Wealth of Knowledge - Billy Adam James

Check out my recommended books and resources that have helped me succeed. See if they can help you too!

Apps

* The Happy Child: https://www.humanimprovement.org/the-happy-child-app

Books

I’ve sorted through all the books I’ve read and been recommended to read, and I’ve organized them into categories that will be most helpful for anyone looking to broaden their understanding.

Reading brings knowledge and knowledge is power; therefore reading is power. The power to know and learn and understand – Emma Chase

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Becoming a Better Leader
4DX: The 4 disciplines. Achieving your wildly important goals by Chris Mcchesney [x]
By following the 4 Disciplines—Focus on the Wildly Important; Act on Lead Measures; Keep a Compelling Scoreboard; Create a Cadence of Accountability—leaders can produce breakthrough results, even when executing the strategy requires a significant change in behavior from their teams.

Creativity, INC by Ed Catmull [x]
This book is an instruction manual for instilling inspiration into employees, managers and bosses, by revealing the hidden forces that get in the way, based on over 30 years of experience of the president of Pixar, Ed Catmull.

Creative Blindness and How to Cure It by Trott, Dave, [x]
Creativity is all around us. Not in art galleries. But on the train, at work, in the street outside, and in schools, hospitals and restaurants. Creative vision exists wherever people are.In this entertaining collection of real-life stories, Dave Trott applies his crystal clear lens to define what genuine creative vision looks like.

Draw To Win by Dan Raoml [x]

In this delightful book, Dan Roam accomplishes something truly extraordinary. He demonstrates how the uncomplicated act of sketching your thoughts can ignite a fresh sense of direction, concentration, serenity, and expertise. With expertise, Dan Roam excels at employing straightforward illustrations to persuade others of significant concepts and visions.

Find Your Why A Practical Guide for Discovering Purpose for You and Your Team by Simon Sinek & David Mead [x]
A Practical Guide for Discovering Purpose for You and Your Team’,

Good Arguments How Debate Teaches Us to Listen and Be Heard by Seo Bo [x]
Two-time world champion debater and former coach of the Harvard debate team, Bo Seo tells the inspiring story of his life in competitive debating and reveals the timeless secrets of effective communication and persuasion

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t by Jim Collins [x]
This book describes the characteristics of many companies who leaped from being a good company to a great company.

I’ll Take your Questions Now – What I Saw at the Trump White House by Grisham, Stephanie [x]
If Trump can be president, you can be a boss. This book really highlights that anyone can be leader if they want to be, even though some shouldn’t. Have confidence you’ll do great.

Humor, Seriously Why Humor Is a Secret Weapon in Business and Life (And how anyone can harness it. Even you.) by Jennifer Aaker Naomi Bagdonas [x]
This book tells us what makes something funny, how to mine your life for material, and simple ways to identify and leverage your unique humor style. They show how to use humor to rebuild vital connections; appear more confident, competent, and authentic at work; and foster cultures where levity and creativity can thrive.

How To sell is Humans by Daniel H.Pink [x]
To Sell Is Human shows you that selling is part of your life, no matter what you do, and what a successful salesperson looks like in the 21st century, with practical ideas to help you convince others in a more honest, natural, and sustainable way.

Leaders Eat Last Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t by Simon Sinek [x]
The next level of understanding why some organizations do better than others by detailing all elements of the leadership challenge.

Originals by Adam Grant [x]
This book re-defines what being creative means by using many specific examples of how persistence, procrastination, transparency, critical thinking and perspective can be brought together to change the world.

Radical Candor Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity by Kim Scott [x]
Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity is a business leadership book written by former Apple and Google executive Kim Malone Scott. In the book, Scott defines the term radical candor as feedback that incorporates both praise and criticism

Surrounded by Idiots by Thomas Erikson [x]
This book offers great advice on how to get your point across more effectively, communicate better, and work your way up in your personal and professional life by getting to know the four types of personalities people generally have and how to address each one, in particular, to kickstart a beneficial dialogue, instead of engaging in a conflict.

So You Want to Talk about Race by Ijeoma Oluo [x]
This book will help you make the world a better, fairer place by explaining how deeply entrenched racism is in our culture today and giving specific tips for having effective conversations about it so you can help end this major issue with society.

Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell
This book is a powerful exploration of how little we know about the people we don’t know. It explores how we misjudge and misunderstand strangers, sometimes with terrible consequences, making a powerful case for more tolerance and patience in our dealings with others

The Happiness Advantage The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work by Shawn Achor
We become more successful when we are happier and more positive, not the other way around · Happiness is the joy we feel striving after our potential

Thinking 101. How to Reason Better to Live Better by Woo-kyoung Ahn [x]
This book is an invaluable resource for anyone who wants to think better. In remarkably clear language and with engaging and often funny examples, Woo-Kyoung Ahn uses cutting-edge research to explain the mistakes we often make―and how to avoid them.”

Think Simple: How Smart Leaders Defeat Complexity by Ken Segall -[x]
Ken Segall’s first book, Insanely Simple, was based on observations gained from twelve years working as Steve Jobs’s advertising agency creative director, first with NeXT and then with Apple. He saw firsthand that Jobs looked at everything through the lens of simplicity. His obsession with simplicity was not just visible in Apple’s products. You could see it in the way the company organized, innovated, advertised, sold at retail, and provided customer service.

Why People Fail: The 16 Obstacles to Success and How You Can Overcome them by Siimon Reynolds [x]
This book offers strategies and ideas for defeating the sixteen most common failure habits such as destructive thinking, low productivity, stress, fixed mindset, lack of daily rituals, and more.
Being Creative
Great TED Talks: Creativity: An Unofficial Guide with Words of Wisdom from 100 TED Speakers by Tom May [x]
This unofficial compilation reviews the 100 best TED talks about creativity from great minds worldwide. With quirky graphics and memorable quotes, Great TED Talks: Creativity will inspire your thinking, open your mind to new perspectives and ignite your passion for creativity.
Branding
Branding that Means Business: How to Build Enduring Bonds between Brands, Consumers and Markets by Matt Johnson & Tessa G Misiaszek [x]
Branding that Means Business draws from the authors’ experience and business literature as well as psychology, sociology, and even anthropology to show readers that while any brand serves the business, the mechanisms that enable it are all about connecting with people.

