5 Books Every Service Provider Should Read
As newbie service providers, the business journey seemed only exciting, full of possibilities, and loads of fun. Growing into seasoned entrepreneurs maturing our businesses, we’ve found the journey fraught with challenges and seasons of struggle.
If you’re like me, you’re an entrepreneur because you love problem solving, learning and growing, and those seasons of struggle make the days of inspiration and motivation worth it even more. But, I know well how those days of difficulty can wear an entrepreneur down, weaken our confidence and threaten our vision.
The antidote, in my opinion? Reading. Reading anything and everything your curiosity leads you toward!
Why Every Service Provider Should Be an Avid Reader
Every service provider should be an avid reader and an eager learner at heart. Reading is a habit that fuels our growth, and should be an essential part of your routine as an entrepreneur, and as a growing human being.
Reading trains our brains to problem solve, helping us see a problem or situation we’re facing from a new perspective. As we step out of our own lines of vision, we step into newfound clarity.
Reading stokes the fire of our creativity because it works our imagination and develops our ability to make connections. As we read, our brains scurry to connect what we’re learning with what we already know - increasing our knowledge (that we can put to good use in our businesses!)
Entrepreneurs and service providers need passion, creativity, a strong work ethic, motivation, agility, resilience, and the ability to learn. Reading develops all of this and more.
5 Books Every Service Provider Needs on Their Bookshelves
Over the past couple years, I’ve read several books that have helped me grow in tenacity, motivation and excitement as an entrepreneur - and today I’m sharing them with you!
”Act Like a Leader. Think Like a Leader.” Herminia Ibarra
It’s far easier to say you’re a leader than to walk the walk of a leader - to be a leader.
This book helped me understand why trying to change my thinking never cemented long term. It’s because we really change from the outside in, not from the inside out.
Herminia says you have to first assume the role, to act like a leader before you can think like one. Before we can feel like a leader and think like a leader, we have to focus on putting our leadership into action.
The realization that we can only learn what we need to know about our job (or business, or life, or anything really) and about ourselves and abilities by doing it – not by just thinking about it - was powerful.
Assuming the identity of a leader happens when you’ve seized more and more opportunities to behave like one - then comes the change in thinking, because you’re acting as a leader!
“Profit First” by Mike Michalowicz
Here’s the truth: without enough money, we cannot fully realize our authentic selves. Money amplifies who we are and increases what we can accomplish.
But, the way money is usually dealt with in business (income - expenses = profit) will keep us in a cycle of expanding beyond our means and stealing money from ourselves (profit) to keep our business running.
After years in business I wanted off of that roller-coaster of surviving client payment to client payment and actually build a successful, stable, and enjoyable business.
Profit First was the key! Anyone at any point in business can use this refreshing take on money and profitability.
This book helped me reverse engineer this whole process and take the profit first. Following this incredibly simple plan (that EVERY business owner can follow) ensures your business will be profitable - hello!
“Big Magic” by Elizabeth Gilbert
I love Liz Gilbert and her writing, and this book was such a fun look into her creative process and outlook. It was a gift to me as a creative.
This book is designed to awaken and empower the creator within all of us, and it certainly stoked a fire of passion inside of me!
Gilbert reframes creative inspiration and ideas as if they were separate beings that just need a home and someone to bring them to fruition. To me, this explains how we can have ideas, not do anything with them, and then see someone else create something almost exactly like our idea.
It just had to be in the world, but it’s our opportunity and gift to be the catalyst for these ideas. They will happen with or without us, but how awesome that they can happen with us?!
“The Coaching Habit” by Michael Bungay Stanier
Whew, what a book! This one is a classic, one you need to have a hard copy for and always keep as a resource near your workspace.
This was a book club read in the Leadership Academy with Kaylan of Joy to Lead and it was my top read in 2020 for the club. I use the things I learned in this book regularly.
It was a powerful reframe on how being a “boss” or leading a team also means being a good coach. This book outlines a new way of conversing and interacting with others, focusing on being led by curiosity and asking questions to get to know others deeper so I can support them in achieving and conquering their goals.
The book is built around the Seven Essential Questions which work in this relationship dynamic, but also with family, friends, customers, colleagues, and your spouse.
My favorite question that I use all the time is: “What’s on your mind?” - It’s amazing what comes in response to that question. Many times we can be making assumptions as to what the issue is, but by starting this way, you both get clarity on what’s at the heart of the matter.
Another big lesson is leaving room for an answer. After you ask a question, don’t ask another one right away - be quiet and wait for a response. Small, but powerful!
“Traction” by Gino Wickman
Traction is to business operations as Profit First is to finances. This book is actionable and focuses on laying out an easy-to-use operational framework that brings structure to businesses - a gift to us creative individuals!
This book helps you make sure your business is operating smoothly, toward its goals, and utilizing the right resources and people to achieve them efficiently. As I’ve expanded my support network and team over the past year, this book has helped me make sure I’m making the right decisions and moving efficiently and effectively toward my goals.
Traction details the six key components of any successful business called The Entrepreneurial Operating System - Vision, Data, Process, Traction, Issues, and People.
This focus shift helps simplify business from the inside out. It even starts with an assessment at the beginning of the book to help you see where your holes are.
This book taught me about what it means to be a Visionary in business, and how key having an Integrator to partner with can be. I love the explanation of organization charts, what measurables in business to track, how to craft a vision for the growth of your business, and then communicate that vision, and track the progress.
This is one I revisit frequently as my business grows and things shift. I recommend it to all my entrepreneur friends.
