Shortform Books

6 Tips for Customer-Centric Product Development

Why is customer-centric product development important for business? How can you implement a customer-centric strategy in your business plan? According to 12 Months to $1 Million by Ryan Moran, you must create a brand by having a coherent line of products that all serve the same customer. With this in mind, Moran suggests putting the customer first when creating your first product. Let’s dive into the details of customer-centric product development.

Malcolm X in Boston: Shorty, the Ghetto, & the Road to Prison

Why was Malcolm X drawn to Boston? What did he learn about society there? How did he end up in prison? In Malcolm X’s autobiography, he details his early life and why he chose to move to Boston when he was a teenager. While there, he got a firsthand view of both sides of the coin of Black culture—and one side in particular drew him in. Keep reading to learn about Malcolm X in Boston.

James Williams’s Communication Skills Training: Book Overview

Do you go into conversations with confidence? How often do people misunderstand you? When is it appropriate to ask someone specific personal questions? Communication Skills Training, a book by James Williams, explains that good communication skills don’t come naturally. Instead, they’re built up over time through intentional practice. Williams lays out the skills you need for interpersonal communication and provides a few tips on public speaking. Continue reading for an overview of this practical book that can help you hear and be heard more effectively.

The Best Strengths for Leaders: Gallup’s 4 Recommendations

What’s Gallup’s leadership philosophy? What are the best Gallup strengths for leaders? Gallup is a business research and consulting company that Strengths Based Leadership by Tom Rath and Barry Conchie bases most of its research on. Their book lists four strengths that leaders should capitalize on based on their innate talents, with the help of a well-balanced team to fill in the gaps. Keep reading to learn more about the best Gallup strengths for leaders.

Don’t Sacrifice Your #1 Business Priority on the Altar of Growth

What’s the core work of your business? Have you let important matters get in the way of the single most critical matter? Paul Jarvis warns business leaders about the pitfalls of growth. While growth can be an important aspect of business success, the most important priority is too often sacrificed on its altar. Growth creates many complications that you can and should deal with, but you mustn’t let it chip away at the core. Read more to understand how growth can make it difficult for you to tend to your top business priority in the way you should.

The 3 Steps to Taking an Emotional Negotiation Approach

Why is empathy important in negotiations? How can you succeed at an emotional negotiation approach? Reading other people’s emotions is crucial for negotiations. When you know how another person is feeling, you can offer them what they want with an offer they can’t deny. Keep reading to learn more about the emotional negotiation approach.

Malcolm X in Harlem: Hustling, Drugs, & the Struggle to Survive

Why did Malcolm X move to Harlem? How did he get pulled into the underground crime scene? The Autobiography of Malcolm X chronicles the time Malcolm X spent in Harlem from 1943 to 1945. As a young man in his late teens, Malcolm X got drawn in by a rough crowd on the tough streets of New York City, and he entered adulthood by sliding into a life of crime. Continue reading to learn about Malcolm X in Harlem.

Is Your Business Growing Too Fast? Avoid These 2 Pitfalls

Is your business growing too fast? Why are outside investments sometimes a bad idea? Should your expenditures be based on projections or actual revenue? Business growth is exciting and feels like success. But, there’s such a thing too much, too fast. In Company of One, Paul Jarvis identifies two negative consequences of fast growth that your company could experience: (1) damage to the relationships with your original customers and (2) outright failure. Keep reading to learn about the potential pitfalls of rapid business growth.

Is In-Person Shopping Replacing E-Commerce Again?

Is in-person shopping coming back full steam? Is e-commerce on the decline? E-commerce’s explosive pandemic growth appears to be moderating, with a growing number of shoppers returning to in-person shopping for items like clothes, food, and furniture. Some experts believe that e-commerce has peaked and is in decline, while others think it’s still going strong. Keep reading for two views on the future of e-commerce.

A New Product Launch Strategy to Boost Sales and Attraction

What’s the best way to launch a new product? How can you create engaging content that’ll draw in audiences? Your new product deserves an exciting campaign that increases sales. If don’t know the first thing about promoting your product, 12 Months to $1 Million by Ryan Moran has all the tips you need. Continue reading for an in-depth new product launch strategy to help you get started.