Jeff Hooke’s book, The Myth of Private Equity, left asking the question, “What is going on?” far too often while being educated at the same time. During this conversation, we learned much about the myths of PE funds focused on leveraged buyouts. Some of the big ideas in this conversation include the enormous fees fund managers are collecting, the poor fund performance these funds generate, and the lack of transparency in their reporting to institutional investors.
[Read more…] about The Myth of Private EquityTen Ways To Find Your Next Business Book
I’m periodically asked how I find books to read. The last time I answered that question, I had to think about my response. Below are my favorite ways of finding great titles, some of which are by luck.
- My favorite method of finding my next title to read is through recommendations. That could be through friends, influencers, a LinkedIn post mention, or a presentation.
- I may be cheating by repeating myself, but I read many books mentioned by guests on the CFO Bookshelf podcast. For instance, I’m reading Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell. Andy Kriebel recommended the book, and I trust his suggestions. So far, I have not been disappointed. Our podcast guests have recommended some of my favorite books I’ve read over the past four years.
- I read bibliographies of all non-fiction books I read. Occasionally, I will read selected books listed to expand my reading on the topic I’ve just studied.
- Amazon and Audible have me figured out. Their periodic email blast recommendations include titles that look too tempting to pass on.
- Authors send me books. For instance, Ron Baker mailed Mind Over Matter to my house several years ago. Thank you, Ron!
- When between audiobooks, I’ll flip on KMOX, a talk radio station based in St. Louis. Mark Reardon is a phenomenal interviewer, and I love his conversations with authors. Two of my favorite authors he has interviewed are Jeff Smith (Mr. Smith Goes to Prison)and Clint Hill (Five Presidents). We’ve also interviewed Jeff on the podcast.
- Are you a Micheal Lewis fan? If so, have you read multiple titles he’s written? Similarly, I have authors I follow and will read their other titles as time permits.
- Books are my go-to source when I’m researching a topic where I have a learning gap. About 25 percent of the books I read annually are based on such searches.
- Similar to the item above, the same applies to fiction. I’m reading more fiction with an equal mix of the classics and current-day best sellers. I scan lists on Audible and Goodreads to augment my searches.
- Dumb luck plays a role in this process, too. I’m a massive fan of the book Everybody Ought to Be Rich, which is the story of the first CFO of the modern era. I happened to be browsing Amazon, and the title popped up. I didn’t buy it at first because I found the title offputting. When I saw it again, I made the purchase. Great decision.
It’s your turn. How do you find your next title to read? If you need help, don’t forget to check our podcast catalog.
Andy Kriebel, YouTube’s Top Influencer on Dataviz and Tableau
Andy Kriebel is my favorite go-to person on all matters related to Tableau and Dataviz. Andy was the first to create a YouTube channel on Tableau. His subscriber base has surpassed 61,000, and his 750+ videos have 7.5 million views and counting. Andy and Eva Murray are the co-authors of the book #Makeover Monday. In this conversation, our topics range from writing to his five daily habits and why asking for a dashboard can be problematic.
[Read more…] about Andy Kriebel, YouTube’s Top Influencer on Dataviz and TableauThe Best Book On Deming I’ve Ever Read
I have my theories on why W. Edwards Deming is not a household name in all business circles. Many view him as the ‘quality’ guy who impacted Japanese manufacturing after the Second World War. That view is limiting, as Deming’s management mindset had four central tenets: pragmatism, the law of variation, human psychology, and systems thinking. These are Deming’s pillars of thought, explained so clearly in a new book by John Willis.
[Read more…] about The Best Book On Deming I’ve Ever ReadAdvice for the Leader’s Bookshelf
I love The Leader’s Bookshelf. It’s the perfect book for voracious readers. Near the end of the book, my favorite chapter is Reading and Leading, where the author offers priceless advice.
[Read more…] about Advice for the Leader’s BookshelfFiction’s Newest Hero is a Forensic Accountant
Cory Doctorow is a science fiction author, technology activist, and journalist. He has written many books, most recently The Bezzle, a follow-up to Red Team Blues, which are the two books we’ll discuss in this episode. These titles begin a series featuring the fictional forensic accountant Martin Hench. Hench is self-employed, loves being on the red team, and rakes in 25% of the assets he can recover. While entertaining, Cory’s books are deeply thought-provoking.
[Read more…] about Fiction’s Newest Hero is a Forensic AccountantWhat Does the Founder of FP&A Trends Read?
I am a regular reader of FP&A Trends, and I’m just as much of a fan of that organization’s founder and CEO, Larysa Melnychuk. Would you like to know what she’s reading?
[Read more…] about What Does the Founder of FP&A Trends Read?The Harvey Firestone Story
Alfred Sloan’s My Years with General Motors was an immediate success and is considered one of the best management books written by CEOs of his era. Before his book, we’d probably have to go back to Henry Ford’s autobiography to find a management book of this popularity. I now believe Harvey Firestone’s book from 1926 is as good, if not better than Ford’s and Sloan’s. The title is Men and Rubber, a republished book by Latticework Publishing.
[Read more…] about The Harvey Firestone StoryOptions to Reading Peter Drucker
Every financial leader should read Drucker. But many will not because you don’t read Drucker, you study his writings carefully. You don’t read him fast, you go slowly taking notes. Reading Drucker requires work, but the reward is worth the effort.
[Read more…] about Options to Reading Peter DruckerWhat is Active Reading?
Mortimer Adler teaches that all reading is active reading. That is, he says there is no such thing as passive reading. He then explains that active reading is like being a catcher in a baseball game.
[Read more…] about What is Active Reading?