Required Reading for Small Business Owners

We all know our world is changing rapidly (who can believe that in 2003, YouTube did not exist? Nor did Facebook or iPhones or geolocation). Competition in the current economy is fierce, the rules and technology keep changing and if you don't continually reevaluate your systems and management, I'm sorry to say you increase your chances of failure. You cannot stay competitive, regardless of your business, if you do not stay caught up on the newest research, trends, and laws in business. From time to time, I will point you towards some of the best books and sites to stay abreast of small business and technology news. Devote 15 minutes each day to reading something to increase your general business knowledge.Books:Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard:. I found this book incredibly encouraging. It turns out humans really are capable of great change, and if humans are, then so are organizations. Focus on examining and then repeating successes and not on avoiding failure.Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us: Yes, I've talked about this one before. Have you read it? If you have even a single employee (or child), you must read this book.Presentation Zen: One of the most popular posts ever presented on this site was called Snooze Proof Your Power Point Presentation. There's a reason why! We know our presentations are often dull. Presentation Zen helps you engage your audience by not resorting to reading a list of bullet points to them.Wordpress for Dummies: If you want to save money and build a dynamic blog/site, you'll need a guide. This is the best and this brand new edition is about to release.The Complete Guide to Email Marketing: Email marketing is a routine part of business now. Whether you are simply announcing special promotions or you are writing an informative newsletter, you will need some help. This book is highly rated and will give you the information you need to write effective headlines, build an email list and not violate any spam laws.Magazines:Harvard Business Review Yes. It is expensive. But some of the greatest business minds in the world contribute to this publication. Get it from the library if you don't want to buy it.Wired. It isn't just technology. It is cutting-edge business and trends. And it has a killer iPad app!Fast Company. Cheap subscription. Great community and site. Engaging and informative business writing.You can find websites/blogs that are associated with nearly all of these materials as well. Stay educated, stay ahead! What do YOU read that I overlooked? by Steven Schlagel