Business Ebooks

From the breakout star of Netflix’s Cheer, a motivational and inspiring guide to becoming a champion in all areas of life. In Full Out, “the Bill Belichick of cheerleading” (The Cut) Coach Monica Aldama shares how she built one of the most successful and beloved cheerleading programs in the country. Her uncompromising brand of discipline and consistency goes far beyond the mat—showing how the principles of building a winning team apply to personal goals, the corporate world, parenting, and all aspects of life. There’s a lot of talk these days about shortcuts and life hacks, but what really counts is commitment and integrity, helping your friends, and improving with your teammates. Coach Monica shares deeply personal stories of triumph and tragedy—from divorce and remarriage to her husband, her challenges as a young mother working more than full time, and her strenuous weeks on Dancing with the Stars. She shares surprising behind-the-scenes moments from the Cheer docuseries, and insights gleaned from more than two decades of pushing students to succeed. A true force and inspiration who has captured hearts around the world, Coach Monica will show you how to take command of your talent, make the most of your potential, and find your drive to win.

Are you ready to fill your life with more peace, power, and joy? We Should All Be Millionaires details a realistic, achievable, step-by-step path to creating the support, confidence, and plan you need to own your success and become the millionaire the world needs you to be. Only 10 percent of the world’s millionaires are women, making it difficult for women to wield the economic power that will create lasting equality. Whatever is stopping you from having seven figures in the bank—whether it’s shaky confidence, knowledge gaps when it comes to wealth building tactics, imposter syndrome, a janky mindset about money (it’s okay, we’ve all been there!), or simply not knowing where to begin—this book shows you how to clear every obstacle in your way, show up, and glow up. We Should All Be Millionaires will forever change the way you think about money and your ability to earn it. In this book, Rachel Rodgers— a Black woman, mother of four, attorney, business owner, and self-made millionaire— shares the lessons she’s learned both in her own journey to wealth and in coaching hundreds of women through their own journeys to seven figures. Inside, you’ll learn: Why earning more money is not “selfish” or “greedy” but in fact, a revolutionary act that brings the economy into balance and creates a better world for all. Why most of the financial advice you’ve heard in the past (like “skip your daily latte to save money”) is absolute, patriarchal nonsense. An eye-opening history lesson on how women and people of color have been shut out of the ability to build wealth for centuries—and how we can fix this. How to stop making broke-ass decisions that leave you feeling emotionally and financially depleted and start making million-dollar decisions instead. Why aiming to earn $100K per year is not enough, and why you need to be setting your goals much higher. Strategies to bring more money in the door and fatten your bank account immediately. (Including Rodgers’$10K in 10 Days Challenge which hundreds of women have completed—with incredible results.) It’s time to construct an entirely new attitude about money, claim your power, and build the financial security that you need and deserve — so you can stop just surviving, and start thriving. Let’s begin.

In the tradition of bestsellers such as Shoe Dog, Authentic is a surprisingly candid, compelling memoir by a high school dropout who went on to establish one of the world's most iconic brands. You may not have known their creator, but you certainly know the shoes: for more than four generations, Vans shoes have been synonymous with cool. Now in Authentic, a memoir written by Paul Van Doren and published just before his May 2021 death, the charismatic founder of Vans shares his story of heading West and capturing the American dream. Authentic is a celebration of Van Doren's remarkable life and the iconic brand he built, beloved by skateboarders, creatives, and fans everywhere for its laid-back, colorful SoCal vibe, and famous for its people-oriented company culture. In Authentic, he shares his unlikely journey from high-school dropout to sneaker-industry legend. A blue-collar kid with no higher education and zero retail experience, Van Doren started out as a 16-year-old "service boy" at a local rubber factory. Over the next few decades, he leveraged a knack for numbers, a genius for efficiency, and the know-how to make a great canvas tennis shoe into an all-American success story. What began as a family shoe business has today evolved into a globally recognized brand with billions of dollars of annual revenue. Van Doren is not just an entrepreneur, he's an innovator. In 1966, when the first House of Vans store opened, there were no stand-alone retail stores just for sneakers. Paul's bold experiments in product design, distribution, and marketing (Why not sell custom shoes? Single shoes?), aided by legions of fans — skateboarders, surfers, even Sean Penn wearing Vans' famous checkerboard slip-on shoe in the film Fast Times at Ridgemont High — made Vans a household name. But there was also back-breaking work, a shocking bankruptcy, family turmoil, and a profound shift in how customers think about athletic shoes. The book details Van Doren's personal life, but also hard-won business lessons learned over six turbulent decades in the shoe trade: the importance of deep-rooted values, of improvisation, of vision (and revision), and above all, of valuing people over profits. Authentic is Paul Van Doren's written legacy and his lessons for the innovators of tomorrow. Bracingly forthright and totally entertaining, Authentic is a business memoir by an American original.

