Good morning from Instaread, your book summary concierge. Today’s title is a wild ride through some of the darkest secrets of the US government. As a former economic hit man, John Perkins has been in involved in some of modern history’s most shocking events. He used to cheat countries out of enormous sums of money […]
The Best Marketers Know This Trick
When we were small children, a good story could transport us into a state of complete captivation. Stories frightened and delighted us, and had the power to shift the way we thought, felt, and behaved. Most people don’t realize it, but the same is true today—and you can harness the power of storytelling to captivate […]
Why We Misunderstand Each Other’s Emails
You probably know how important it is to be able to read other people’s body language. But in a world where the average person spends two hours a day on social media, up to 70 percent of work-related communications are virtual, and the tone of our emails is misinterpreted up to 50 percent of the […]
Become a Better Storyteller
Every person, every business, and every product has a story that can be discovered, developed, and shared. In meetings and presentations, we’re often focused on the numbers. But it’s much more effective to show rather than tell. Next time you talk about quality during a sales pitch, talk about a client who gave you a […]
The Weird, Intriguing World of High Finance
We think of the world of finance as dark suits and stuffy attitudes, but it has a few wild characters. One of them is Bill Gross, the so-called Bond King and eccentric founder of an investment management firm called Pimco. Mary Childs, the host of NPR’s Planet Money podcast, went deep into the self-obsessed, male-dominated bond market […]
Four Investment Secrets
Real estate is the fastest path to financial freedom, and you can get there in less than five years. Your first deal is the most important. Here are four investment secrets that will help you get started. 1. Invest in apartment buildings. They don’t require a large initial outlay, and you can acquire funds from private […]
Go ahead, blow your budget
If you’re trying to save money, you have three options: decrease your spending, increase your income, or both. We can simplify even further. Research suggests that people don’t save much more money when they reduce spending. That means it’s better to focus on upping your income instead of depriving yourself of fancy coffees and other […]
Don’t be a Passenger
In business, there are two types of people: the drivers and the passengers. Drivers are the folks who seize initiative, spotting problems and creating value for the company. Passengers are the people who are content to just come along for the ride. You can guess which type of person is more valuable to a company. […]
Leadership is Like Gardening
For the past few weeks, it seems like everyone has been discussing Elon Musk’s demanding leadership style and whether or not it will work at Twitter. But that style is not unique to him. For decades, management culture has celebrated a harsh and demanding leadership style that isn’t necessarily working. As it turns out, being […]
When to Think for Yourself
Believing that your business is drastically different from others is a classic pitfall in entrepreneurship. Avoid falling into that trap. Assuming that you’re unique will prevent you and your employees from ever learning anything from outside the world of your company. It doesn’t really matter what industry you’re in, for the most part. The basics […]
