Blinkist Summary Book

2021-11-03 06:39:43 Scale for Success
Part of 1/15


What’s in it for me? Learn how to grow your business successfully.
When you first launch your business all that you need to succeed is a good idea grit and a small amount of initial capital. After that it’s mostly in the hands of fate. But when it comes to scaling your business there are a lot more challenges that need your attention.
Scaling means raising capital hiring new staff and maintaining a positive work culture in the face of pressure and rapid change. It means new ways of marketing and learning the latest sales techniques. And perhaps most importantly it means laying a lot of groundwork before the scaling process even begins.
That’s where these blinks come in. Based on the advice of a diverse group of successful entrepreneurs they walk you through the challenges and opportunities that scaling your business can present.
In these blinks you’ll learn
why crowdfunding your growth might make sense;
how to sell with integrity; and
how to make your marketing stand out. Open / Comment

2021-11-03 06:39:42 Scale for Success
Part of 0/15

Scale for Success (2021) is a guide to turning your small business into a far bigger and more successful enterprise than it is today. From crowdfunding to job descriptions it covers the ins and outs – and highs and lows – of scaling up any firm. Open / Comment

2021-11-02 06:40:02 You Are What You Risk
Part of 19/20

ealized he should cut his losses and employ himself. Shifting to online was a risky decision effectively forced on him by the COVID-19 lockdown. From a risk perspective Marte’s story is simple: every time he’s faced a risk he’s made an intelligent positive decision. 
Another risk is facing every young person on the planet: the climate crisis. This risk is huge which is why so many children are taking such drastic steps to deal with it. Teenage activist Haven Coleman for instance has applied serious pressure to American politicians and pushed for Congress to find real solutions.
Is it really less of a risk to stay home and play video games like most 12-year-olds do? Arguably not when Coleman’s whole future is on the line. From a risk perspective her activism is simply the pragmatic choice.
As we’ve heard we each have a unique risk fingerprint that’s shaped by everything from our experiences to our genes to our appearance. The situations we find ourselves in impact the risks we choose Open / Comment

2021-11-02 06:40:01 You Are What You Risk
Part of 17/20

pay at a higher rate. Similarly the fund offers extra protections to the investors that need them most rather than to the ones that can pay the most.
Frieze’s method works because it recognizes something fundamental about business that often gets overlooked: everyone depends on everyone else. Her organization along with those that borrow from and lend to it really are all in it together. And the risk is spread out between them in a way that strengthens the system overall.
It’s not just that everyone feels involved in the process – it’s that they’re acting with purpose. That’s something that’s often lacking from the modern financial system. Deregulation in finance since the 1980s has contributed to a system that is highly aware of risks to shareholder value – famously championed by the economist Milton Friedman – and highly uninterested in risks to stakeholder value.
But as people are starting to realize risks look different when people think about what’s at stake to everyone involve Open / Comment

2021-11-02 06:40:00 You Are What You Risk
Part of 16/20

t was out of their hands.
The key message here is: Having a sense of purpose and involvement heightens your awareness of risk.
Attitudes shift when people feel involved – and that’s true whether we’re talking about the risk of nuclear war or the risk of defaulting on a loan. People from disadvantaged communities have traditionally struggled to get business loans because lenders consider them too much of a risk. But lately some organizations have been looking to buck this trend. The Boston Impact Initiative Fund for example provides not only loans but a sense of purpose . 
Entrepreneur Deborah Frieze who set up the fund is privileged – and her risk-taking has always been rewarded. But she realized that underprivileged people who take risks tend to face skepticism or disapproval so she created an organization that does things differently. The earlier entrepreneurs are in their business ventures the lower the interest rates on their loans. More established businesses on the other hand Open / Comment

2021-10-21 06:40:02 You're Invited
Part of 19/25

u’ll discover how to apply your skills to design not only events but also thriving communities that are in line with your values and ideals. 
When you’re trying to create a community start where you want to end up.
Traditionally organizations that are looking to attract new members or businesses seeking customers have a recruitment model that focuses on three moments. First there's the moment of discovery when people first encounter the organization. Then there’s engagement where people get to know it. And last there’s membership when people sign on to become part of the community. 
These phases are very important but there’s a problem: they’re usually approached in the wrong order. 
When we're creating communities we need to design backward. We need to figure out what kind of community we want to create and what our key values are. Put simply we need to define what kind of membership we’re offering people. The answer to that will influence our engagement which will determine h Open / Comment

2021-10-21 06:40:01 You're Invited
Part of 18/25

irrationality but like the Disney park we can design around it. We can use our understanding of human behavior to create events designed to help people connect and to put them at ease. For example the author was inspired by the Disney example and gives the guests at his Influencer Dinners a transition period to get comfortable in their new environment. Instead of handing them a drink and forcing them to chat the guests always start with a relaxing activity like touring the house together. 
However you design your experience make sure you always behave ethically; don’t use your knowledge of human behavior to take advantage of people. Remember: to build a long-lasting trusting relationship with other people you need to be competent honest and benevolent – you always need to have their best interests at heart. Always be transparent about your motivations for hosting an event and make sure to be upfront if you're collaborating with a brand or receiving sponsorship. 
In the next blink yo Open / Comment

2021-10-21 06:40:01 You're Invited
Part of 17/25

de that ferries you to the main gates. 
Why would the park designers have created this seemingly impractical setup? Because they understand behavioral psychology very well. Tickets to Disney World are expensive. Specifically four-day passes for a family will set you back around $1 200. 
Many people experience instant buyer's remorse after handing over the money – even though they’d planned to spend it. So the park designers factored in the boat ride as a breather that allows people to relax and get into a better mood before entering the park. That way the outing starts out on a better note and everyone wins. 
The key message here is: Understanding behavioral psychology will allow you to design better events.
People are as psychologist Dan Ariely says “predictably irrational.” In fact we have over 180 cognitive biases that we’re not even aware of. That means we’re often not in charge of how we make decisions – even though we’d like to think we are. 
We can’t change this predictable Open / Comment

2021-10-21 06:40:01 You're Invited
Part of 16/25

one-directional interaction.
The third characteristic of a community is that it embodies the shared values or needs of everybody involved. For example a religious community will embody the shared commitment of practicing devotion to God while a shared professional community could fulfill the core aim of furthering everybody’s career. These shared desires are the fuel that maintains a community over time. 
Last but definitely not least community members share an emotional connection . Rather than practicing their faith or fighting for a political cause alone they come together to share the experience. This could be online or offline but it involves genuine interaction and building trust between members.
Understanding behavioral psychology will allow you to design better events.
If you go to Walt Disney World in Orlando Florida you’ll notice something strange. After you pay for your tickets you can’t walk straight into the park. Instead you need to take a 23-minute boat or bus ri Open / Comment

2021-10-21 06:40:00 You're Invited
Part of 15/25

emotional safety within a community. 
That’s something Jake White the coach of the Springboks rugby team understood very well. He was tasked with helping the ailing South African team prepare for the World Cup in 2007. One of his first moves was to guarantee the members of his team that they wouldn’t be kicked out before the World Cup – even if they played badly. This was very unusual but it communicated to the team that the coach had their backs. The team rallied together with a new spirit of collaboration and commitment. And ultimately the strategy paid off. Against all odds the Springboks won the World Cup. 
The second pillar of community is influence . Having influence means that community members all have the chance to help determine what happens within the community – and to make a contribution. It’s a reciprocal interaction; they’re also able to receive contributions. That’s why for example the Instagram followers of a celebrity are a fan base rather than a community. It’s a Open / Comment