Top Shelf Reading Picks:

Rules for Renegades:  How to Make More Money, Rock Your Career, and Revel in Your Individuality by Christine Comaford-Lynch makes my Top Shelf reading picks not because it’s a great book, but because it raises a bunch of issues worth discussing. As I mentioned to a commenter who wanted me to stick just to reviewing the text, that’s not the point of this blog. Call me a “renegade� but I consider this blog more of a book group or discussion about issues that may be relevant to entrepreneurs. So, now that the disclaimers are in place, here are some interesting discussion points that this book raised for me.

When to judge a book by the cover. Despite the use of the word “renegade,� I didn’t like the title because the whole point of being a renegade is to not have rules. And while we’re on the title, I found it interesting that the subtitle in the UK version is: How to Storm the Boardroom, Build Power, Harness Your Individuality and Get Stuff Done!  So, it’s just the Yanks who care about “money?� And, actually, I like the UK cover much better (the Geisha on the motorbike is definitely an attention-getter).

PR can sometimes derail a project. When I was first contacted about the Rules, even though I’d never heard anything about it or the author, I loved the idea of a book by a rebellious female entrepreneur. But, when the PR team then tried to dictate to me exactly when my review should appear so as to coincide with other PR they had planned, I pulled it out of the stack and put it at the bottom of the pile. The only thing that brought it back to the top was that I put it under the stack of leadership books that had been piling up. For some reason, I can’t bring myself to crack one because they all seem to be written by Boomers advocating the command and control style which just doesn’t work with the business models I care about. (But, more about that in future weeks).

PR can sometimes overcome mediocrity. So, I started reading the book. And, I really, really wanted to like it. And it did have some good parts. I liked whenever she described her interactions with powerful individuals. That is when Comaford-Lynch is at her strongest. Her description of her dates with Bill Gates and Larry Ellison, and conversations with Hillary Clinton, and even her conversations with some of the management at Microsoft left us with insights into how these individuals operate, and ideas about interacting with them. Unfortunately, the rest of the book was name dropping (yes, you mention Steve Jobs, Jane Fonda, etc. but why not tell us about your meetings with them?) 

Despite those highlights, overall there was not much new and the lack of coherent organization and weak writing were distracting. So, that brought me to the Amazon reviews of the book. And while I know all authors prod friends and family to write a few nice reviews on the site, these seemed a bit excessive. Especially the ones who salivated about how “well-written� it was. Yet, it seems I was not the only one to notice the disconnect as some of the reviewers had interesting opinions and comments about the role of “professional reviewers.�  

What is a bestseller? As an author, I know that we personally care about book rankings (see this great posting from Anita Bruzzeze about that). And, I know that I can influence my rankings by buying 25 of my own books in one day from Amazon.  Imagine if I could afford to buy more? I mention this because it struck me as odd that a book I had never heard of, by an individual I have never heard of, could, at the time I first checked, be ranked #2 in business books on Amazon, sandwiched between books by Alan Greenspan and Bill Clinton. Today I checked and it’s at #85 (and Greenspan and Clinton are still up there at #1 and #4). No judgments here — it’s just one of those things that struck me as odd, and made me curious as to what’s really behind anyone’s book rankings.

Getting away from the marketing and back to the book. I think there are some great lessons in there for someone who is not already a renegade and who needs to hear that the important lessons for entrepreneurs are getting stuff done, asking for help, taking risks, and learning from failure. Unfortunately for me, this wasn’t anything new. And, perhaps, if you don’t mind “new agey� stuff, you wouldn’t tune out of those parts like I did, nor would it bother you that a book recommends watching the movie The Secret again. My loyal readers know how I feel about The Secret. I’m also not fond of the push for more materials on her website at the end of every chapter. Once in a while is fine. But, if there’s so much more there, why not include it in the book?

Good chapter on networking. As the author of two networking books, I applaud her because she has the right attitude, energy and some great anecdotes. So, this is where I disagree with the critics who claim she is shallow in her networking. Perhaps she should have expanded this with more examples. I also liked her chapter on leadership. Definitely fits the new collaborative approach. And, again, her detailed interactions with people are the strongest part of the book. Her chapters on getting funding were also helpful. VC is not for everyone and she details some great alternatives with real candor.

