Bobbi reveals her favorite new money related books, and how to decide if they are right for you. This month’s picks include “Take the Leap” by Sara Bliss, “The Remix” by Lindsey Pollak, ”Limitless” by Laura Gassner Otting and “The Wealth Creator’s Playbook” by John Christianson

Some ground rules:

There will be only positive comments. Because why waste your time telling you about something I don’t think is worth your time. 

Also - we limit our selections to books written by authors that appear on the podcast. In most cases they will have already appeared- so you can then go back and listen to their episode if you want to learn more. Occasionally, the episode will be in the future - so hopefully you will subscribe so you don’t miss it. 

Here are 4 books I truly enjoyed in the past month!

Book #1

Let’s start with Take the Leap. Change Your Career, Change Your Life by Sara Bliss. The book focuses on stories of people who left a career they were pretty settled in.. and well took the leap into something very very different. Taking the term career pivots to the extreme- more like pirouette’s.. And I love that the stories are told in a very short format- you can dip in and just read one in about 5 minutes and then come back to the book and be drawn to another- individual lite stories combined to make an in-depth resource. 

Here’s what I liked about it:

1. Her Mantra: Begin Anyhow. Because there is always going to be a reason not to start to move towards a new career. so begin anyhow.

2. While the book is as you would expect cheerful, upbeat and inspiring it is also extremely specific and detailed about the hard work and sacrifice often involved. Want to go from Wall Street to wine making? You may not need to but the person profiled went way downscale for a year to learn his craft before he actually started the career change. No magic pills here. 

3. She is totally transparent about the money focus. 70 percent of those profiled make more in their new and happier careers- so this isn’t about working for the love of the work- it is very much about finding ways to get paid more by disrupting your ideas about how to sell your skills. 

Who is this book for?

I’m tempted to say people unhappy with their careers but that’s not enough. To really get the most out of Take the Leap you have to be dreaming of something better and self aware enough to understand the work involved. 

Book #2

The Remix. How to lead and succeed in the Multigenerational Workplace by my friend multi-generational expert Lindsey Pollak. 

Did you know that there are 5 generations now in the workplace? The book’s title refers to the idea that at parties when a DJ wants to get everyone excited to dance- he plays a remix because the younger guests know the new song but it is also familiar to the older guests.. and next thing you know the dance floor is packed. 

Here’s what I liked about it:

1. Lindsey gives very easy to do things that can bring us all together. Like if workers feel displaced because of not having a permanent desk or office anymore- she presents solutions such as personalizing the things we bring with us everywhere like our computers. And Lindsey reframes the way we think about popular workplace concepts- instead of work/life balance. It is work life integration.

2. She recommends apps that also make it easier to implement her strategies. Like feedback apps to keep a continuous conversation going because some generations want feedback a lot more often than one annual review. 

3. The original research that Lindsey has done is what really sets this book apart. While she absolutely does interview the top thought leaders in the industry, and presents a ton of data,  The Remix is full of information that we have not read elsewhere because it is her original content.. from misperceptions about remote work, to the reality of whether ping pong tables and free lunch really work to retain employees in a tight job market. 

Who is this book for?

This book is for people who want a big picture look at the changes in the workplace in the last decade or so -along with specific solutions that they can implement in their own day to day work environment to just enjoy the time more and learn from other generations. 

Book #3

Book #3 is by Laura Gassner Otting and it is called Limitless. How to Ignore everybody, Carve Your own path and Live your Best life

This book is a bit woo woo self help book but in a good and literal way- trust me. It focuses on 4 functional elements to help us break through external and internal limits. 

Here’s what I liked about it:

1. It doesn’t so much tell you what you need to change in your life to be happy- rather, limitless focuses more on How you can figure it out for yourself. because we are all different and there isn’t a one size fits all. It gives you the framework. It’s up to each of us to determine our own personal version of success

2. As much as there is a cheerleader tone to this- it is balanced out by tough love. For example, being busy is not the same as getting results. So we need to have some honesty there- and that is something I personally have been struggling with recently. 

3. She is candid  about her challenges as a mompreneur. The author started her company with a 6 week old child. Why? Because that’s when an opportunity for a first client fell into her lap- so she seized the opportunity- and I think that is a great point- the best opportunities don’t always come when we are ready- but we can become ready very fast when they do come- often when we have the least amount of time. 

Who is this book for?

People who need someone to tell motivate them to achieve their potential. It’s like those of us who know we should eat healthy but need someone to write out the menu. Or want to work out but need a trainer to get us to the gym. Laura knows how to say things in a way that gets rid of the excuses and helps the reader get things done. 