Brand Failures: The Truth About the 100 Biggest Branding Mistakes of All Time by Matt Haig [x]
It’s not just smaller, lesser-known companies that have launched dud brands. On the contrary, most of the world’s global giants have launched new products that have flopped – spectacularly and at great cost. Haig organizes these 100 “failures” into ten types which include classic failures (e.g., New Coke), idea failures (e.g., R.J.Reynolds’ smokeless cigarettes), extension failures (e.g. Harley Davidson perfume), culture failures (e.g., Kellogs in India), and technology failures (e.g., Pets.com).
Good To Know
Bittersweet by Susan Cain [x]
Cain shows how a bittersweet state of mind is the quiet force that helps us transcend our personal and collective pain, whether from a death or breakup, addiction or illness. If we don’t acknowledge our own heartache, she says, we can end up inflicting it on others via abuse, domination, or neglect.

Born Liars: Why We Can’t Live Without Deceit by Ian Leslie x]
Born Liars takes us on a fascinating journey that makes us question not only our own relationship to the truth but also virtually every daily encounter we have.

David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants h by Malcolm Gladwell [x]
David and Goliath explain why underdogs win in situations where the odds are stacked unfavorably against them, and how you can do the same.

No Logo by Naomi Klein Title details for No Is Not Enough by Naomi Klein [x]
Resisting Trump’s Shock Politics and Winning the World We Need.

No Logo by Naomi Klein [x]
Incisive and trenchant, No Logo investigates multinational corporations’ exploitative labor practices and sinister marketing techniques.

The Comfort Crisis: Embrace Discomfort To Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self by Michael Easter [x]
In this gripping investigation, award-winning journalist Michael Easter seeks out off-the-grid visionaries, disruptive genius researchers, and mind-body conditioning trailblazers who are unlocking the life-enhancing secrets of a counterintuitive solution: discomfort.

The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt [x]
This is a 2012 social psychology book by , in which the author describes human morality as it relates to politics and religion.

The Price of Tomorrow Why Deflation is the Key to an Abundant Future by Jeff Booth [x]
The book explains how future innovations, in digital technology, will drive revolutionary change in society.
Writing
Letters to a Young Writer: Some Practical and Philosophical Advice by Colum McCann [x]
A paean to the power of language, both by argument and by example, Letters to a Young Writer is fierce and honest in its testament to the bruises delivered by writing as both a profession and a calling. It charges aspiring writers to learn the rules and even break them.

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft : by Stephen King [x]
In his seminal work on the craft of creative writing, Stephen King said, “Writing isn’t about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid, or making friends. In the end, it’s about enriching the lives of those who will read your work, and enriching your own life, as well.”

On Writing Well, 30th Anniversary Edition: by William Zinsser [x]
An Informal Guide to Writing Nonfiction

The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield [x]
This is a book about a single thing haunting all the creatives (especially authors) out there—a blank page. It’s so prevalent in every writer’s career that Pressfield has given it a name—Resistance. The book helps you identify and beat the Resistance on a daily basis.
Marketing
Alchemy: The Dark Art and Curious Science of Creating Magic in Brands, Business, and Life by Rory Sutherland [x]
“Sutherland, the legendary Vice Chairman of Ogilvy, uses his decades of experience to dissect human spending behavior in an insanely entertaining way. Alchemy combines scientific research with hilarious stories and case studies of campaigns for AmEx, Microsoft and the like. This is a must-read.” —Entrepreneur (“Best Books of the Year”) (Author)

Contagious: Why Things Catch On Book by Jonah Berger [x]
Why do some products and ideas spread like wildfire while others fail to catch on? In this book, Wharton marketing professor Jonah Berger shares the 6 STEPPS or ingredients for creating viral content that are more likely to spread via word-of-mouth.

Consumerology: The Market Research Myth, the Truth About Consumers, and the Psychology of Shopping by Philip Graves [x]
Subtitled The Truth about Consumers and the Psychology of Shopping, this is predominantly a critique of market research techniques. We tell ourselves myths, so group discussions and surveys removed from the moment don’t work – live testing in the moment is the closest to replicating real life.

Decoded: The Science Behind Why We Buy Book by Phil Barden [x]
The book specifically demonstrates why decision science has proven invaluable to the field of marketing by helping to explain purchasing behaviours. Decoded delivers a practical framework and guidelines for applying science to the marketing practices you use every day.

Drunk Tank Pink by Adam Alter [x]
In “Drunk Tank Pink,” Adam Alter explores the subtle ways in which our environment shapes our behaviors and emotions. From color to language, he reveals how we can manipulate our surroundings to improve decision-making and overall well-being.

Everybody Lies: Big Data, New Data, and What the Internet Can Tell Us About Who We Really Are by Seth Stephens-Davidowitz [x]
Big Data, New Data, and What the Internet Can Tell Us About Who We Really Are is a nonfiction book by Seth Stephens-Davidowitz published in 2017. The book reflects on the fact that while every human being lies to other humans, they tend to be shockingly honest when searching the internet.

Influence The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini, PhD synopsis [x]
The book explains the psychology of why people say “yes” — and how to apply these understandings.

Made to Stick. Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip Heath & Dan Heath [x]
The book continues the idea of “stickiness” popularized by Malcolm Gladwell in The Tipping Point, seeking to explain what makes an idea or concept memorable or interesting.

Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth and Happiness by Richard H. Thaler [x]
The is a book on behavioral economics. The book talks about how people always go for the path of least resistance when it comes to making decisions. It’s a great resource for understanding the choices we make and as marketers, how we streamline the process for our consumers to make a desired nudge to a choice we want to happen.

Unleashing Employees to Participate and Become Brand Story Teller by Michael Brito [x]
Participation Marketing takes a detailed look at the benefits that arise when employees are fully subscribed to a brand’s ethos, and how this can be used to magnify a brand’s voice.

