I judge a good business book…

I judge a good business book… by the number of times I put it down. A great business book gets my brain churning and gets my ideas flowing.

I was reading Ivanka Trump’s new book – the Trump Card this weekend and I must have put the book down 10 times in one chapter to grab my iphone and type myself a note. Say what you will about Donald Trump – I’ve always loved watching Ivanka on the Apprentice. I can’t fault her business logic and commonsense feedback to the contestants, especially impressive given her age.

Now despite stopping so many times to write notes, they weren’t all things she’d written in her book. She’d write something on organization and I wrote a note to myself to do up a flow chart in relation to something quite different in my property management business.

A good business book doesn’t give you all the answers, I think it reminds you to think for yourself.

If you’re ever feeling stifled in your business – grab a re-read of an old favourite or a new title off the shelf and start your creative juices flowing – but don’t read without a note pad or note taking device nearby.

By Kirsty Dunphey with No comments

Daily Fun

I’m a big fan of the Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss.

He’s got a great blog with lots of useful resources and today I want to share one of my favourite parts with you.

Consider the question: What would you do, day-to-day, if you had $100 million in the bank? If still blocked, fill in the five “doing” spots with the following:

1 place to visit
1 thing to do before you die (a memory of a lifetime)
1 thing to do daily
1 thing to do weekly
1 thing you’ve always wanted to learn

Excerpted from: http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/lifestyle-costing/

Until I read this, I rarely thought about my wild-dream-style goals in terms of what I’d love to be doing daily or weekly. Most of my daily goals revolve around actions I believe I have to take that perhaps aren’t always the most fun stuff in the world (exercise, learning, eating correctly).

But if I had $100 million in the bank, what would I like to do daily? Thanks Tim, this put a whole new spin on my thinking.

And if you haven’t read the book I couldn’t recommend it more.

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By Kirsty Dunphey with No comments

Real Estate Agents - What book helped you the most with your career?

I get asked by real estate agents to recommend books all the time, so I have decided to put together a list of the best books for real estate agents.

We would love to hear from you about the books you have read which have helped you the most in your career.

Please leave a comment on this blog listing the book title, author and why you would recommend this book.

Thanks in advance!
Kirsty

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By Kirsty Dunphey with 3 comments

Want Inspiration?

My motto has always been that if you want inspiration, “pick up a book”. After today’s experiences I may have to change it to “talk to the parent of an entrepreneur”.

I met the very proud parents of two young entrepreneurs who gave me new inspiration today. One couple told me about their nine year old (no, that’s not a typo) who started her own card making business.

And then another proud Dad told me of his ingenious 12 year old who took her cute pets down to their local council market and started charging the other kids $1 to pet and play with them! How bloody creative is that! To top it off, they expanded their business and started doing parties on request!

Suffice it to say I left those conversations thinking I’d started OLD at 15 and sufficiently inspired to keep on innovating.

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By Kirsty Dunphey with No comments

Book Review - Unleashing The Ideavirus by Seth Godin

Infect Me With The Virus!

Starting my own dot com (reallysold.com) for the first time (as opposed to running traditional bricks and mortar businesses as I’d done in the past) I knew I had to read as much of Seth’s work as I possibly could. Unleashing the Idea Virus was right at the top of my list. Seth yet again spells out simple easy to understand ideas illustrated with fabulous examples. Yes – the book is a little out of date now with its references - but it’s also pretty fun seeing which of Seth’s predictions have come true! I’d recommend the read for any business owner or marketer looking for the answers to the question “how can I get people talking about my business without laying out a mint on traditional interruption advertising”

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By Kirsty Dunphey with No comments

17 Reasons Why You Should Always Carry A Book With You

1. As someone who used to spend a lot of time waiting for real estate clients to show up – I know that clients / appointments / people in general are often late. If you’ve got a book with you, the time can be wisely used.
2. Books can be heavy and if necessary, a large book can be used as a weapon of self protection.
flickr photo credit
3. Doctor’s can’t tell time. OK – so I‘m sure they can, but they’re not usually too fussed with sticking to it when you have an appointment. While away those hours reading a good book.
4. Waiting room magazines are usually from at least 5 years ago do you really want to see pictures from Fergie’s wedding (the Duchess of York variety, not the Black eyed Peas’ Fergie) again? Read a book instead. And also - do you really want to be fondling something so many sick people have held and spluttered over?
5. Books can save your life. Baghdad, Iraq - A US soldier serving in iraq believes his Bible saved his life after it stopped a sniper's bullet. 22-year-old Army Private First Class Brendan Schweigart had his Bible tucked in a pocket beneath his bullet proof shield when he was shot with a high powered rifle while on a mission in Iraq. The bullet missed his vital organs, came out his chest, and lodged in his Bible before it could do more damage.
6. Having a book on public transport makes you less of a target for the chatty grandma type or that guy who just can’t seem to observe personal space
7. Kids play sport, sometimes not well, read a book instead. Also consider using a calming book as the antidote to being one of those crazy sidelines parents!
8. We all have an unreliable friend. Rather than roster him or her off the social calendar. Tell them your lunch date is 1.30 (when it’s really 1.45) and take a book just in case.
9. Books are ideal when you’re stuck in the car with boring company. Discard this tip if like me, the motion makes you a little queasy (books + vomit = a little hard to read).
10. Your computer crashes, read 5 pages, there’s power outage, read 15 more.
11. Handbags are so big now anyway – you may as well have a book (or an entire library in there). Guys, get a satchel or a man-bag, I think they’re hot.
12. I remember when a trip to the hairdresser took half an hour, these days with the shampoo, head massage, colour, foils, trim, layering, complimentary choccies and beer, blow dry, straighten I’m out for half a day. Read a book instead of listening to the gossip.
13. Speaker Pat Mesiti’s (www.mesiti.com) on board. He offers $1,000 to anyone who catches him without a book in his bag. Apparently his teenage daughter asks each day.
14. Books make you look intellectual (glasses, a pencil in your hair and a good solid pocket protector also add to the geek-chic).
15. I love a good airline magazine, but they tell people to take them home, people take them home and then I rarely get to read one! Take a book as a back up.
16. If you don't know what the person you're mean to meet looks like (this happens to me way too often) arrive 20 minutes early, read your book and then it’s up to them to find you.
17. And finally – if even Paris can do it, surely you can too!

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By Kirsty Dunphey with No comments