Vote for our June & July 2023 Book 🗳️📘

[Pesso]

Hey Square Readers,

***VOTING HAS ENDED***

Check out our Announcement Post for our June & July 2023 book

It’s voting time!

We’re halfway through reading Start with Why by Simon Sinek, our Square Readers Book Club book for April and May. But let’s start looking ahead to our next book for June and July 2023. 

We have 3 books to choose from, and we’d love for you to vote to help us decide! 

Last time we focused on business foundations, but for this round we’re diving into running your business. We’re choosing between Finances, Leadership, and Marketing books; all recommended by sellers like you!

1. Profit First by Mike Michalowicz 

“A simple, counterintuitive cash management solution that will help small businesses break out of the doom spiral and achieve instant profitability. Just as the most effective weight loss strategy is to limit portions by using smaller plates, Michalowicz shows that by taking profit first and apportioning only what remains for expenses, entrepreneurs will transform their businesses from cash-eating monsters to profitable cash cows. Four simple principles can simplify accounting and make it easier to manage a profitable business. A small, profitable business can be worth much more than a large business surviving on its top line. Businesses that attain early and sustained profitability have a better shot at achieving long-term growth.”

2. Dare to Lead by Brene Brown 

“Leadership is not about titles, status and power over people. Leaders are people who hold themselves accountable for recognising the potential in people and ideas, and developing that potential. Over the past seven years, Brene Brown found that leaders in organizations ranging from small entrepreneurial start-ups and family-owned businesses to non-profits, civic organizations and Fortune 50 companies, are asking the same questions: How do you cultivate braver, more daring leaders? And, how do you embed the value of courage in your culture? Dare to Lead answers these questions and gives us actionable strategies and real examples from her new research-based, courage-building programme.”

3. The 1-Page Marketing Plan by Allan Dib 

“To build a successful business, you need to stop doing random acts of marketing and start following a reliable plan for rapid business growth. Traditionally, creating a marketing plan has been a difficult and time-consuming process, which is why it often doesn't get done. Whether you're just starting out or are an experienced entrepreneur, you'll discover: How to get new customers and how make more profit from existing ones; how to close sales without being pushy; how to make yourself the only logical choice; how to get amazing results on a small budget; how to charge high prices for your products and services and have customers actually thank you for it.”

Which of these do you most want to read first? 

Vote by filling out this Google Forms survey! 

While we’re voting by survey this time , feel free to tell us why you’re excited about a particular book in the comments below. 

And if you have any suggestions of other books, drop them in the comments too and we’ll take a look and consider them for the next round in August and September. 

We announced the winning book on Monday, May 15th, and start reading it in June. 

We can’t wait to read with you!

Pesso

[Pesso]

Thanks so much @ChocoRee -

I'm so glad that it lines up with your needs right now, and very cool that Profit First helped you. Definitely going to put it back into the rotation for another book round at some point. 

I believe with Square Savings you can set up different Savings Account Folders for different purposes, if that's helpful. What else are you looking to do with it?

Thanks again!

[ChocoRee]

Thanks @Pesso for the tidbit on Sq savings folders. I am making the transition to use this instead of setting up multiple bank accounts. It aligns with Mike's advice of having these accounts "blind" so you don't spend the money on other things. With banks increasing savings interest, is Square considering the same?? (a little plug)

After reading the first chapter of 1PMP prior to going to sleep,  my mind spent the night dreaming of ideas. I would say it is ill-advised to read prior to bed for a restful night, but then again dreamt up with some new strategies for my first target market! 😄

[Pesso]

That sounds wonderful, @ChocoRee ! I'm so glad that it can do what you need.

Unfortunately I have no insights into what they're doing there, but that would be cool!

That's wonderful that you got so much out of just the first chapter of the book! Gotta love dream working!

What were some of the ideas and strategies you've come up with so far?

[ChocoRee]

Hi @Pesso, just the first chapter got me thinking how I could better market to one of my key target markets, even just enhancing my shop displays. It's a juggle between working in the business vs on. I also thought about pop-up events in front of my shop where I have a small recently paved parking lot- bringing in the community more and being all about joy/fun. Btw, I'm in lower CT so feel free to come up for a bite! 😉

[Pesso]

That all sounds like great strategies and ideas so far, just from inspiration from the first chapter! I love the community building ideas and easy enhancements.

Oooh, I might just have to! Thank you!

[Pesso · Accepted solution]

Thank you to all 136 of you for voting for our June & July 2023 book!

After tallying up the votes, we have a clear winner. 

You chose The 1-Page Marketing Plan by Allan Dib as our Square Readers Book Club book for June & July!

Head over to the Book Announcement Post for all of the details.

We can't wait to read with you,

Pesso