Wellington City Libraries’ Business Blog

Design a better business : new tools, skills and mindset for strategy and innovation / written by Patrick van der Pijl, Justin Lokitz and Lisa Kay Solomon. “guide for real innovation in the real world…. A fantastic collection of thoughts, practical methodologies and an overall bent to getting real innovation done in the real world. Too many innovation-focused business books these days are based on fanciful methodologies that sound great in theory, but lack substantive examples of how to put this kind of thinking into practice. In Design a Better Business, the authors have compiled both the abstract approaches as well as real-world cases of successful innovation practices that give the reader a clear, well reasoned strategy for innovating in their businesses, products and teams.” (Amazon reviewer)
Frugal innovation : how to do better with less / Navi Radjou and Jaideep Prabhu ; [foreword by Paul Polman].
Frugal innovation is a way that companies can develop high-quality products and create more value with limited resources. In today’s cost-constrained environment, companies in the developed economies are seeking new routes to long-term business success – while also appealing to cost-conscious and environmentally-aware consumers. With an estimated trillion-dollar global market for sustainable products, and with potentially huge cost savings to be gained, frugal innovation is revolutionising business and reshaping management thinking. This seminal book gives an overview of the principles, perspectives and techniques behind frugal innovation, connecting with key contemporary business concepts such as the sharing and circular economies and the maker movement. It offers a blueprint for leaders and managers in companies of all sizes and across all sectors on how to profit from doing business frugally. Based on the authors’ six key principles of frugal innovation, and packed with targeted advice and recommendations for business functions such as R&D, operations, HR and sales, Frugal Innovation is a masterclass in the art of doing more with less.
Unlocking happiness at work : how a data-driven happiness strategy fuels purpose, passion and performance / Jennifer Moss.
Unlocking Happiness at Work takes you on a journey into why and how leaders should become compassionate capitalists and ensure that their teams thrive. This book debunks the myth that happiness at work is a waste of time and demonstrates how it can deliver a more productive and engaged workforce, which can have real impact on the bottom line. Based on two decades of scientific research, real-time data, interviews and case studies, this book proves that happiness fuels higher performance, provides a greater sense of purpose and spreads passion throughout organizations. With insightful practical guidance throughout, Unlocking Happiness at Work is a lively and persuasive exploration of how to be more happy and make others more happy through the power of habits, emotional intelligence and an innovative approach to work/life flow. Case studies from lululemon, Zappos, Misfit Inc, The Body Shop and more are supported by tangible data and key performance indicators that show the significant benefits that come from adopting a happiness strategy. This is an essential resource for leaders who want to increase sustainability, attract new talent, improve their brand and boost profitability – in a way that is life-enhancing for them and their people./
The automatic customer : creating a subscription business in any industry / John Warrillow.The Automatic Customer: Creating a Subscription Business in Any Industry
“What if a company, no matter the size or industry, could attract repeat customers and recurring sales without having to resell its goods or services every single time? SellabilityScore.com founder Warrillow (Built to Sell) successfully empowers readers with this primer on transforming any business into a subscription business. He explores the move by companies like Apple and Amazon into this area and shows how subscribers increase value, smooth out demand, generate automatic payments, and stay recession-proof. Warrillow doesn’t neglect the inherent challenges, but where most readers will want to focus is on the nine subscription business models he provides. These different approaches, which include membership websites, private clubs, and subscription-based e-commerce, each come with advice from insiders and tips on the types of business best suited for that particular model. The book’s final section offers shortcuts for setting up and building a subscription-based revenue stream, along with solid guidance for measuring progress, viability, and performance. Warrillow also deals with funding growth, the psychology behind selling a subscription, and scaling a business. Full of valuable advice that will smooth the way for more predictable income, this book will help ease the transition to a subscription model. (Feb.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved” (Publisher Weekly)
Lead like a woman : your essential guide for true confidence, career clarity, vibrant wellbeing and leadership success / Megan Dalla-Camina and Michelle McQuaid.
Lead Like A Woman guides women to see more of who they really are, and get more of what they truly want, helping women uncover the stories and blocks that hold them back, and giving them the tested roadmap and tools to create the career and life they long for. If you are a woman seeking more confidence, to build your personal brand, find a mentor or sponsor, or create a wellbeing plan that works, this book will help. It’s for you if your goal is to step into your presence and personal power and become the authentic leader you have always wanted to be. And it’s for you if you finally want to unhook yourself from the stories that hold you back, and get the roadmap to live and lead like you long to. For leaders, this book will provide the searing insights you need to understand the professional woman’s journey, as well as provide tools and coaching for you to become a leader who can actually make a positive impact for women at work. With each chapter including a “For Leaders” coaching section, this book will prove invaluable in your own journey to help unlock women’s potential-and your own. The Lead Like A Woman journey fuses the latest research from positive psychology, neuroscience, gender science, leadership development, and wellbeing, with real stories of what it’s like to work in a world that is still dominated by masculine modes of leadership and success. Sharing cutting-edge models on authentic leadership, how to understand gender mindsets, and leverage feminine traits to lead and live better, it will forever change the way you view your career, your leadership, and your life.
Smart partners : building successful relationships in business and life / Jim Burba and Bob Hayes.
“Two men who have been partners in life and in business for more than twenty-five years share their story and present ideas about the principles they believe make personal and work partnerships successful”– Provided by publisher.