Reader Views

Idea-Links: The New Creativity

Article first published as Book Review: Idea-Links: The New Creativity by Jim Link on Blogcritics.
 
“Idea-Links: The New Creativity” by Jim Link is a very interesting book that will expand your mind and teach you how to be more creative. Now everyone may think that creativity is not something that can be learned but the author shows you (through many examples) that using his methods, you can learn to be a more creative person. Right in the first few pages Jim Link begins his book with a narration about an Engineer that keeps abreast of the latest ideas, gadgets and technology by filing them away for future reference. He continues the book with many more examples of famous and creative people and tells how they achieved their creativity. Link goes into explanations of their actions and how they related certain events to problem solving and inventing. In his book, Link refers to these relationships as “Links.”
 
This book is filled with narratives in almost every chapter, narratives that grab and hold the reader’s attention, i.e., “Curiosity-Getting Your ‘Why’ Back,” and “Finding Idea-Links for Important Subject Areas.”

Part Two begins with the “Creative Reframing.” In “Discipline 2,” Link reminds the reader that we are all curious about something and that we have links embedded in our minds that are related to that curiosity. He gives examples of questions that will tease the brain. With the use of charts and diagrams, the author lays out his plan for linking everything the brain has stored with a problem-solving solution.
 
Jim Link has written a very informative and exciting book that ignites the brain to allow the creative juices to flow. He has shown the reader that there are many different ways that a person can become creative by referring to what is stored in the back of their mind - such thought-provoking processes that force one to be creative when the author’s methods are used.
 
“Idea-Links: The New Creativity” by Jim Link is a well-researched, creatively written and professionally published book that would appeal to a great many people from all walks of life. From carpenters to chiropractors, bartenders to brain surgeons, all will benefit from reading this 264-page mind expanding text. I enjoyed reading it and gave it a solid “B” on my scale.


Idea-Links: The New Creativity
Jim Link
Beavers Pond Press (2012)
ISBN 9781592982752
Reviewed by William Phenn for Reader Views (1/13)

Selling to China

Despite sharing in the current powering down of the global economy, the allure and luster of China’s consumer spending potential continues its magnetic pull on American businesses. Helen Zhu, Chief China Equity Strategist, Global Investment Research, Goldman Sachs, likely speaks for the majority in a recent observation: “China’s mass market consumers, approximately 400-500 million people in number, are crucial to the government’s goal of increasing domestic consumption. This group has vast untapped spending potential…China needs to focus on improving support for private enterprises and on phasing out the dominance of state-owned enterprises (SOE’s).”  And according to how-to-do-business with China guru, Stanley Chao, it will ultimately be the thousands of foreign, especially American, small-and-medium-sized businesses (SMB’s), who are nimble and innovative, who pick up the slack. His new book, “Selling to China” provides an in-depth introduction to SMB owners and top managers on all the tools needed to produce a successful venture in China. The book clearly demonstrates Chao’s savvy and understanding of the subject and does it in an engaging fashion that will have readers chomping at the bit to get in the race.
 
For sure Chao knows his China. He learned the culture from his grandmother. He acquired his strategic skills from top American university business schools and over fifteen years of work experience in Japan, China, and Singapore. He puts equal weight on what his grandmother taught him and what he learned at universities and on the job. Chao front loads the book by debunking many of the preconceived notions that most small to medium size business owners would typically hold about Chinese culture and how to do business with their Chinese counterparts and government officials. But falsehoods aside, the author makes it clear that cultural and language differences probably are still the two most difficult barriers to success that SMB’s must overcome. Like the book overall, Chao offers logical and reasonable strategies and approaches to obstacles that make the process seem less formidable than most readers probably would have thought.
 