Book #4

The Wealth Creator’s playbook- a guide to maximizing your return on  life and money by John Christianson. 

This is not a beginner investment book- and it speaks to a very specific demographic if we are being honest. People who have money and consider themselves wealth creators. So just go in knowing that. 

Here’s what I liked about it:

1. The author is not afraid to be honest about who his audience is and therefore comes across as uniquely authentic- he isn’t talking down- he is talking with a very specific segment of the population who don’t want to simply settle for being wealthy- but are looking for a more fulfilling life regardless of their bank account. 

2. It’s kind a of now what for people that have acquired a certain degree of financial success.. and really calls onus to evaluate why we spend such a high percentage of our time and effort focusing on the accumulation of wealth, and how our identity changes once we have it. 

3. While it is, as they say, a first world problem, the Wealth Creators Playbook does address the challenges that come with wealth including the isolation, relationship challenges, spiritual aspects of dealing with money. 

Who is this book for?

The book is clearly aimed at those who have accumulated money but are looking for guidance in dealing with the changes it has brought on- including assessing their values, how they deal with their kids and money, and the best way to be generous with their wealth. 

Episode Links:

• Blinkist - The app I’m loving right now. Please use our link to support the show and get a free trial.

• Sara Bliss’ Financial Grownup episode + Get your copy of Take The Leap

• Lindsey Pollak’s Financial Grownup episode + Get your copy of The Remix

• Laura Gassner Otting’s Financial Grownup episode + Get your copy of Limitless

• John Christianson’s Financial Grownup episode + Get your copy of The Wealth Creator’s Playbook

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.

Author and workplace strategist Lindsey Pollack shares a negotiation story with a big twist and a surprise ending. Plus how we often fail ourselves in negotiations by not using simple techniques when putting together deals, and how we can learn to up our game. 

In Lindsey's money story you will learn:

So my money story goes back to before I wrote all those books and had the lovely credentials that you shared. About 10 years ago, I was speaking on college campuses to students about getting jobs and I really wanted to elevate my business to the next level. And so I wanted to connect with a large brand that would help me raise my image and get into the corporate market.

And through a connection of a connection of a connection, I ended up having the opportunity to pitch a major social network. And my pitch to them was that I wanted to run a series of webinars to campus career centers to teach them how to use this social network and get their students to use it for their career success. You can probably guess which network it was.

And I had no platform. I had no reputation. I had nothing to offer. And so what I did -

Let me just ask you, how had you even been connected to them?

I was so set on a couple of different companies wanting to work with that I asked everyone that I knew, "Hey, do you know anyone at this company?" And it took one full year, Bobbi and finally, a friend of a friend worked out in Silicon Valley and said, "I know someone there, I'm willing to make an introduction." So I asked until I finally got a yes.

So you had already invested quite a bit of time and energy in this and a lot of tenacity. Okay. So now you get your moment, keep going.

Okay. So I got my moment and I wrote up a huge fancy proposal that I was really proud of and I thought, "How am I going to price this?" They don't know me. I did not want to do it for free. And so what I did, was I came up with two tiers. I came up with the tier that was a very, very low investment for this company to pay me to start this webinar and run it.

And then I came up with a really, really high number and said, "If I can train 5000 people in two months. If 5000 people signed up to take this webinar in two months, you'll pay me this number." And they agreed to it because they basically had nothing to lose because the first number was really small.

Well I mean you've transferred all of the risk. You're taking on all the risk if the project were to not go well. They basically don't have much at stake. The payment from them would be so small. But of course, you are getting huge reward if it goes well which of course I know it does. But keep going.

It went well. I did everything humanly possible to get 5000 people to sign up for those webinars. And I do want to give credit that I had a very warm introduction. So I think that network and connection really helped. But I worked like crazy to get those people to sign up. I made the number. And the best part of the story is that I continued to work with that company for six more years. So I think by proving myself at the beginning, I was able to start the relationship off right and it truly was a game-changer for my business.

In Lindsey’s money lesson you will learn:

I think there are two lessons. One is to be really clear on what you want and if you get the introduction you want or if you get the opportunity you want, how are you going to turn it into something big. I think a lot of people say they want success or they want to write a book or they want to get their script produced. But once you have the opportunity in front of you, what are you going to do to make sure that you get a yes. And I can't say I knew at the time that this would be such a lesson but it was so empowering to know that I was willing to put everything on the table and work tenaciously, as you said, to get it. So know what you want and really think about how you can get the other side to say yes. Even if it means that you have to put some risk on the table.

