Not all books are created equal, but these book recommendations from Barnum’s financial professionals may help you get a leg up in any business.
Ben Soccodato, CFP®, ChFC®, RCIP®, CExP™, ChSNC®, AIF®
Financial Planner | Financial Services Executive | Investment Advisor Representative
Tested in the Trenches: A 9-Step Plan for Building and Sustaining a Million-Dollar Financial Services Practice by Ron Carson and Steve Sanduski
In Tested in the Trenches: A 9-Step Plan for Building and Sustaining a Million-Dollar Financial Services Practice the authors explain how securities representatives, insurance professionals, investment advisors and CPAs can do just that…and create great lives along the way. Based on concepts taught in professional coaching workshops worldwide, Tested in the Trenches outlines:
The four “foundation” steps to success:
- Four ways to generate revenue.
- 15 habits of top achievers.
- Forms and checklists to organize your financial services practice.
- Online sources for additional business-building ideas and tools.
Proven in the Trenches: 11 Principles to Maximize Advisor Value and Transform Your Firm’s Future by Ron Carson
In Proven in the Trenches: 11 Principles to Maximize Advisor Value and Transform Your Firm’s Future, advisors will receive an actionable game plan touching on the core dimensions of a highly functioning financial services firm:
- Understanding Investor Behavior
- Blueprinting Your Life and Your Business
- Attracting Talent by Growing Your Own
- Putting Process Behind Your People
- Building a Brand that Connects and Converts
- Wealth Planning and What It Takes to Revive Advisor Value
- Creating a Compelling Client Experience
- Evaluating Partnerships
- Attracting New Clients and the Art of Ethical Persuasion
- Plotting Your Succession
- Making the Shift from Advisor to CEO
How I Invest My Money: Finance experts reveal how they save, spend, and invest by Joshua Brown and Brian Portnoy
“Awesome read on what successful people in finance do with their own money.” – Ben Soccodato
In this unprecedented collection, 25 financial experts share how they navigate markets with their own capital. In this honest rendering of how they invest, save, spend, give, and borrow, this group of portfolio managers, financial advisors, venture capitalists and other experts detail the ‘how’ and the ‘why’ of their investments. They share stories about their childhood, their families, the struggles they face and the aspirations they hold. Sometimes raw, always revealing, these stories detail the indelible relationship between our money and our values.
Benjamin Howarth, CASL®
Special Needs Planner | Financial Services Executive | Investment Advisor Representative
It’s Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy by Captain D. Michael Abrashoff
When Captain Abrashoff took over as commander of USS Benfold, it was like a business that had all the latest technology but only some of the productivity. Knowing that responsibility for improving performance rested with him, he realized he had to improve his own leadership skills before he could improve his ship. Within months, he created a crew of confident and inspired problem-solvers eager to take the initiative and responsibility for their actions. The slogan on board became “It’s your ship,” and Benfold was soon recognized far and wide as a model of naval efficiency. How did Abrashoff do it?
The Pumpkin Plan: A Simple Strategy to Grow a Remarkable Business in Any Field by Mike Michalowicz
Each year, Americans start one million new businesses, nearly 80 percent of which fail within the first five years. Under such pressure to stay alive – let alone grow – it’s easy for entrepreneurs to get caught up in a never-ending cycle of “sell it – do it, sell it – do it” that leaves them exhausted, frustrated, and unable to get ahead no matter how hard they try.
This is the exact situation Mike Michalowicz found himself in when he was trying to grow his first company. Although it was making steady money, there was never very much left over, and he was chasing customers left and right, putting in 28-hour days, eight days a week. The punishing grind never let up. His company was alive but stunted, and he was barely breathing. That’s when he discovered an unlikely source of inspiration – pumpkin farmers.
Clockwork: Design Your Business to Run Itself by Mike Michalowicz
Do you worry that your business will collapse without your constant presence? Are you sacrificing your family, friendships, and freedom to keep your business alive? What if instead your business could run itself, freeing you to do what you love when you want, while it continues to grow and turn a profit?
It’s possible. And it’s easier than you think.
If you’re like most entrepreneurs, you started your business so you could be your own boss, make the money you deserve, and live life on your own terms. In reality, you’re bogged down in the daily grind, constantly putting out fires, answering an endless stream of questions, and continually hunting for cash.
“Both Clockwork and The Pumpkin Plan are very relevant to building a business” – Benjamin Howarth
Justin Podbielski, CFP®, CLU®, CASL®, LUTCF
Financial Planner | Financial Services Executive | Investment Advisor Representative
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear
No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving–every day. James Clear, one of the world’s leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results.
If you’re having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn’t you. The problem is your system. Bad habits repeat themselves again and again not because you don’t want to change, but because you have the wrong system for change. You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems. Here, you’ll get a proven system that can take you to new heights.
Children’s Financial Literacy Section
If you’re looking for book recommendations to introduce financial concepts to your children, check out the Peter Saves series of books by Rosanna Guardavaccaro. Follow Peter, as he grows up, on his journey through the world of finance. And be on the lookout for the next book in the series – Peter Makes Cents of Money.
