Best Independent Books November 21
We are delighted to recommend the following books from the independent publishing sector.
NON-FICTION
Leadership DNA: Shaping A Thriving Business Culture
by Alinka Rutkowska, Deepak Bhootra, Brandon C. Blewett et al.
This book showcases the real stories, insights and strategies of successful leaders across industries. This compelling anthology explores whether great leaders are born or made and provides practical examples of how they overcome adversity to inspire change.
It features contributions from entrepreneurs, corporate executives and industry visionaries. Insights include how an entrepreneur revived her business by focusing on mental health and fostering resilience within her team, illustrating the importance of well-being in leadership. Another contribution tells how a co-founder scaled his startup from zero to $1 million in just six months by leading with adaptability and purpose, offering key lessons in rapid growth. One of the leaders describes how she broke through barriers in male-dominated industries, transforming challenges into opportunities with inclusive leadership, offering invaluable insight into overcoming adversity. The book also explains how corporate leaders turned disengaged teams into high performers, using empathy and values-driven leadership to create positive cultures that boost engagement and success.
This anthology brings together a diverse range of leadership experiences and real-world examples, offering readers actionable insights and tools for fostering innovation, navigating complex challenges and creating thriving business cultures.
Honors: seen on MarketWatch
Category: Business
ISBN: 978-1637353493
Cutting Through
by Bernie Haffey
This comprehensive guide provides a blueprint for optimizing business operations. It emphasizes the importance of having a robust management system that drives performance from the ground up.
The book introduces the six pillars of a high-performance management system (HPMS), and explains the methodology behind building an effective coalition of in-house ambassadors. It also highlights the significance of the ‘first follower’ and how to define and direct company culture within the framework of a larger HPMS. It explores the power of subtraction, elimination and simplification.
Sharing insights on how leading companies such as Amazon, Ford, IBM, Medtronic and Ritz Carlton implemented their own HPMS, this book is a guide on how to pinpoint the vital few while incorporating the remainder into a unified, cohesive system.
Honors: seen on MarketWatch
Category: Business
ISBN: 978-1637350232
You Are Not Them: The Authentic Entrepreneur's Way
by Sid Mohasseb
This book approaches entrepreneurship the way a master craftsman would. It promotes an iterative lifestyle rather than a final destination.
In this book, the author explains how to develop a unique entrepreneurial philosophy grounded in core personality components. He outlines why the traditional model of entrepreneurship so often fails. He investigates the dynamics between risk, value creation, execution and mindfulness, and teaches how to leverage the wisdom of great leaders without sacrificing the individuality that allows people to break into uncharted territory.
The outcome for entrepreneurs is improved workflow efficiency that is achieved by developing an awareness of the varying states of entrepreneurship and how each one can be circumstantially levied to the entrepreneur’s advantage; a tailored approach to communication that authentically reflects entrepreneurial values and an understanding of a personal axiom of choices in the context of situational leadership and business development. Fundamentally, everything entrepreneurs need to be successful is already within them. The real question is whether they are paying attention to it.
This is not your ordinary business book. Sid Mohasseb combines his love of poetry, storytelling, history and philosophy. — Az Samad Book ReviewsHonors: seen on CBS
Category: Business
ISBN: 978-1637350485
Leadership GLUE
by Kae Wagner
This book challenges the conventional wisdom that the bottleneck in a business is often its employees. It points the finger instead at the reflection in the mirror — the leader.
In this insightful publication, the author provides a comprehensive roadmap to discovering and mastering leadership glue. She delves deep into the psychological roadblocks that prevent great leaders from realizing their potential and leverages her extensive experience in leader development, marketing and market research to chart a clear, concise path to success. The book offers valuable insights into the three core components of leadership GLUE and how to integrate them into a business structure. It also introduces the ‘hands on to hands free to hands off’ process for developing business leadership and explains the importance of distinguishing between SOPs and roadmaps for a business, and knowing when to implement each.
The book also guides you on how to prepare a team to handle the daily operations of a business, giving a leader the freedom and flexibility to pursue the next big innovation. It also presents the key questions everyone in a business needs to answer before buying fully into a vision. This book is a call to action for leaders to take a hard look at themselves and make the necessary changes to steer their ships away from the rocks and into clear waters.
Honors: seen on MarketWatch
Category: Business
ISBN: 978-1637352540
Automotive Search Marketing
by Alex Melen
This book contains a detailed account of the latest and greatest in online marketing strategies for car dealers looking to take their digital marketing to the next level.
The author tells what it takes to plan and implement a strategy for search marketing that uses the latest techniques to maximize the return on investment. He provides a detailed description of Google ranking signals to help improve the search engine optimization and jumpstart organic search traffic. He reveals advanced pay-per-click implementations to revamp Google Ads campaigns and increase business immediately.
