[GIVEAWAY] Get Your Copy of the 1 Page Marketing Plan!

I’m excited to announce a giveaway contest for one of two copies of this awesome book!

I got the two copies of this book a little while ago and listened through the audiobook version recently to get a feel for what this is all about. I very much enjoyed its clear, distilled advice around marketing and building a business. I know this book can be relevant to anyone in higher education as well as those of us trying to grow up our side hustles.

If you’d like to enter in to win one of the two copies, then simply comment on this blog post and/or engage with any of my social media posts about the giveaway. Each share, like, or comment will count as an entry. Tell me what you hope to get out of the book, your favorite movie, or anything else. It all counts! I will announce a winner on this upcoming Friday (11/13).

Thanks for the support as always and best of luck to you all!

Book Review: Bad with Money

My first read of the year was the recently released book, Bad with Money by Gaby Dunn. Inspired by the podcast of the same name (which I love), this book explores some different fundamentals of finance, with a dash of social justice, and pinch of both humorous as well as poignant anecdotes from the author.

I really enjoyed this book. It definitely captures the spirit of the podcast well while not just feeling like a retread. It centers each chapter on a concept then provides facts, figures, and advice from experts. Dunn then puts the concept in context of her own story. She acknowledges her shortcomings, mistakes, and where she just had gaps in her understanding at the time. She also shows how she has worked to get past these financial difficulties, yet still underscores it with the acceptance that she still has a way to go.

This book serves as a great primer for college students, young professionals, and freelancers, but certainly has a lot to engage any reader on the current state of our financial systems and how they have historically disadvantaged many Americans.

I can’t think of a better book to kick off 2019 with. Bad with Money is smart, funny, socially conscious, honest, and engaging. I blew this book very quickly which is a testament in itself for me. It usually takes me forever to read a book to the end, and even then I sometimes skim through parts that feel irrelevant. I read this one cover to cover and recommend you do the same!

Hope you enjoy Bad with Money as much as I did!

Thanks for stopping by!

Book Review: Privacy & How to Get it Back

A recent book I read, Privacy: And How to Get it Back, from a recent podcast guest, BJ Mendelson, really got me thinking about a big topic right now in society; digital privacy.

The big takeaway for me from Privacy was that it isn't so much that the tools themselves are inherently bad, it's how the companies who made them use them and sell our data as well as what individuals put on these platforms without knowing what is done with this information.

I think BJ's book serves as a great counterpoint to my other book review, Winning with Data. There are ways to responsibly use data to make life better for people, but profiting off of social media posts and this community that exists on your platforms isn't really doing many people much good. And there are other models that could be made to allow these companies to make money without selling your data, or at least compensate you for your valuable data (which BJ recommends).

We create many of our own problems in the world, but we can also create solutions as well. These amazing tools we've made need to used responsibly by all involved. Many of these digital companies (whether they be Amazon, Facebook, Google, etc.) have a duty to do right by us, their users. But often they're working within the lax regulations put upon them. If we put proper rules in place, then they will work within them, as we're seeing with the GDPR rollout. I think digital privacy is a right, and these companies shouldn't be obfuscating the way to control how our data is shared.

I'm hopeful that as these digital tools as becoming more ubiquitous, we will update our laws and make sure to keep these companies that make them in check. It is also on the individual to feel empowered and informed to manage their data in whatever ways they feel most comfortable with. Maybe that means being more conservative, or it means sharing it widely, or only with certain platforms. Also, in my world, as higher ed becomes more digitized as well, we need to more conscious of how we're securing this information, which at times can be very sensitive.

I hope this gets you thinking like it did for me. It's something we can take for granted but the right to privacy is fundamental. We just need to learn how to navigate this issue in the digital space, but I'm confident we all can.

Book Review: Rework

My latest review is for the 2010 advice book, Rework, from the founders of productivity tool, Basecamp.