#1 WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER • NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • USA TODAY BESTSELLER ARE YOU READY TO BELIEVE IN YOU? “Game-changing. Authentic. A must-read for every woman! Jamie is the real deal—and that’s rare.” —Glennon Doyle, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Untamed “Raw. Real. Powerful. Filled with vulnerability and grit. This book will inspire you to believe in your own power. It’s a book every woman needs!” —Sara Blakely, Founder Spanx Imagine overcoming the things holding you back, breaking through the barrier of self-doubt and fully becoming the person YOU were BORN TO BE! In Believe IT, Jamie Kern Lima, founder of IT Cosmetics, shares the wild but true story of how a once struggling waitress turned her against-the-grain idea into an international bestselling sensation, eventually selling the company for over a billion dollars and becoming the first female CEO of a brand in L’Oréal’s 100+ year history. Faced with self-doubt, body-doubt, God-doubt, down to her last few dollars and told “No one is going to buy makeup from someone who has your body,” Jamie reveals for the first time what really went down, how she almost didn’t make it, how she learned to trust herself, and the powerful lessons you, too, can use to go from underestimated to unstoppable. With radical vulnerability and honesty, Jamie takes you on a journey through deeply personal stories of heartbreak and resilience—including accidentally finding out she was adopted when she was in her twenties and the reverberations this has had on all aspects of her life. Jamie also pulls back the curtain on her fight to change the beauty industry’s use of unrealistic images, on behalf of all the little girls who are about to start doubting themselves, and all of the grown women who still do. Spellbinding, riveting, with raw vulnerability and down-to-earth warmth, Believe IT shakes your soul and shows you that you, too, have what it takes to believe in yourself, trust yourself, and go from doubting you’re enough to knowing you’re enough! Do you have big goals, hopes, and dreams but let rejection get in the way? Do you struggle with feeling like you’re not enough and like success is something that happens to other people, but have a hard time believing it’s possible for you? Do you let past mistakes and failures hold you back? Do you know deep down inside that you were created for more, but somehow still doubt yourself? In Believe IT you’ll discover how to... -Overcome self-doubt -Gain the courage to take risks, an empower yourself and others -Tune into and trust your own intuition -Let go of your mistakes and insecurities -Turn down the volume on your inner critic -Handle the rejection, the haters, and the mean girls -Boost your confidence -Start your dream (and keep going!) -And much more… ​If you’ve ever doubted yourself or felt truly underestimated, this book will inspire a new kind of belief and confidence in you and your dreams!

