Reviewed by Joe Wisinski for Readers' Favorite

Management Practices of Successful CEOs: Memoir of a Psychological Consultant to Management by James P Armatas, Ph.D. is a study of the performance of more than 25 CEOs of major companies. Armatas divided his book into chapters about entrepreneurs, conglomerates, multi-divisional companies, service companies, restaurants, and manufacturers. There is also an appendix about the history of organizational management. Armatas worked for 50 years as a management and personnel consultant for CEOs and their organizations. His book, which he calls a memoir, is built on his extensive experience. He shares his insights into the inner workings of companies as he examines the management style of various organizations and their leaders in detail. This book does not contain the usual management advice; in fact, some runs contrary to standard advice.

Management Practices of Successful CEOs by James P Armatas, Ph.D. should be a college textbook in business management. The book reads like a professor carefully guiding students through the topic. Armatas shows superb insight into what makes the CEOs of major corporations effective or not so effective. Because Armatas looks at management principles not so much as the principles themselves but those who implemented them, readers learn that what matters is the people who run organizations rather than the management principles they implement. This method of making Armatas’s points also makes for an effective, compelling read. Even the advice from CEOs that is not the usual management advice is positive because readers are encouraged to sift through the good and the not-so-good advice. Armatas was critical, and rightly so, of some managers. He noted, for example, that “great men, apparently, don’t always acknowledge the people that contribute to their greatness.”

Reviewed by Courtnee Turner Hoyle for Readers' Favorite

In Everyone Is An "Influencer," sub-titled Building A Brand By Engaging The People Who Matter Most, Kelly Keenan draws on business experience and encourages the reader to be honest with employees and potential customers by involving them in growing the business, shifting the focus from an external view to an internal perspective of the company and its products. The three Ps--positive, powerful, and purposeful--are woven into every aspect of the book, illustrating the reason that the word combination is trademarked as a strategy for success.

Kelly Keenan has revealed many obvious secrets to help business owners propel their businesses and products into the future. The idea of celebrating a business instead of telling others about it is new to me, but I understand the need to pull people into the success of a product by making them feel as if they had a part in it. The writing is clear and informative, offering the reader an easy understanding of the concisely explained concepts. Some of the examples were undeniably valuable and organic. For instance, when comparing influential employees to musicians, the author suggests that allowing an employee to add flair to a decision was much the same as letting a musician interpret a piece of music in their own style. I like the idea of shifting the narrative to one where the business owner encourages customers to feel a bond with the business, product, or leader to inspire loyalty. Keenan’s success stories demonstrate true expertise, and I’d encourage anyone interested in improving their product or business to read Everyone Is An "Influencer"!

Reviewed by Vincent Dublado for Readers' Favorite

The Visionary Brand: The Success Formula Behind the World’s Most Visionary Brands opens with an interesting case study about Oakley and how it almost lost its cultural direction as a brand and regained its footing by re-aligning its brand identity. Author Bryan Smeltzer shares his three decades in the business from founding his own company and to being involved in executive-level roles with some of the world’s most iconic brands. His book points out that many in the business believe that product, marketing, culture, and innovation are good starting points in creating a visionary brand, but they need to be an integral part of your brand’s foundation to make it work and must be upheld throughout your brand’s entry into the world. It incorporates elements of a successful formula that includes not only positioning but also what is called the Power Triad, culture matrix, and how to navigate the ecosystem that will be your brand’s habitat. It is your chance to take a glimpse into how competitive brands sustain their huge hold on their target market.

Visionary branding is a powerful tool for aligning a product’s identity in the development of strategic competitive advantage. The Visionary Brand could not have come at a more opportune time. It is an idea that is timeless and will prove indispensable for as long as companies and their brands are jousting for the competitive edge in the market. If there is anything that Bryan Smeltzer’s case studies and easy-to-digest style of writing have taught me, it is that paying attention to the literature on visionary branding will help companies not only to focus on their core values and identity, but it will also increase their responsiveness to change. While reading this book, I can’t help but remember the tragedy of Blackberry, HTC, and Nokia. The Visionary Brand is highly recommended to anyone who wants to learn how a brand retains a strong recall and avoids the pitfalls of obscurity.

Reviewed by Susan van der Walt for Readers' Favorite

In Leading in A Social World, R Aaron Templer turns our perception of social media marketing on its head. He considers social media the area of leaders and customer service, not marketing. He sees building social capital as a leadership skill, and the goal of forming connections on social media should be to lead, not convert leads to customers. Social capital builds a community through mutual trust, providing value, reciprocity, and shared belief systems. Customer service should be in the midst of the conversation on social media, interacting with customers and even encouraging customers to share their experiences to help others.