The content of “Selling to China” is substantive and presented in an easy-to-follow manner. Each of the book’s eleven chapters states what the reader will learn at the outset of the chapter and concludes with a succinct summary of the chapter’s key points. Chao’s writing style is informal and occasionally humorous with no academic tone or manner. He sprinkles the book with engaging stories and case study vignettes that successfully held my interest throughout. While Stanley Chao is President of All In Consulting, which specializes in working with small to medium size businesses in the $5M to $250M sales revenue range, I never detected any content that read as self-serving or self-promoting. Chao is plain and simple, a very good non-fiction writer who knows his subject.
 
“Selling to China” by Stanley Chao is a timely, relevant read for SMB owner’s who thinks they’re ready to take on China. And Stanley Chao is a thinker and strategist whose book might be able to help you predict your chances.


Selling to China
Stanley Chao
iUniverse (2012)
ISBN 9781475911787
Reviewed by Joseph Yurt for Reader Views (7/12)

Changing Places: Making a Success of Succession Planning for Entrepreneurs and Family Business Owners

Article first published as Book Review: Changing Places: Making a Success of Succession Planning for Entrepreneurs and Family Business Owners by David Franzetta and Moss A. Jackson, PhD on Blogcritics.
 
Small business owners:  think you are going to live forever?  Then why are you running your operation that way?  Without deliberate planning, most businesses fail when it comes time to hand the reigns over to someone else.  Instead of leaving this transition to chance, do what you can to protect that thriving business which you’ve worked hard to build from the ground up.  But where do you start?  What’s known to work and just as importantly, what doesn’t work and should be avoided?  “Changing Places: Making a Success of Succession Planning for Entrepreneurs and Family Business Owners” is the perfect starting point for succession planning.  Authors David Franzetta and Moss A. Jackson, PhD, offer introductory information to get the process underway and off on the right foot.
 
While the short book doesn’t contain 100% of the steps needed, it provides a wealth of easy-to-understand points which are meant to spring the reader into action.  A quick down and dirty on the subject, it is meant to give a firm foundation to build upon so readers can explore their options with confidence.  The book utilizes some real world examples to help clarify potential issues, such as family dynamics and changeovers versus buyouts.  Further, the ‘Key Questions to Ask Yourself’ sections at the end of each chapter greatly assist the reader in putting their own situation into the forefront and applying the text appropriately.
 
“Changing Places: Making a Success of Succession Planning for Entrepreneurs and Family Business Owners” by David Franzetta and Moss A. Jackson, PhD, is a must read for any small business or entrepreneur who doesn’t already have a set and detailed succession plan already in place.  While the items may, in fact, be used by large businesses, the text and all included examples are written specifically from the small business perspective.  The book is organized into manageable sections, each building on the last and flowing to the next section seamlessly and with purpose.  The editing is first rate; I only found one small spelling error.  This gives the book a polished, professional, and authoritative feel.  All in all, an excellent and easy way to start the process of effective operations handover and ultimately, fostering business success from generation to generation.


Changing Places: Making a Success of Succession Planning for Entrepreneurs and Family Business Owners
David Franzetta and Moss A. Jackson, PhD
AuthorHouse (2012)
ISBN 9781477266939
Reviewed by Vicki Liston for Reader Views (1/13)

Growth Above the Clouds: How Businesses Grow Above Competition and Challenges of Today’s Economy

“Growth Above the Clouds: How Businesses Grow Above Competition and Challenges of Today’s Economy” is written by Michael S. Lawson, covering his research and observations of business in today’s economy.
 
The book centers on the recent experience of retailers, healthcare, property, automotive and banking, as well as, the computer industry giants.
 
Through the business impact of the recent debt crisis on these and other industries, the author outlines how companies have had past and possible future success expanding into new markets, business growth through acquisitions, obtaining capital, introduction of new products. This also includes the development of strategic partnerships and emerging markets.
 