The Bottom Line. I wish the author would’ve taken the second half of the book (networking, leadership, funding) and expanded on that. Then, she could’ve taken the first half of the book and handed it over to a chick lit author. Perhaps my favorite, Jennifer Crusie? Crusie does a great job with rebellious women. Besides, chick lit needs a heroine who does not work in PR, event planning, or the publishing industry. Why not a sexy, ballsy entrepreneur who can program her own computer? Nothing’s wrong with a few chick lit lovers learning some business lessons along the way. And, bring back the Geisha on the motorbike!

The Long Tail is one of my classic picks, but based on “concept” rather than “I just love this book that changed my life.” Last year, I waited and waited for this book to come in to the library, as I found myself frequently referring to it’s theory in business and felt that I had actually better read the book.

For those who don’t know about “The Long Tail,” it’s an economic theory that believes that due to the internet, cable TV and other changes in technology, consumers are no longer force fed a few choices, and therefore we have market opportunities for “niche” industries and content. Well, if you understand that, then perhaps there is no real need to read the book, unless you either don’t know how music and books are sold online or are fascinated with little details about how eBay and other online retailers work.

That being said, perhaps because I have a business focused on a “niche” market which saves huge amounts of $$$ distributing services and products via the web, I might be too well-versed to appreciate the details. However, it’s like The World is Flat by Tom Friedman. One theory – and lots of chapters of examples. Some are interesting and compelling, others, not so much. YET, if you don’t know what I’m talking about in this review … then get thee to an online retailer, and order your copy of The Long Tail, because this tail does have a good point. At least I like to think so.

The Bottom Line:  Recommended for a quick skim.

Additional Reading/Thoughts:  I caught this article questioning whether the Pareto Principle (a/k/a the 80/20 rule) still applies to the internet.

For the Francophiles in the crowd, Stephen Clarke’s novel, A Year in the Merde, may read like the anti-Peter Mayle as it follows a young English marketing executive on assignment in Paris to launch a chain of high-end English tea shops. The “merde� in the title refers to the “doggie droppings� that litter the streets of Paris (and I can attest to other parts of France as well).

Throughout the story, issues arise from language barriers in conversation, but also in “branding.� The fictional French company’s name began with the letters “V� and “D,� so their new logo was a big red VD. O.K. in French, but not so great for anyone of the English persuasion. Then there was the struggle to name the tea shops. The French team members want to name it “My Tea is Rich,� which is apparently very funny to the French. The Englishman heading up the project didn’t get it and spent most of the book trying to change it.

Plenty of misunderstandings arise on both personal and professional fronts, some of which are pretty amusing. Many are language related, but most stem from major differences in cultural values, which become apparent in everything from team meetings to dealing with bureaucratic red tape and ordering in a restaurant. Now I’m fortunate to spend a bit of time in the South of France and have personally witnessed many instances where Anglo capitalistic tendencies run counter to the more “laissez-faire� French attitude. 

In fact, just last month I was enjoying a fabulous lunch on the roof of a hotel overlooking the beaches of Nice. An American businessman came in and was very annoyed that all the best tables were reserved for others, and that the only available seat was next to a broken window panel that couldn’t be opened to enjoy the breeze/view. He of course started complaining loudly and berating the waiters (who I’d learned earlier only spoke English when they wanted to, and now was not one of those times). They were completely nonplussed by his ranting.  In their view, they couldn’t control the fact that the window was broken or that the tables were reserved, and they clearly couldn’t see why he was upset over something beyond his (and their) control. 

Unfortunately, they didn’t understand the “control freakâ€? American mentality. For better or worse, we generally think we can control our destiny. Now, I’m no French scholar, or cultural expert for that matter, but it seems to me that part of the French “laissez faire” attitude may be the result of having two World Wars fought on their doorstep. As 9/11 showed us, the human capacity to unleash such atrocities on unsuspecting innocents is humbling and can teach generations of people that there are some things simply beyond one’s control.

