The way we consume long-form content has transformed drastically in recent years. More and more parts of our everyday lives are now transitioning to new digital mediums to save us time.
If you are the type of person who enjoys plugging into a good hard rock or soft jazz playlist while hammering out those 10 sheets of section details, why not simultaneously gain some knowledge about self-motivation or the latest business tactics? These 6 audiobooks could be just what you need to hear to fuel your inner entrepreneur.
1. Will It Fly by Pat Flynn
A former architect, Pat Flynn used the 2008 recession to his advantage by turning his simple LEED exam-prep site and Ebook into a passive income empire. His site is full of useful tips and tricks to get started in digital marketing, but his latest book Will It Fly is an incredible resource for anyone with a big idea looking to figure out what to do next. The paper copy includes a workbook that follows along with each chapter, but the audiobook also gives you access to an online version in addition to tons of personal and step-by-step tutorial videos that help guide you through the process.
2. Finish by Jon Acuff
Having trouble following through on your plans around your big idea? New York Times Bestselling author Jon Acuff encourages you to “Give Yourself the Gift of Done” in his most recent book Finish. The powerful message behind this book transcends the simple satisfaction of completion. Finish will teach you to identify the wide range of excuses that stand in the way of you and your dreams and help you gain the confidence and momentum you need to knock out that stack of redlines you’ve been avoiding all week.
3. Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
Along with being a Silver Star and Bronze Star recipient, former Navy SEAL Lieutenant commander Jocko Willink is the co-author of this leadership manual. Written in collaboration with fellow SEAL Leif Babin, Extreme Ownership is full of personal experiences and anecdotes that show “How US Navy SEALs Lead and Win.” The concept of “extreme ownership” is all about taking ownership of not just your own actions, but also the actions of everyone in your team.
Let's say someone on your project team failed to meet a deadline. Is it their fault they didn’t deliver? Extreme Ownership means would say it is your fault as the project manager for not sufficiently communicating the due date, or it may even be your fault for delegating that responsibility to that member of the team.
Since publishing Extreme Ownership, Willink has created an incredibly successful consulting business, observing larger corporations and teaching the management of the company how to lead effectively.
Are you having trouble leading your project team effectively? Maybe you need Extreme Ownership.
4. The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss
Tim Ferriss is perhaps the most well-known name when it comes to entrepreneurship and personal development. His Bestselling hit The 4-Hour Workweek is a manual for how you can “Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich.” The “new rich” or “NR” that Ferriss alludes to in the book are the people like Ferriss who are relentlessly pursuing the freedom that comes with owning your own business.
Much of Ferriss’ success has been achieved via online media, such as his podcast, blog and YouTube channel, but the tips and tricks in The 4-Hour Workweek have been the inspiration behind many of the latest internet celebrities who are leading the way in the revolution of online businesses.
In architecture, there is currently an untapped potential on the digital side of practice. Buildings are inherently a brick-and-mortar, physical product that (in most cases) is the end result of the architectural business model. However, many of the ideas in The 4-Hour Workweek could inspire you to lead the way in leveraging a new online market that architecture is only beginning to venture into.
5. Crushing It by Gary Vaynerchuck
Speaking of online markets, entrepreneur extraordinaire Gary Vaynerchuck is another example of taking advantage of up-and-coming online platforms to grow a business. Gary V, as he is commonly known, invested in the early stages of YouTube by creating a channel to help grow his family wine business into an 8-figure company. As a kind of sequel to his first New York Times Bestseller Crush It, Crushing It expounds on Vaynerchuk’s own successes on social media and other online platforms, and also includes personal side notes and ad libs from Gary V himself that highlight current trends and topics in the online world.
The job of Social Media Influencer has the word “millennial” written all over it. Getting paid for promoting your favorite brands and products while traveling the world, all by simply sharing your life with the world on platforms like Instagram or YouTube—that is the dream (for some).
Do you enjoy architecture and photography enough to dedicate your life to traveling and documenting your adventures? Crushing It could teach you how to turn that dream into a reality.
6. Architect + Entrepreneur by Eric Reinholdt
Architect and entrepreneur Eric Reinholdt, like Pat Flynn, also utilized the recession to his advantage in 2008. After leaving his job at a residential firm in Maine, Reinholdt took it upon himself to create his own firm according to how he wanted to live his life. Citing inspiration from the likes of Tim Ferriss and Pat Flynn, Reinholdt founded his own residential studio, 30X40 Design Workshop. Throughout the process, he documented all of his specific tips and tricks and compiled them into volume 1 of the Architect + Entrepreneur series, “A Field Guide to Building, Branding, and Marketing Your Startup Design Business.”
For those who have always dreamed of starting their own firm, volume 1 will walk you through all of the ins-and-outs of not just starting a business, as the instruction is specifically tailored to the design market.
Reinholdt followed up volume 1 with volume 2, “A How-to Guide for Innovating Practice: Tactics, Strategies, and Case Studies in Passive Income” in which he outlines the various ways he uses passive income to supplement his income as a practicing architect.
