Blog Archives
Rainbow Gold: Building a Business That’s Both the Journey and the Destination
Rainbow Gold tells the story of an entrepreneur who learns, often the hard way, that business is really about people and purpose. The book follows David Hampson from his early struggles owning a restaurant in Cape Town to building a flourishing aviation insurance group in New England. The narrative blends personal loss, gritty lessons, and the slow shaping of a philosophy centered on long-term thinking, responsibility, and the butterfly effect of small but meaningful choices. It reads like a roadmap for building a business that gives back and grows people rather than one designed for quick exits and flashy valuations.
As I read, I found myself pulled into the raw honesty of Hampson’s voice. He doesn’t puff out his chest or pretend every move was a stroke of genius. He shares the messy parts. The moments he panicked. The moments he learned the hard way that trusting the wrong person can empty your stockroom or sink your cash flow. The chapters about the tragic accident involving his restaurant staff hit me hard. I could feel the weight he carried as he tried to care for his team while holding a broken business together. Those scenes made me pause more than once. They also made me appreciate how sincerely he views business as a human endeavor, not a numbers game. His focus on relationships, service, and showing up for people comes through clearly.
I also found myself energized by the parts where he reflects on decisive choices. His take on the fear that keeps people frozen felt familiar to me. The book urges readers to pick a road and walk it with conviction, even if it bends or darkens. That theme threads through his years in South Africa and later through his aviation career. I enjoyed how he mixes practical stories like fighting with VAT filings or chasing down a credit card machine with larger ideas about passion, equity, mentorship, and building a legacy. The writing feels close and direct, like sitting across from someone who has lived a lot and is finally ready to tell you the truth about what it cost. I appreciated that.
I walked away feeling inspired. Hampson writes with humility, and that makes the book accessible even when the subject matter gets heavy. I would recommend Rainbow Gold to new entrepreneurs who feel overwhelmed, small business owners who want to build something that lasts, and anyone who is tired of the startup world’s obsession with speed and exits. The book speaks to people who want a business with a heart. It’s a good read for those who want to build something slow, steady, and worthwhile.
Pages: 317 | ASIN : B0FWSZTMHP
The Cathedral of Quiet Power
Evan Yoh’s The Cathedral of Quiet Power is a poetic manifesto about surviving modern life without losing your soul. It’s part memoir, part philosophy, part self-destruction manual. Yoh takes us through his journey from sleeping in a leaking car to becoming a successful consultant, then tearing it all down to find what freedom actually means. The book moves like a confession and a sermon at once. It’s written in sharp, metallic prose that cuts through the noise of self-help clichés. Instead of offering comfort, Yoh offers confrontation. He argues that the world isn’t broken but rigged, that systems of power feed on our noise and dependence, and that real strength lives in quiet rebellion.
Yoh doesn’t sugarcoat a thing, and I admired that. His stories about corruption, burnout, and the “golden handcuffs” of success hit hard because they’re not abstract ideas; they’re lived pain. The writing is raw and unfiltered, full of short sentences that land like punches. And yet, underneath all the anger, there’s an aching tenderness. He’s not trying to burn the world down; he’s trying to build a new one inside himself. Some parts veer close to nihilism, but his insistence that silence, integrity, and sovereignty can coexist feels strangely hopeful. It’s messy hope, the kind that comes after losing everything.
What struck me most was Yoh’s honesty about ego and self-delusion. He admits to weaponizing ambition, mistaking control for love, and building a life that looked perfect but felt hollow. Those chapters were hard to read. They felt like someone holding up a mirror. The prose switches between poetic intensity and quiet introspection. But that’s also the beauty of it. This isn’t a book you breeze through. It’s one you wrestle with. Yoh doesn’t want followers. He wants witnesses–people willing to see the architecture of their own cages. His “doctrines” at the end of each chapter make the ideas stick; they’re like little grenades of wisdom you carry long after closing the book.
The Cathedral of Quiet Power isn’t a guide. It’s a reckoning. I’d recommend it to readers who are disillusioned by hustle culture, who’ve burned out and need a new kind of strength, not louder, but steadier. It’s for anyone ready to stop performing and start rebuilding from the quiet ruins of who they really are.
