Review: Samantha Parent Walravens – Geek Girl Rising (S)

Geek Girl Rising
Inside the Sisterhood Shaking Up Tech
Samantha Parent Walravens

“Meet the women who haven’t asked for permission from Silicon Valley to chase their dreams. They are going for it — building the next generation of tech start-ups, investing in each other’s ventures, crushing male hacker stereotypes and rallying the next generation of women in tech. Geek Girl Rising isn’t about the famous tech trailblazers you already know, like Sheryl Sandberg and Marissa Mayer. Instead, veteran journalists Heather Cabot and Samantha Walravens introduce readers to the fearless female entrepreneurs and technologists fighting at the grassroots level for an ownership stake in the revolution that’s changing the way we live, work and connect to each other.”

I had high expectations for this book, hoping to find compelling case studies and valuable insights about women in the tech industry. While it does touch on those aspects, I found the book to be disorganized and lacking a clear structure. It begins with a captivating short story about GoldieBlox, which instantly grabbed my attention. However, this story is only briefly explored and not revisited until the very end, which left me eagerly waiting for more throughout but left me disappointed.
The book presents numerous anecdotes about different companies but they are presented in a seemingly random order. It even jumps between companies within the same chapter or paragraph, using examples we’ve already encountered and expecting us to remember all the names. We never get a comprehensive understanding of any particular company or gain any valuable insights into their achievements or methods. There is an excessive reliance on statistics highlighting the under representation of women in the tech field.
The chapters fail to establish a clear argument or purpose, making the entire narrative feel disjointed and confusing. Many of the terms mentioned are specific to America, such as Trump and the Super Bowl. Come on, the rest of the world exists too.
I found the excessive focus on the appearance of the women mentioned in the book to be irrelevant and uninteresting. I had hoped to delve into the core content of the book and learn about their strategies for success and the challenges they faced, but unfortunately, the book falls short in delivering that. It felt more like a collection of disjointed magazine articles lacking an unifying theme.
The constant bouncing around made it difficult to extract any meaningful takeaways, to the point that I don’t feel I gained anything substantial from reading it. It could have gone a lot deeper. I don’t want to come across as anti-feminist, but I have to say that the book was poorly written. Despite my initial enthusiasm for the first 8 pages, I must admit that I couldn’t develop a genuine fondness for this book, leading me to rate it two stars.

Review: Brandon Webb & John David Mann – Mastering Fear (S)

Mastering Fear
A Navy SEAL’s Guide
Brandon Webb and John David Mann

“From New York Times bestselling author and former Navy SEAL Brandon Webb comes a simple yet powerful five-step guide to transforming your life by making your fears work for you instead of against you. As a Navy SEAL, he learned how to manage the natural impulse to panic in the face of terrifying situations. As media CEO and national television commentator, he has learned how to apply those same skills in civilian life. Drawing on his experiences in combat and business, along with colorful anecdotes from his vast network of super-achiever friends from astronauts to billionaires, Webb shows how people from all walks of life can stretch and transcend their boundaries and learn to use their fears as fuel to achieve more than they ever thought possible.”

I approached this book with a sense of uncertainty, unsure whether it would be exceptionally good or disappointingly bad. To my delight, it turned out to be a truly commendable read, deserving a solid four stars. I was concerned that it might be overly centered on Navy SEAL anecdotes at the expense of practical business applications, but I found the abundance of such stories surprisingly captivating. Despite my initial reservations, the author successfully bridged the gap between the SEAL experiences and their relevance to the business world to create a compelling narrative.

What set this book apart for me was its departure from the typical business book formula. While it offered unique perspectives, it still delivered substantial knowledge and valuable takeaways. Although not compelling enough for a re-read and thus falling short of a five-star rating, the practice points at the end of each chapter serving as both summaries and exercises added a practical dimension.