A fascinating and candid memoir about successful leadership from the former CEO of General Electric, named one of the “World’s Best CEOs” three times by Barron’s, and the hard-won lessons he learned from his experience leading GE immediately after 9/11, through the devastating 2008–09 financial crisis, and into an increasingly globalized world. In September 2001, Jeff Immelt replaced the most famous CEO in history, Jack Welch, at the helm of General Electric. Less than a week into his tenure, the 9/11 terrorist attacks shook the nation, and the company, to its core. GE was connected to nearly every part of the tragedy—GE-financed planes powered by GE-manufactured engines had just destroyed real estate that was insured by GE-issued policies. Facing an unprecedented situation, Immelt knew his response would set the tone for businesses everywhere that looked to GE—one of America’s biggest and most-heralded corporations—for direction. No pressure. Over the next sixteen years, Immelt would lead GE through many more dire moments, from the 2008–09 Global Financial Crisis to the 2011 meltdown of Fukushima’s nuclear reactors, which were designed by GE. But Immelt’s biggest challenge was inherited: Welch had handed over a company that had great people, but was short on innovation. Immelt set out to change GE’s focus by making it more global, more rooted in technology, and more diverse. But the stock market rarely rewarded his efforts, and GE struggled. In Hot Seat, Immelt offers a rigorous and raw interrogation of himself and his tenure, detailing for the first time his proudest moments and his biggest mistakes. The most crucial component of leadership, he writes, is the willingness to make decisions. But knowing what to do is a thousand times easier than knowing when to do it. Perseverance, combined with clear communication, can ensure progress, if not perfection, he says. That won’t protect any CEO from second-guessing, but Immelt explains how he’s pushed through even the most withering criticism: by staying focused on his team and the goals they tried to achieve. As the business world continues to be rocked by stunning economic upheaval, Hot Seat “takes you into the office, head, and heart of the man who became CEO of GE on the eve of 9/11, and then led the iconic behemoth for sixteen fascinating, and often turbulent, years. A handbook on leadership—and life” (Stanley A. McChrystal, General, US Army [Retired], CEO and Founder, McChrystal Group).

From career coach and founder of the startup Ladies Get Paid—the eponymous organization leading the fight for equality in the workplace—comes a “powerful call to action” (Reshma Saujani, CEO and author of Brave, Not Perfect) that provides the tools you need to strategically navigate the workplace, achieve success, and become a true leader. Claire Wasserman has one goal for women: Rise up and get paid. As the founder of Ladies Get Paid, Claire has worked her entire adult life to promote gender equality in the workplace. If you’re looking to navigate a promotion or break the glass ceiling, Ladies Get Paid is your essential toolkit for achieving success. Filled with straightforward advice and inspiring stories, this book is a transformative “guide to succeeding in your field, even when you feel completely stuck” (Beth Comstock, author of Imagine It Forward), by encouraging self-advocacy and activism. Covering topics as crucial and varied as how to combat imposter syndrome, deal with office politics, and negotiate a raise, Ladies Get Paid is a reminder that you are valuable—both as an individual woman and as part of the female community. And ultimately, it’s about more than your wallet—it’s about your worth.

WALL STREET JOURNAL Bestseller A humorous yet practical five-step guide to ridding ourselves—and our companies—of bureaucratic bottlenecks and red tape   During the COVID-19 pandemic, the TSA is allowing passengers to board planes with unlimited amounts of hand sanitizer, while maintaining its 3.4-ounce limit on all other liquids. You need a chainsaw to pry open your new pair of headphones from their package. Your eighth Zoom meeting of the day keeps freezing, and if you hear “No, wait; no, you go first” again, you will implode. But first you have to sit through an endless Power Point presentation that everyone claims they’ve read, no one has, and that could have been summarized in one page.   What has happened to common sense? And how can we get it back? Companies, it seems, have become so entangled in their own internal issues, and further beset by reams of invisible red tape, that they’ve lost sight of their core purpose. Inevitably, they pay the price.   Best-selling author Martin Lindstrom combines numerous real‑life examples of corporate common sense gone wrong with his own ingenious plan for restoring logic—and sanity—to the companies and people that need it most. A must-read for today’s executives, managers, and employees, The Ministry of Common Sense is funny, entertaining, and immensely practical.

