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If you are aspiring to understand and fare in the world of business more effectively explore some of the books in Sophia Amoruso’s reading list.
Sophia Amoruso, Nasty Gal CEO, and #GirlBoss author is one of today’s reigning divas in the fashion business industry.
Her once small eBay store has turned into a multi-million dollar corporation in just a period of 13 years.
Sophia has also become an inspiration for many women around the globe.
It’s not only because of the strength of her fashion brand, but also the strength of her character.
One of the things that influenced her continued success is a list of books that contain a wealth of practical and creative knowledge in business and leadership.
Sophia Amoruso’s Reading List
1Rotman On Design by Roger Martin
First on the list is Rotman on Design: The Best on Design Thinking from Rotman Magazine.
It is a collection of outstanding articles on business design and design thinking from Rotman Magazine.
Design, particularly business design, is a crucial element of the foundation and success of any venture.
And this book from Sophia Amoruso’s Reading List shares how successful design thinkers believe the context of design to be.
There are three sections in the book, each focusing on an important aspect of design.
The first section focuses on the importance and purpose of design.
The second focuses on the applicability and practicality of design in modern organizations.
While the last focuses on the qualities and skills of design thinkers.
The contents of the book were impeccably compiled and co-edited by two of Rotman’s finest figures: Roger Martin and Karen Christensen.
Martin is the Rotman School of Management’s Dean and Professor of Strategic Management.
Christensen is Rotman Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief and Rotman School of Management’s Executive Director of Strategic Communication.
Together, Martin and Christensen were able to present readers with a digestible source of design wisdom.
Aspiring business leaders and design thinkers will not only gain insights but also get ideas on the context of design as an art that shapes ideas into reality.
You can be one of the best design thinkers in the world when you buy this book and read using the image link above.
2Conscious Capitalism by John Mackey
John Mackey, who is well-respected by Sophia Amoruso, co-authored Conscious Capitalism: Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business with Raj Sisodia.
Mackey is co-CEO and co-founder of the Whole Foods Market, while Professor Sisodia is the co-founder of the Conscious Capitalism, Inc.
Together, they created a book that effectively presents their argument on how business and capitalism can work together to benefit everyone.
They call this the “Conscious Capitalism Movement”.
This is where business organizations work towards strengthening their businesses while helping to further advance capitalism.
The book mentions a number of Conscious Capitalism companies like Whole Foods Market, Google, Costco, UPS, etc. as an example of how the movement effectively works.
They explain how these companies use four tenets to attain the highest potential of both business and capitalism:
- Higher purpose
- Stakeholder integration
- Conscious leadership
- Conscious culture and management
When applied and practiced correctly, these tenets help businesses create economic value besides generating revenue.
Conscious Capitalism aims to defy the “capitalism is evil” stigma.
It strives to prove that capitalism is not only about making the wealthy (stakeholders) even wealthier.
It is also about improving the people’s (employees and customers) quality of life.
This book from Sophia Amoruso’s Reading List is well-loved and respected by business leaders who understand and believe in the principles of Conscious Capitalism.
It reveals both the highs and lows of Conscious Capitalism companies.
It also proves they are not just some greedy money-makers who want to take over the world.
You too can become a Conscious Capitalist when you buy and read this book using the image link above.
3The 48 Laws Of Power by Robert Greene
Power is one of the things that corporate giants have in common.
Power enables them to sway nations and run economies.
How exactly can you wield, attain, or guard against power?
In The 48 Laws of Power, Robert Greene extracts 48 essential laws of power from three thousand years worth of history.
Each law depicts how power can be played in different situations, and with different kinds of people.
Greene is the best-selling author of The Laws of Human Nature, The Art of Seduction and The 33 Strategies of War.
He is best known for his works on political and philosophical theories.
These works reveal how the real world has worked since the dawn of civilization.
In 48 Laws, Greene draws from the works and philosophy of Sun Tzu, Machiavelli, and Carl von Clausewitz to identify and explain how power play works.
He also takes inspiration from the lives of people like Henry Kissinger and P.T. Barnum.
48 laws provide a clear explanation of the laws.
The book also imparts methodic notions that can be discerned as “instructions” on how this power play is done.
This aspect of this book from Sophia Amoruso’s Reading List is the main reason why many people consider it a risky read.
Once you’ve read it, your outlook about the world will forever change.
You’ll become more aware of what is happening presently and even begin to expect what may come in the future.
This is the perfect read for business leaders who want to partake in this power play or avoid getting drawn into it.
Know the laws guiding power so you can succeed in business. Buy this book from Amazon using the image link above.
4The Richest Man in Babylon by George Samuel Clason
The Richest Man in Babylon is a classic book written and published in 1926 by George S. Clason.
It remains one of the world’s best books on financial wisdom because it is universally applicable, even in this modern age.
The Babylonians are said to be the first people to realize the laws and secret ways of attaining true prosperity.
Clason reveals and explains these laws and secrets through the creative telling of parables and tales about merchants and tradesmen of ancient Babylon.
Each story in the book shares practicable insights, tips and tricks, and truths on different aspects of financial wisdom:
How to
- Earn more money
- Save more from what you earn
- Repay debts and avoid them
- Make money work for you
- Invest wisely
- Preserve your earned fortune
- Attract financial luck
Ancient as the stories may seem, they’re downright practical and truthful in all ways.
Clason was successfully able to tie the similarities of the financial plight in ancient times to that of the modern time.
For business leaders who seek true wisdom on wealth and prosperity or even those who simply want to get out of debt, this book is definitely a must-read.
Discover the secret to riches hidden in this book by buying from Amazon using the image link above.
5The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz
Last on the list (but not the least) is The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There are No Easy Answers by Ben Horowitz.
It is one of the best books that offer real and applicable advice on how to build and run a startup.
Horowitz is considered an expert in building and running businesses that make actual money.
He is one of Silicon Valley’s most respectable entrepreneurs,
He is the general partner and co-founder of the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz.
This is based in Silicon Valley and invests in numerous technology companies.
In his book, Horowitz openly reveals and describes the hardships of actually building a business.
He talks about the ups and downs that many aspiring entrepreneurs experience throughout the whole process.
The book also presents Horowitz’s own analyses and insights on the common problems that may taunt businesses and leaders on a daily basis.
He creatively offers lessons on business from the lyrics of his favorite songs.
Horowitz also uses straightforward and humorous language.
This makes this book from Sophia Amoruso’s Reading List easy to read and digest, no matter who is reading it.
For aspiring business leaders and entrepreneurs who want a truthful guide in business building, this book is one of the best “business manuals” to read.
Buy this book from Amazon by clicking the image link above for a guide to building a successful business.
There is no “one size fits all” manual for building and running a successful business.
Like Sophia Amoruso, most successful business leaders had to learn everything in semi-darkness.
Creating businesses is great.
It is also a painful process that only those with the strongest of wills can carry on through the end.
Fortunately, with the help of some books such as the ones in this list, the business of business making can be made simpler and more practical.
