The 9 Books this Agency Owner Read in 2022!

January 14, 2023

I'm excited to showcase the reading/listening I did in 2022! I definitely beat my record of 6 books in 2021. Check out last years list here.

9 Books! Next year maybe I can beat that.. I would love to read at least one book a month in 2023.

Most if not all of these are in the realm of business. How to be more effective, how to manage money, how to build a brand around your story, how to become a key influencer in your industry, how to manage teams and so much more!

I personally got something out of all of these. There's not one I don't recommend. 🙂

The Effective Executive: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Right Things Done

Peter Drucker's book, “The Effective Executive,” is a GREAT read for any business owner, especially those of us running web design agencies. The book provides valuable insights into the principles and practices of effective management, including the importance of setting clear goals, focusing on results, and creating a strong organizational culture. As a web design agency owner, I found the chapter on “The Effective Executive and Time” particularly helpful in understanding how to prioritize and manage my time more effectively.

Overall, “The Effective Executive” provides a wealth of practical and actionable advice for business owners looking to improve their management skills. Drucker's writing is clear and concise, making it easy to understand and apply the concepts to one's own business. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to improve their leadership and management skills, especially those in the web design industry.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change

Steven R. Covey's book, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” is a classic in the field of self-help and personal development. As an agency owner, reading this book for the second time reinforced the importance of the 7 habits outlined in the book and how they can be applied to my business. The first habit, “Be Proactive,” is particularly relevant to my industry as it emphasizes the importance of taking initiative and being responsible for one's own actions.

The second habit, “Begin with the End in Mind,” is also highly applicable for those running a business. This habit emphasizes the importance of having a clear vision and goal in mind when working on a project. This is crucial in the web design industry, as it helps ensure that the final product meets the client's expectations and goals.

The other habits, such as “Put First Things First”, “Think Win-Win” and “Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood” are also very relevant and valuable to the success of any business, and as a web design agency owner I found myself being able to apply them in many different aspects of my work. Overall, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” is a must-read for anyone looking to improve their personal and professional effectiveness, and I highly recommend it to any business owner. Especially if you run an agency!

Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine

Mike Michalowicz's book, “Profit First,” is a game-changer for any business owner. As someone that has been implementing similar principles since the beginning of my business, reading this book was a great reminder of the importance of putting profit first. In fact, it took what I was doing much further, turned it into a system and introduced me to some new concepts I've applied to my business this past year.

The book's main premise is that by setting aside a percentage of revenue for profit from the start, businesses can ensure that they are profitable and sustainable in the long term. But you'll also learn how to structure things so you have money saved beyond just for profit. You'll be introduced to a system that will allow you to build a better foundation and implement strategies to help you better manage your money.

The book's step-by-step approach for implementing the “Profit First” method is easy to understand and follow. Michalowicz's writing style is great, making it easy to apply the concepts to one's own business. The author also provides examples and case studies of real businesses that have successfully implemented the “Profit First” method, which I found helpful in visualizing how it could work for my own business.

Overall, “Profit First” is a must-read for any business owner, especially those running an agency. It provides a practical and actionable approach to ensuring profitability and sustainability in the long term. I highly recommend this book to any web design agency owner looking to improve their financial management skills.

Building a Story Brand

Donald Miller's book, “Building a Story Brand,” is a valuable resource for any business owner looking to improve their marketing and branding strategies. As a business owner who has been focusing more on this aspect of my business, reading this book was a great reminder of the importance of a clear and compelling brand message. The book's main premise is that by simplifying and clarifying your brand message, you can effectively communicate with your target audience and attract more customers.

The book's step-by-step approach to creating a clear brand message is easy to understand and follow. Miller's writing is easy to follow and it's simple to apply the concepts to one's own business. The author also provides examples and case studies of real businesses that have successfully implemented the Story Brand method, which I found helpful in visualizing how it could work for my own business.

Overall, “Building a Story Brand” is a must-read for any business owner looking to improve their marketing and branding strategies. It provides a practical and actionable approach to creating a clear and compelling brand message that will resonate with your target audience. I highly recommend this book to any business owner looking to improve their marketing and branding efforts.

Key Person of Influence

Daniel Priestley's book, “Key Person of Influence,” is an insightful and valuable resource for any agency owner looking to become more influential in their industry. Owning my own agency, I found the book's approach to building a personal brand and becoming a thought leader in my industry to be particularly relevant and useful. The book provides a step-by-step guide on how to position oneself as an expert in the field, how to network effectively, and how to create content that showcases one's expertise.