To start off simply, I really liked this book. As someone who is trying to work out starting something, I valued the perspectives outlined here. It resonated as the work environment I yearn for and would hope to create if I'm able to build what I'm working on right now. It disrupts all the norms we've come to expect from office jobs, and allows us to make more human focused companies.

Here's one of my biggest takeaways:

"Rockstar environments develop out of trust, autonomy, and responsibility. They’re a result of giving people the privacy, workspace, and tools they deserve. Great environments show respect for the people who do the work and how they do it."

This could sum up my general feelings about workplace dynamics and what we need to create to have positive outcomes for everyone involved; managers, employees, and customers. My advocacy for remote work is based in this sentiment, as well as flexible work hours. Balance comes from working where and how we're most productive. It could be sitting in the office from 9-5, or working 10-6 from a home office, or two four hour chunks split up so you can still have some personal time during the day or eat dinner with your family.

Another few points in the book I love are about workaholics:

"If all you do is work, you’re unlikely to have sound judgments. Your values and decision making wind up skewed. You stop being able to decide what’s worth extra effort and what’s not. And you wind up just plain tired. No one makes sharp decisions when tired.

"In the end, workaholics don’t actually accomplish more than non-workaholics. They may claim to be perfectionists, but that just means they’re wasting time fixating on inconsequential details instead of moving on to the next task.

"Workaholics aren’t heroes. They don’t save the day, they just use it up. The real hero is already home because she figured out a faster way to get things done."

I experience this a lot in my current job. I'm all about working smarter, not harder, and allowing myself to know that the work will be there tomorrow and it isn't the end of the world to leave and pick it up later. Especially when it's not a real emergency.

There's a lot to enjoy in this book if you're interested in this sort of thing and it's an easy read too. I was able to consume it in many bite sized chunks during some recent trips. I look forward to checking out their other book; Remote, as well as their podcast based on the Rework book.

Thanks for stopping by!

Book Review: Winning With Data

“Without data you’re just another person with an opinion” - W. Edwards Deming

I finished Winning with Data recently but I have to admit; it was hard for me to get through this book. It's difficult enough for me to read in general, but I don't usually seek out books about topics like managing data. I'm also not sure exactly who the audience is for this book. Is it a young person venturing into the workforce? A more senior executive trying to learn more about this evolution? Not sure, and I felt like that was also a problem. Nevertheless, I enjoyed what I read well enough since it confirmed how I feel about data accessibility and transparency. I can also see the influence of the author on my workplace (he works with a major investor in our company). It felt like when I took courses in school that I didn't like but I got a lot out of. If it didn't have to take them, I wouldn't have, but I'm glad I did since it exposed me to some new ideas.

The book outlines why data is important, how to manage it, and how to foster a culture that uses it in the right ways. It encourages readers to collect the right data, in the right amounts, and make timely informed decisions at every level of your organization. I feel like this is something higher ed needs to make better use of for strategic student interventions, but I can get why they'd be hesitant. Student data is sensitive, but we owe it to our students to provide the best service we can. I know some institutions are moving in this direction.

Using data really can transform every decision we make in an organization. It's not just sales or marketing. It can come into recruitment which I think is a huge epiphany for higher ed specifically since in my experience, it is something we struggle with greatly. The book provides a specific example from Google and how they run their processes to help continuously improve it over time:

“Google takes metrics one step further than most companies. It collects data at every step of the interviewing process to provide interviewers feedback on their candidate judgement.

“‘Every interviewer sees a record of the interview scores they gave given i the past and whether those people were hired or not. This lets the interviewer know if they are correctly assessing potential Googlers, nudging them to look back at their prior notes and learn from what they spotted or missed.’"

We could all use this sort of thinking to make sure we're bringing in the right people and helping our recruiters and hiring teams do their best with what we are putting upon them. Overall, it is a way of thinking that we need to implement and move on from making decisions based on anecdotal evidence and gut reactions. This quote is what I'd like to end on that captures this feeling: 

“…data encourages experimentation and surprises. Surprises foster new ways of thinking. They challenge the establishment. When dogged with opinions or knee-jerk answers of ‘that’s the way we’ve always done it,’ we all can feel disenfranchised. Data pushes us to experiment.”