The basic premise is a valid one and debated by media pundits, politicians, companies and even students. How can businesses find success in this economic environment and create a strategy that can weather not only this storm but future issues by the coming fiscal cliff, the third round of quantitative easing (with speculation which could further bankrupt the United States) and the rising concerns of the European economy and the Arab spring. Whew, a lot to consider and even more to digest in order to achieve any hope of growth and success.
 
Given all of this, however, in my opinion, the author misses the opportunity provided to offer insight and educate its readers. It is great to pick up a book, a researched book, on a topic business people would find interesting and perhaps learn from the experience the author has discovered. However, this would leave many in business disappointed as it delivers minimal information that anyone could read in the Wall Street Journal.
 
The book seems to have been ‘effectively researched’ to explain the opportunities for business growth in today’s economy. However, the brief and repetitive writing does not provide specific details on the challenges met and overcome by the companies covered in order to grow and be competitive in today’s economy. The basics covered are in essence a recent economic history 101. In fact nearly all the information is from news articles and a few books, but nothing of value of true research.
 Instead of paying for “Growth Above the Clouds: How Businesses Grow Above Competition and Challenges of Today’s Economy” by Michael S. Lawson, you are better off using the money for a subscription to the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times or the Economist. This may be harsh, but in my opinion money better spent for a true reflection of what this book attempts to offer.


Growth Above the Clouds: How Businesses Grow Above Competition and Challenges of Today’s Economy
Michael S. Lawson
Outskirts Press (2012)
ISBN 9781432788247
Reviewed by Brent McLean for Reader Views (11/12)
 

Mustard Seeds, Shovels, & Mountains: How to Succeed Using Your Physio-Psychic Power

Article first published as Book Review: Mustard Seeds, Shovels, and Mountains: How to Succeed Using Your Physio-Psychic Power by J.F. (Jim) Straw on Blogcritics.
 
Many in our fast-paced world today want to be rich, having successful careers and lifestyles, yet don’t want to put the effort into making this happen.  People look for the “secret” so they can make it happen quickly, the problem is the secret one is looking for will not help one succeed. This is explored in “Mustard Seeds, Shovels, & Mountains: How to Succeed Using Your Physio-Psychic Power” by J.F. (Jim) Straw.
 
 As the author explains in a very easy manner, the “secret” is to have information and knowledge on how to be successful.  It means one has to take some kind of action and not just sit and wait for “it” to come to us. S o what is the action?  First the author states one has to ask questions. These questions include: Where are you going? Why do you want to go there? What are you going to do when you get there?  Before one sets goals to be successful in whatever they are looking for, these questions need to be answered honestly.  One should set goals and these goals should be both short and long-term and be realistic.
 
The chapter that was my most favorite one (there were many) was the chapter on ‘Failure.’ Straw states that “people do not fail because they cannot succeed, but because they are unwilling to risk what they have.”  Therefore, they stay in the lives they are living still wishing they could have what they want. Anytime someone is looking to make changes, they need to consider possible loss.  Straw says one needs to have a specific plan of action in place for a possible loss.  Too many consider the possible losses and then abandon their goals.
 
There is so much valuable information in this small book that readers will want to underline, make notes and read the book again. Straw writes in a tone that makes it seem as if one is having a one-on-one conversation with him.  He is sincere and believes totally that everyone can be successful if they follow some basic rules.  “Mustard Seeds, Shovels, & Mountains: How to Succeed Using Your Physio-Psychic Power” by J.F. (Jim) Straw is less than 100 pages, but in those 100 pages there are very valuable and insightful wisdoms.


Mustard Seeds, Shovels, & Mountains: How to Succeed Using Your Physio-Psychic Power
J.F. (Jim) Straw
Kallisti Publishing (2012)
ISBN 9780984816200
Reviewed by Carol Hoyer, PhD, for Reader Views (9/12)

Getting Hired: Handbook for College Graduates

Article first published as Book Review: Getting Hired: Handbook for College Graduates by Frances R. Schmidt on Blogcritics.
 