Small Data: The Tiny Clues That Uncover Huge Trends by Martin Lindstrom [x]
This is a marketing book that explores the power of understanding people’s behavior through intimate observations, rather than relying solely on big data. It reveals how small details can have a big impact on customer loyalty and brand success.

Start with Why by Simon Sinek [x]
This books mission to help others do work, which inspires them, and uses real-world examples of great leaders to show you how they communicate and how you can adapt their mindset to inspire others yourself.

The Catalyst: How to Change Anyone’s Mind by Jonah Berger [x]
How to Change Anyone’s Mind introduces a revolutionary approach to change. Successful change isn’t about pushing harder or exerting more energy. It’s about removing barriers. Overcoming resistance by reducing friction and lowering the hurdles to action.

The Choice Factory: 25 behavioural biases that influence what we buy by Richard Shotton [x]
The Choice Factory is an essential read for anyone who wants to learn. Taking us through a typical day of decisions, from trivial food choices to life-changing career moves, The Choice Factory explores how our behaviour is shaped by psychological shortcuts. The focus throughout is the marketing potential of knowing what makes us tick.

This I Know: Marketing Lessons from Under the Influence by Terry O’Reilly [x]
Canada’s most famous adman spills a career’s worth of marketing secrets, so anyone can compete with the best in their business–whatever that business might be.

This is Marketing: You Can’t Be Seen Until You Learn To See by Seth Godin
This book teaches you how to identify your smallest viable audience; draw on the right signals and signs to position your offering; build trust and permission with your target market.
Money Matters - Personal Finance
There’s a big difference between being broke and being poor. Broke just means you’re going through a rough patch, but poor is like a never-ending cycle. I’ve experienced different levels of poverty, but it wasn’t until recently that I realized I was actually just broke. It’s been a journey to change my mindset and realize that I have the ability to make money work for me with the right tools. Here are some books that have helped.

Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! by Robert T. Kiyosakin [x]
Rich Dad Poor Dad is Robert’s story of growing up with two dads — his real father and the father of his best friend, his rich dad — and the ways in which both men shaped his thoughts about money and investing. The book explodes the myth that you need to earn a high income to be rich and explains the difference between working for money and having your money work for you.

The Wealthy Barber: The Common Sense Guide to Successful Financial Planning by David Chilton [x]
Chilton’s plan (detailed in an entertaining story) is no get-rich-quick scheme, but it does make financial independence possible on nothing more than an average salary. Even if you consider yourself a financial “basket case,” Chilton explains how you can easily put an effective financial plan into action.

The Richest Man In Babylon by George S Clason [x]
The Richest Man in Babylon, based on “Babylonian parables”, has been hailed as the greatest of all inspirational works on the subject of thrift, financial planning, and personal wealth. In simple language, these fascinating and informative stories set you on a sure path to prosperity and its accompanying joys.

Wealthing Like Rabbits: An Original and Occasionally Hilarious Introduction to the World of Personal Finance by Robert Brown [x]
Combining a unique blend of humour and perspective with everyday common sense, Robert R. Brown takes you through the basics of financial planning by using anecdotes and pop culture to shed light on some of the most important, yet often mismanaged aspects of personal finance.
Reading
How We Read Now Strategic Choices for Print, Screen, and Audio by Baron, Naomi S – [x]
An engaging and authoritative guide to the impact of reading medium on learning, from a foremost expert in the field We face constant choices about how we read. Educators must select classroom materials. College students weigh their textbook options. Parents make decisions for their children

Reader, Come Home The Reading Brain in A Digital World by Maryanne Wolf [x]
Reader, Come Home by Maryanne Wolf explores how the digital age is changing the way we read and think. It argues that we must rekindle our love for deep reading for the sake of personal and societal wellbeing. What is Reader, Come Home about? Who should read Reader, Come Home?
Self Help
Braving the Wilderness by Brené Brown [x]
By BRAVING we are able use the tools that this book offers to “Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone.”. BRAVING acronym: boundaries, reliability, accountability, vault, integrity, non-judgment, and generosity.

Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brené Brown [x]
Daring Greatly is not about winning or losing. It’s about courage. In a world where “never enough” dominates and feeling afraid has become second nature, vulnerability is subversive. Uncomfortable.

Do Hard Things Steve Magness [x]
In Do Hard Things, Steve Magness explores why traditional ideas around toughness are not only ineffective but harmful. He explains what it really means to be resilient with strategies on how to overcome discomfort and adversity.

Grit by Angela Duckworth [x]
Why do some people succeed and others fail? Sharing new insights from her landmark research on grit, MacArthur “genius” Angela Duckworth explains why talent is hardly a guarantor of success. The secret to outstanding achievement is not talent but a focused persistence called “grit.”

Making Habits, Breaking Habits Why We Do Things, Why We Don’t, and How to Make Any Change Stick by Jeremy Dean [x]
This book provides an overview of exactly what habits are and how we form them. Using this knowledge, it reveals how to create healthy habits and tackle the bad ones so that we can experience lasting, positive change in our everyday lives.

Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl [x]
This book provides a vivid account of an individual’s experience as a prisoner in a Nazi concentration camp. The book focuses on love, hope, responsibility, inner freedom, and the beauty to be found in both nature and art as means that help one endure and overcome harrowing experiences. Finding you why to survive in life.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho [x]
This book teaches us that we must be open to finding our destiny in unexpected places, and that it must be found before we can truly live the life we were meant to live

The Gift of Imperfections by Brené Brown [x]
This book shows you how to embrace your inner flaws to accept who you are, instead of constantly chasing the image of who you’re trying to be, because other people expect you to act in certain ways.

The Stress Prescription by Elissa Epel [x]
Epel shows us how we can “stress better”—by training our minds and bodies to shift towards a flexible, beneficial stress response that can actually enhance health. You will develop a more robust mindset, build the resources you need to turn stress into strength, and fill your days with more joy, connection, and ease.