Pages: 166 | ASIN : B0FX8MG5C3
People Are Complex
Maximizing Organizational Performance is a practical guide that delves deeply into the power of performance coaching within organizations, outlining a clear, real-world approach to building coaching systems that help individuals grow and perform at their best. Why was this an important book for you to write?
The driving force behind Maximizing Organizational Performance: A Guide to Effective Performance Coaching was a need to reframe how we see and use coaching. I don’t view it as a profession in itself. I see it as a tool, one of many that come under the wider discipline of organizational development. As an OD practitioner first and a coach second, I am primarily interested in the system, that is, in how structure, process, leadership behaviors, culture, and other factors interplay and serve to facilitate—or sometimes constrain—performance.
Coaching is a means to that end. It’s a way of helping people and teams work more effectively. I wrote this book because I saw a need for more context in the way that coaching is being applied. It’s too often used as a tactical intervention, deployed against individuals without consideration of the broader system they inhabit. But individual performance can’t be elevated in a vacuum. If we want to build real, lasting performance, it has to be intentional and systemic. It has to connect to strategy, talent, culture, and other levers of organizational transformation.
That’s what this book is about. In it, I try to offer a different perspective on how coaching can be used. I try to give leaders and HR professionals a roadmap for weaving it into the DNA of their organizations so it can become a central part of how performance is created and sustained, not a niche service available to a select few.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
I think one of the important ideas I wanted to convey is that performance coaching is not this ethereal thing that only happens at the C-suite level or during major life-or-death situations. It’s an everyday practice — a way of thinking, a way of leading, a way of showing up for and supporting one another at all levels of an organization. In my experience, coaching has the most impact when it becomes part of a manager’s normal leadership routine rather than an event that takes place quarterly, behind closed doors, with an external coach.
Another key idea for me was personalization. We often fall into the trap of thinking that performance can be optimized through standardized processes alone. How many organizations today still have standardized KPIs, standardized quarterly reviews, and serve only generic training programs? The hard truth is, people are complex. They bring unique strengths, challenges, motivations, and life experiences to work every day. Coaching works best when it’s attuned to that complexity, when it’s tailored and human. And it is only through that level of personalization that coaching can do more than keep people compliant. It’s only then that coaching can foster true growth and commitment.
And, I guess, if I have to pick the most foundational idea, it is that organizations aiming to sustain their competitive advantage can no longer afford to treat coaching as a discretionary add-on. If you’re serious about adaptability, that is, if you’re serious about building a resilient, high-performing team that can thrive in the conditions we all face today, then coaching is not a frill. It is a strategic infrastructure.
What is one piece of advice you wish someone had given you when you were younger?
If I could send a letter to my younger self, one message would be clear and resounding: “Lead with curiosity, not control.” In the early stages of my leadership journey, I equated being a good manager with knowing all the answers, moving fast, and pushing hard. Hyperfocused on outcomes, I regularly burned out and missed breakthroughs. I didn’t realize, as I do now, that sustainable leadership isn’t about being the best person in the room; it’s about setting the stage for others to be their best selves.
Curiosity makes all the difference. It starts conversations that would otherwise be shut down. It builds trust. It signals safety to experiment and learn. It lets people know that you see them not just as performers but as professionals with potential still to be realized. Shifting my stance from directing to inquiring has been one of the most liberating lessons of my career, one I wish I had learned much earlier.
What is one thing that you hope readers take away from Maximizing Organizational Performance?
If there is one thing I hope readers take away from this book, it is that coaching is a multiplier — not only for everything we do to strengthen and support individual performance, but also for culture, engagement, innovation, and sustainable success. Coaching is not fixing. Coaching is about unlocking what’s already inside and connecting that to the purpose, values, and direction of the business.
The real beauty of coaching is that it moves us away from the reactionary leadership models that lead so many of our organizations to scramble after performance problems, react to disengagement, and attempt to fill talent gaps at the eleventh hour. Coaching allows us to think and act more proactively, to have an intentional framework to develop people in a way that is both strategic and radically human.
