Events « 800 CEO Read

February 6, 2013

Seth Godin Live in Orange County! and Other Behemoth Tales

Filed under: Bestsellers,Big Ideas,Blog,Events,Marketing,Misc. — Tags: icarus deception, Portfolio Books, seth godin — Michael @ 1:21 pm

Marketers, entrepreneurs, artists, and everyone else are flocking to sunny Costa Mesa, California in anticipation of a rare and breathtaking Seth Godin appearance on Friday, March 15th. This event is scheduled to run from 6:30 to 8pm, and doors will open at 5pm for a special networking and book-signing session. Entry is $85, which includes two copies of The Icarus Deception and one copy of V is for Vulnerable, which will be mailed to your home prior to the event, courtesy of 800-CEO-READ. This event is limited to 1000 entrants.

What do you need to do to gain access to this once-in-a-lifetime event? Luckily, you’re already half way there (i.e. you are reading this blog post). Now simply go register (you’re almost there!). And of course, if you have any questions relating to the details of the event, you can contact the event organizer, Bryan Elliott. If you’re a risk-taker and you don’t want to register in advance, tickets will be available at the door, but again, the event is limited to 1000, and door tickets do not include the books.

Oh no, you can’t make it to Orange County in March?! We’re heartbroken, but we understand. Fortunately, Seth has something else in store for you. Something big. Something BEHEMOTH. This special offer goes by the name Supersneezer Deluxe, and it includes a 10-pack of standard books: two copies V is for Vulnerable and eight copies The Icarus Deception. Right now you’re thinking, “ten books is a lot,” but guess what: the deal is actually for eleven (11) books. The eleventh book is none other than Seth’s very limited, enormous 800-page book (see photo). The price-tag on this 11-book bundle is $185, a chunk of which will go toward a $10,000 donation Seth is making to the Acumen Foundation. To buy the bundle and for even more details, visit the bundle page.

This Supersneezer Deluxe bundle is strictly limited to 300, and folks, as of this posting, THEY’RE NEARLY GONE. You might want to hurry!

Buy the Supersneezer Deluxe bundle.
Limited to 300

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January 31, 2013

Sketchnotes on Brains on Fire: The 2013 F.I.R.E. Sessions

Filed under: Big Ideas,Blog,Communication,Events,Marketing,Thought Leaders — Tags: Brains on Fire, F.I.R.E. Sessions, Greenville, Jackie Huba, Jonah Berger, Love146 — Michael @ 3:03 pm

A few weeks ago I reviewed Mike Rohde’s The Sketchnote Handbook. This week Tuesday, as Jon and I were sitting inside Greenville’s Peace Center, eagerly anticipating the start of Brains on Fire’s 2013 F.I.R.E. Sessions, I picked up the blank Moleskine sketchbook (compliments of the Brains on Fire folks) that sat on the table in front of me and said to Jon, “I think I’m going to sketchnote this.”

What followed was an amazing day full of insights. From the author Jackie Huba we got a sneek peek into the world of Monster Loyalty. Then Brains on Fire’s own Geno Church delivered a compelling talk on creating authentic community interaction. Then we walked down Greenville’s sunny Main Street to a delicious shrimp and grits lunch at Devereaux’s. We returned for the afternoon session, kicked off by author Jonah Berger’s presentation on how things become contagious. Closing the day was Love146′s Rob Morris, a living, breathing definition of the word ‘passionate’. The common thread throughout F.I.R.E. Sessions was one thing: people. This event served as a clear underscoring of what Brains on Fire is all about, and we were honored to be there to share in the conversation. My personal take-away is this: put people at the center of your business, always.

For an even more in-depth re-cap of the event, check out John Moore’s blog post. To all of you at Brains on Fire: thank you!

Check out my sketchnotes from the two morning sessions below, but please withhold your criticisms—I will confess I’m an amateur. Be sure to keep an eye on the Brains on Fire folks in 2013. Since we’re book people and you probably are too, I’ll simply say that there is a new book on the way and it’s going to be good. If you can’t wait for the new one, make sure you’ve taken some time with the original Brains on Fire.

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January 24, 2013

Author Pow Wow recap

Filed under: Author Pow Wow,Events,Publishing Industry,Uncategorized — Tags: Author, books, Events, PowWow, Publishing, Self-Publishing — Jon @ 11:47 am

Some of us here at 800-CEO-READ just returned from this year’s Author Pow Wow in Austin, TX. What’s the Pow Wow? Every year since around 2005, we’ve gathered a room full of publishers, authors, marketers, speaking experts, designers, editors, agents, sales people, and a few people curious about becoming an author, to talk about what works, what doesn’t, and how to make a more successful career as a business author. You can also visit the Pow Wow site to learn more about it.