The author’s concept of mastering fear, as expounded in the book, revolves around leveraging fear, steering internal dialogues, and focusing on positive outcomes rather than potential pitfalls. The advice to filter out distractions, dismiss unwarranted concerns, and recognize that fear is genuine while safety is an illusion was particularly resonant. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone facing tough decisions or seeking personal mastery over their fears.

Review: Morten Münster – I’m Afraid Debbie From Marketing Has Left for the Day (S)

I’m Afraid Debbie From Marketing Has Left for the Day
How to Use Behavioural Design to Create Change in the Real World
Morten Münster

“Barack Obama used a secret competitive advantage to win two elections. Companies such as Google, Amazon and Novo Nordisk use the same insight to stir up innovation, increase compliance, improve the work environment and sell more products. And successful management groups in the C20 index have started using it as their preferred strategy. But what kind of insight are we talking about here? The answer is – behavioural design. Because people in the real world don’t actually behave like the people we build all our usual strategies for. We are opposing human biology and psychology when we insist that good arguments, burning platforms, classic change management, pamphlets, campaigns, and joint meetings are the way to go.”

This book hooked me right from the start with its engaging storytelling. The first section, “Misconceptions about the Real Work,” was packed with interesting studies, statistics, and stories that highlighted the importance of behavioral design. However, I didn’t really learn anything new from that section. Things went downhill from there, with less exciting sections that didn’t hold my attention. The ending was a bit of a letdown. It seemed like it was building up to a solution, but then it shifted focus to testing and case studies, which weren’t anything groundbreaking since they had already been discussed throughout the book. So, it felt like we circled back to the solutions section was the real end earlier on, which was anticlimactic.

The part about habits was vague and forgettable. If you’re interested in delving deeper into habits, I’d recommend checking out “Atomic Habits” by James Clear. The author covered a lot of different general topics but didn’t provide much actionable advice. It did give me some food for thought in some sections, but it lacked real-life business examples to make the ideas stick. I found myself getting distracted and not being fully engaged because it lacked depth. The author referenced a few other books which made it feel like they just re-told other stories.

One that stood out to me was “Made to Stick” by Chip Heath and Dan Heath, which was mentioned a few times. I guess I noticed it as I read it. Overall, I’d say this book is good for people who haven’t read much about marketing or psychology. I’d give it three stars.

Review: Cal Turner Jr – My Father’s Business (S)

My Father’s Business
The Small-Town Values That Built Dollar General into a Billion-Dollar Company
Cal Turner Jr

“Longtime Dollar General CEO Cal Turner, Jr. shares his extraordinary life as heir to the company founded by his father, Cal Turner, Sr., and his grandfather, a dirt farmer turned Depression-era entrepreneur. Cal’s narrative is at its heart a father-son story, from his childhood in Scottsville, Kentucky, where business and family were one, to the triumph of reaching the Fortune 300 — at the cost of risking that very father/son relationship. Cal shares how the small-town values with which he was raised helped him guide Dollar General from family enterprise to national powerhouse.”

The readers are treated to a comprehensive exploration of the company’s history. The narrative seamlessly weaves together the personal stories of Cal Turner Senior and Cal Turner Jr, offering a delightful blend of humor and insightful anecdotes from the company’s journey.

The book sheds light on the founding fathers of Dollar General, individuals rooted in small-town values, emphasizing hard work, honesty, and community spirit. The fundamental principles of the company—providing everyday items at the lowest prices and cherishing the core customer base—are consistently underscored.

For those who appreciate authentic tales of real people navigating the business world, presented in a straightforward manner, this book is a captivating read. While the narrative occasionally lapses into repetition and unnecessary details, the overall experience is engaging and informative.

The genuine charm lies in the depiction of the Turners’ lives and the humorous accounts of pivotal events. The book offers a compelling glimpse into the challenges and triumphs of maintaining retail stores, making it a worthwhile read for anyone intrigued by the intricacies of business operations.