I hope that when readers finish this book, they have more than new tools at their disposal. I hope that they will look at coaching and development as fundamental leadership practices and leave this book even more inspired to create work cultures where development is not limited to the chosen few who receive development, but where it is part of the way we talk to one another every day, the way we measure success, and the very DNA of our culture.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Website | Amazon
Dr. Patrick Behar-Courtois, with over two decades of international consulting experience, offers a fresh approach to performance coaching that transcends traditional methods. This practical guide tackles pressing issues such as remote work, diversity, employee retention, and technological integration, equipping leaders, HR professionals, and coaches with strategies to measure coaching effectiveness and build high-performing teams. Packed with immediately applicable tools and real-world case studies, Maximizing Organizational Performance bridges theory and practice, offering insights that resonate in today’s complex business environment.
So don’t let your organization fall behind. Unlock its full potential and prepare for the future with this essential resource!
Engage. Coach. Develop.: Building Strong Relationships That Drive Individual and Team Performance
Artell Smith’s Engage. Coach. Develop. is a no-nonsense, practical guide for anyone in a leadership position who wants to build meaningful relationships with their employees. The book revolves around a simple yet powerful framework: engaging employees to build trust, coaching them to improve performance, and developing them for long-term success. Smith blends research-backed insights with personal anecdotes, creating an informative and relatable book. He doesn’t just throw theories at you; he shows you how to implement them in real-world scenarios, making this book a valuable read for managers at any level.
One of the book’s strongest aspects is its focus on real engagement, not just the corporate buzzword kind, but actual, meaningful interactions. Smith points out that engagement isn’t a one-time event; it’s an ongoing process that requires genuine interest in employees as people. The chapter “How to Engineer Engaging Experiences” lays this out beautifully, with practical tips on how to create consistent, positive interactions. He gives examples of small but impactful gestures, like remembering personal details or simply asking thoughtful questions, that can turn a routine conversation into a trust-building moment. It’s clear that Smith understands the power of human connection, and he makes a compelling argument that good management starts with authentic engagement.
Smith doesn’t just tell you to coach employees; he walks you through the mindset and habits of a great coach. He highlights the importance of emotional intelligence, curiosity, and adaptability, illustrating these ideas with personal stories. One particularly memorable example involves a leader named Butler, with whom Smith initially struggled to connect. Instead of forcing his own approach, Smith took the time to understand Butler’s perspective, eventually turning what could have been a contentious relationship into a highly effective partnership.
The final pillar, development, is where the book takes a more strategic turn. Smith argues that true leadership isn’t about keeping employees in their current roles but preparing them for future opportunities. He challenges managers to create intentional development plans, provide meaningful stretch assignments, and advocate for their people. The example of Damien, an overlooked employee who was given the chance to grow and ultimately thrive, drives this point home. It’s refreshing to see a leadership book that doesn’t just focus on short-term performance but also emphasizes long-term career growth.
Smith writes in a clear, conversational style that feels more like getting advice from a seasoned mentor than reading a business textbook. The book is especially valuable for new managers who need a straightforward guide on how to build strong relationships with their teams. But even experienced leaders will find nuggets of wisdom to refine their approach. If you want to be the kind of manager who employees respect, trust, and genuinely want to work with, Engage. Coach. Develop. is well worth your time.
Pages: 96 | ASIN : B0CKQ6D2P1
Higher Levels of Performance
The Intentional Leader is a comprehensive guide that explores the differences between leadership and management and how to effectively foster a thriving work culture. Why was this an important book for you to write?
I have been working with small business owners for over 10 years and I find that many of them spend their time every day putting out fires rather than growing their business. There is a saying that sophisticated business owners work ON their business, not IN it. The most fundamental first step in growing your business is building a team and a culture that performs at the highest level and exceeds expectations. You build that team and culture through effective and intentional leadership.
Can you share with us a little about the research required to put your book together?
I have a diverse background with experiences in the military, law enforcement, and the public sector. Additionally, I have been training and coaching people since 1989. Through those years I achieved a level of knowledge about effective leadership through experience and academic study. I have guided business owners and their teams to higher levels of performance by helping them understand and implement simple leadership principles.
