As a financial expert, could you estimate the cost savings in the U.S. alone through the country’s use of daylight savings time (DST)? Benjamin Franklin’s estimates in 1784 yielded about $200 million in savings in today’s dollars if people lived their days by making the best use of daylight around the year. David Prerau is the leading expert on daylight savings time, and his book, Seize the Daylight, explores the rich history of DST.
[Read more…] about The History of Daylight Savings TimeThe Best Investment Books Ever Written
I recently started listening to the podcast Investing by the Books produced by the Nordic investment banker Redeye. The hosts are Eddie Palmgren and Niklas Sävås, and they are great. Both are lifelong learners, and they love books on investing. In this show, we talk about the best investment books that Eddie and Niklas have ever read. We’ll find out their favorite book about Buffett. We’ll also get more insights on Mr. Market, moats, and the Ackman Paradox.
[Read more…] about The Best Investment Books Ever WrittenThe Firefighter Financial Expert
I love hearing about or reading stories of people learning a new skill that helps others in a significant way.
John Cuomo was an active firefighter and paramedic for nearly 25 years, and he tells the story of becoming a pension expert in his book, Leadership Refined by Fire.
[Read more…] about The Firefighter Financial ExpertBooks Published the Year You Were Born
Your controller just handed you their resignation letter. Your company’s website suffered a serious security breach the night before. Your banker wants to add some meat to your LOC’s bank covenants. How about a quick diversion? I have one for you.
[Read more…] about Books Published the Year You Were BornLet My People Go Change Their Oil
Okay, that title is really bad, isn’t it? I live in the Midwest, so I can’t relate to surfing. Changing the oil–that’s an entirely different matter. If you’re still in the dark, I’m reviewing the Patagonia founder’s book, Let My People Go Surfing.
[Read more…] about Let My People Go Change Their OilForced Out But Vindicated
Gordon Graham accepted an IT position at a public utility district in rural Washington because its core values and guiding principles aligned with his. The PUD’s culture started spiraling downward after a new general manager with narcissistic tendencies pushed an agenda with financially damaging outcomes. These behaviors and other bizarre actions resulted in Gordon’s inexcusable termination, which he tells in his book, The Intrepid Brotherhood: Public Power, Corruption, and Whistleblowing in the Pacific Northwest.
[Read more…] about Forced Out But VindicatedBeyond Command and Control
I stumbled upon John Seddon’s website, The Vanguard Method, a few years ago. At the time, I read every page, post, and short tutorial in one sitting. I followed that binge-reading with his book, Beyond Command and Control, which is the topic for this episode. John teaches us about failure demand, break-fix systems, the destructive nature of arbitrary targets, and budget management. We also gain greater insights into outside-in thinking through a systems mindset.
[Read more…] about Beyond Command and ControlDon’t Call Us the PayPal Mafia
If you are looking for the PayPal version of Brad Stone’s, The Everything Store, that book has arrived. Jimmy Soni is the author behind The Founders where he takes us on a deep, yet informative and eye-opening journey from PayPal’s pre-startup days to just after its IPO. The book is rich with insights we’ve never heard before, and the bookends are incredible–the three-hour conversation with Elon Musk and the moving and inspiring epilogue.
[Read more…] about Don’t Call Us the PayPal MafiaGaining Media Attention With Katrina Cravy
Gaining media attention may not be an ongoing goal for many growing businesses. However, a former TV host and Emmy-award winner in consumer reporting explains that if we can pitch the media effectively, we can sell anything to anyone. Katrina Cravy is the author of On Air: Insider Secrets to Attract the Media and Get Free Publicity. This easy-to-read book also has far-reaching applications for presentations, pitches of any type, and YouTube videos.
[Read more…] about Gaining Media Attention With Katrina CravyGood Business Books Before the 1980s
My assumption is that In Search of Excellence put the business book genre on the map. If that’s true, did good business titles exist in the era of hold-a-job-for-life?
[Read more…] about Good Business Books Before the 1980s