To start off 2019, I have some reading suggestions. I can recommend two books that are ideal for reading while on the porcelain throne.
Pleasanton resident and businessman Roy Goble has written his second book in collaboration with D.R. Jacobsen, “Salvaged,” Leadership Lessons pulled from the Junkyard. Last year, I received Brad Brewer’s book “Arnold Palmer’s Success Lessons,” Wisdom on Golf, Business and Life from the King of Golf.
Both have tight 4- to 6-page chapters are make for good reading to start your day.
Roy’s book meshes his life lessons on leadership, which he views with a healthy skepticism and a welcome sense of humor, with lessons taken from the Holy Scriptures. He’s a committed Christian and brings that perspective to his writing (this is his second book—his first was “Junkyard Wisdom: Resisting the Whisper of Wealth in a World of Broken Parts,” published in 2016.
Both books tap into what he learned growing up while working in his dad’s junkyard in the South Bay. He’s lived in Pleasanton for many years and was a member of Foothill High’s first graduating class.
His current book is divides into four sections. The chapter headings nicely demonstrate Roy’s sense of humor: Cake and Pickles (and No, I’m Not Pregnant); Aim High! (Especially with an Acetylene-Powered Homemade Bazooka; Rats in the Rafters; It’s good to have friends in low places; A Flamethrower and Immunity; Babies Don’t Earn Paychecks; Scale Like an Investor (If You Want to Mess Up Your Life.”
His current book is available for pre-order at Amazon and other sites with a scheduled release date of Jan. 8. (He shared an early copy with me so I could write about it). You can read more about Roy and his speech to the CityTeam Prayer Breakfast at my November blog on Thanksgiving.
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Brewer served as the CEO of Arnold Palmer’s Golf Academies for more than a decade and co-founded the schools. His current book is a rewrite of his earlier version “Mentored by the King: Arnold Palmer’s success lessons for Golf, Business and Life.”
Like Roy’s book, Brad has divided his 35 lessons into five sections: Life-Changing Lessons are Often “Deceptively Simple,” “Your Starting Point Influences Your Destination,” Optimism Rules the Kingdom,” “Heroes in Action,” and “A True Champions Attitude is Gratitude.”
He draws on more than 25 years of knowing Palmer, traveling with him, working for him, and being mentored by him. He talks of Palmer’s strong Christian faith that he kept private, but anchored him. There’s lots of learn from Brewer’s experiences with Palmer and he also taps others such as legendary tennis pro Ivan Lendl, Hall-of-Famer and golf legend Jack Nicklaus (a playing rival who become a dear friend) and golfer Peter Jacobsen.
Brewer now operates his own golf academy at Shingle Creek in Orlando.
In contrast, Jeff Holler has taken an in-depth look at business owners “living their purpose” in his book, “Bigger than Business.” He profiles eight business owners on six continents and shows how their faith shaped their businesses and their lives. For entrepreneurs seeking to integrate their faith and their work, Holler has provided fine examples.
Profiles range from a couple running Rasa Floors in Dallas to Hobby Lobby in Oklahoma City to Rigali, Rwanda and the Sunshine Coast of Australia.
Holler includes three components in each profile: “the owner’s unique and interesting story; the business wisdom each person shares and each subject’s why.”
Given the depth, it’s a much different read than the other two books, but all three share success principles.
Professionally, Holler founded The Capital Chart Room, a financial advisory firm that specializes in helping successful families integrate advice from their current trusted advisors into an overall plan. He lives with his wife in Fort Worth, TX.