Making Habits, Breaking Habits Why We Do Things, Why We Don’t, and How to Make Any Change Stick by Jeremy Dean [x]
This book provides an overview of exactly what habits are and how we form them. Using this knowledge, it reveals how to create healthy habits and tackle the bad ones so that we can experience lasting, positive change in our everyday lives.

Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl [x]
This book provides a vivid account of an individual’s experience as a prisoner in a Nazi concentration camp. The book focuses on love, hope, responsibility, inner freedom, and the beauty to be found in both nature and art as means that help one endure and overcome harrowing experiences. Finding you why to survive in life.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho [x]
This book teaches us that we must be open to finding our destiny in unexpected places, and that it must be found before we can truly live the life we were meant to live

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson [x]
A book that challenges the conventions of self-help by inviting the reader to NOT try, say no often and embrace negative thinking. Not giving a f*ck is about being comfortable with being different and caring about something more important than adversity.

The Way of the Wolf Straight Line Selling: Master the Art of Persuasion, Influence, and Success by Jordan Belfort [x]
A step-by-step sales and persuasion system proven to turn anyone into a sales-closing, and shows us how to win confidence.
Storytelling
6 Ways to Tell Stories with Data Throughout the Customer Lifecycle by Alexandra Samuel
How to Tell Better Stories With Data.

Artistic” Making Shapely Fiction by Jerome Stern
Here is a book about the craft of writing fiction that is thoroughly useful from the first to the last page—whether the reader is a beginner, seasoned writer.

Aspects of the Novel by E. M. Forster
Aspects of the Novel is a book compiled from a series of lectures delivered by E. M. Forster at Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1927, in which he discussed the English language novel.

Data Storytelling with Data by Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic Avoiding Data Pitfalls by Ben Jones
Avoiding Data Pitfalls is a reputation-saving handbook for those who work with data, designed to help you avoid the all-too-common blunders that occur in data analysis, visualization, and presentation.

Design Is Storytelling by Ellen Lupton
Design Is Storytelling explores the psychology of visual perception from a narrative point of view. Presenting dozens of tools and concepts in a lively, visual manner, this book will help any designer amplify the narrative power of their work.

Great Storytelling Connects Employees to Their Work by Joseph Grenny
The author tries to show the importance of storytelling as a tool andmethod to motivate people.

How Content Marketers Can Tell Better Stories with Data by Alexandra Samuel
As the data journalist for Forbes’ annual report on the world’s leading marketers, … How Content Marketers Can Tell Better Stories with Data.

How to Tell a Story with Data by Jim Stikeleather
The analysis has to find the story that the data supports. An excellent visualization, according to Edward Tufte, expresses “complex ideas communicated with clarity, precision and efficiency.

Lead with a Story: A Guide to Crafting Business Narratives That Captivate, Convince, and Inspire by Paul Smith – [x]
This enormously practical and inspiring book lets you in on one of the most important leadership techniques that exists, and shows you how to use it naturally. https://leadwithastory.com/resources/

Legendary Brands: Unleashing the Power of Storytelling to Create a Winning Market Strategy by Laurence Vincent
Vincent selects several of what he calls “legendary brands” and explains how each flourished through a combination of storytelling and a “winning market strategy”

Let the Story Do the Work: The Art of Storytelling for Business Success by Esther K. Choy
People forget facts, but they never forget a good story. Change minds• Inspire action• Pitch persuasively• And more with this book.

Powered by Storytelling: Excavate, Craft, and Present Stories to Transform Business Communication by Murray Nossel
Powered by Storytelling: Excavate, Craft, and Present Stories to Transform Business Communication Hardcover.

Sales Sell with a Story – How to Capture Attention, Build Trust, and Close the Sale by Paul Smith
Sell with a Story. How to Capture Attention, Build Trust, and Close the Sale ; Stories That Stick. How Storytelling Can Captivate Customers, and Influence Audience.

Soft Tales and Hard Asses: One Salesman’s Discovery of the Art of Storytelling, by Paul Lanigan and Denis Goodbody

Stories for Work: The Essential Guide to Business Storytelling by Gabrielle Dolan
Stories for Work walks you through the science of storytelling, revealing the secrets behind great storytellers and showing you how to master the art of storytelling in business.

Stories That Sell: Turn Satisfied Customers into Your Most Powerful Sales and Marketing Asset, by Casey Hibbard
Stories That Sell introduces a proven process for creating and using customer stories. Learn how to: Uncover your most satisfied, successful customers—and get them to say “yes!” to sharing their stories publicly. Move success stories smoothly through the Seven-Step Customer Story System, from choosing to using stories.

Story by Robert McKee
Every story has a core value, according to Robert McKee. With value, we do mean positive character qualities of a person like love, generosity, etc. The core value that pulses at the heart of a story determines its specific meaning and unique emotional impact.

Story-Based Selling: Create, Connect, and Close, by Jeff Bloomfield
Bloomfield tells his own engaging stories while teaching step-by-step techniques of intentional storytelling-to create a fast connection with the listener, no matter who is buying or what a person wants to sell.

Story Proof: The Science Behind the Startling Power of Story by Kendall Haven
Like Stephen Krashen’s important work in The Power of Reading, Story Proof collects and analyzes the research that validates the importance of story, story reading, and storytelling to the brain development and education of children and adults.

Story Smart: Using the Science of Story to Persuade, Influence, Inspire, and Teach by Kendall Haven
This one-of-a-kind book reveals the secrets of a story’s power to persuade, inspire, influence, and to teach. Our brains have been evolutionarily hardwired to think, to make sense, and to understand in simple—but hidden—story terms.

The Hero With A Thousand Faces, by Joseph Campbell -[x]
Joseph Campbell is an exploration of the common elements found in myths and stories from around the world. It proposes that all hero stories follow a similar pattern, and that by understanding this pattern we can better understand ourselves and our place in the world.

The Elements of Persuasion: Use Storytelling to Pitch Better, Sell Faster, & Win More Business, by Richard Maxwell and Robert Dickman
In The Elements of Persuasion, Maxwell and Dickman teach you how to tell stories too. They show you how storytelling relates to every industry and how anyone can benefit from its power.