What were some goals you set for yourself as a writer in this book?
My primary goal was to finally compile all the information I have accumulated through the years in one manuscript. Through the process, I realized I had too much information! I debated on a longer book or maybe splitting it into two parts but in the end, I decided to adjust the approach to get the most fundamental information into a textbook-like resource. I envisioned a book that leaders could use as a resource. I hope that readers come back to the book over and over to review and better understand the information.
What is one misconception you believe many people have about effective business leadership?
That it is difficult. It isn’t. It just takes effort. A basic understanding of leadership principles will set any leader on their way to becoming more effective. Ultimately, a business thrives on relationships. A business has customers that support their business. Leaders have customers too, their team members. If leaders treat their team members like customers, their culture will improve, employees will stay engaged longer and perform at higher levels, and the business will grow organically.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
Do you want to inspire and lead your team to greater success? Discover the traits and practices of exceptional leaders and transform your leadership style. The Intentional Leader: A Guide to Elevate Your Business will show you how to achieve exceptional business leadership and see results like never before.
Effective leadership is a lifestyle marked by humility and consistency that reaps many rewards, including:
Enhanced decision making
Increased employee engagement
Better team performance
Effective communication
Increased innovation and creativity
Stronger company culture
Exceptional leaders possess certain qualities that set them apart and make others naturally want to follow them. Though these traits may seem instinctive, they can be taught, learned, and refined.
Inside The Intentional Leader: A Guide to Elevate Your Residential Service Business, you will:
Understand the basic principles that denote an effective leader
Discover your leadership style
Assess the leadership traits you possess and identify the ones you need to develop
Grasp the distinction between leadership—the ability to get people to work with you to achieve team goals—and management—the administration of day-to-day operations
Further explore the importance of building trust in your employees
Become a pro at workplace motivation and inspiration
And much, much more!
Don’t miss out on the power of intentional leadership. Put forth conscious thought and effort to adapt and grow as a leader. Devote yourself to make the changes and develop the skills outlined in this book, and you will be able to shepherd yourself and your team toward greatness.
Pick up your copy of The Intentional Leader: A Guide to Elevate Your Residential Service Business today and start your journey to effective business leadership!
Lead with Purpose, A Story About Leading In Your Personal And Professional Life
Dr. Kevin McGarry’s Lead with Purpose offers a compelling exploration of leadership, personal growth, and family dynamics, all wrapped in a narrative that feels both deeply relatable and insightful. McGarry shares a story through the main character Eddie who’s journey to understanding leadership came from an unexpected source, as he grappled with balancing his professional and personal lives. Out of this chaos emerged critical lessons, which he skillfully presents to readers. McGarry’s book will especially resonate with those facing similar struggles to the protagonist, Eddie, whose life is a reflection of the challenges many of us face in today’s fast-paced, disconnected world.
McGarry’s writing captures the unspoken tensions within Eddie’s household, portraying a broader theme of disconnection in the digital age and the quest for purpose. The way he transitions from Eddie’s strained family life to the softball field hints at a deeper metaphor. It’s not just about family and sports; it’s about bridging the gaps between our professional and personal aspirations. McGarry’s ability to intertwine elements of corporate leadership within these personal moments adds depth and richness to the narrative, making it more than just a story—it’s a guide for those whose lives don’t fit into neatly tied-up bows. The author blends engaging storytelling with practical life lessons, offering a mix of realism and introspection. McGarry writes with a certain artistic flair, using vivid descriptions and emotional depth to capture the essence of family and work-life struggles without overindulging in flowery language. His focus remains on evoking emotional connections through the characters’ interactions and internal conflicts. The pacing is deliberate, allowing the natural tension between Eddie and his family to unfold, mirroring the subtle yet impactful disconnects that often arise in modern lives. Every element of his writing reflects an intentionality and passion that shines through in every page. The book’s central themes—leadership, family, and personal fulfillment—are thoughtfully woven into a larger conversation about balance and meaning. One of the key takeaways is the importance of remaining open to life’s lessons, which can emerge from the most unexpected places, ultimately transforming both your professional and personal approach. McGarry’s tone and vocabulary are carefully chosen, capturing the weight and emotional complexity of modern disconnection, especially within the family. Yet, he offers a sense of renewal through leadership and engagement. The story’s undercurrent of hope, as Eddie embarks on a journey to rediscover purpose, is balanced with complex emotions like frustration, love, and determination.
