Books
A curated list of books that have shaped how I think about product design, user experience, leadership, relationships, and building teams that ship.
38 books
Design & Product
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion
by Robert B. Cialdini
The classic breakdown of reciprocity, commitment, social proof, authority, liking, and scarcity in how people say yes.
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Lean UX
by Jeff Gothelf & Josh Seiden
How to apply lean principles to user experience design — focusing on outcomes, collaboration, and rapid learning over heavy deliverables.
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Real Artists Don't Starve
by Jeff Goins
Timeless strategies for thriving creatively — combining discipline, community, and smart business thinking without selling out.
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Sprint
by Jake Knapp
A practical guide to solving big problems and testing ideas in five days — useful for product teams moving fast with limited time.
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The Art of the Start 2.0
by Guy Kawasaki
A hands-on guide to launching ideas — from positioning and pitching to bootstrapping, recruiting, and shipping with momentum.
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The Design of Everyday Things
by Don Norman
A foundational read on usability, affordances, and how people interact with the objects and interfaces around them.
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The Diary of a CEO
by Steven Bartlett
Frameworks and hard-won lessons on building businesses, leading teams, and making better decisions under pressure.
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The Lean Startup
by Eric Ries
How constant experimentation, validated learning, and iterative product development help startups innovate under uncertainty.
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The Talent Code
by Daniel Coyle
How deep practice, ignition, and master coaching grow skill in music, sport, and business — talent as a built, not born, thing.
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Think Remarkable
by Guy Kawasaki & Madisun Nuismer
Nine paths to transform your life and make a difference — drawn from interviews with extraordinary builders and thinkers.
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Zero to One
by Peter Thiel & Blake Masters
Notes on startups and building the future — why creating something new beats competing in crowded markets.
View bookBusiness & Strategy
Good to Great
by Jim Collins
Why some companies make the leap to sustained excellence while others do not — and the disciplined habits that separate them.
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Great by Choice
by Jim Collins & Morten T. Hansen
How great leaders and teams thrive through uncertainty, chaos, and luck by combining discipline, empiricism, and productive paranoia.
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How the Mighty Fall
by Jim Collins
Stages of decline that bring great companies down — and how leaders can spot warning signs before irreversible damage.
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No Rules Rules
by Reed Hastings & Erin Meyer
Netflix's unconventional culture of freedom and responsibility — and what it teaches about building high-performance teams.
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Power
by Robert Greene
Forty-eight laws distilled from history's strategists — a sharp, often unsettling study of how power is gained, kept, and lost.
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Start With Why
by Simon Sinek
Great leaders inspire action by starting with purpose — the why behind what they do, not just what or how.
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Think and Grow Rich
by Napoleon Hill
A landmark on desire, faith, persistence, and organized planning as the mental foundations of achievement and wealth.
View bookLeadership
Becoming a Person of Influence
by John C. Maxwell & Jim Dornan
How to positively impact others through integrity, nurturing, faith, listening, understanding, enlarging, navigating, and connecting.
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Developing the Leader Around You
by John C. Maxwell
How to identify, mentor, and multiply leaders on your team so growth scales beyond what one person can carry alone.
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Developing the Leader Within You 2.0
by John C. Maxwell
Updated principles for self-leadership — character, influence, priorities, and growth as the base for leading others well.
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No Limits
by John C. Maxwell
A guide to blowing the cap off your capacity by developing the mindset and habits that unlock greater personal and professional growth.
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The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership
by John C. Maxwell
Foundational leadership laws — from influence and process to respect and timing — illustrated through stories and examples.
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The Winning Attitude
by John C. Maxwell
Practical principles for cultivating optimism, resilience, and a constructive outlook that fuels leadership and influence.
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Thinking for a Change
by John C. Maxwell
Eleven thinking skills that improve decision-making, creativity, and strategic clarity for leaders at every level.
View bookPersonal Growth
Atomic Habits
by James Clear
Tiny changes, remarkable results — a proven system for building good habits, breaking bad ones, and mastering consistency.
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Changes That Heal
by Dr. Henry Cloud
Four practical shifts — connecting, boundaries, distinguishing good and bad, and growing up — for emotional and relational healing.
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His Needs, Her Needs
by Willard F. Harley Jr.
Building an affair-proof marriage by understanding and meeting each partner's core emotional needs with intention.
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I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn't)
by Brené Brown
Research on shame, empathy, and connection — and how speaking honestly about struggle helps us live more wholeheartedly.
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Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus
by John Gray
A classic guide to understanding communication differences and building stronger relationships across common gender patterns.
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Talking to Strangers
by Malcolm Gladwell
Why we misread people we do not know — and what high-profile failures teach us about trust, deception, and default assumptions.
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Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Got Married
by Gary Chapman
Honest advice on expectations, communication, finances, and in-laws to help couples build a stronger foundation before and after marriage.
View bookProperty & Finance
Making Money Out of Property in South Africa
by Jason Lee
A practical guide to finding deals, financing, and structuring property investments for sustainable returns in South Africa.
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Retire Rich Through Property
by Jason Lee
How to fast-forward retirement by building a property portfolio tailored to South African investors and long-term wealth.
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The Billionaire Mindset
by Daniel Strauss
Secrets from a South African entrepreneur on thinking above the line, accessing capital, and building wealth through mindset.
View bookFaith & Life
How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth
by Gordon D. Fee & Douglas Stuart
A clear guide to interpreting Scripture by genre — narrative, poetry, prophecy, Gospels, and letters — with sound hermeneutics.
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Rediscovering the Kingdom
by Myles Munroe
A exploration of kingdom principles and purpose — reframing how faith, leadership, and identity shape a meaningful life.
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The Richest Man Who Ever Lived
by Steven K. Scott
King Solomon's wisdom applied to modern life — principles for success in work, relationships, finances, and personal growth.
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