We started out by talking about ideas, because if you don’t have a good idea, the rest of the stuff you do will not go very well (if at all). Ray Bard, Erika Andersen, and John Moore shared their insight and experience, providing everyone in the room with a gauge to think about how they approached their own ideas. Here’s a clip from John Moore, where he talks about cataloging his ideas, stockpiling them for future use – whether he knows how and if they’ll be used, or not:

The rest of the day was spent talking publishing with Will Weisser, Susan Williams, Tim Sullivan and Tanya Hall, pointing out clear advantages of a traditional publishing team over self-publishing. Speaking and presentations were discussed by Nancy Duarte and Victoria Labalme, offering an interesting take on patterns of good presentations, and identifying key elements of what message you want an audience to receive. Then, building and managing project teams with Tim Sanders, whose presentation blew everyone’s minds the previous year. This year, his focus was more grounded on specific practices that new and continuing authors can implement to build more success into their work.

The day closed out with a nearly hour long Q&A session with Seth Godin, who talked about his failures, what he learned from them, things he tried that were successful – from his early days as an author to the present, and where he saw the future of publishing heading. Lots of good questions raised here, and of course, some really interesting responses you don’t often have the opportunity to hear from Seth.

All in all, it was a day jam packed with interesting and helpful information. Then we all headed out for dinner, where the conversations continued on. I enjoyed talking to author Chuck Wall about the idea of buying a super cheap flight with no seats (!), and Brad Aronson about helping employees achieve their potential. The room was a constant buzz. And David Edward won the raffle prize – a rare Seth Godin action figure!

The next day was all about sales, marketing, and publicity, featuring Tom Wilson, Will Weisser, Spike Jones, Rusty Shelton, and Barbara Cave Henricks. In some ways, these topics overlapped each other, with social media influencing sales, which in turn influences publicity, which in turn creates good marketing.

Overall, a lot of ground was covered, and we’ll be posting more videos from the event in the near future, so stay tuned.

We’re thankful for everyone that attended this year, especially our sponsors: Shelton Interactive, Greenleaf Book Group, and Cave Henricks Communications. All in all, it was another awesome Pow Wow – possibly the best one yet.

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January 23, 2013

The Business Book Awards Translator Lab

Filed under: Book Awards,Events — dylan @ 12:43 pm

When I got in my car, the temperature gauge on the dashboard read negative four degrees. It was sunny out, but it was the kind of sunlight that seems reluctant—like a lone light in a walk-in freezer—struggling through the cold air to get to you.

So when I backed out of the driveway yesterday morning, I thought to myself, “there is no way we get a good crowd this morning, on the coldest day of winter. There’s no way people leave the warmth of their beds an hour early and head out into sub-zero temperatures just to discuss ideas and business books for two hours before they head off to their actual jobs for the day.” I underestimated the drive and gumption of the business book readers of Milwaukee, and the ability of the good folks at Translator to get them there. They showed up.

You can tell by the winter light, and the heavy winter coats and scarves in the pictures, that it was well below freezing. But Translator had good, hot coffee, and a really great group of people, and our [general] manager Jon Mueller curated an engaging conversation around the ideas and stories from each of this year’s 800-CEO-READ Business Book Awards category winners.

It was an excellent crowd. It was not a gathering of people looking for a way to escape their current circumstances, but of those that knew they have a lot more they can contribute to their current circumstances—whether their work, home, or hobby—and were searching for new ways to meet that challenge. All those that spoke seemed happy and effective in their life and work, but they also seemed to know that they can get even more out of life, and that they have more to offer their world. And instead of being bitter, they were all striving for ways to be just a little bit better. So they came, and they discussed, and they went back out into the cold morning fortified with new ideas and insight.

Thanks so much to those that showed up, to Translator for organizing and hosting the event, and of course to all the authors that wrote the books and provided the ideas and inspiration that continue to get us up, excited, and out the door early. We’ll have some video of the event for all of you in the not-too-distant future.

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March 12, 2012

LeaveSmarter with Christopher J Frank and Paul Magnone

Filed under: Events — dylan @ 7:40 pm

We were very excited to have Christopher Frank and Paul Magnone in town last week for our ongoing LeaveSmarter series. And, apparently, we weren’t the only ones, as it was our most well attended event yet.

The coauthors of Drinking from the Fire Hose: Making Smarter Decisions Without Drowning in Information, they know that we’re all overwhelmed with a deluge of data and information overload—and they know that when it’s not filtered properly, it makes us less productive instead of more efficient.