Lead with Purpose is a thoughtful, well-written reflection on leadership and life. It’s a must-read for anyone looking to reexamine their life choices, leadership style, or find a better balance between work and family. McGarry’s ability to combine practical advice with an engaging, heartfelt narrative makes this book both powerful and transformative.
Pages: 166 | ASIN : B0D8LLHW9N
We’ve Got This: Unlocking the Beauty of Belonging
We’ve Got This by Ritu Bhasin is a call to embrace the often-challenging journey toward authentic belonging. Drawing from her personal experiences as a child of immigrant parents and her professional expertise in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), Bhasin crafts a narrative that is both a memoir and a manual. Her stories of battling racism, understanding cultural identity, and ultimately finding her place in the world resonate deeply, offering readers of diverse backgrounds a mirror and a map.
Bhasin’s writing style mixes vulnerability with vigor. She does not shy away from discussing the pain and confusion of her early years. Moments of racism, cultural dissonance, and personal doubt are laid bare with a raw honesty that is as compelling as it is educational. Her transition from a successful lawyer to a DEI leader is not just inspiring but also instructive, providing practical advice for anyone looking to make a significant life change or to find deeper meaning in their work and relationships, empowering the reader and equipping them for personal and professional growth.
The book shines brightest when Bhasin discusses the concept of “Performing Self,” the facade we often present to fit in or feel accepted. Her insights into how this performance can drain one’s sense of self and belonging are poignant. The personal anecdotes she shares, such as her reflective moments in an ashram or interactions with her parents, are not just relatable but are also used effectively to illustrate broader truths about human nature and societal expectations.
We’ve Got This is a compelling guide to living authentically. Bhasin’s book is a powerful testament to the beauty and complexity of forming a true sense of belonging. This self-improvement book is highly recommended for anyone feeling adrift in their cultural, professional, or personal identity, but it particularly resonates with activists and advocates of DEI, validating their work and inspiring them to continue their efforts.
Pages: 192 | ASIN : B0CZFVNSN5
Retiring Right: Smart Steps for Exiting Corporate America
In Retiring Right: Smart Steps for Exiting Corporate America, Jake Falcon presents a comprehensive guide for corporate professionals navigating the often challenging transition into retirement. Falcon provides a holistic approach that goes beyond the financial aspects to address the full spectrum of retirement life, offering insights particularly valuable for those accustomed to the structured and high-pressure environment of corporate careers.
Falcon’s methodology is inclusive, exploring various dimensions of retirement that are often overlooked. While he covers essential financial planning, he delves deeply into emotional preparation and the myths surrounding retirement, such as the misconception that retirement is a cure-all for unhappiness. By highlighting potential issues like loneliness and the importance of planning engaging activities, Falcon equips readers with realistic strategies to mentally prepare for retirement. He emphasizes the value of maintaining communication about retirement realities and considering encore careers, ensuring that readers take away practical insights from his guidance. The strength of Falcon’s book lies in his clear and straightforward writing style. Retirement is a sensitive topic that requires insightful planning, and Falcon communicates his purpose and ideas effectively. The book is well-structured, incorporating real-life examples that bring his points to life. Unlike theoretical discussions, the practical advice presented can be easily added to a checklist, making it accessible and actionable for readers. Falcon’s realism shines through as he candidly addresses potential difficulties, preparing readers without sugar-coating the realities of retirement.
While Retiring Right primarily targets individuals with a corporate background, assuming accumulated wealth over time, its applicability extends beyond the corporate sphere. The principles and advice are valuable for anyone looking to plan for retirement early in their career, serving as a reminder that retirement planning is a universal necessity. Regardless of background or age, readers who approach this book with an open mind and a willingness to create a fulfilling post-career life will find it an invaluable resource.
Pages: 152 | ASIN : B0D3RYSKDW
LITERARY TITAN 