I mention this because the bombing of Paris and life under occupation are brilliantly depicted in another novel I read this summer, Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky. Is this why the French are more accepting of things they can’t control? I don’t know, but it may have more to do with their lower blood pressure than red wine … or was that cholesterol? Either way, they’re doing something right. 

Personally, my own Anglo/French culture conflict arose on my trip to France last summer while trying to connect my parents’ new high speed internet service. It just wasn’t working. I went through all the steps over and over and translated and retranslated the manual, until I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at the sentence I found under “troubleshooting.�

“Attendez quelques heures, essai encore et peut-être cela fonctionnera.�

Translated to English: “Wait a few hours, try again and maybe it will work.�

Say what????!!! I tried another translating service. Yep, same thing. I couldn’t believe that a company would actually put that in writing. My first instinct was to throw the manual off the balcony and into the Mediterranean. However, I decided when in France, do as the French. So, I poured myself a glass of rose champagne, had some smelly cheese and olives and waited. And, yes, a few hours later, I tried it again, and it worked.

The Bottom Line: This is a light fun read, and probably does not require the amount of deep thought I put into it. However, I thought it provided two very good lesson for Entrepreneurs. First, every country, city and neighborhood has its own culture. Prior to launching a business, you might want to understand the local culture of your marketplace before pushing your ideas on them. Second, in the era of globalization you might want to translate your branding ideas into a few different languages to make sure not to offend.

Bonus reads: Here are a few of my other favorite novels (from the classy to the trashy) about non-French natives adapting la vie en France:

Marie Antoinette by Antonia Fraser
A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle
Paris Hangover and French Trysts by Kirsten Lobe

Made to Stick by Dan and Chip Heath is one of my classic picks for best business books. As you can probably tell, I’m fond of business books that tell stories through anecdotes (case in point, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell). I’m even more fond of books that make me sit down and rewrite my business plan.

By the first chapter, which focused on Simplicity, I was already thinking how to refine my business plan to make it more “sticky.”  After years of struggling with what makes the Downtown Women’s Club different from other women’s business groups, I needed only half a chapter to suddenly turn off the CD (I listen to most business books in my car), and announce to no one in particular — we make networking fun and accessible for everyone. Bingo. CD goes back on and I’m off focusing on how the other chapters apply.

 The six principles that they discuss are:

1. Simplicity
2. Unexpectedness
3. Concreteness
4. Credibility
5. Emotions
6. Stories

Yes, they spell “SUCCESS.” One anecdote that stuck with me had to do with a local newspaper that had a 110% success rate (certain households bought more than one copy). In an era where print is dying (see Lena West’s post in the Tech Forward Entrepreneur blog), the idea that someone could sell more than 100% of their newspapers is incredible. How did they do this? They listed as many names as possible in the paper. Everyone bought it to see if they were in it. In lieu of indepth stories, they opted for names, names and more names.

Now, I just gave up my subscription to the large daily paper because they were piling up at my door and I was getting most of my info online before I could walk downstairs to get it. Yet, I still read my local town paper cover to cover. Partly for the names, partly to see what’s happening (i.e. the fate of the pet snake that escaped from the local library), and yes, I love the police blotter. No drug busts or armed robberies, instead we get “the inebriated gentleman trying to enter the neighbor’s house has been returned to his wife.â€? Or, “suspicious car has left, but it was a Monte Carlo and clearly didn’t belong here.â€?

But, think about it – imagine if, like that newspaper owner, you could find the one simple thing, that was unexpected, yet concrete enough to give you credibility because it stirred people’s emotions enough to tell stories. Now that would be a business plan worth funding.

The Bottom Line: What makes ideas “sticky” are not their complexity or “newness,” but their ability to reach people and make a lasting impact.

This is my final post on Nine Shift – a book that outlines nine major changes in society that will reshape the world as we know it. See earlier post for the list. I promise to move in a totally different direction later this week. Sorry for the overload, but since part of my day job is giving talks on this and related subjects, I have a lot to say on the topic. To recap my earlier posts on the book:

1. We’re currently undergoing an enormous number of changes in society due to our move out of the Industrial Age into the Innovation Age, paralleled only by what happened 100 years ago when we moved from an agrarian society to one that centered on factories. Back then, the invention of the automobile changed the world; today it’s the Internet.