Leading in A Social world is a theoretical investigation into businesses' current use of social media and offering an alternative. I feel that R Aaron Templer has made a valid case why leaders should build social capital and why social media should be the arena for customer service and not marketing. His examples of real businesses' ways of creating social capital highlight his arguments and give different ways of how companies can accomplish this. He shows that social media offers leaders a way to focus on smaller groups, making it more affordable to reach them, build meaningful relationships, and thus acquire social capital. Also, current customers can assist with customer service by sharing their experiences. I did enjoy the summary chapter at the end of the book for those who like to skim content and get the gist of the book because they don't have the time to read all available books on a topic.

Reviewed by Tammy Ruggles for Readers' Favorite

Your Next Big Idea: Improve Your Creativity and Problem-Solving by Samuel Sanders is a compelling, award-winning, go-to guide for creativity in your business world. This author inspires motivation in managers and entrepreneurs everywhere, even those who don't really see much of a connection between business and creativity. It's about ideas and how to solve problems with creativity. If the ideas on the show "Shark Tank" have you wondering why you can't come up with something new, useful, or innovative, you aren't alone. Many people are more creative than they give themselves credit for. They just need something to pull it out of them. Well, this book is the mechanism to do just that.

Sanders brings a self-help guide that will build skills and knowledge in problem-solving, observation and analysis, achieving the correct mindset, knowing the value of sharing ideas, and judging their likelihood for success and sustainability. Sometimes you just need inspiration, and this book has it in droves. You have exercises that you can do on a personal level, and tips on how to see your surroundings in a new, fresh way. What I like about the advice is that it isn't just theory--it's actionable. You can take the content and use it wherever you are and whatever you do, whether it's coming up with a bold plan to take your company or team to the next level, or approaching your boss about a special individual project. This advice would be especially helpful to recent high school or college graduates eager to excel. If "100 meaningful ideas a week" sounds impossible, or desirable, this is the book you need to read. It can be a little difficult changing the way you think about yourself and your creativity, but this author's writing style is easy and encouraging. As a matter of fact, this book would be a great addition to a classroom or book club discussion. My favorite section is on stigmas, how to identify them, and how to erase them. Everyone can use a little more creativity, and Your Next Big Idea: Improve Your Creativity and Problem-Solving by Samuel Sanders is the jumpstart to take it from stale to stellar.

Reviewed by Lesley Jones for Readers' Favorite

How did a former host for NBC Sports' Golf Channel become a successful entrepreneur and celebrated public speaker? Kraig Kann shares his incredible journey to prominence and the techniques that have propelled his business to success in Can You Get Our Attention? Discover how to overcome life’s obstacles and gain the courage and self-belief to continue when your competitors do not. How can you set your business apart from others in your field and build a loyal customer base? Learn how to build a brand that is desirable, inviting, and professional. The effectiveness of every strategy has been tried and tested by Kraig and his many students. From building a reliable following, understanding trends so you remain relevant to social media marketing, and powerful communication techniques, Kraig’s methods will ensure your business will be built on a strong foundation that will withstand increasingly fierce competition while maintaining its excellent reputation.

Can You Get Our Attention? by Kraig Kann is an incredibly helpful and insightful read. What sets Kraig’s guide apart from other guides in this genre is the layout. I loved how he covered a subject in-depth and used his own experiences to highlight how these methods worked. His section on effective communication was superb and I resonated with his thoughts completely: ‘There are a lot of people who talk. There are very few who actually say something.’ He encourages a strong self-belief and confidence in your abilities by focusing on human psychology in depth. His strategies are effective to help you maintain an optimistic and driven mindset when you have to face obstacles. The questions Kraig asks throughout are terrific and make you face problems or self-doubt logically. I thought the sections on using social media and understanding what makes a customer choose a product or service were brilliant.

There were also many encouraging and powerful pearls of wisdom throughout the guide. This was my favorite: 'You can work to be comfortable, or you can work to be outstanding for you and others. It’s your choice to make.’ His advice on setting and achieving goals was so simple and easy to implement. His advice on public speaking was absolutely amazing too, especially his insights into overcoming fear. Kraig’s style of writing is straightforward and to the point and a reminder that entrepreneurship is not for the faint-hearted but for those who will remain strong in the face of challenges. I strongly believe that taking Kraig’s techniques on board, building your brand is certainly going to be far less daunting.

Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite

I Wrote A Book. Now What? by Beth Carter is a non-fiction self-help guide for those who are in the process of or have completed their manuscript and are ready to present it to the world. Carter provides an insider's mentorship and the tools necessary to take a reader's own book and get it into the hands of a publisher, and then hopefully readers themselves. The book begins with Carter's own journey, something she returns to throughout the guide and peppers alongside the more practical advice. This book runs the gamut from the absolute basics of writing to the more polished aspects, and how to create authentic prose with real-life experiences. There are loads of gems that follow, such as buying your name as a domain, pitching your wares, and even the choices between self-publishing and the traditional route, among many, many other tips.