I particularly enjoyed the insights into Cal Jr. and his family, and the book’s focus on the economic aspects of running a business. I recommend “My Father’s Business” to aspiring entrepreneurs, and those fascinated by the inner workings of retail establishments. Despite minor flaws, the book successfully captures the essence of Dollar General’s success and the values that propelled it to become a billion-dollar company. The book is well written and a good read, 4 stars.

Review: Book Grocer Leadership Boxed Set (S)

Vendor: Book Grocer
Type: Hardback
SKU: 9781492664505

 

The 7 Secrets of Exceptional Leadership
Brian Tracy

“In The 7 Secrets of Exceptional Leadership, Brian tells us that the wonderful thing about leadership is that your ability to grow as a leader never ends. You can learn anything you need to learn to become an excellent leader in your field.”

Short and sweet little book on leadership. I don’t think it’s anything new, but great self help, motivation and encouragement. Short little reminders on the important things that you can refer to again in future without re-reading a long book. The pictures of sailing boats don’t do anything for me. But overall a good little succinct book to inspire a leader. 3 stars.

Leading with Passion: 10 Essentials for Inspiring Others
John J. Murphy

“John J. Murphy, author of the best-selling book on teamwork, Pulling Together, follows up this best-seller with a leadership audiobook like no other. Learn the 10 essentials to inspiring others and you will find that not only are you performing better has a leader, but your team is sharing your vision and following your lead to ultimate success.”

The cover, boasting fiery imagery, promises a visually captivating experience to empower you as a leader. However, the book doesn’t fully deliver on this front. I value the brevity of the book and its straightforward approach. It serves as a handy reference for quick reminders. The inclusion of images depicting candles, matches, and fire to “ignite your passion” is noteworthy, but the choice of wording could be improved. Overall, upon completing the reading, it doesn’t leave you with a profound sense of motivation and inspiration. I would rate it 2 stars.

Your Most Valuable Asset: 7 Steps to Growing Rich
Brian Tracy

“From this day forward, decide that you are going to earn the amount of money you are truly capable of earning. Take complete control of your career and your income so you can survive and thrive in any economy. The greatest successes of your life are still to come. This book will show you how to get them.”

A short and motivational book that emphasizes personal responsibility and the importance of continuously upgrading your skills. Your most valuable financial asset is your ability to earn money. This can be defined as your ability to get results that people will pay you for. If you are not becoming more valuable by upgrading your skills everyday, you are automatically falling behind, as the market keeps moving ahead. Today, the rate of change is faster than ever before. Having knowledge, skills and expertise, positions yourself as valuable. Specialise in a job, and be the best you, you can be. The market only pays for excellence. Your greatest successes in your life are still to come. Good short book for motivation and reminding yourself to take personal responsibility. 4 stars.

Review: Laura Garnett – The Genius Habit (S)

The Genius Habit
Break Free from Burnout, Reduce Career Anxiety and Double Your Productivity by Leveraging the Power of Being Who You Are at Work
Laura Garnett

“Both inspirational and practical, The Genius Habit introduces a methodology that has helped Laura’s high-profile clients at LinkedIn, Capital One, and Verizon transform their careers and their lives. The Genius Habit gives employees—from entry-level assistants, to middle managers, to CEOs of major companies—the tools they need to gain clarity about who they are and where they are going, and to proactively create the career of their dreams.”

I thought this book was about habits, but it’s not at all. For a book with such a long title, it still didn’t explain what it’s about. This book is about doing your strengths in work and life, which the author calls “your zone of genius”. It’s a drawn out way of saying ‘know thyself’ – this book focuses on building a career on those things you already do well and enjoy. The thoughts and ideas of this are fine but I feel like it’s also just common sense. I also feel this is not possible 24/7, there are always times you need to do something that you enjoy less, and it doesn’t give you any tips for this. The book also has a bunch of other wishy-washy topics on mindfulness, meditation, getting sleep, and perseverance.