The book is written in an engaging and easy to understand style, which makes it easy to implement the strategies outlined in the book. Priestley's use of real-life examples and case studies helped me to understand how the strategies he outlines can be applied to my own agency. The author also provides a wealth of practical tips and tools that can be used to build a personal brand and become more influential in the industry.

Overall, “Key Person of Influence” is a valuable read for anyone looking to become more influential in their industry and ultimately find greater success. The book provides a comprehensive and actionable approach to building a personal brand, positioning oneself as an expert, and becoming a thought leader in the industry. I highly recommend this book to any business owner looking to grow their influence and impact in their industry.

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life

Mark Manson's book, “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck,” is a refreshing and thought-provoking read for anyone looking to shake up how they think about the world or approach life. As someone who likes to read things that challenge me, this book exceeded my expectations. Manson's writing is raw, real, and to the point. He takes a no-nonsense approach to discussing the importance of setting priorities and not wasting time and energy on things that don't matter.

The book's main premise is that we all have limited resources, time and energy, and we should be selective about what we give our attention to. Manson's writing is funny and relatable, making it easy to understand and apply the concepts to one's own life. He uses real-life examples and case studies to illustrate his points, which made the book more engaging and helped me to understand the concepts better.

Overall, “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck” is a great read for anyone that doesn't mind new perspectives and is open to new ways of thinking. It provides a practical and actionable approach to setting priorities, and not wasting time and energy on things that don't matter. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a new perspective on how to live a more meaningful life.

Emotional Intelligence 2.0

Travis Bradberry's book, “Emotional Intelligence 2.0,” is a valuable resource for anyone looking to improve their emotional intelligence. In 2022 I had a discussion about this book on my podcast “The Builders”. It's Episode 86 with Melane Mullings if you'd like to check it out! It was an insightful and informative discussion. The book provides a comprehensive overview of emotional intelligence and its importance in personal and professional life.

The book's approach is easy to understand and follow, with clear explanations and practical exercises that can be used to improve one's emotional intelligence. Bradberry's writing is engaging and relatable, making it easy to understand and apply the concepts to one's own life. The author also provides a wealth of tips and tools that can be used to improve emotional intelligence, which I found to be particularly helpful.

Overall, “Emotional Intelligence 2.0” is a must-read for anyone looking to improve in this area. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking to improve their personal and professional relationships and to gain a better understanding of themselves and others.

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable

Patrick Lencioni's book, “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team,” is an essential read for any agency owner that runs a web design and development team (or any team). I found the book's approach to identifying and addressing the common dysfunctions that plague teams to be highly relevant and useful. The book provides a clear and concise framework for building a high-performing team, and it's written in an engaging and easy-to-understand style.

The author uses a fictional story to illustrate the five dysfunctions, which are absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results. This narrative approach makes it easy to understand the concepts and to see how they play out in a real-life setting. The author also provides practical tools and techniques that can be used to address these dysfunctions and build a high-performing team.

Overall, “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team” is a must-read for anyone that runs a team. It provides a comprehensive and actionable approach to building a high-performing team, and the author's use of a narrative approach makes the concepts easy to understand and apply. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to improve their team's performance and effectiveness.

Fix This Next

Mike Michalowicz's book, “Fix This Next,” is a valuable follow-up for me to his previous book, “Profit First” that I read in 2021. As a business owner who has read “Profit First,” I found “Fix This Next” to be a natural extension of the concepts presented in the previous book. The book's main premise is that in order to grow a business, it's important to identify and fix the most pressing problem first, rather than trying to fix everything at once.

Jennifer and I discussed this concept a bit in Episode 102 of my podcast, “The Builders”, if you want to check that out!

The book provides a clear and concise approach to identifying the most pressing problem and provides a step by step guide on how to solve it. The author provides examples and case studies of real businesses that have successfully implemented the “Fix This Next” method, which I found helpful in visualizing how it could work for my own business.

Overall, “Fix This Next” is a must-read for any business owner, especially those who have read “Profit First.” It provides a practical and actionable approach to identifying and solving the most pressing problem in order to grow a business. I highly recommend this book to any business owner looking to take their business to the next level.