As a coach and entrepreneur working from home, I’ve witnessed first-hand the transformative power of creating a habit of consistent reading, especially when it comes to nurturing a thriving home-based business.
One of the most important habits I recommend to my coaching clients is to start the month of January creating a new 
habit of reading 10 pages a day to expand their personal development. in the HABIT PAGE in my 2024 planner. When they write it down and commit to tracking their 10 pages a day in the Planner for 30 days, they are dedicating just a few moments each day it opens their minds to new ideas and opportunities.
Committing to reading 10 pages a day might seem modest, but its impact is profound. It’s about more than just acquiring knowledge; it’s about cultivating a habit that fuels your entrepreneurial spirit and expands your business acumen.
Summer is a perfect time to expand your mind and business knowledge. I hope one of these five books gives you new ideas to help you transform your business.
Let’s begin with the book: How Remarkable Women Lead.” The Breakthrough Model for Work and Life, by Joanna Barsh and Susie Cranston.
This book is an insightful and inspirational exploration of leadership through the lens of successful women. It presents a unique perspective on focusing on the distinctive qualities and strategies that “women” bring to leadership roles. The book introduces the “Centered Leadership Model,” which consists of five dimensions.
- Meaning
- Managing energy
- Positive framing
- Connecting and engaging
- Balancing work and life effectively.
It is rich with interviews and stories of over 100 women leaders from various fields including business, government and the nonprofit sector. These real-life examples demonstrate how the Centered Leadership model can be applied in a diverse context. The book primarily addresses women, which is its intention, but some of the principles and advice could also benefit men in leadership roles.
How does it support you as an Entrepreneur who works from home? It offers insights into leadership, resilience and navigating challenges with a framework for achieving success and fulfilment in both work and life.
“The 8 Dimensions of Leadership: DISC strategies for Becoming a Better Leader.” By Jeffrey Sugerman, Mark Scullard and Emma Wilhelm.
As someone who studied DISC for 20 years working in a leadership capacity as well as a corporate trainer and coach, I
am a true believer in the DISC behavioral assessment tool which categorizes individuals into four primary types:
- Dominance – those who are direct and result focused.
- Influence – those who are sociable, enthusiastic and accepting.
- Steadfastness – those who are patient, empathetic and great team players
- Conscientious – those who are accuracy focused, analytical and pay attention to detail.
The book encourages readers to identify their primary leadership dimension using these tools and emphasizes the importance of understanding one’s natural tendencies to leverage their strengths.
When I understood the DISC dimensions, I felt so much more confident helping coaching clients with their transformations. It’s a valuable resource for anyone looking to enhance their communication skills and is a useful guide for entrepreneurs at any stage in their business.
How does it support you as an Entrepreneur who works from home? If you’re managing a small team or collaborating remotely, understanding these dimensions can enhance your communication skills and overall business operations.
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg.
Many people recommend the book, Atomic Habits by James Clear, but it’s this book by Charles Duhigg that first led me to focus on improving my business organization and focusing on habits to enhance my life. Charles Duhigg draws on a wealth of research from psychology, neuroscience and behavioral science on how habits form, how they can be changed and how they influence various aspects of our lives.
He has a 5-step process on what he calls the “Habit Loop.” He introduces the idea of “keystone Habits” which are pivotal habits that can spark positive change in your life. Like regular exercise which can lead to better eating habits and improve your productivity.
Duhigg offers key studies and examples from a Proctor & Gamble’s product to a story of a coach that transformed a team into a winning team and a company focused on changing safety habits to improve overall company performance. I found this book to be a very thought-provoking and insightful book that helped me understand how a powerful role habits play in our lives.
How does it benefit you as an Entrepreneur who works from home? It will help you understand how habits shape personal productivity and business outcomes. Things like time management routines or client communication practices can help you optimize your workday efficiency and cultivate more productive behaviors.
Now, let’s look at how to make strong first impressions as an entrepreneur.
The book, “How to Connect in Business in 90 seconds or less” is one of my faves. The
author, Nicholas Boothman, emphasizes that first impressions are critical in business interactions and that when you form a positive connection within the first 90 seconds you can set the tone for a successful relationship. He talks about attitude, body language and being sincere and calls it the KFC cubed technique. that readers can immediately apply to improve your interpersonal skills.
HOW TO CRAFT A JAW-DROPPING, CLIENT GETTING MESSAGE ONLINE COURSE
I applied these skills when I was networking and meeting people, and I developed what I called my “Jaw-dropping” introduction. You can learn more about how to create a Jaw-dropping Introduction in my online course.
How does this book support you as an Entrepreneur who works from home? Once you learn his techniques, you’ll find building genuine connections are essential for expanding your network and attracting new clients.
The Referral of a Lifetime by Tim Templeton. The networking system that produces bottom-line results every day!
You MUST read this book if you want build a referral – based business. It’s by far the best book I have read on cultivating strong, mutually beneficial relationships that lead to a continuous stream of referrals.
He takes you through a very strong exercise to show you it’s not about who you know, it’s ALL about who your CLIENTS KNOW with a system following four principles. You learn how to educate your clients about how you work and your value to them through regular tangible actions keeping in touch consistently, personally and systematically.
How does this book support you as an Entrepreneur who works from home? It helps you build a robust referral-based business strategy that enhances trust and credibility as a business owner. You’ll enjoy this structured approach to build a thriving business through referrals
It’s summer time, and a perfect time to dive into creating a habit of reading 10 pages a day.
These are five books I recommend that could be a catalyst for profound personal and professional growth. Each book offers unique insights and actionable strategies that, when applied thoughtfully, can elevate your leadership capabilities, refine your habits for greater efficiency, and expand your network of meaningful connections.
Remember that the true value lies not only in what you read, but in how you integrate these lessons into your everyday practices as an entrepreneur who works from home.
Watch more BOOK REVIEWS for more summer reading on my YOU TUBE CHANNEL here!
Here’s to a summer filled with growth, inspiration, and transformative breakthroughs in your entrepreneurial journey!