Looking for a job is always hard work. Looking for your first job is downright scary, and even more so in the current economical situation. While college gives you many skills for the position you will eventually hold, in my experience it really does not prepare you for the process of looking for that position, and successfully applying for it.  “Getting Hired: Handbook for College Graduates” by Frances R. Schmidt is a great and very relevant resource for all of those young people who are new to the process of searching for a job.

It starts from the very basics of searching for a job, providing an excellent overview of tools and techniques to employ in such a search, and it even does not forget to explain that any job search is stressful. It covers everything from networking and job search process to practical tips on how to market oneself well, how to write a proper résumé, what exactly is a CV and how it differs from résumé, how to put together a really eye-catching cover letter, and last but certainly not least, any and everything related to interviews. Each chapter abounds with practical advice and exercises that will greatly clarify anything the college graduate might still be unsure about.
 
I was very impressed by the way the topics were covered in this handbook, and even more so with how very contemporary and relevant the approach used in this handbook was. If you want to see a really good example of this, you could simply check out the section dealing with one’s web presence and how to avoid pitfalls connected to that.

“Getting Hired: Handbook for College Graduates” by Frances R. Schmidt is a book I would recommend to anybody fresh out of college, or simply anybody who is new to the job market. While the search for the right position will certainly still be stressful, armed with this resource one would be well prepared for what lies ahead.


Getting Hired: Handbook for College Graduates
Frances R. Schmidt
iUniverse (2012)
ISBN 9781450295314
Reviewed by Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson for Reader Views (8/12)

Leadership in Business

Article first published as Book Review: Leadership in Business by Raju Khatri (K.C.) on Blogcritics.
 
Raju Khatri combines personal experience in leadership in business as an entrepreneur, trainer and motivator. In “Leadership in Business,” he coaches the reader in individual areas of personal development and achievement. He provides a logical motivational approach to starting and running a business. He brilliantly parallels principles of communication, marketing, and motivation from ancient Buddhism, the logic of Hindu Vedas, and from the working production model of the community of bees.
 
I found his discussion on several topics of particular interest, including:  The decision making process, a formula for success, business investment, family business strategy, and situational leadership. The chapter titled “Career Plans in Business” tells the stories of Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, and other recognized leaders. Each illustration defines a specific stage of their success story. Illustrations are interesting, informative, and entertaining.
 
Although much of the material is covered by other personal coaches and self-help books, Raju Khatri’s approach is unique. Using a variety of elements within the format of the book enhance, reinforce, and summarize the principles of leadership and success being introduced. These include: Outlines, graphs, charts, case studies, illustrations, lists, topical headings, and parallels. The case studies and illustrations include Sony, Southwestern Bell Corporation, Pepsi-Cola, and other highly recognized companies.
 
I personally enjoyed Raju Khatri’s frequent use of alliteration to emphasize key points. His writing is practical in presentation, content, and conclusions. The book is filled with valuable lessons for every level in one’s career, whether beginning employment, starting a small enterprise, operating a challenging business, holding a leadership position in business, or moving into an advisory role.
 
Raju Khatri’s “Leadership in Business” is worthy of reading, assimilating, and applying…and then…starting the cycle all over again. Highly recommended.


Leadership in Business
Raju Khatri (K.C.)
AuthorHouse (2012)
ISBN 9781477210987
Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (7/12)

Wall Street Craps: How To Play Today’s Hot & Cold Stock Market For Fast Money With Less Risk

Article first published as Book Review: Wall Street Craps: How To Play Today's Hot & Cold Stock Market For Fast Money With Less Risk by Steve Nakamoto on Blogcritics.
 
Author Steve Nakamoto spent five years on iVillage, the world’s largest women’s online community, serving as their Mr. Answer Man relationship advisor. Not surprisingly, the two-time Writer’s Digest Award-Winning author’s recent books have been in the personal development/relationship genre. But his newest book, a guide for independent investors seeking counsel in today’s difficult stock market, may surprise some people. In “Wall Street Craps,” Nakamoto writes about his nearly forty-year love affair with Wall Street and his fascination with the game of craps. Although he earned a degree in business administration/finance, “the only things that interested me at the time were making money and investing.”