Alex Davies tells the “illuminating and important narrative” (Steven Levy, author of Facebook: The Inside Story) of the quest to develop driverless cars—and the fierce competition between Google, Uber, and other companies in a race to revolutionize our lives. The self-driving car has been one of the most vaunted technological breakthroughs of recent years. But early promises that these autonomous vehicles would soon be on the roads have proven premature. Alex Davies follows the twists and turns of the story from its origins to today. The story starts with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which was charged with developing a land-based equivalent to the drone, a vehicle that could operate in war zones without risking human lives. DARPA issued a series of three “Grand Challenges” that attracted visionaries, many of them students and amateurs, who took the technology from Jetsons-style fantasy to near-reality. The young stars of the Challenges soon connected with Silicon Valley giants Google and Uber, intent on delivering a new way of driving to the civilian world. Soon the automakers joined the quest, some on their own, others in partnership with the tech titans. But as road testing progressed, it became clear that the challenges of driving a car without human assistance were more formidable than anticipated. Davies profiles the industry’s key players from the early enthusiasm of the DARPA days to their growing awareness that while this spin on artificial intelligence isn’t yet ready for rush-hour traffic, driverless cars are poised to remake how the world moves. Driven explores “the epic tale of competition and comradery, long odds and underdogs, all in service of a world-changing moonshot” (Andy Greenberg, author of Sandworm: A New Era of Cyberwar).

A Wall Street Journal Bestseller A prescriptive and timely guide to finding success and happiness without a college degree by Ken Rusk, the Ohio-based entrepreneur and “million-dollar ditch digger” who believes it is time to celebrate the possibilities and financial opportunities that a Blue-Collar life can bring. A BLUE-COLLAR APPROACH TO CREATING A LIFE YOU LOVE In a period of skyrocketing student loan debt without the promise of high-paying employment, and in an economy in desperate need of skilled tradespeople, many are seeking new paths. Ken Rusk, the “million-dollar ditch digger,” is here to show you that blue-collar trades are a source of pride and that you can—and will—find your version of happiness by pursuing a good old-fashioned craft.  In Blue Collar Cash, Ken shares his insights from over 30 years working in blue collar trades as an entrepreneur, mentor, and life coach. Ken knows from his own experience—first as a young kid digging ditches, and then as the owner of a successful concrete construction business—that working with your hands at a job that takes skill and practice can be monumentally rewarding and life-affirming. Since then, he has built a multi-million-dollar business and gone on to mentor hundreds of employees in how to manage their money and set achievable goals.  Using the stories of those who have discovered lives of comfort, peace, and freedom, Ken creates a step-by-step, interactive guide—including financial planning and savings advice—to creating alternative and realistic routes to success and fulfillment. 

Building on his national bestseller The Rational Optimist, Matt Ridley chronicles the history of innovation, and how we need to change our thinking on the subject. Innovation is the main event of the modern age, the reason we experience both dramatic improvements in our living standards and unsettling changes in our society. Forget short-term symptoms like Donald Trump and Brexit, it is innovation that will shape the twenty-first century. Yet innovation remains a mysterious process, poorly understood by policy makers and businessmen alike. Matt Ridley argues that we need to see innovation as an incremental, bottom-up, fortuitous process that happens as a direct result of the human habit of exchange, rather than an orderly, top-down process developing according to a plan. Innovation is crucially different from invention, because it is the turning of inventions into things of practical and affordable use to people. It speeds up in some sectors and slows down in others. It is always a collective, collaborative phenomenon, involving trial and error, not a matter of lonely genius. It happens mainly in just a few parts of the world at any one time. It still cannot be modeled properly by economists, but it can easily be discouraged by politicians. Far from there being too much innovation, we may be on the brink of an innovation famine. Ridley derives these and other lessons from the lively stories of scores of innovations, how they started and why they succeeded or failed. Some of the innovation stories he tells are about steam engines, jet engines, search engines, airships, coffee, potatoes, vaping, vaccines, cuisine, antibiotics, mosquito nets, turbines, propellers, fertilizer, zero, computers, dogs, farming, fire, genetic engineering, gene editing, container shipping, railways, cars, safety rules, wheeled suitcases, mobile phones, corrugated iron, powered flight, chlorinated water, toilets, vacuum cleaners, shale gas, the telegraph, radio, social media, block chain, the sharing economy, artificial intelligence, fake bomb detectors, phantom games consoles, fraudulent blood tests, hyperloop tubes, herbicides, copyright, and even life itself.