In this book, the author explains how to select an advertising agency, evaluate performance, and optimize campaigns consistently.
Honors: seen on MarketWatch
Category: Business
ISBN: 978-1637352113
In case you missed the books featured in the last newsletter, here they are again:
FICTION
Camilla Learns to Shine
by Elizabeth Connell Lewis and Mark S. Lewis
Camilla is no ordinary cuttlefish. She looks different from the others and cannot swim as fast as the cuttlefish and squid around her. Worried about her appearance, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery.
Along the way, she learns to appreciate her special body type and unique abilities as she meets new friends near her ocean home. As she navigates the vibrant underwater world, she encounters various sea creatures who teach her valuable lessons about self-acceptance and the importance of embracing one’s uniqueness. Through her interactions, she discovers that her differences make her special and that true beauty comes from within.
This charming tale not only entertains but also educates young readers about marine life, fostering a love for the ocean and its inhabitants. Camilla’s heartwarming story celebrates diversity, resilience and the joy of helping others.
Honors: seen on MarketWatch
Category: Children's
ISBN: 978-1637353219
The Opaque Conspiracy: Finding a Way Through Destruction and Despair
by Grace Flores-Hughes
The story revolves around a hard-working couple who fall prey to a ruthless conspiracy involving their company’s bank and a group of unscrupulous business executives.
When an unexpected setback leaves their company temporarily unable to meet its obligations, the bank seizes the opportunity to demand the sale of the company’s assets. The bank, having financed the company, misuses its power and colludes with the executives to engineer a rigged sale process, aiming to gain possession of the entire company, not just its assets. The story is narrated by Bonita Levine, a woman of remarkable resilience. She must draw upon every ounce of toughness she developed growing up in a harsh environment to navigate the dire situation they find themselves in. Her husband, C.E. Levine, a distinguished and decorated military veteran, is forced by the lender to sell his company’s assets, shattering their once happy and prosperous life.
This novel uncovers the dark underbelly of the modern business world, serving as a stark reminder of the risks inherent in dealing with those who prioritize greed above all else.
Honors: seen on MarketWatch
Category: Mystery & Thriller
ISBN: 978-1637352236
NON-FICTION
UNLEASH the potential and make it happen
by Patrick Steiner
This guide to thriving in the digital world is tailored for businesses and leaders. A practical handbook, it demystifies the digital landscape with real-world solutions, such as the Digital Success Canvas and the Digital Pulse Check, for evaluation and planning.
More than just a book, this is a toolkit for transformation. Featuring pragmatic levers and modules for digital success, it converts theory into action, providing a structured approach to implementing digital strategies. It demonstrates how to navigate complexities with ease and make informed decisions.
This guide is an accessible companion for turning digital challenges into victories. It shows not only how to survive but to thrive in the digital age, leveraging every opportunity with confidence and clarity. The book is not an endpoint but a gateway — a gateway to a world of digital excellence, collaboration and continuous growth.
Honors: seen on MarketWatch
Category: Business
ISBN: 978-3952598818
Business Success Secrets: Entrepreneurial Thinking That Works
by Tamara L. Nall, Victor Agapov et al.
Every Warren Buffet, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs started out as nothing more than a person with an idea – and ideas are a dime a dozen. The mindset, processes and teams behind a business are the keys to success.
Buried beneath the impressive awards and accolades of each successful entrepreneur lies the hard-knocks story of the grit, determination and resourcefulness it took to mount the summit of a dream. This is a book written for entrepreneurs by entrepreneurs. Forget the flashing banners, false promises of overnight success and the phony Internet gurus. This is business insight straight from the source.
Laying it all on the line, each author in the anthology has come together for one singular purpose: to bring the undiluted truth of what it takes to make a business dream a reality.
A practical and actionable book — GoodreadsHonors: Silver Medal, Non-Fiction Anthology, Readers’ Favorite Book Awards
Category: Business
ISBN: 978-1637350522
How to Live to 100: Secrets from the World's Happiest Centenarians
by Dr. Elizabeth Lopez
This book shares the secrets of how regular people embrace a long, healthy and happy life.
The book consists of ten individual case studies from the Nicoya peninsula on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast.
It reveals the insights (known only by Costa Rica's famous Blue Zone centenarians) to living a long life full of purpose.
The author explains the role peace and well-being play in day-to-day life and why connecting to others is life's best medicine. She investigates the ways in which culture can extend life expectancy. She has also collated simple recipes that have been part of the centenarians’ happy and healthy way of life.
Honors: seen on ABC and NBC
Category: Health, Family & Lifestyle
ISBN: 978-1943386550
We trust that your readers will enjoy our hand-picked selection.
For more bestselling and award-winning books from the independent publishing sector, please go here.
Warm regards,
Alinka Rutkowska
CEO, LibraryBub