Thanks for stopping by!

Book Review: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F***

I recently read this book at the behest of my manager. She felt it would be good for me to help me generally with confidence and figuring out my place in the world.

Written by Mark Manson, it is a sort of "anti self-help" book that disrupts norms of other literature in the genre. It curses, it criticizes, and explores life with a nihilistic sense of humor. It's a quick read with some good takeaways, my main one being:

"Don’t hope for a life without problems…There’s no such thing. Instead, hope for a life full of good problems."

As someone feeling like I'm always looking for a job, a company, a campus that is the right fit for me, the perfect position with no problems does not exist. I should find a role that lets me solve problems that I enjoy finding solutions for. Or at the very least don't mind dealing with. This makes my search that much easier.

I think this is a fine book for the modern young professional to help get out their own head and stop thinking they're the only person to suffer from their existential crisis. You can read this book, chuckle, calm down, and get some good advice to take with you into life, no matter where you come from. It will help you become more at peace, more open to learning, and allow yourself the space to discover your values.

I recommend this book and I'm glad I was able to check it out. I hope you enjoy it as well!

Thanks for stopping by!

Book Review: The Last Lecture

"Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted"

I recently just finished the book that follows up on the "last lecture" by fellow proud nerd, Randy Pausch, nearly a decade after his death (he passed in July 2008), and a decade to the day after the now famous lecture. I've been getting knee deep in death lately (which seems to be a trend, especially with some of my movie reviews). I've been watching The Leftovers, where coping with loss is a major theme. The Last Lecture is the dream scenario for many in that show, where someone knows the end is coming, and is more able to cope and prepare, and tell the people around him the impact they've had on him, as well as the future he hopes for.

The book expands on the speech, and reflects on it. I had always heard about this video, but never really delved into it. I sat down to watch it after I read the book and in preparation of this post. I'm glad I did. It's nice to look back long after he has passed to keep moving his message on. It's a simple, positive one that cuts through a lot of the cynicism and negativity around us. While I can certainly acknowledge his upbringing gave him a lot of benefits, simple advice sometimes helps to affirm what we all as humans should strive for.

I love the quote above, as it is something I'm currently grappling with and have had to come to terms with in the past. I look forward to the clarity of hindsight as I move forward (if only it was given to us in the moment).

As I said, I've been watching The Leftovers, which deals with loss, and I think we should all also be a lot more grateful for the time we have with those we care about, and we should tell them what they mean to us. I got married when it may have been sooner than some were expecting. But I was ready to marry my wife when I proposed, and I didn't want to wait any longer to be her husband.

I encourage you to give the video another viewing if you haven't seen it in a while. It's a simple, pure, and will help you to reflect on where you are, where you've been, and where you want to go. It will also help to honor a man who loved life, and lived it fully.

Book Review: Real Artists Have Day Jobs

"The biggest myth we are fed as artists is that we need to sustain ourselves solely on our art."

I finished reading Real Artists Have Day Jobs recently, and it was a fun romp through various short essays on art, love, and life written by comedian Sara Benincasa.

Sara has a unique outlook on the world, which I appreciated. It's empathetic, social justice oriented, but also funny, relevant, and her writing easy to read. She writes in a conversational tone and explores a lot of her own story through the book. Everything from her struggles with her body, issues with anxiety, and journey with her career. All delivered in bite sized morsels. I really enjoyed that I could pick up the book and read a chapter or two then put it down. I tend to only have brief periods of time or so much attention to give so it worked out well that way.

