Business books that you likely don’t need to read

In the business world there are certain rights of passage often promoted as being “required” of entrepreneurs and business owners who want to be successful. From business books, to hustle culture mentalities, to marketing yourself in specific ways, you’ve likely felt pressured in some way or another to conform to a certain way of being in order to get your business out into the world.

And while there are plenty of “successful” people advocating for these very restrictive entrepreneurial guidelines, I appreciate when people push back on some of the widely accepted narratives and approaches to business. So, let’s talk about some folks that aren’t in this category and why they shouldn’t be considered essential reading.

Business, StorytellingJasmine IrvenJuly 27, 2023books, book recommendations, business, Business coachComment

Features and functions aren't your story (and they're mostly not interesting either)

it’s not that no one wants your program, it’s that the story isn’t that interesting. Stories are a powerful way to create connection with your audience. You don't have to share deeply personal details to use stories that evoke a response. Use stories to relate to your audience and the frustrations or fears they have.

StorytellingKaren WilsonAugust 18, 2021storytelling, content marketing, content creation, customer marketingComment

Use storytelling to speak to the needs of your audience

I read quite a few business books (unless there’s a pandemic and my reading mojo is broken) and there are often takeaways that I remember from specific books more than others. Much of the content I remember best is wrapped inside a story.

2017: Reflections on a year of constant change and challenge

Putting aside all the things we can say about 2017 based on what's in the news, this has been a year of a lot. There are things that happened six months ago I haven't fully processed yet though I think that ship might have sailed. I stumbled on this list of reflective questions in Forbes and I like that I can shape my story of 2017 through my answers to some of the questions.

StorytellingKaren WilsonDecember 28, 20172017, reflections, looking backComment

Storytelling gone wrong: When I can't relate, you lose me

I was doing some research for a blog post recently and came across a post that - based on the title - had exactly what I was looking for. I was trying to find practical advice for storytelling in a particular context. I eagerly started reading the post, curious to see what the author could add to my research.

The post was written in a storytelling format, offering up examples of how the author had used the tactic they were writing about. But I was lost by the second line of the blog post.

StorytellingKaren WilsonAugust 29, 2017content marketing, storytelling, subject matter expert, subject matter expertiseComment

Blog