The author’s varied business endeavors over the years led him to Las Vegas on multiple occasions and it was on one such trip that he was struck by the notion that playing craps was the perfect metaphor for playing Wall Street. Given this revelation, “‘Wall Street Craps’ was simply something that I felt destined to express and create.”

In his Introduction, Nakamoto simply and clearly lays out what the reader will take away from his book. “In my book, you’ll learn a simple, yet sophisticated approach to playing the stock market. This approach uses an innovative ‘crap game’ metaphor to help investors quickly grasp the nuances of this challenging investment arena.” With that, the author leads the reader through ten, easy to read and follow chapters that explore what he considers to be the ten most critical areas to understand in order to accelerate one’s success in the market.
 
The content of “Wall Street Craps” is solid. It includes interesting background on the modern evolution of trading and investing, varied philosophies and approaches to “the game,” and a few new twists on proven, effective strategies. I found the ideas in Chapter 3, Money Management, to be especially relevant to that subject beyond the stock market. While I felt confident overall in the book’s content, a notable distraction for me as a reader was the book’s inconsistent manner of content presentation. While lists such as “8 New Rules For Playing Today’s Market” make it quick and convenient for the reader to process Nakamoto’s approaches, his frequent use of this method began to impart the feeling to me that some of the chapters were long on hype and short of substance. For me, “Wall Street Craps” was most engaging when the author was writing in his approachable, “let me be straight with you” advisor mode.
 
I like Steve Nakamoto’s tone and manner in writing about trading and marketing in “Wall Street Craps.” He makes “the game” entertaining, fun and fairly easy to follow and understand. Despite some instances of heavy hype, there is plenty of savvy substance to contemplate and empower individual investors to take a shot at the market, even if they’ve not fared well in the past. Since most of Nakamoto’s audience will likely already perceive that Wall Street is a crap game, the book’s title should play nicely to them.


Wall Street Craps: How To Play Today’s Hot & Cold Stock Market For Fast Money With Less Risk
Steve Nakamoto
Java Books (2012)
ISBN 9780967089386
Reviewed by Joseph Yurt for Reader Views (12/11)

Wall Street Craps: How To Play Today’s Hot & Cold Stock Market For Fast Money With Less Risk

Article first published as Book Review: Wall Street Craps: How To Play Today's Hot & Cold Stock Market For Fast Money With Less Risk by Steve Nakamoto on Blogcritics.

Author Steve Nakamoto spent five years on iVillage, the world’s largest women’s online community, serving as their Mr. Answer Man relationship advisor. Not surprisingly, the two-time Writer’s Digest Award-Winning author’s recent books have been in the personal development/relationship genre. But his newest book, a guide for independent investors seeking counsel in today’s difficult stock market, may surprise some people. In “Wall Street Craps,” Nakamoto writes about his nearly forty-year love affair with Wall Street and his fascination with the game of craps. Although he earned a degree in business administration/finance, “the only things that interested me at the time were making money and investing.”

The author’s varied business endeavors over the years led him to Las Vegas on multiple occasions and it was on one such trip that he was struck by the notion that playing craps was the perfect metaphor for playing Wall Street. Given this revelation, “‘Wall Street Craps’ was simply something that I felt destined to express and create.”

In his Introduction, Nakamoto simply and clearly lays out what the reader will take away from his book. “In my book, you’ll learn a simple, yet sophisticated approach to playing the stock market. This approach uses an innovative ‘crap game’ metaphor to help investors quickly grasp the nuances of this challenging investment arena.” With that, the author leads the reader through ten, easy to read and follow chapters that explore what he considers to be the ten most critical areas to understand in order to accelerate one’s success in the market.