The Leader’s Guide to Storytelling – Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative by Stephen Denning
Hands-on guide, Denning explains how you can learn to tell the right story at the right time. Whoever you are in the organization CEO, middle management, or someone on the front lines you can lead by using stories to effect change.

The New Rules of Sales and Service – How to Use Agile Selling, Real-Time Customer Engagement, Big Data, Content, and Storytelling to Grow Your Business by David Meerman Scott
Sales and service are being radically redefined like never before.

The Science of Storytelling by Will Storr [x]
Stories shape who we are. They drive us to act out our dreams and ambitions and mold our beliefs. Storytelling is an essential part of what makes us human. So, how do master storytellers compel us? In The Science of Storytelling, award-winning writer and acclaimed teacher of creative writing Will Storr applies dazzling psychological research and cutting-edge neuroscience to our myths and archetypes to show how we can write better stories, revealing, among other things, how storytellers—and also our brains—create worlds by being attuned to moments of unexpected change.

The Storytelling Animal: How Stories Make Us Human by Jonathan Gottschall [x]
We devour novels, films, and plays. Even sporting events and criminal trials unfold as narratives. Yet the world of story has long remained an undiscovered and unmapped country. It’s easy to say that humans are “wired” for story, but “why”? Read this book to find out.

The Shape of Ideas: An Illustrated Exploration of Creativity by Grant Snider
What does an idea look like? And where do they come from? Grant Snider’s illustrations will motivate you to explore these questions, inspire you to come up with your own answers and, like all Gordian knots, prompt even more questions.

The Unexpected Influence of Stories Told at Work by Francesca Gino
An award-winning researcher who focuses on why people make the decisions they do at work, and how leaders and employees have more productive, creative and fulfilling lives.

Using the Power of Your Story, by Kevin Rogers
With this step-by-step guide, you no longer have to spend hours upon hours poring over the elements of the perfect sales hook. With a simple process in place, you will know exactly how and where to infuse your hooks into your existing content in a way that helps you command attention, deepen bonds, and increase sales.

What Great Salespeople Do: The Science of Selling Through Emotional Connection and the Power of Story, by Michael Bos-worth and Ben Zoldan
This complete summary of the ideas from Michael Bosworth and Ben Zoldan’s book “What Great Salespeople Do” shows how the best salespeople are experts in the art of creating emotional connections with their buyers and telling them stories.

Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins by Annette Simmons [x]
Discover how the right story told at the right time has the power to persuade, promote empathy, and provoke action.A story explains who you are, what you want, and why it matters–better than any other communication tool in your arsenal.

Why Storytelling Is Transforming 21st Century Organizations and Management by John Seely Brown, Stephen Denning, Katalina Groh, and Laurence Prusak
This book is the story of how four busy executives, from different backgrounds and perspectives, were surprised to find themselves converging on the idea of narrative as a valuable lens for understanding and managing organizations.

Why Your Brain Loves Good Storytelling by Paul J. Zak
This book uncovers how stories shape our brains, tie strangers together, and move us to be more empathic and generous.
Websites
Content Design by Sarah Richards
This is a good book on how to organize and structure web content, plus some writing guidelines. The term “content design” originated in the UK around 2015 or so through Richards’ work with the UK Government, and the term has caught on in Europe. You do see it used in North America though, often interchangeably with UX Writing and Content Strategy.

Content Strategy for the Web by Kristina Halvorson
This is the original, and still the best, book on content strategy (web content planning) by the person who really made web designers see the value of planning out the content at an early stage of a project, and who launched the discipline of “content strategy,” which is what web content/editorial planning has been called since about 2008.

Reader Centric Writing for Digital Media by David Hailey’s
This book suggests that usability theory provides few tools for evaluating content, because usability theory assumes only one kind of writing on the Internet. Based on three models: user-centric, persuasion-centric, and quality-centric. (This book is exciting but a little out-of-date but still good).

Don’t Make Me Think by Steve Krug [x]
This book is about human–computer interaction and web usability. The book’s premise is that a good software program or web site should let users accomplish their intended tasks as easily and directly as possible.

How to Make Sense of Any Mess by Abby Covert
This book is is a excellent, beginner-friendly, way to learn about information architecture. This is a great little book about the ideas behind Information Architecture. It’s a good companion to Don’t Make Me Think.

Blogs & Articles

Good To Know
Farnam Street – https://fs.blog/
Farnam Street is a blog / newsletter and helps you make better decisions, innovate, and avoid stupidity.

You are not so smart – https://youarenotsosmart.com/
It is all about entheogens and neurofeedback and brain hacking.
Marketing
Cookbook – https://www.coglode.com/
A unique compendium of the latest behavioural insights, distilled, applied and combined to strengthen your ideas

Dan Airely – https://danariely.com/all-about-dan/
He researches in behavioral economics and try to describe it in plain language. These findings have enriched my life, and my hope is that they will do the same for you.

Marketoonist – https://marketoonist.com/
Marketoonist is the thought bubble of Tom Fishburne, a veteran marketer and cartoonist. Tom is the author of “Your Ad Ignored Here: Cartoons from 15 Years of Marketing, Business, and Doodling in Meetings.” Marketoonist is a cartoon studio focused on content marketing with a sense of humor.

Neuro Science Marketing- https://www.neurosciencemarketing.com/blog/home
Roger Dooley, and this is where Brain Science and Marketing Meet! Great blog for cognitive biases and persuasion psychology.

Nick Kolenda – https://nickkolenda.com/
Nick Kolenda has developed a unique ability to influence people’s thoughts. Using principles from cognitive psychology, he crafted a “mind reading” stage show depicting that phenomenon. His demonstrations have been seen by over a million people across the globe.

The Behavioural Economics 2020 Guide – https://thedecisionlab.com/biases

Resources

Here are some resources to help you on your creative & strategitic journey.

