Stacy KaracostasBy Stacy Karacostas – Mon, 03/08/2010 -

One of the keys to growing any business is to keep learning and stay open to new ideas. That’s why, every so often, I like to share a few of the books that have most recently topped my must-read list. Some of are non-fiction and specific to your business, and a couple simply inspired and entertained me in special ways that make them worth sharing.

Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces that Shape Our Decisions by Dan Ariely

My new favorite read…This book is right up there with Cialdini’s Influence, and a must read for anyone interested in the psychology of why we buy what we buy, or why we make some of the clearly illogical decisions we’re all prone to make. Author Ariely, a professor of Behavioral Economics at MIT, is clearly fascinated with this subject and his fascination quickly rubs off. He believes that most of our irrational is totally predictable. And though he’s often discussing his own research studies, the writing is anything but dull or academic. Ariely’s delivery is informative and entertaining—sometimes even laugh out loud funny (people do make the darndest choicest!). Entrepreneurs, salespeople, and anyone who ever buys anything will benefit from reading this book.

Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior by Ori and Rom Brafman

While not quite as good as Dan Ariely’s Predictably Irrational—perhaps because they rely on secondhand studies while Dan is writing about the results of his own research—if you’re at all fascinated by Behavioral Economics, and why we make the choices we make, this is a worthwhile read. If you’re an entrepreneur or a salesperson, it will give you insight into what might sway a prospect into buying from you. For everyone else, it’s an illuminating look at how irrational we humans can be.

Riches in Niches: How to Make it BIG in a Small Market by Susan Friedmann

As more and more business start taking advantage of the marketing power of the Internet, competition grows. The solution is to become known as an expert in a particular niche! But how do you do this without losing out on all that “other” business? Friedmann breaks it all down into simple, manageable steps in this helpful book. Regardless of the size of your business, there are big lessons to be learned here. And while the small type and pages jammed with text can seem a little daunting at first, she does a terrific job of breaking everything down it bullets, numbered lists and bit sized pieces. If you want to make your business stand out from the competition read this now!

Breakfast with Buddha by Roland Merullo

This is by far my favorite fiction book of the year…So much so that I keep feeling compelled to give it as a gift. If you’re looking for a good read that’ll make you laugh and think…This is a winner! Given to me by a friend before a long plane flight, I had few expectations when I cracked the cover. I was more than pleasantly surprised by what I found on its pages. Merullo is a skillful wordsmith; painting vivid pictures with surprising turns-of phrase that stick with you long after the page has turned. And he takes you along on an often amusing journey across the country, and into one man’s exploration of spirituality. Light reading with a deeper context—you can enjoy it as the often hilarious page-turner it is, or spend time contemplating the subtext. Either way you’re sure to enjoy it.

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson & David Oliver Relin

Read this book, and you’ll never again be able to deny the power any one person has to change the world. This is a true account of mountain climber Greg Mortenson’s quest to provide education to impoverished boys and girls in Afghanistan…Something he never set out to do. But after losing his way on the way down from an aborted summit attempt on K2, he spent time recovering in a tiny mountain village in Afghanistan. To pay back the villages hospitality he promised to return and build a school. Today Greg is co-founder of the Central Asia Institute, and has built more than 130 schools in the most remote areas of the Afghanistan and Pakistan. If you need a solid dose of inspiration, look no further.

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