RESOURCES
These are the books, podcasts, talks, and articles I actually recommend to my team. Not a generic reading list - these are the ones that changed how I lead, how I think, and how I build. I've tagged each one so you can find what's relevant to where you are right now.
-
Empire of AI - 5 stars
The inside story of OpenAI - the ambition, the secrecy, and the real cost of building AGI. Karen Hao interviewed 260 people for this. If you're deploying AI in your business (and you should be), you need to understand the machine behind the machine. This book will make you a smarter, more responsible operator.
Switch - 5 star
Hands down the best book I have read in regards to change management. Read it, then share it with someone else. This is the first gift I give to any manager that reports to me. The economy, our business, our teams, they will always change. Our job as a leader is to guide them through that change. This is a practical book on how to how to make it happen from my favorite business authors, Chip and Dan Heath.
Competing Against Luck - 5 star
A must read. Customers don't buy products or services; they "hire" them to do a job. Understanding customers does not drive innovation success. Understanding customer jobs does. I still use the McDonalds milkshake example in this book to this day.
Essentialism - 5 star
We are our greatest asset, we have to value it and change our mindset. The main idea is that we can only focus on one thing at a time. I personally struggle with this, so it’s a great reminder.
Radical Candor - 5 star
This book provides clear and honest guidance on the fundamentals of leading others - openly, and honestly
Upstream - 5 star
The problem is probably somewhere upstream. Again, Chip and Dan Heath balance practical solutions and stories. Great for managers who are still working on how to do a good root cause analysis.
The CEO Next Door - 5 star
Highly recommended, not only does it talk about what it takes to be a CEO it maps and timelines out where you should be when (spoilers, you’re putting too much pressure on yourself). Additionally, it’s incredibly hard to find a C-Suite book written by women and the empathy they bring to the role is encouraging for anyone at the Director/VP level.
The Founder's Mentality - 4 star
Start ups are great IF you can scale correctly. This book talks about the fundamentals of scale such as vision and purpose, unambiguous owner mentality, and remembering that above all else, we can never lose sight of our front lines. I like this for any manager in a start up to really make sure they don’t lose sight of the vision.
Cracking the Sales Management Code - 4 star
This is the AOR rulebook that I personally use to. A = Activities O = Objectives R = Results. If you want to operationalize your team you MUST know what actions lead to what results, then, systematize it
Can’t Hurt Me - 4 star
The life of David Goggins, the man who had the cards all stacked against him. He overcame, he thrived, and in this book, he’s teaching us how we can’t let the adversities we face be excuses for why we cannot perform. Great for team members who are feeling defeated.
The Vision Driven Leader - 4 star
Having a clear, compelling vision (and getting buy-in from your team) is essential to effective leadership. If you don't know where you're going, how on earth will you get there? How do you put that vision into practice at every level of your organization? This is great for anyone leading a division of the company. I always believe that every team in the company needs their own vision.
Speed of Trust - 3 star
No team was ever successful without trust. This is especially true when working cross functionally. Read this one and The Advantage together.
Mindset - 3 star
The power of your mindset and how it will help you through hard times, and good times.
Dealstorming - 3 star
The process that can break through any sales deadlock. He calls it “a Swiss Army knife for today’s toughest sales challenges.”
One Minute Manager OF HIGH PERFORMING TEAMS(There is a difference) - 4 star
Four stages of a team. There is only one concept you must have from this book and that is the ‘stages of development’. This is very helpful to guide employees based on what stage of their journey they are in.
You are a Badass - 4 star
It’s not me it’s you, and YOU are a badass! This is a great reminder for anyone on the team dealing with imposter syndrome or self doubt.
The Achievement Habit - 3 star
Main premise is that reasons are just excuses prettied up. This book is mainly about having grit and determination to keep going and how to repeat that process.
Girl, Wash Your Face - 3 star
Do you ever suspect that everyone else has life figured out and you don’t have a clue? Don’t worry, it’s a lie. This is great for the person who thinks everyone else, but them, has it all figured out.
Everything is Figureoutable - 3 star
Retrain your brain to think more creatively and positively in the face of setbacks. How to deal with criticism and imposter syndrome. Great for the person who thinks everything is a fire.
Mentoring 101 - 3 star
Who do you mentor, and how do you mentor? This is a very small, actionable book on being a mentor to someone else. Great for a team lead or first time manager.
If you want a more complete list, just ask. I have plenty of book recommendations that go beyond just the office. #mysterythrillergirlatheart
-
Product, growth, and the people building the companies everyone's talking about. Lenny gets into the real tactics - not the theory. Great for anyone who sits at the intersection of product, ops, and CX.
Four tech investors debate markets, startups, and AI. It's polarizing but it's the conversation every exec in tech is having. Good if you want to be plugged into the broader landscape.
LinkedIn’s co-founder breaks down how iconic companies scaled, blending guest stories with practical frameworks. A staple for leaders who think in systems.
Like the name suggests, this podcast goes in depth on everything from product vision and GTM strategy to how user research should be digested and implemented throughout the company.
Raw, honest conversations with leaders, creators, and thinkers about success, failure, and the lessons learned along the way. Blends business insight with human storytelling.
Portraits of iconic entrepreneurs telling the origin stories behind brands like Airbnb, Patagonia, and Spanx - rich with resilience, risk, and turning points.
Perfectly narrated with beautiful story telling skills this covers Adidas vs Nike or Google vs Apple Maps. These stories walk us through key business decisions and how they unfolded.
I love this because similar to Masters of Scale they are interviewing business leaders who are growing and expanding their businesses.
One stop shop for the world of fin-tech. When I was building the Solo mobile app (fin-tech B2B payment platform), I never missed an episode. It’s not only how I was kept in the loop with news but also their website has all the onboarding flows for fin-techs mapped out.
This is where we talk fraud in payments, commerce, lending, etc. Karisse also has great LinkedIn content if you are in Trust and Safety. This is another show I never missed while building the Solo app (fin-tech B2B payment platform).
-
How Great Leaders Inspire Action - 5 star
The classic TedTalk to help you identify your why. A must watch for anyone.
The Power Of Introverts - 5 star
Many times the introverts on our teams have the best ideas, but the need the space to express themselves. Understanding the dynamics of how to work with and empower this population is key to diverse workforce.
The Career Advice You Probably Didn’t Get - 5 star
I actually took the time to get to know Susan after this TedTalk. This helped me personally while I was developing and helped me work with my mentor to ensure we were focused on business strategy. This is great for any woman looking to grow and in search of a mentor.
The Power of Vulnerability - 5 star
Brené Brown always delivers. This reminds us to be authentic, in our leadership, with our customers and investors.
Dare to Disagree - 4 star
I don’t know many good leaders who want ‘yes people’. Too many of us have echo chambers. This talks about how we can have constructive conflict and how it makes us better.
Why Some of Us Don’t Have One True Calling - 4 star
Sometimes you need a SME, but sometimes you don’t. A generalist who is well rounded will be able to pull ideas from other experiences and be able to create innovation in spaces where there is staleness.
-
Employee Training Needs More than a Script
Managing the High-Intensity Workplace
Connect with Empathy, But Lead with Compassion
How to Disagree with Someone More Powerful than You
Empathy is a Non-Negotiable Leadership Skill
Do You Have an Emotionally Intelligent Team?