The old cliche “What gets measured gets done” might have been accurate once, but in today’s data-driven, digital world it seems that everything in quantified, tracked, and recorded. And to what end? Wasn’t having all that data at your fingertips supposed to make you better informed? Wasn’t it supposed to make you more confident and more certain of your direction. … Today, instead, it seems that everything is measured, and nothing gets done.

Now, Frank and Magnone are in no way anti-data. As businesspeople, they know that measurements and metrics are important and that the access to information critical. But, as authors, they know we need a filter for all that data, and that is what they provide in their book—proposing a series of “Fire Hose Questions” with which to tease the useful information out of the excess of data coming in. We were fortunate to have them here in Milwaukee to get their message firsthand, to “drink straight from the well,” as it were.

But the authors can’t be everywhere, and if you can’t see them in person I’d highly recommend Drinking from the Fire Hose. The solutions they provide, the questions they give us are invaluable, and the time you put into the book will be repaid with time saved, insights gleaned, and clarity gained.

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February 7, 2012

Business Book Awards Lab

Filed under: Book Awards,Events — Jon @ 11:13 am

“Reading leads to more reading. It leaves you hungry and leads you to the ideas, information and inspiration to try something new. As the book of the year, Great By Choice begins: “We cannot predict the future. But we can create it.” – In the Books, 2011

800-CEO-READ has spent the past 28 years helping lead people to ideas that can change the way they think about business. Join us on February 14, 2012 at a very special Translator Lab as we facilitate a conversation about each of the winning books from the 2011 Business Book Awards. You’ll hear lessons and insights from the work of experts in Leadership, Management, Marketing & Sales, Entrepreneurship and Small Business, Personal Development, Innovation & Creativity, Finance and Economics, and General Business, plus have an opportunity to share your own experiences.

Each attendee will also receive a copy of In the Books – an annual guide to help lead you to the most quality business information, and a copy of the Best Business Book of 2011: Jim Collins and Morten T. Hansen’s, Great By Choice.

Registration is FREE, but click here to reserve a seat, and info on time and location. Hope to see you there!

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November 22, 2011

LeaveSmarter: Carol Roth

Filed under: Blog,Entrepreneurship,Events,Small Business — Jon @ 4:18 pm

Business Strategist and Deal Maker Carol Roth visited Milwaukee last week for our LeaveSmarter series, sponsored by M&I Bank/BMO Financial Group, and Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek.

For those unfamiliar with Carol’s work, she comes from the investment banking industry, having raised over a billion dollars in venture capital, as well as completing multi-millions of dollars in mergers and acquisitions for her clients. Her philosophy is solid, but straight-truth, as she calls it, “Tough Love For Business.” These ideas are gathered and presented in her New York Times Bestselling book, The Entrepreneur Equation: Evaluating the Realities, Risks, and Rewards of Having Your Own Business.

For this event, the audience consisted mostly of established business owners and executives, so Carol focused her entrepreneurial principles on new product development, growth, partnerships, and other areas of expanding business. One of the most well-attended LeaveSmarter events yet, the captive audience asked many interesting questions – which I would gladly have posted video if our camera were not in for repairs.

For now, to see the event, you’ll have to use your imagination along with Dylan’s photographs above, and be sure to pick up a copy of Carol’s book if you haven’t yet. Also, catch her sometime on the Fox Network. Maybe someday she’ll have her own show?

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September 1, 2011

The Author Pow Wow

Filed under: Events — Jon @ 12:00 pm

Join us this December 4, 5, and 6th in Austin, TX for the 2011 Author Pow Wow.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW

PUBLISHING: DO WHAT WORKS

This year’s Author Pow Wow encourages authors to do what works. Sounds simple, right? Well, with all of the technological advances and social media opportunities available for authors, the publishing landscape is anything but simple, and we want to help you make the right choices, both before and after you publish. Learn from our experts what works in the marketplace, choose for yourself what works for you, and then do that work with renewed energy and enthusiasm.

The Author Pow Wow will not only provide you with all the knowledge you need to do what works, but will also connect you to the people who can help you in the process. During an intimate and intensive two days, authors, soon-to-be authors, publishers, publicists, marketers, agents, speaking experts, social media strategists, and business people who have great ideas to share, gather, listen, converse, and leave more informed and better at what they do. Knowledge and insight are gained, partnerships form, deals get made, and connections are built that lead to possibilities never before imagined.