2. Several trends like working at home are going to result in the demise of corporate America and suburbia as we know it.

Which brings me to my third and final takeaway from the book: Those who are struggling most with the changes are men and Boomers.

The authors convey the message that women do well in times of great change. They point to the last great period of change (1900-1920), and note that women were granted the right to vote in the US in 1920. Other accomplishments from this time period:

• 1916 Jeannette Rankin of Montana becomes the first American woman elected to the United States Congress.
• 1921 Margaret Sanger founds the American Birth Control League, the precursor to the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
• 1928, women earn 39% of the college degrees, up from 19% in 1900.

Similar changes are happening now that will also directly benefit women, one of the most telling is that women graduate college in greater numbers than men. See recent NYTimes article about young women in certain urban areas outearning men. Moreover, the authors argue that women stand to benefit the most from the work at home trend.

While the authors didn’t survey “whether stay at home moms would take telecommuting, part-time work, if available;� they guessed the answer would be yes. I agree. Anecdotally, I live in a very small “Stepford-like� town (hopefully to be improved by the changes discussed in my last post), but at least half of the “stay at home moms� I know seem to work (catering, tutoring, real estate, consulting, photography, jewelry).  I also know four stay at home dads (some work part-time/some don’t), so times they are a-changing.

Ironically, our school systems are still on hours from the Agrarian age where kids had to work in the fields in the afternoon/summer.

Unfortunately, when one group makes strides, it changes things, and those who were comfortable with the way it used to be have more trouble adjusting. In this case, the authors argue it’s the men. They illustrate this by discussing Homer Simpson’s lasting appeal – he is the “everyman.â€? And it’s not just in the U.S. Here’s a global perspective:

What’s the appeal? Homer is, after all, basically stupid and indolent. This is how the daily newspaper Clarín in Buenos Aires put it when it sponsored a nationwide “Argentine Homer” contest: “Are you lazy, do you hate your job, are you jealous of your neighbor’s success, are you clumsy, are you funny in spite of yourself, are you forgetful, but most of all, a guy with a big heart? Write us!”

That seems to be it: When push comes to shove, Homer proves himself to be a devoted husband and father.

“Homer resembles so many men,” Mexican columnist Guadalupe Loaeza said. “I see my husband, who, by the way does not miss an episode, and how he resembles Homer Simpson in his insecurities, self criticism, his clumsiness – but all in a loving way.”

Homer is also a character who is not likely to jump on the Innovation bandwagon, yet it’s a character with whom many men seem to identify. However, the book notes that young men are actually leading the Innovation age, so they should have less difficulty transitioning. Yet, I’m starting to wonder if that group also feels threatened, what with the huge amounts of hateful and threatening blog comments against women who voice an opinion online.

Which brings us to the Boomers. Earlier this year, I mentioned in a newsletter that I was reading Boomsday by Christopher Buckley, I received a handful of angry emails from Boomers for recommending the book. This was not surprising as, according to the authors, Boomers are the most vocal about their opposition to telecommuting and other technological changes being brought into the workplace. (Ironically, the last set of angry e-mails I received were from men who were upset that I critcized the premise of the book Why Men Earn More by Warren Farrell.)

But, this is clearly to be expected. Boomers helped create a workaholic culture which depends on hierarchies and facetime. In addition, they are, after all, a generation whose first introduction to the computer was HAL in 2001: A Space Odyssey.  A bit hard to get over the “computer is a threat to all humans� mindset. In stark contrast, Generation Y embraces the computer as a link to other humans. HUGE difference of opinions.

As for the authors’ prediction that there will be a shift to more dense communities? Also bad for Boomers, as there will be limited interest in taking the McMansions they built off their hands. But I’ll leave that to the Finding Foreclosures blog to discuss.

The Bottom Line: The world is changing and some people are going to benefit, while others will protest the changes and probably go down swinging. The entrepreneurs who are going to benefit are those who, rather than fight the changes, adapt and find solutions to the chaos being created during this time of change.