Success Advice
5 Must-Read Books For The Budding Entrepreneur

Anybody who has aspirations to become an entrepreneur will have to take several steps before they become successful. Some of this is practical knowledge.
For example, most entrepreneurs must know how to secure funding, know how to write a business plan, and they must understand the steps they must take in order to launch a business.
The latter might include obtaining licenses, obtaining an employer identification number, setting up an accounting system, purchasing insurance, or contracting the services of a payroll provider.
However, in addition to practical knowledge, there are soft skills that an entrepreneur must develop. One of the ways to develop these skills is to read books that either demonstrate what has worked for other successful entrepreneurs, or that tell the stories of what made successful entrepreneurs great.
Here are five books that you must read if you are in any way considering an entrepreneurial career path.
1. The Fire-Starter Sessions – Danielle LaPorte
If you are having any doubts about your future as an entrepreneur, Danielle LaPorte is about to rip those doubts out of your hands and smash them into oblivion. LaPorte is an award winning author, motivational speaker, and entrepreneur whose take on achieving our dreams is different than anybody else out there.
Laporte turns myths such as achieving life work balance, and the importance of competency on their ears. Readers praise Ms. LaPorte for her relatable, straight forward delivery and her candor. The Fire-Starter Sessions is a great selection for young entrepreneurs who may have a hard time relating to entrepreneurs from previous generations. Danielle Laporte has been featured in many publications, including The Huffington Post.
“Danielle’s passion leaps off the page, and reading a few chapters of this book will ignite you into action.” – Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project
2. Working Together: Why Great Partnerships Succeed – Michael Eisner
In this book, the former CEO of the Walt Disney Corporation explores successful business partnerships that have either lasted for many years or been significantly profitable. In part of the book, Eisner describes his partnership with Frank Wells at Disney. Other famous partnerships that are highlighted in Working Together: Why Great Partnerships Succeed include the following:
Bill and Melinda Gates of the Gates Foundation
Arthur Blanke and Bernie Marcus of The Home Depot
Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken (AKA The Too Hot Tamales of The Border Grill Restaurant Empire), multiple cook books, movies and television
Warren Buffet and Charlie Munger of Berkshire Hathaway
Ron Howard and Brian Grazer of Imagine Entertainment and multiple blockbuster movies
“Are the conclusions about working together groundbreaking? Not really; Eisner points to trust as the foundation, followed closely by a real sense of ethics.” – Jacobs, Barbara 2010 Booklist
3. Business Model Generations – Alexander Osterwalder
This book is a go to resource for entrepreneurs of a new generation who are eager to pursue new methods of planning and developing future business ventures. It’s a great book for an entrepreneur who is facing the task of rejuvenating an older business with new ideas.Highly graphical in design and layout, Business Model Generations is perfect for the visual thinker. Even though its target audience is Generation X and younger, more seasoned entrepreneurial hopefuls shouldn’t count this book out. Any reader will find an excellent road map for reshaping their thinking on enterprise development and business modeling.
“An impressively comprehensive compendium of many of the most current ideas concerning the structure and development of businesses.” – Anglohigher.com
4. How To Win At The Sport of Business – Mark Cuban
Along with being the owner of the Dallas Mavericks, Mark Cuban is also a fixture on the well-known television show ‘Shark Tank’. On the show, Cuban is known for truly emulating a shark. He often lies in wait while the other Sharks argue among themselves and make their offers. Then, while the entrepreneur on the carpet weighs his or her options, Cuban comes in with an offer of his own, usually followed by a demand that the entrepreneur accept it immediately.
Given his track record, it’s no wonder that he is taken up on his offers quite frequently. In this book, Cuban details his struggles from powdered milk salesman to world renowned mogul. He also provides great unconventional advice to entrepreneurs who are just getting their starts.
“In short, [HOW TO WIN AT THE SPORT OF BUSINESS] exceeded…expectations. Short chapters…got right to the point and were not filled with ‘stuffing’.” – Huffington Post
5. All Marketers Are Liars – Seth Godin
Seth Godin believes that successful marketing is all about telling a good story. If you don’t believe him, you’re fooling yourself. Everything about successful marketing is about creating a story and getting your audience to believe that story and to be passionate enough about that story to spread it. Now, the title of the book is a bit tongue in cheek.
The stories that marketers create can absolutely be based in fact, but the delivery of those facts as a story that buyers can relate to is what is most important. Think about it. Any marketing expert will tell you that a successful strategy is based around content and branding. In other words, creating and selling a story that influences the way customers think about your business and your products and services is key to interest and ultimately, sales.
