Just in time for the upcoming cold winter season and Christmas, we brainstormed in the team and recorded our favorite book recommendations for startups, entrepreneurs and the bookworms among you. Which books have inspired us, brought us forward, opened up new perspectives or are even on our ultimate reading list? In a team as diverse as ours, a few interesting titles have been mentioned, which we would now like to recommend to you as well. Here you can find out what the individual books are about and why we decided to read them:
1.1 Our first book advice: Stephan Hawking – “Short answers to big questions”
Content: Is there a God? Where do we actually come from? Does artificial intelligence help us to preserve the earth? In his latest book, Stephen Hawking explains the consequences of human progress – from climate change to artificial intelligence:
Summary: This book should definitely be at the top of your to-do list or wish list for the cold and festive days! Stephen Hawking’s ability to present complex facts in a way that everyone can understand, even if you’ve never studied the subject before, and his charming humor make this book a highly entertaining must-read. Enjoy it!
1.2 Second book advice: Christoph Keese – “Disrupt yourself”
Content: About half of all jobs will disappear. It’s quite possible that your own will be there. Christoph Keese shows how we can anticipate developments and change ourselves before the decision is taken. How we use our strengths to become innovators ourselves. The example of his interlocutors encourages us: If we act in time, we can look forward to a glittering future.
Our opinion: Christoph Keese is regarded as one of the top digitisation experts and is putting his finger on the wound with this book. At the same time, he gives hope and points out ways in which digitisation can no longer be feared, but can be used specifically for oneself. Great recommendation.
1.3 Third book advice: Nassim Nicholas Taleb – „Skin in the Game“
Content: In his most provocative and practical book yet, one of the foremost thinkers of our time redefines what it means to understand the world, succeed in a profession, contribute to a fair and just society, detect nonsense, and influence others. Citing examples ranging from Antaeus the Giant to Donald Trump, Taleb shows how the willingness to accept one’s own risks is an essential attribute of heroes, saints, and flourishing people in all walks of life.
Our opinion: The subject of risk-taking, once in theory. This book is best read in the English original for the full effect. Taleb explains how bad decisions are made when there is nothing to lose. A new look at how managers and start-uppers differ fundamentally.
1.4 Fourth book advice: Byron Sharp – “How brands grow: What marketers don’t know”
Content: Marketers like to say that there can be no laws concerned with marketing, because consumers are far too individual and unpredictable. Research has shown this is utter nonsense. Marketing is a creative profession – much like architecture. And just like architects, marketers have to use their creativity within a framework of specific laws.
Read our judgment here: This book is something for start-ups who are already a little more “mature” and want to position themselves better in marketing. Sharp gives you some good ideas that can help you find the right strategy.
1.5 Book advice no.5: Gary Vaynerchuk – “Crushing it! Great strategies for more sales and more impact in social media”.
Content: You want to use social media to build a business, to bring your ideas to the people, to become a brand, but don’t know how? Gary Vaynerchuk as one of the leading social media minds in branding shows how to make it big on the established platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube), but also how to use Spotify, Soundcloud and iTunes for your own purposes.
Read the summary here: Gary Vaynerchuk is one of my absolute social media heroes and a gift for everyone who wants to read into the material. The book is very easy to write with many vivid examples and practical tips. I warmly recommend this book to anyone who wants to get more involved with their social media appearance in the near future. Good Luck!