Every January and February I find myself reaching for business and creativity books. I suppose this is the small business equivalent of a new gym membership! I've found that even if I don't enjoy the entire book, I often find an interesting quote or idea that I'm able to use.
Here's what I've learned so far:
- Track, control, and plan your phone/online use
Book: Bored and Brilliant by Manoush Zomorodi
Favorite quote: "Neuroscientists say that if we are always responding, we don't take time to think up new ideas."
My take: This year I've been thinking about how to contain my time on social media, so this book felt like a good starting point. It is packed with studies about boredom, technology, and creativity, but if you're not that interested in the details, you can still follow the same Bored and Brilliant Challenge described on the website. (I do find it ironic that it's suggested that we download an app ... to track our app usage.) I learned about this book on the By the Book podcast, where two female hosts live by the rules of a self-help book for a short period and report the results. - Listen to your gut when pricing
Book: Real Artists Don't Starve by Jeff Goins
Favorite quote: "If you're feeling resentment at all, you're charging too little."
My take: I've heard many of the stories in this book before, so this book about making a living as an artist didn't resonate with me to the degree that it might have with someone else. However, I absolutely love the quote about resentment and pricing. It doesn't matter if you used a highly regarded price calculator to set your prices. If you are seething when you sell your handmade work, there is a problem. I've seen this happen particularly when artists offer custom work. Customized items typically take significantly more energy and time, so it makes sense that they would cost more than something mass produced. - Figure out how to live your dream and make a living
Book: The Actor's Life by Jenna Fischer
Favorite quote: "Catering might be the best job an aspiring actor can get. Most catering jobs are evenings and weekends. The pay is decent. The work is easy. They almost always have leftover food you can eat at the end of your shift."
My take: I'm the only person who has never seen the author on the TV show The Office, but I still found this book fascinating. This extremely practical book is geared towards the working or aspiring actor. Not a star, necessarily, but someone who is regularly appearing on stage, in commercials, or in repeated guest roles on TV or in the movies. While it is very actor-specific with tips about head shots and auditions, a new high school or college graduate who wants to work in a creative career might be able to glean some tips on how to do what they love and still pay the rent. (Elizabeth Gilbert in her book Big Magic has a similar practical philosophy about good day jobs for writers.) - Learn to tell your story
Book: Side Hustle: From Idea to Income in 27 Days by Chris Guillebeau
Favorite quote: "When you build something for yourself, even as you continue to work your day job, you become empowered."
My take: I love how specific and approachable this book is for new, very small side businesses. This is not the normal "get a $50,000 loan from the bank and write a multi-page business plan" type of business book. Instead, it's packed with simple steps and questions throughout that help you focus your start-up idea and figure out if it will work. For example, instead of just saying "write the story about your business," he gives specific prompts to help you write it: "I've always been interested in... I was frustrated by ... I knew there was a better way so I ...". (If you enjoy the stories of micro businesses the author shares, you might also enjoy his podcast Side Hustle School.)
Here's to a great 2018!