Although she has written over a dozen books, having I Wrote A Book. Now What? fall into my lap introduced me for the first time to Beth Carter. I am not an author, just an avid reader, which in many ways works in my favor as I have no preconceived notions on what should or should not be done. I just know that I like to read good books, and I do not like to read unpolished ones of questionable quality. Carter writes in the comfortable style of a friend sitting down to chat over coffee. There is nothing patronizing or judgmental in her discourse, and her encouragement throughout should be enough to draw in the most apprehensive writers. As a layperson, I gained a massive amount of insight into the art of the craft and, as a result, my appreciation could not possibly be higher. I also learned that she has written a pandemic cookbook which pretty much cements her awesomeness in my own mind. I believe this book has all of the right tools to provide a road map to writers from all walks of the literary world.

Reviewed by Erin Nicole Cochran for Readers' Favorite

Rohit Bhargava’s non-fiction business book, Non Obvious Megatrends, is a treasure trove of brilliantly predicted trends that are set to change the face of society, if not the faces of the individuals around us, although hopefully not in any literal sense. One of my favorite quotes within Non Obvious Megatrends is: “Trends can help us anticipate the future and change what we do and think.” And Non Obvious Megatrends does just that; it will ultimately and entirely change how you view the can’t-sit-still-for-a-second technological world that we’ve been living in for the past two decades or longer. Its narrative is sharp, witty and understandable.

After reading Rohit Bhargava’s Non Obvious Megatrends, I felt more intelligent. I doubt if my IQ went up, but what you feel about yourself is more important than the reality of what someone might put down on paper. One of the things that I really liked was that Non Obvious Megatrends is a continuously revised edition. By the time most authors put something out, it’s already outdated by however many months. To me, this felt very in line with what we’re seeing today as a society. Bhargava includes several advances in technology in other countries that many may not know. One that stayed with me was a “slow checkout line” in Scotland, designed to be used by patrons who are elderly or physically and mentally disabled so that they won’t be rushed by other customers. Another ingredient that always resonates with me personally is the use of quotes and newly coined terms. Some from bygone brilliant minds and those still present, bridging the past to the present. Rohit Bhargava’s Non Obvious Megatrends is a book you won't put down, and it’s one that you can count on to continuously be updated.

Reviewed by Erin Nicole Cochran for Readers' Favorite

Act Like an Author, Think Like a Business: Ways to Achieve Financial Literary Success by author Joylynn Meleke Ross is filled with inventive ideas and routes to creating a business out of your books. The tone feels so close to you and the recommendations right to the point without any added fluff that it resonates in a way that feels like unadulterated gospel. One of the many admirable quotes within Act Like an Author, Think Like a Business, in reference to an individual’s work, is: “It not only entertains, but it teaches. It encourages. It moves the world. It motivates the world.” Her book spoke to me as a person and as a writer, just as I know it will speak to you and open doors and capabilities you didn’t know you had within yourself.

Act Like an Author, Think Like a Business, by author and entrepreneur Joylynn Meleke Ross, touched me in a lot of ways. I enjoyed how she tied religious aspects into her book; it brought a whole new dimension and a different thought perspective in myself. It is not preachy in any sense of the word. It’s inspiring. Not having read many pages of the Bible myself, I always find passages or quotes from the Bible a bit exciting and new, instead of old hat. There is so much to be offered within this book. Joylynn Meleke Ross also offers many links and Facebook groups that you can join to learn more information. She truly wants you to be successful as a writer and as a business, which is inspiring in and of itself. Grab this book quickly. I think before long you will see Act Like an Author, Think Like a Business on a bestseller list.

Reviewed by Christian Sia for Readers' Favorite

The 60 Minute Startup: A Proven System to Start Your Business in 1 Hour a Day and Get Your First Paying Customers in 30 Days (or Less) by Ramesh K Dontha is a ground-breaking book that proposes a proven methodology in starting and running a successful business in just one hour every day for 30 days. This may sound impossible, but the serial entrepreneur takes the reader on a step-by-step path that explains how this works. In this book, the author explains the concept of “agile entrepreneurship” and shows readers how they can use it to start their business online and get their first customers in a very short time. There is a lot of information and tips in this book and readers will learn what they need to identify and focus on strong ideas that win, pinpoint their unique marketing strengths and learn how to use these to win customers, find the tools to beat wasting time and other resources, and a lot more.

Even if you never planned to start a business online, Ramesh K Dontha makes you want to start one. The message in this book is so unmistakably clear that it helps readers find clarity with their own thoughts and understand the opportunities that are there for them. The accessibility in language and the confident writing reflect the authority of the author. From knowing how and where to start to creating customers and selling what people want to buy, from finding one’s unique value proposition to asking the most important questions, from tips on pricing, setting up shop online to protecting one’s success and much more, the author offers advice that wannabe entrepreneurs and existing ones need to know. It is intelligently written, easy-to-read, and packed with valuable information.