Hosted since 2005 by 800-CEO-READ at various locations in Chicago and Milwaukee, this year we leave the cold Midwest winter behind and head to sunny Austin, TX, and the historic Driskill Hotel. Also in the works is a group dinner at the amazing Salt Lick BBQ. More info on panels and presentations forthcoming, but expect a broad overview of perspectives from key people in the industry.

*Starting today, we’re offering a special deal to those who reserve a space early. Before September 16, registration is $750. After September 16, the price goes up to $995. Grab the deal while you can.

Don’t just take our word about what a great event this is. Read what authors Chris Guillebeau and Sally Hogshead had to say:

“Why go to an 8CR Pow-Wow? Simply put: there’s no other event like it. Where else can you talk book strategy with other authors, receive direct input from publishers, and – but wait, there’s more – meet the folks who run the world’s best business book distributorship? The gang in Milwaukee puts on a good show… make the time to attend!” – Chris Guillebeau, (author of The Art of Non-Conformity)

“My first year attending the 800-CEO-READ Author Pow Wow, I met the agents who changed the course of my career. The next year, I met the team who helped me launch and promote my next book, Fascinate. Last year, I gained the very specific insights that are helping to catapult my business in new ways. This event isn’t just about authoring business books– this is the must-attend conference for anyone dedicated to big ideas, high expectations, and long-lasting results.” – Sally Hogshead (author of Fascinate)

We look forward to seeing you in Austin in December!

More info on our Author Pow Wow can be found at www.authorpowwow.com

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May 26, 2011

LeaveSmarter with Peter Sims

Filed under: Events,Innovation — dylan @ 2:43 pm

We were overjoyed to have Peter Sims in town earlier this week for our LeaveSmarter* series. We first became aware of Peter when he coauthored True North with Bill George, which was a favorite of ours when it came out, and one of our bestsellers in 2007 and 2008 (and, coincidentally, Bill was in town to speak about True North at a previous LeaveSmarter event). So, we were really excited when we saw Mr. Sims had a book of his own coming out. That book is Little Bets: How Breakthrough Ideas Emerge from Small Discoveries, released last month by Free Press. The book is based the idea that you don’t need a big idea to get into or change your business; you simply need to take small, experimental steps to see what works and consolidate small victories. Or, as Peter puts it in the introduction to the book:

Little Bets is based on the proposition that we can use a lot of little bets and certain creative methods to identify possibilities and build up to great outcomes. At the core of this experimental approach, little bets are concrete actions taken to discover, test, and develop ideas that are achievable and affordable. They begin as creative possibilities that get iterated and refined over time, and they are particularly valuable when trying to navigate amid uncertainty, create something new, or attend to open-ended problems. When we can’t know what’s going to happen, little bets help us learn about the factors that can’t be understood beforehand. The important thing to remember is that while prodigies are exceptionally rare, anyone can use little bets to unlock creative ideas.

As you can see from the pictures below, the event was held in lovely environs, amongst the “Man at Work” collection in The Milwaukee School of Engineering’s Grohmann Museum . I took video of the event, but I am no video expert, so we’ll have to wait until Jon gets back from BEA next week to see if it’s up to par and get it on the site. In the meantime, you should check out Peter’s Little Bets manifesto at ChangeThis.

*We began our LeaveSmarter series in 2006 to bring nationally recognized business thinkers and their books to our hometown. M&I Bank approached us soon after the first event to discuss partnering with us on the series and, along with local law firm Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek, they have been the series sponsor ever since. If you’re interested in partnering with us to create a future event, let’s talk. You can contact me at dylan[at]800ceoread[dot]com.

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November 5, 2010

Get Justice This Weekend with Michael J. Sandel

Filed under: Events — dylan @ 10:22 am

Michael J. Sandel has long had the most popular undergraduate course at Harvard. “Justice” has enrolled over 14,000 students since it began, and been so popular that, in 2007, Harvard began making the course available to alumni around the world through webstreaming and podcasting. It has also been turned into a twelve part series on PBS and a best-selling book, Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do?.

This weekend, thanks to the book’s publisher Farrar, Straus & Giroux, you have a chance to participate directly in the conversation—and all you need is a telephone.

How Does It Work?

The format, called Teleforum, allows readers to go deeper into the book by interacting with the author directly. Register below, and you’ll receive a free phone call when the Teleforum begins. You’ll hear Professor Sandel on the other end, discussing Justice and polling listeners. Using your keypad, you can respond to the polls and even ask a question directly. The Teleforum is completely free for participants and runs for 60 minutes.

The publisher wrote us specifically to help invite the business thought community, so sign up and add your voices to the conversation. To do so, just head over to the event page at FSG’s website.

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