One aspect I struggled with was the explanation of the “performance tracker”. The idea of measuring when you’re in your “zone of genius” makes sense, but the execution leaves much to be desired. Numerous variables such as location and who you’re working with are not thoroughly explored, leaving me questioning the reliability of this tracking method.

The message is fine, but I just didn’t feel for this book. It just wasn’t well executed? I found myself not wanting to continue to read it. It was a long book regarding only one topic, yet still didn’t get much out of it. It’s common sense and basic knowledge to me. Unfortunately the writing style was not super engaging for me and the overuse of words like genius made me not enjoy and connect with it as much as I would have otherwise. The author spoke a lot about their own experiences and in a voice that just annoyed me.

There was not any new or unique concept in the book that would make it stand out.
Overall the main points can be summarized very quickly and it wasn’t written in an engaging way. Basically, do work in your strength areas. 2 Stars for me. If you’re after a book on habits, try Atomic Habits instead. Or just try a few pages to see if the style works for you.

Review: Sean Ammirati – The Science of Growth (S)

The Science of Growth
How Facebook Beat Friendster – and How Nine Other Startups Left the Rest in the Dust
Sean Ammirati

“The lean entrepreneurship movement has captivated Silicon Valley and entrepreneurs across the country. It provided an agile framework to develop the right product solution for a given target market, and is now used by almost every fledgling company to do just that. The next challenge is growth – to achieve the financial returns and, more importantly, the impact they dreamed of when starting off on their adventure. Why do some companies realize the VC’s goal of a 10x return on investment, while others flounder? What differentiates the companies that become part of the fabric of our lives and remain responsive, no matter how big they get from those that quickly fade?”

The author gives us a big-picture view of how Facebook outshined Friendster and why nine other startups aced the game. The book, though, doesn’t go deep into the juicy details like numbers, how they thought, or the tools they used. Most of these companies are already big shots, and you might have heard their stories already.

The book’s structure is well-organized, guiding readers through the critical stages of startup development. From the initial idea to execution and scaling. The author did their homework, but it feels like it just scratches the surface. A lot of it is about the popular tech startups and viral growth. It could’ve thrown in different types of companies. The book has this thing where it looks back and says, “Look, this is why these guys made it!” but doesn’t really spill the secret sauce for success.

Overall, it’s okay. If you’re not drowning in business books and just want a quick rundown, it works. I’d give it a 3 star rating – not bad, not amazing. Just right if you’re starting out in the business book world.

Review: Alexis Ohanian – Without Their Permission (S)

Without Their Permission
The Story of Reddit and a Blueprint for How to Change the World
Alexis Ohanian

“As Alexis Ohanian learned when he helped to co-found the immensely popular reddit.com, the internet is the most powerful and democratic tool for disseminating information in human history. And when that power is harnessed to create new communities, technologies, businesses or charities, the results can be absolutely stunning. In this book, Alexis will share his ideas, tips and even his own doodles about harnessing the power of the web for good, and along the way, he will share his philosophy with young entrepreneurs all over the globe.”

I absolutely loved reading this book. It hooked me right from the start and kept me engaged throughout. Alexis writes just like I do, saying what’s on his mind and giving us a raw account of events. I have to admit, he does go a bit overboard with the use of brackets (but hey, I’m guilty of that too!)

The book wasn’t exactly what I expected, though. I thought it would be a straightforward chronological story of how Reddit came to be. Instead, the story of Reddit is brief and not presented in order. But once I got past that initial surprise and understood the book’s style, it was all good. Alexis takes us on a journey beyond Reddit, sharing his experiences with other companies and providing what he calls “the blueprint” for creating your own successful internet startup. So, if you’re looking for insights and inspiration in the world of internet startups, this book has got you covered.

I should mention that this book is very focused on internet startups, so it might not be as applicable to other types of businesses. Don’t let that discourage you. It’s still a fascinating and entertaining read. I genuinely enjoyed it from start to finish. I’d give it a solid 4 stars.