You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is up to you – Cherie Carter- Scott

Advertising Inspiration
- Ads Libary- Meta/ Facebook & Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/ads/library/? –
  Ads Libary for Facebook & Instagram. See what your competition is doing.
- Ads Libary- TickTok https://www.facebook.com/ads/library/? –
  Ads Libary for TickTok. See what your competition is doing.
- Ads of The World – https://www.adsoftheworld.com/
  Ads of the World (AOTW for short) is part of the Clio Network of sites that celebrates creativity, inspires a competitive marketplace of ideas, and fosters inspiration.
- Love The Work- https://www.lovethework.com/en-GB/ –
  The Work – Intelligence platform for the world’s most extraordinary creative thinking. Work that won hearts, minds, and Lions
AI Writing Support
- Anyword – http://anyword.com/
  Ai can help with creating article titles
- Quick Tools By Picsart – https://tools.picsart.com/text/
  Really helpful free Ai that can help with writing blocks. Social, rephrase, and much more.
- Studio. One(Free version) – https://studio.oneai.com/
  Great for understanding other blogs
- Word Tune – https://www.writelyai.com/
  Ai to help give suggestions as well as rephrase the content
- Writely AI (Free version) – https://www.writelyai.com/
  Ai can help with creating article titles
- Write Sonic (Free version) – https://writesonic.com/
  Ai can help with creating article titles
Blog Creation Tools
- Co Schedule – Click here
  The #1 Free Headline Analyzer < helps create a great title.
- Halbert Copywriting Method – Click here
  Create better headlines with this website. Also, they launched an AI writing service to help you with content writing.
- Head Limes – Click here
  Work examples of one of the most successful copywriters.
- Hemingway Editor – Click here
  Hemingway App makes your writing bold and clear. ; The app highlights lengthy, complex sentences and common errors; if you see a yellow sentence to shorten or change. Great for writing to a specific grade level.
- InBound Now – Click here
  Free Blog Title Idea Generator
- Natural Reader – Click here
  Dyslexia and other reading-based learning disabilities are most common among students. NaturalReader text-to-speech makes learning more accessible.
- Read O’meter – Click here
  Yon can paste blog text in here to see how long it will take to read. Great to put on blogs the read time.
- TTSReader – Click here
  TTSReader extracts the text from pdf files, and reads it out loud. Also useful for simply copying text from pdf to anywhere. In addition, it highlights the text currently being read – so you can follow with your eyes. Great for reading your blog to listen for mistakes.
Content Creation
- Adobe Spark – https://www.adobe.com/express/
  Easily create stunning social graphics, short videos, and web pages that make you stand out on social
- Canva – https://www.canva.com/
  Canva is a free-to-use online graphic design tool. Use it to create social media posts, presentations, posters, videos, logos and more.
- Images Ai – https://images.ai/
  Images.ai offers the latest in generative AI by taking advantage of stable diffusion open-source code.
- Pixteller – https://pixteller.com/templates
  Choose from hundreds of free designer-made graphic templates. It’s easy to use and customize to make your own Animations, Banners, Invitations, Flyers, Thumbnails,
- Vista – https://create.vista.com/
  VistaCreate is a free graphic design tool with thousands of free templates for you to choose from.
Content Creation - Inspiration
- Answer the public- Click here
  Answer the Public is a free online tool that helps you create content that will lead to traffic and sales on your site. You can find keywords and topics to cover to help you rank at the top of Google, which means more eyes on your store and more customers.
- Good Landing Pages – Click here
  The web’s best collection of sales pages, squeeze pages and landing pages. 397 swipes and counting (most good; a few meh). Curated by SaaS Copywriter Rob Marsh.
- Swipe Worthy – Click here
  Swiped.co is the go-to resource for marketers, copywriters & savvy business minds who want profitable inspiration for their next big promotion or marketing campaign.
- QuestionDB – Click here
  QuestionDB is a content idea generator (free and paid) that helps you find the questions most people ask on a certain topic.
Free Images & Vectors
Even though these images are free to use, they will come with stipulations. You will have to link the image back to the source or credit the photographer/image creator.
- Dreamstime – https://www.dreamstime.com/
  Over 185 Million Free Stock Photos.
- Free Images – https://www.freeimages.com/
  Free Images & Pictures. Free Photos, Clipart, Vectors, Icons, PSD & Graphic Design resources!
- Free Vector.com- https://www.freevector.com/
  FreeVector.com is a place to download free vectors, icons, wallpapers, and brand logos. It is a creative source for design news and inspiration.
- Free Pick- https://www.freepik.com/
  Find & download the most popular free vectors on Freepik ✓ Free for commercial use ✓ High-quality images ✓ Made for creative projects.
- Pexels – https://www.pexels.com/
  Free stock photos & videos you can use everywhere.
- Pixabay – https://pixabay.com/
  Stunning free images & royalty free stock.
- Unsplash – https://unsplash.com/
  Beautiful, free images and photos that you can download and use for any project.
- Vecteezy – https://www.vecteezy.com/
  Explore royalty-free vectors, clipart graphics, icons, stock photos, stock videos, backgrounds, patterns, banners, and designs from artists around the world.
Giff Creator
- Easy Gif online – https://easygif.online/
  Animated gifs made easy
- Ezgif – https://ezgif.com/maker
  Animated gifs made easy
- Gif Maker – https://gifmaker.me/
  This one is a fun Giff maker
- Gif Make – https://gifmake.com/
  Animated gifs made easy
- Google Data Gif Maker – https://datagifmaker.withgoogle.com/
  Google-Based Info graphic gif maker
Good To Know
- The Behavioural Insights Team – BIT: https://www.bi.team/our-work-2/
  They offer a selection of behavioural science consultancy and services to help clients across multiple sectors to gain an understanding of their audience and create strategies that will help them to scale their business effectively. – Their blog is a great resource.
- Speaking in Color: https://speakingincolor.app/
  Ai generated color finder
PDF
Editing PDFs without the correct software can be a nightmare. However, the below websites are awesome alternatives for you.
- I Love PDF – https://www.ilovepdf.com/
  iLovePDF is an online service to work with PDF files completely free and easy to use. Merge PDF, split PDF, compress PDF, office to PDF, PDF to JPG and much more
- PDF FIller – https://www.pdffiller.com/
  Upload, Edit, Sign & Export PDF Forms Online. No Installation Needed. Try Now! Easily eSign Documents, Forms and Agreements Online. eSign From Any Device. Fast, Easy & Secure.
Social
- Best Hashtags – https://best-hashtags.com/
  Great hashtag generator
- Canva – https://www.canva.com/en_gb/
  
