Well, it’s officially the holiday shopping season, so, instead of the usual Friday Freebies, here is my list of my favorite business books (and a few non-business ones too) of 2008. Maybe you’ll find something here for your holiday wish list. I’ve included some reviews and personal notes as well.
Hot Flat and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution and How It Can Renew America by Thomas L. Friedman
Whether you drink Starbucks coffee or not, whether you agree with their business model or not, you have to admit that they’ve really nailed the art of communicating ideas and values using very simple presentation styles and dynamic, text-based messages (Garr Reynolds calls it Kinetic Typography). Very similar in style to the Girl Effect presentation I discussed earlier this month, these two presentations not only communicate a good message, they move people to action. And that’s the key to good presentations: moving people to action. Plus, I love the theming in both of these. Simple, clear, effective: “What if?“. So, enjoy these two “What if?” themed videos below and if you’re moved to action, do something about it. The first is for (STARBUCKS) RED: Starting today, November 27, every time you buy a special (STARBUCKS) RED product, a contribution will be made to the Global Fund, to help save lives in Africa. It’s all part of Starbucks commitment to give back to the communities where Starbucks does business, which is a key component of Starbucks Shared Planet. The second video was from Election Day and moves us to care about voting as much on November 5th (and all the time) as we did on November 4th. Enjoy and be inspired!
Go to any wine shop this week and you are bound to find them announcing “Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé” (“the Beaujolais Nouveau has arrived”). Step inside and you’ll find countless cases of colorfully labeled bottles of Beaujolais Nouveau displayed prominently. Yes, it’s that time of year again! On the third Thursday of November, the official release date chosen by the French government, wine stores around the world celebrate the arrival of Beaujolais Nouveau. And, it’s a marketing blitz like no other in the wine world. American and Japanese wine enthusiasts in particular look forward to this day with anticipation and are often waiting in line to get the first bottles of the latest Nouveau vintage.
When you think about startup companies what comes to mind? Vision, focused vision. Energy, lots of energy. Small teams. No rules. The Beginner’s Mind. The Art of the Possible. Now, think about the huge, established, multinationals. What images do they conjure up? Bureaucracy. Heavy process. Big teams. Tried and true. Conservative. Dull. Perhaps you came up with other descriptors, but that’s what I think of when I think about startups versus big established companies.