The content of “Wall Street Craps” is solid. It includes interesting background on the modern evolution of trading and investing, varied philosophies and approaches to “the game,” and a few new twists on proven, effective strategies. I found the ideas in Chapter 3, Money Management, to be especially relevant to that subject beyond the stock market. While I felt confident overall in the book’s content, a notable distraction for me as a reader was the book’s inconsistent manner of content presentation. While lists such as “8 New Rules For Playing Today’s Market” make it quick and convenient for the reader to process Nakamoto’s approaches, his frequent use of this method began to impart the feeling to me that some of the chapters were long on hype and short of substance. For me, “Wall Street Craps” was most engaging when the author was writing in his approachable, “let me be straight with you” advisor mode.

I like Steve Nakamoto’s tone and manner in writing about trading and marketing in “Wall Street Craps.” He makes “the game” entertaining, fun and fairly easy to follow and understand. Despite some instances of heavy hype, there is plenty of savvy substance to contemplate and empower individual investors to take a shot at the market, even if they’ve not fared well in the past. Since most of Nakamoto’s audience will likely already perceive that Wall Street is a crap game, the book’s title should play nicely to them.


Wall Street Craps: How To Play Today’s Hot & Cold Stock Market For Fast Money With Less Risk
Steve Nakamoto
Java Books (2012)
ISBN 9780967089386
Reviewed by Joseph Yurt for Reader Views (12/11)

Do Not Invent Buggy Whips: Create! Reinvent! Position! Disrupt!

Article first published as Book Review: Do Not Invent Buggy Whips: Create! Reinvent! Position! Disrupt! by Kenneth J. Thurber, Ph.D on Blogcritics.

Kenneth J. Thurber’s “Do Not Invent Buggy Whips” is one of those books that truly make you think. It matters little whether you are an aspiring inventor, an old hand in this field, or simply a curious individual with an insatiable desire to learn, there will be plenty to astonish and amaze you in “Do Not Invent Buggy Whips.”

While I certainly found the theory of invention and reinvention captivating, particularly since this book was written in a clear, concise and easy to follow manner, I got even more involved while reading parts 3 and 4, which deal with application of concepts and examples of product strategies respectively. There were a lot of rather nostalgic moments involved, since some of the ideas that already need to be reinvented were such important discoveries or new products in my own past. I had to laugh time again about the way I first misread the title itself as well. Being somebody who is always dealing with a computer, my first thought on seeing the word “buggy” was something with a lot of bugs, the computer type ones... Granted, the whips threw me off immediately there, but it still took me a moment to associate the word buggy with a horse drawn vehicle, which just shows you how quickly things, including language, change and need to be updated and reinvented.

The word “reinvented” brings us to the main premise of the book, namely the need for the inventions to be relevant and the simple truth that many of the formerly great and valuable inventions simply aren’t that any longer. Kenneth J. Thurber describes a clear path of how such a process should be designed, put in place and implemented to disrupt the status quo on the market and bring in considerable success along the way. While he never promises to make the reader rich, and I certainly found that to be a wonderful departure from the style of all too many so called self-help books, he creates an easy to follow and quite reasonable outline of how one should approach this type of invention/reinvention and which factors one should pay particular attention to.

“Do Not Invent Buggy Whips” by Kenneth J. Thurber, Ph.D., is a book that should find a permanent place on the bookshelves of those who always strive to better products – and ideas, and who are not afraid of hard work and some animosity along the way. Mr. Thurber’s models and ideas certainly could help a wide range of entrepreneurs, not only the inventors, therefore I would recommend this book to anybody in any kind of a business who wants to remain relevant and successful.


Do Not Invent Buggy Whips: Create! Reinvent! Position! Disrupt!
Kenneth J. Thurber, Ph.D.
Digital Systems Press (2012)
ISBN 9780983342434
Reviewed by Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson for Reader Views (3/12)