  Canva is a free-to-use online graphic design tool. Use it to create social media posts, presentations, posters, videos, logos and more.
- Vista Create – https://create.vista.com/pro/main-1/
  
  VistaCreate is a free graphic design tool with thousands
  of free templates for you to choose from. Pick a template you love,
  adjust it to your project, and posts.
- Vis Me – https://www.visme.co/pricing/
  
  Your all-in-one platform for creating Presentations, Documents, Data Visualizations, Videos and other branded content.
Improve Your Writing
- Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL) – https://owl.purdue.edu/
  The online writing lab offers global support through online reference materials and services for creating citations, cover letters, major-specific writing
- Writing 101 – https://writing101.com.au/
  The Writing 101 courses provide advice, tips and exercises on what I consider to be the fundamentals of writing. I use my own experiences as both a writer and much more.
- Writers Write – www.writerswrite.com
  Writers Write is a professional resource for writers established in 1997. Find writing articles, interviews, contests, markets, news, events and much more!
- Grammarly – https://www.grammarly.com/
  Grammarly helps you write mistake-free in Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and any other app you use. Even in text messages! Write Better in Seconds.

KPI’s

Financial Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Scorecard Measures are essential tools for tracking financial health, informing decisions, and aligning actions with strategic goals.

What gets measured gets done.” – Peter Drucker

Cashflow KPIs
- Working Capital
  - Measures an organization’s financial health by analyzing readily available resources that could be used to meet any short-term obligations.
- Operating Cash Flow
  - The amount of cash generated by regular business operations.
- Cash Rotation (365/cash cycle)
  - The number of times the cash comes back to the organization for a period of one year.
- Cash Flow from Investing Activities
  - Shows the change in an organization’s cash position caused by investments, gains, or losses.
- Cash Flow from Financing Activities
  - Demonstrates an organization’s financial strength. Formula: (Cash Received from Issuing Stock or Debt) – (Cash Paid as Dividends and Reacquisition of Debt/Stock) = (Cash Flow from Financing Activities)
- Cash Flow
  - The total amount of money being transferred into and out of an organization.
- Cash Conversion Cycle
  - Demonstrates the amount of time it takes for money invested in the organization to come back to the organization in the form of increased revenue.
- Accounts Receivable
  - Turnover The rate at which an organization collects on outstanding accounts. Formula: (Net Credit Sales) / (Average Accounts Receivable) = (Accounts Receivable Turnover)
- Accounts Receivable
  - The amount of money an organization is owed by its customers.
- Accounts Payable Turnover
  - The rate at which an organization pays off suppliers and other expenses. Formula: (Total Supplier Purchases) / (Average Accounts Payable) = (Accounts Payable Turnover)
    Accounts Payable Shows the amount of money an organization owes its suppliers.
- #/% Invoices Past Due
  - Invoices that remain unpaid after their due date.
Cost KPIs
- Total Expenses
  - Consists of the total costs an organization incurs during a reporting period (including marketing, sales, and operations costs).
- SG&A
  - The costs of operating an organization—including selling, and general and administrative expenses—are collectively referred to as SG&A.
- Sales Expenses
  - Costs incurred by the sales department—including salaries and commissions.
- Marketing Expense
  - Encompasses the total costs incurred by the marketing department, including advertising, salaries, research, and surveys.
- Inventory Turnover
  - The number of times an organization is able to sell off its in-stock inventory in a given period. Formula: (Sales) / (Inventory) = (Inventory Turnover)
- Cost Per Unit
  - The price to produce, store, and sell one unit of a particular product including fixed and variable costs of production. Formula: ([Variable Cost] + [Fixed Cost]) / (Number of Units Produced) = (Cost Per Unit)
- Cost Per Hire
  - The average cost of hiring a new employee, including advertising fees, employee referrals, travel expenses, relocation expenses, and recruiter costs. Formula: (New Hire Expenses) / (Number of New Hires) = (Cost Per Hire)
- COGS (Cost of Goods Sold)
  - Represents the cost of materials and direct labor used to produce a good.
- Average Annual Expenses to Serve One Customer
  - This is the average amount needed to serve one customer. Formula: (Total Expenses) / (Total Customers) = (Average Annual Expenses to Serve One Customer)
- Customer Acquisition Cost
  - The cost to acquire one new customer
- Cost per Click
  - Measures the cost of a pay-per-click advertising campaign (such as Google AdWords).
- Percentage of Cost of Workforce
  - The cost of the workforce as compared to all costs can be measured by summing all salaries and dividing by the total company costs within a given time period. Formula: (Salary Costs) / (Total Company Costs) = (Percentage of Cost of Workforce)
- Healthcare Expense per Current Employee
  - The total price of health care costs divided out among all employees provides an understanding of the comprehensiveness of a company’s health care plan.
Debt KPIs
- Quick Ratio/Acid Test
  - Shows the ability of an organization to meet any short-term financial liabilities, such as upcoming bills. Formula: ([Current Assets] – [Inventories]) / (Current Liabilities) = (Quick Ratio)
- Price-Earnings Ratio (P/E)
  - An equity valuation multiple that compares an organization’s share price to its per-share earnings. Formula: (Market Value Per Share) / (Earnings Per Share) = (Price-Earnings Ratio)
- Debt to Equity Ratio
  - Measures how an organization is funding its growth and using shareholder investments. Formula: (Total Liabilities) / (Shareholders’ Equity) = (Debt to Equity Ratio)
- Debt Level
  - The amount of debt that an organization currently has.
- Current Ratio
  - Measures the ability of an organization to pay all of its debts over a given time period. Formula: (Current Assets) / (Current Liabilities) = (Current Ratio)
- Bad Debt
  - Debt that is not collectible, and is often written off as an expense.
Investment KPIs
- Saving Levels Due to Improvement Efforts