Review: Abra Pressler – Love and Other Scores

Love and Other Scores
Abra Pressler

Noah’s just drifting from place to place in Melbourne – the best part about his life is his older adult housemate and the drag queen who drops in to visit him at his job. Gabriel is driven from country to country in pursuit of a Grand Slam tennis title – barely thinking about anything other than his sport. A chance meeting at a bar starts some heat between them – but what secrets are each of them hiding?

The blurb promised me twists and turns, but it really was exactly what I expected it to be (including Noah’s delay at various crucial points). I think it still counts as a ‘meet-cute’, and apart from the sex scenes (pretty tastefully written, nothing too racy) it doesn’t have that much new to offer. I did read it pretty quickly, just to see if it would turn out as expected. It did.

This book is good in that it presents monogamy, but not in a boring or ‘they settled for it’ way. I’ve read a LOT of books with sex happening all over the place, and it’s refreshing to have two men (rather than teenagers) interacting and not having it all about sex or teenage hormones. I also liked the individual charm that was included in the scenery, and I could see them sneaking (both huge men!!) through the backstreets of Melbourne.

I HATE TENNIS. I find it super boring, I don’t understand the rules and I can’t think anything too positive about a sport that regularly leaves people vomiting on the court from heat exhaustion. Oh, and don’t mention the huge amount of traffic the Australian Open causes in Melbourne. I associate tennis with hot summer nights and a lack of sleep.

If you are looking for an Australian novel with a gay sporting protagonist, this is it! It gave me echoes of Anything But Fine and Take a Bow, Noah Mitchell, but for an adult audience rather than a teenager one. I’m not excited by tennis, but this book was still a good solid read.

Pan Macmillan | 28 November 2023 | AU$26.99 | paperback

Review: Patrick Lencioni – Getting Naked (S)

Getting Naked
A Business Fable about Shedding the Three Fears That Sabotage Client Loyalty
Patrick Lencioni

“Another extraordinary business fable from the New York Times bestselling author Patrick Lencioni Written in the same dynamic style as his previous bestsellers including The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Lencioni illustrates the principles of inspiring client loyalty through a fascinating business fable. He explains the theory of vulnerability in depth and presents concrete steps for putting it to work in any organization. The story follows a small consulting firm, Lighthouse Partners, which often beats out big-name competitors for top clients. One such competitor buys out Lighthouse and learns important lessons about what it means to provide value to its clients.”

I am a fan of this particular author, having delved into several of his captivating works. As I embarked upon “Getting Naked,” I found myself comforted by the familiar cadence and structure that I had come to associate with his novels. This book also adheres to his trademark style of weaving a fable throughout the narrative, imparting invaluable lessons to the characters and, by extension, the readers.

Lencioni expounds upon the concept of vulnerability, urging us to embrace it both in our interactions with employees and clients alike. While this book didn’t quite achieve the same level of gripping suspense that some of his other works possess, perhaps my familiarity with his narrative structure contributed to my ability to predict the end. Nevertheless, it remains an engaging read, with the author skillfully interweaving his principles within the fable.

The Three Fears:

  1. Fear of losing the business
  2. Fear of being embarrassed
  3. Fear of feeling inferior

The core principles presented in this book, particularly those surrounding vulnerability and the 3 fears, hold significant value, particularly for those in the service industry. It is rare to find a book that caters specifically to businesses that offer services as their primary product. In this regard, the author excels, providing practical insights and guidance for service businesses.

Overall, “Getting Naked” is a commendable addition to the author’s repertoire, although it may not stand out as his most exceptional work. Admittedly, the topic at hand is not new, as other authors such as Brené Brown have also explored the importance of vulnerability. The fact that multiple authors have tackled this subject underscores its significance and relevance in our lives. Taking into account its strengths and its place in the broader literary landscape, I give this book 4 stars.