Here at DealCloud, we’re gearing up for our first Book Club meeting of 2020. Over the last three years, we’ve discussed a podcast on customer service, dove into the “wild west” that is Silicon Valley with books like Chaos Monkey, took a deep dive into the world of Elon Musk, and as our client base grew, we took many meaningful lessons from Crossing the Chasm.
The year may be coming to a close, and normal business may be slowing down, but that’s no reason to stop thinking and learning about ways to make your firm more successful than 2019 and the years before that. This holiday season, pick up one of these must-read books for yourself or a peer who works in the capital markets or financial services industries to strengthen and focus your best business practices for the new year ahead.
- The Relationship Economy by John Dijulius
In today’s tech-driven world, customer relationships too often fall by the wayside. In The Relationship Economy, John Dijulius reminds us of the importance of cultivating and sustaining real relationships with customers and clients. Face-to-face may have been replaced by interface, but for business to really succeed we need to go back to our roots and re-engage with the human experience. Relationship management is especially important in the capital market industry, and purpose-built technologies like DealCloud optimize client, LP, and stakeholder relations through centralization and actionable data so that the vision outlined in The Relationship Economy can become your reality.
- Friction by Roger Dooley
In a book named one of the best of 2019, marketing and business expert Roger Dooley, examines a growing threat that he calls, “friction.” Dooley defines friction as “the unnecessary expenditure of time, effort, or money in performing a task.” Success in modern transactions is directly related to the ability to be efficient, smart, and quick, especially given today’s competitive landscape. Put simply, there are too many factors cluttering these transactions and leaving room for failure. Time is at a premium for all professionals, but dealmakers and investors find themselves challenged to get to every priority item, and it is that rush to outcome which is where “friction” can come in and actually slow down productivity. In this fascinating guide, Dooley points out the areas where “friction” may occur and provides tips and tools for weeding out and correcting these inefficiencies. Through real-world examples and scientific research, Dooley walks his reader through the process of identifying the problem, addressing the problem, and how to plan to sustainably root it out in the future.
- The Customer of the Future by Blake Morgan
Any successful business has their eye on the future, but as Blake Morgan points out, they should also have their eye on the client. Using ten guidelines, Morgan outlines how best to create and sustain the client experience in this new digital age. Happy and successful businesses need happy and successful clients – and Morgan’s guide offers tools and insights to ensure and secure these relationships in this fast-paced, digital, and increasingly relationship-dependent world.
- Love is just Damn Good Business by Steve Farber
With his extensive work with Fortune 100 companies, leadership consultant Steve Farber puts forward a business strategy that is not afraid to get in touch with its feelings. Farber maintains that when you start your business with passion and share that passion with others, you’re setting yourself up for a more loving and a more successful business outcome. Love in business radiates from employee efficiency to customer experience creating a more profitable and successful environment. While traditional mantras tell you to keep emotion and business separate, in an enjoyable read, Farber shows how love and emotion can actually help your business grow and thrive. For example, DealCloud is a mission-driven organization that is founded on core values that help drive passion in our business. It is this passion that optimizes our systems and practices and allows the most successful and efficient experience for our employees and clients.
- The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle
A successful business is not the result of just one person, but it relies on a team of people working together. The Culture Code uses psychological and sociological research to explain how best to create this team, and why a team that works together is best primed for the most optimal outcomes. Coyle has discovered that to ensure the most cohesive teamwork there are three main “ingredients,” which are to “build safety,” “share vulnerability,” and “establish purpose.” The Culture Code is a guidebook in how to discover, build, and share these ingredients, and create a team that works together cohesively, efficiently, and productively to build a better business. Coyle’s insights are invaluable because they reiterate how important it is that a team work together to establish a common purpose. Like the tools outlined in the book, firms are most successful when technology platforms (like DealCloud) are used as part of the corporate culture – a culture that needs a buy-in and participation from the most senior partner to the most junior analyst. When everyone is sharing information and communicating on purpose-built technology agreement and cohesion are more likely to part of a business culture primed to succeed.