  - Many organizations look at investing in improvements, or merging operations (or even companies). This KPI looks at the dollar value of the savings achieved as a result of these investments.
- Return on Innovation Investment
  - Can be calculated by looking at the revenue from new products, or the number of new products meeting a revenue threshold. This is typically only reviewed by organizations that have created an innovation department or budget.
- Inventory Assets
  - The cost of merchandise purchased or manufactured, but not yet sold, may be a good leading indicator of preparedness for growth or even slowing growth.
- Innovation Spending
  - The amount of money that an organization spends on innovation. Some organizations have this budgeted as research and development, and others have different accounting terms. Ultimately, if you use this measure, you are valuing innovation as a key strategic thrust.
- Break Even Time
  - The time it takes an organization to break even from its investment in a new product or process. If the costs are big up front, this measure can help you understand how long it will take to recoup these expenses.
- % Investment in…
  - Used for measuring investments in different lines of business. You might measure the percentage of your investment in organic products vs. total investment in products overall. Formula: (Amount of Investment) / (Total Capital Spent) = (Percentage of Investment)
- # of Key Capital Investments that Meet or Exceed ROI Expectations
  - Can be based on the plan for investments, or on the results of past investments. Useful for organizations that invest in many capital projects
Profitability KPIs
- Sales Growth
  - The change in an organization’s sales from one reporting period to another. Formula: ([Current Sales] – [Past Sales]) / (Past Sales) = (Sales Growth)
- ROI (Return on Investment)
  - Shows the efficiency of an investment. Formula: ([Gain from Investment] – [Cost of Investment]) / (Cost of Investment) = (ROI)
- ROE (Return on Equity)
  - The amount of net income an organization generates compared to the amount of shareholders’ equity. Formula: (Net Income) / (Shareholders’ Equity) = (ROE)
- ROA (Return on Assets)
  - Indicates how profitable an organization is relative to its total assets. Formula: (Net Income) / (Total Assets) = (ROA)
- Return on Capital Employed
  - Measures an organization’s profitability and the efficiency with which its capital is employed.
- Program Profitability
  - Tracks the profitability of an individual program.
- Operating Profit Margin
  - Measures income after variable costs of production are considered. Formula: (Operating Income) / (Net Sales) = (Operating Profit Margin)
- Net Profit Margin
  - The percentage of an organization’s revenue that is net profit. Formula: (Net Profit) / (Revenue) = (Net Profit Margin)
- Net Profit
  - The amount of money an organization makes after taking out all expenses and other costs. Formula: (Income) – (Expenses) = (Net Profit)
- Gross Profit Margin
  - The percentage of revenue that is profit after the cost of production and sales is considered. Formula: (Gross Margin) / (Revenue) = (Gross Profit Margin)
- Gross Profit
  - An organization’s profit after the cost of production and sales is considered. Formula: (Revenue) – (COGS) = (Gross Profit)
- Economic Value
  - Added (EVA) An estimate of an organization’s economic profit.
- Average Capital Employed
  - Shows profitability compared to investments made in new capital.
- Customer Lifetime Value
  - The net profit an organization anticipates gaining from a customer over the entire length of a relationship helps to determine the costs/benefits of acquisition efforts.
- Customer Lifetime Value / Customer Acquisition Cost
  - The ratio of customer lifetime value to customer acquisition cost should ideally be greater than one, as a customer is not profitable if the cost to acquire is greater than the profit they will bring to a company. Formula: (Net Expected Lifetime Profit from Customer) / (Cost to Acquire Customer)
- Human Capital Value Added (HCVA)
  - By taking all non-employee related costs away from the revenue and dividing the result by the number of full-time employees, one can deduce how profitable the average worker in an organization is. Formula: ([Revenue] – [Non-Employee-Related Costs]) / (Number of Full-Time Employees) = (HCVA)
Revenue KPIs
- Sales Volume
  - The amount of sales in a reporting period, expressed in the number of units sold.
- Sales Forecast Accuracy
  - The proximity of the forecasted quantity of sales to the actual quantity of sales.
- ROI of R&D
  - The revenue generated by investing money into research and development. Formula: ([Gain from Investment] – [Cost of Investment]) / (Cost of Investment) = (ROI of Research & Development)
- Revenue per FTE (Full time employee)
  - Demonstrates how expensive an organization is to run. Formula: (Revenue) / (Number of FTE) = (Revenue per FTE)
- Revenue Growth Rate
  - The rate at which an organization’s income is increasing. Formula: ([Current Revenue] – [Past Revenue]) / (Past Revenue) = (Revenue Growth Rate)
- Revenue
  - The total income an organization receives. Formula: (Price of Goods) x (Number of Goods Sold) = (Revenue)
- Operating Income
  - The profit from operations after removing operating expenses. Formula: (Gross Income) – (Operating Expenses) – (Depreciation & Amortization) = (Operating Income)
- Net Income
  - The amount of sales after subtracting discounts, returns, and damaged goods. Formula: (Revenue) – (Expenses) = (Net Income)
- EBT (Earning Before Taxes)
  - Shows how much an organization has made after considering COGS, interest, and SG&A expenses, before taxes are subtracted. Formula: (Revenue) – (COGS) – (Interest) – (SG&A) = (EBT)
- EBITDA
  - Measures revenue after expenses are considered and interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization are excluded. Formula: (Revenue) – (Expenses Excluding Interest, Tax, Depreciation & Amortization) = (EBITDA)
- Average Annual Sales Volume Per Customer
  - This is the average amount of sales per customer, expressed in currency. Formula: (Total Sales) / (Total Customers) = (Average Annual Sales Volume per Customer)
- Asset Utilization
  - Total revenue earned for every dollar of assets an organization owns. Formula: (Total Revenue) / (Total Assets) = (Asset Utilization)
- Share of Wallet
  - Measures the portion of a customer’s total spending that goes toward the company’s products and services.
- EBIT
  - An indicator of a company’s profitability with expenses removed and interest and tax excluded. Formula: (Revenue) – (COGS) – (Operating Expenses) = (EBIT)