2021 Business and Personal Finance Books

As the economy begins the long process of reconstruction, a significant number of workers are withdrawing on their own, some reluctantly, following layoffs; some see it as an opportunity to get away from the nine-to-five routine. PW spoke to publishers about a new set of books for entrepreneurs, newbies, small business dreamers, and anyone looking to ditch the W2 for an LLC.

“We have suffered this unthinkable shock to the economy and the job market, and people are feeling a loss of control,” says Talia Krohn, editor-in-chief of Currency. She acquired LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman’s Masters of scale (September), an extension of the podcast of the same name and written with its executive producers, June Cohen and Deron Triff. The book profiles successful entrepreneurs and offers courses organized around 10 key principles, including “doing things that don’t change” and “learning to unlearn”. “Entrepreneurship puts you in control of your career and how you develop the business,” notes Krohn. “People don’t want to have to worry about being fired because of someone else’s decisions. “

Melinda Emerson recognized this over a decade ago, in the 2010s. Become your own boss in 12 months. She updated the book in 2015, and in September Adams Media is releasing its latest iteration, revised for the Covid era. Eileen Mullan, editor-in-chief of acquisitions at Adams Media, said the update focuses on social media marketing and online sales, in response to the drop in foot traffic physical stores experienced during the lockdown . After the pandemic, she adds, readers will need new ideas to keep their businesses going. “Crises spur innovation: it becomes clear what the market needs,” says Mullan. “Now is the perfect time to figure out how your product can fix it. “

Models abound: For McGraw Hill Education’s October release The boom in your small business, Steven D. Strauss, who writes a small business column for United States today, interviewed several entrepreneurs and solopreneurs about their growth strategies, especially in times of crisis. “After the pandemic, people are wondering what is my next big step, my next big idea? What do I need to know to start a business? Says Amy Li, associate editor, McGraw Hill Business.

Once the reality of being your own boss sets in – that is, it often means being someone else’s boss too – it’s time to make the transition from employee to employer. . “Startup founders are entrepreneurs, not managers,” says Kathe Sweeney, editor-in-chief of US programs at Kogan Page. “They need to develop their skills to run their business and learn to manage themselves and their teams. “

Sweeney acquired From creation to adulthood (October) by start-up coach Alisa Cohn, who, Sweeney says, “writes for a serious founder who may have gotten his first round of funding, looked around and acknowledged: wow, this is gonna be harder than I thought. will be. Being an entrepreneur is a lonely job. You had the vision, you brought friends to help you, but there is so much pressure. It is the challenge of being at the top of the company.

Despite all the difficulties in transitioning to running your own business, the field is wide open, says Sweeney, and the future of freelance work, judging by its stack of submissions, is in technology. “Tech startups and tech products are where the money goes, for the development of AI and applications,” she explains. “With each new technology, more and more people who don’t want to work for a big company are flocking to startups or starting to see themselves as entrepreneurs. They want to pursue their big idea and define their own life plan.

Make the (lateral) agitation

Enterprising readers who don’t want to leave the safety of a full-time job can get on with it after their first day on the job is over. A husband and wife duo, Carrie Bohlig and Craig Clickner, have started several of their own businesses, including consulting and coaching companies. In So you want to start a side business, a June release from McGraw Hill Education, “They offer tips for finding your who– who is your audience and who you are around with, ”says Cheryl Segura, Editor-in-Chief at McGraw Hill Professional. The potential readership of the book is bigger than it looks, she explains, and includes “people who want to have a sideline while they work, for example, and people who want to retire. sooner than they thought and have to save some extra money while they work.

The traditional entrepreneurial stereotype – Harvard dorm, hoodie, trust fund – needs a facelift, and Sonya Barlow has a vision of what this “after” photo might look like. In 2018 Barlow, who was born in Pakistan and lives in the UK, founded the LMF (Like-Minded Females) Network, which aims to provide women with the right opportunities, networks and mentors.

Barlow calls herself the ‘dark-haired entrepreneurial girl,’ says Geraldine Collard, editor-in-chief of Kogan Page, which acquired Barlow’s Not prepared for the entrepreneur (Nov.). In the book, “she delves into the myths that discourage people from going it alone – that they need a lot of capital, or angel investors, or look like Richard Branson,” Collard adds, addressing to a young readership who may enter (yet) a time of crisis and who may think they are out of luck if they do not have a formal business plan or a major injection of money.

When the offices reopen, they are unlikely to be alike, note the editors; many companies are planning flexible hours, teams spread around the world, and remote working as the new normal. The business world has changed, giving way to small businesses. For anyone who doesn’t have a job to return to – or who no longer finds the idea of ​​working for The Man entirely acceptable, knowing how quickly everything can fall apart – these new titles offer some tips for making. hand, cheerleader and presence.

Below is more information on business and personal finance books.

“Remuneration is a function of proximity to power”: interview with David Buckmaster
In “Fair Pay” (Harper Business, June), Buckmaster, Global Compensation Manager at Nike, discusses the ethics and practicalities of compensating employees for their work.

Through a dark screen: PW talks with Erica Dhawan
Dhawan helps readers communicate effectively, even from a distance, in ‘digital body language’ (St. Martin’s, May).

Rage Against the Machine: Business & Personal Finance Books 2021
A new series of business books tackles the giant organizations that are changing the way America sells, trades and earns.

Security Commission: Business & Personal Finance Books 2021
The authors suggest new ways to pay off debt, save for retirement, and plan for the future.