real estate investing, shown by category. Read, learn, and invest.

Preparing for a Property Upturn: Trends and Pitfalls in Real Estate Investments
Nov 30, 2017
by Ku Swee Yong

Business and Retirement Guide to Belize: The Last Virgin Paradise

Feb 10, 2018
by Bob Dhillon and Fred Langan

 

Keep Claiming It!: A Guide To Property Depreciation
Feb 26, 2018
by Tyron Hyde

 

Real Estate Investment 101: Learn The Passive Income That Everyone Is Talking About
Feb 25, 2018
by Meir Zaslavskiy

 

 

Real Estate Investing UNCENSORED: Real Answers From The Flipping Coach
Feb 24, 2018
by Delinda Harrelson

 

 

Success Secrets of Real Estate Investors
Feb 22, 2018
by Peter Crisp