The stories shared in this book are very genuine and aren't done in a way of sharing expertise on any topic; just one's person's experiences and what they think about them. It's a great way to go in the world that leaves room for growth, acknowledges shortcomings, and is more relatable. Someone who is so sure of themselves to ignore any new information is going to limit themselves to many possibilities to learn and do the best they can with whatever they're working on. Being open to a good, new story change create positive change in anyone. This book achieves just that.

As the title implies, the book emphasizes the idea that we can create and be artists without going headlong into trying to be an "artist" who lives off their creations. We can live in the world, work a "day job" and pursue our creative endeavors just the same as anyone else. It may even work better than way. This sentiment makes me think of another great book I've read, Steal Like an Artist.

I've seen a lot of people talk about this book online and I'm glad I finally got around to checking it out. I recommend you do too. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Book Review: "Give and Take"

"... when concern for others is coupled with a healthy dose of concern for the self, givers are less prone to burning out and getting burned—and they’re better positioned to flourish."

As a part of my professional development plan for 2017, I decided to finally read Give and Take by Adam Grant. I've been recommended this book several times by several different people so I figured it'd be good to get around to actually reading it. I'm so glad I did. I really enjoyed this book. I felt like it was speaking to me at just the right moment as I work to move up and grow in a very different work environment. There is so much good stuff in this book so the short version of this review is me telling you to go out there and get this book now. Here's the long version:

Through a series of interview, stories, and studies, Grant explores the idea that being a "giver" is the best way for someone to get ahead versus the popular notion that we all need to be ruthless "takers". Across all different industries, this theory holds to be true, and Grant gives objective evidence to back it up, much from his own experience as well as that of others. He also gives helpful advice on how to overcome common hurdles for givers, like negotiating, being assertive, and avoiding burnout.

"This is what I find most magnetic about successful givers: they get to the top without cutting others down, finding ways of expanding the pie that benefit themselves and the people around them. Whereas success is zero-sum in a group of takers, in groups of givers, it may be true that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts."

In a world where we're experiencing vast complex hardships, fear, and our social capital is at an all time low, I feel like this book is something we all need to read now more than ever. We can make a better world for all if we work together, trust one another, and build bridges, not walls.

"When people assume that others aren’t givers, they act and speak in ways that discourage others from giving, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy."

"Givers reject the notion that interdependence is weak. Givers are more likely to see interdependence as a source of strength, a way to harness the skills of multiple people for a greater good."

I hope you read this book and integrate more giving into your life in however you see fit.

Thanks for stopping by!

Book Review: The Promise of a Pencil

The Promise of a Pencil is the story of how Adam Braun was able to create the global education for-purpose company Pencils of Promise from humble beginnings of just $25 to creating hundreds of schools around the world.

This book falls into a common category with many other books, like Start Something That Matters from the TOMS founder, Blake Mycoskie. This one resonated with me more since I have a bit more of a personal connection with it now. My company, 2U, is a corporate partner to Pencils of Promise, and I got to see Adam Braun speak at this year's company meeting. It was great and we also had cool VR headsets that helped us see the impact of a school built in Africa. I've known of Adam and Pencils of Promise before, but now it has more of connection to me than it did before.

This book was great. There are a lot of cool aspects of Adam's story that I appreciate, like his connection to Semester at Sea, and his feelings about college:

"While high school encouraged conformity, college taught me it was okay—even desirable—to question what I thought I knew."

He also values the privileges and opportunities those who came before him granted him. His family has been through a lot through the generations, and it cements for him a value that has driven his work:

"I believe that where you start in life should not dictate where you finish."

I really like that sentiment, and I have experienced firsthand the power of education to help transform someone's life. Millions of children around the world are deprived of this opportunity, and Pencils of Promise works to create sustainable change in global education.

The story of Pencils of Promise is captured well in this book through different "mantras" and it felt generally relevant, not just for someone wanting to become a social entrepreneur necessarily. I'd recommend it to anyone, as I think everyone appreciates education and would benefit from the stories and lessons from this book.

You can find The Promise of a Pencil at your favorite book retailer.

One last quote to end on:

“If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.”