You also mentioned the term a warm introduction. Can you talk more about how that came about, how that comes about, how people can get that more, and the importance of the kind introduction that you get? The nuance there.

Absolutely. And Bobbi, you are such a good practitioner of this generously making introductions for people you know and trust. I think that it's really easy to connect with someone today, whether it's on a social network, whether it's sending an email, finding somebody's phone number. That's easy. What's harder is standing out from the crowd. And I think the way to do that is when you have a person, a human being, who knows and trusts you who always knows and is trusted by the person you want to meet.

So I don't think it was just me and my proposal that got that company to say yes. I think it was the fact that someone who they trusted and vouched for me was able to make that introduction. You know we live in a world of a lot of connections but that true trusted connection, I think is more valuable than ever. That to me is a warm connection.

In Lindsey's everyday money tip you will learn:

I am laughing that my money story is about how great of a negotiator I am because it took me so long to learn how to improve my negotiation skills and my best negotiation tip is silence.

So why? We let there be a moment of silence there so everyone could think about that.

Silence is really uncomfortable. And I'm so glad you let that moment linger because it shows how much anyone wants to desperately make that silence go away. And so what I used to do, when I first started out as a speaker or as an author, was say something like, "Bobbi, the price of my speech is $1000." And if there was a nanosecond of silence, I would say, "But if you only want to pay 750 that's okay." Because I was so uncomfortable with the silence.

So letting a number sit there. Asking somebody, even if you're on the phone with your mobile phone provider saying, "Is that the best you can do? Can you offer me a different rate?" We jump in too quickly and say, "Or not, that's okay. Forget it." Letting that silence linger is so hard and has been a huge challenge for me but it is my best money tip to not talk myself down or lose an opportunity to get a better price because I'm not willing to sit with silence.

Can you recall any time that was super effective using that technique? Can you give us an example?

Oh, everyday when I'm negotiating for my business. As I've gotten more successful as a speaker, I've raised my prices. And probably the hardest one to do is to raise a price on an existing valued client. But over time, it's really a necessity to grow your business.

I had to say to someone just the other day, "I've raised my prices by 15%. I know that we've always been at X number. The new number is this." And I so wanted to say, "But if you don't want to pay that's okay." Or, "I know that might be challenging." But I just said it, I let it sit there and the person said, "Okay."

In My Take you will learn:

Financial Grownup Tip number one: Lindsey talked about warm introductions and I could not agree more. But how do you get started? Well the most important thing is to reach out and ask people in your industry or even just friends and family and just casual conversation to tell you more about what they're working on, what their goals are, and lead into how you might be able to help them. Don't be overly aggressive. But be creative. Are there things that you could do? And then follow up. And this is the most important thing. Don't ask them for anything in return.

The crazy thing that I have found is that the people that have come forward on my behalf and made introductions for me, aren't always the ones that I have helped. It's not always linear. In fact, it rarely is. Very often the people helping me are people that aren't necessarily in my closest circles. They're people that I've met through my life that I've stayed in touch with. Maybe a quick email every six months, a quick coffee date once or twice a year. That kind of thing. And just being in touch with them and being considerate of what they're going through and what their needs are, maybe they'll think of you when an opportunity that's appropriate for you comes about. Or maybe they'll be there for you if you want an introduction to someone that they know. Be patient. If you give, you will receive.

Financial Grownup Tip number two: Lindsey's book is so full of great tips for us. She shared a couple, but I wanted to give a little bit more. So here are some other tips from Lindsey.

First of all, if you can work up the courage and feel comfortable and if you don't then get comfortable, do this, work up to this. Ask your boss to CC you on emails even when you don't need to be directly involved. It's going to give you insights into things that are going on in your company beyond your immediate duties, give you a wider perspective.

Lindsey also suggests sending video emails on occasion instead of writing out what you want to say. Just film a quick video and attach it to an email. It can be very effective.

One more final tip: Remix your meetings. Just try sitting in different seats than you usually do and that could actually change the group dynamic and maybe the group think. Come up with some different ideas or just give you a little more energy in your day.

Episode Links:

• Blinkist - The app I’m loving right now. Please use our link to support the show and get a free trial.

• Check out Lindsey's website - www.LindseyPollak.com

• Lindsey's new book The Remix

Follow Lindsey!

• Instagram - @LindseyPollak

• Facebook - @LindseyPollakAuthor

• Twitter - @LindseyPollak

• LinkedIn - @LindseyPollak

• YouTube

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.