“To illustrate his preferred approach to marketing, the author relates a grab bag of case studies, heavy on emotionally compelling pitches and seamless subliminal impressions. Readers will likely find the book’s practical advice as rudderless as its ethical principles.” – Reed Business Information
Have you read these books yet? What did you think?
Which books would you add to this list?
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How to Break the Cycles of Mediocrity and Manifest Your Greatness
There is no greatness without becoming and there is no becoming with authenticity

In just a few weeks, we will be wrapping up 2023. Can you believe it? This year has been absolutely incredible for me.
I have seen amazing doors opened, new relationships formed and I am seeing dreams realized in my life. While this seems like the hallmarks of a great year, this has also been the most challenging year of my life. With all of the change happening in my life, I have been forced out of my comfort zone and challenged to grow in every area of my life.
I can truly say that I have made the most of my moments this year and I have used everything as a catalyst for maximizing my greatest potential.
As a revolutionary leader, I have the pleasure of consulting and advising leaders around the world to fulfill purpose, realize their greatest potential and make an impact.
I want to share some insights with you that will help you to break cycles of mediocrity and manifest your greatness.
Everything legal must come through the matrix
I am sure that some of you are wondering why I am using the term matrix. However, what you have to understand is that I am trying to make a highly complex spiritual principle practical to understand.
Regardless of your spiritual beliefs, every life has an origin and I believe that origin is divine and begins with eternity. You are birthed from eternity and into time to fulfill a unique purpose and assignment in your lifetime and generation.
The matrix is simply the portal or vehicle that brings something out of the invisible realm and into tangible form. The problem with much of the teaching today is that it excludes the matrix. We are told to believe that success is instantaneous and overnight.
Nobody talks about how a dream progresses through stages beginning with visualization and ultimately culminating in manifestation. Without a matrix or portal then everything that you attempt to birth and build will be illegal.
The matrix not only makes you legal but it gives you the authority and power to function as the greatest expression of who you were created to be.
Every matrix has an incubation process
While many people admire and respect me today, I remember a time when nobody knew who I was or the significance of my message. How did I get to where I am today? I got here through an incubation process.
In other words, everything that has been destined for your life is incubating and awaiting a set time of manifestation. The problem is that most people live their entire lives idle and never initiate the incubation process.
What do I meany by that? Most people are living reckless and very few people are living intentionally. I am amazed at the number of people I have conversations with that have no vision, goals or strategies for their lives. They show great promise and they have undeniable potential.
However, without development they will die with their dreams still in them.
Everything that has been destined for your life must be incubated and converted to become realities born to time.
“Visualize this thing that you want, see it, feel it, believe in it. Make your mental blueprint and begin to build.” – Robert Collier
You must give expression to that which is not yet born to time
When you think about a matrix or a prophetic incubation process, you have to understand that potential is often unrealized and untapped. In other words, your potential is in raw form and your potential cannot serve you as long as it is untapped.
The thing that makes me valuable is that I have the ability to convert potential into power. I have done it in my own life and I have empowered leaders around the world to do the same. How do you convert potential into power?
First, it is important to note that you have to perceive potential. If you cannot perceive your potential then you can never cultivate your potential. In addition, you must take the time to cultivate your potential. We often get excited about our capabilities; however, we never expand our capacity in order to realize our greatest potential.
In other words, the strength of your potential is only discovered through your willingness to stretch. The more we are challenged the more we are empowered to expand our capacity for greatness. Most of all, you must begin to express your potential. The expression of potential is different for every person.
For example, the expression of my potential is best demonstrated through the thoughts, ideas, products, services, books, etc.
For another person the expression of potential may look like a screenplay, artwork, sports, scientific discoveries, medical breakthroughs, etc.
Regardless of the form of expression, I know that you will live empty and unfulfilled until you make the decision to express your potential. The expression of your potential gives voice to your dreams, life to your vision, significance to your moments and activates your true power.
You must manifest your greatness
As a revolutionary thinker and leader, my work has impacted people around the world. I am grateful that my life is a source of empowerment to so many people. However, before anyone could ever benefit from my life, I had to make a non-negotiable decision to become who I was born to be.
I wish I could tell you that this journey is easy and that you will get there overnight. However, in a world that celebrates us for doing we are often criticized for being. As a result, I wasted a lot of time trying to be who other people wanted me to be instead of being who I was born to be.
There is no greatness without becoming and there is no becoming with authenticity. It is through our bravery to be vulnerable that we ultimately manifest our greatness. We do not bless the world by being a duplicate. We bless the world when we honor our difference. When you honor your difference you honor your potential.
Ultimately, your difference is how you manifest your greatness.
When you present anything but your authentic self to the world, you are playing small and you are robbing the world of your significance. Manifesting your greatness requires you to master your gifts.
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