Double Digit Growth. Michael Treacy. 2003. ISBN 1591840058. One of the co-authors of The Discipline of Market Leaders, Treacy identifies five disciplines your company needs for double digit growth. Since at Rocket Builders we are the experts on double digit growth, I really wanted to read about these disciplines. They are; One, keep the customers you have. Two,take business away from your competitors. Three, show up where growth is going to happen. Four, invade adjacent markets. Five, invest in new lines of business. He provides many examples of companies who do well following these disciplines, even in difficult economies. He also illustrates those companies who who do not do well, showing you where the wheels feel off. Now it may not be quite as cut and dried as Treacy lays it out, however there is so much useful insight in this book that it qualifies as a library keeper. Easy to read with lots of examples.

The Naked Investor. Why almost everybody but you gets rich on your RRSP. John Lawrence Reynolds. 2005. ISBN 0143016237 A noted whistlebower on the Cdn Investment market, this book is a compelling description of the perils found in dealing with a commission based financial advisors ( ie over 90% of them). If you are unaware of the impact of DSCs, high MERS, back loaded funds and trailing charges, wrap around funds and you have RRSPs /mutual funds, then I suggest you must read this book. I was aghast at how the Cdn industry gets away with this, and how really exposed a Cdn investor is with very little to fall back on. We do not even have a National Securities Commission, something we share only with Bosnia! No large firms are spared, and many sacred cows are shot. If you read this book and recognize that your broker/advisor is one of the good guys you will treasure them even more. If they are not, the steps and pitfalls to getting out are laid out. Good luck – It turns out that I have a great advisor!

Why Smart Executives Fail. Sydney Finkelstein. 2003. ISBN 1591840457. This was pleasant and educational surprise. The sub head is; And what you can learn from their mistakes. The book is a no nonsense, jargon free accounting of many major mistakes, from billion dollar failed M&As (Daimler-Chrysler, Quaker-Snapple), fraud (Enron, Worldcom),deception (IMClone), egoism (An Wang, Motorola, Mattel), family run into the ground (Tyco, Levis, Schwinn) and so non. Each chapter summarizes with points to recognize the key issues. Then the book summarizes how smart executives learn , plus details on how good turnarounds have been done. This is a personal library book for all executives; CEOs, COOS and Board Chairmen plus investors should read and reread. I found it at a remainder store. I was very surprised at his chapter on the “zombie” company.