Joel Gascoigne

Founder CEO of Buffer

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Book Recommendations:

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Recommended by Joel Gascoigne

@wilreynolds @dhmeyer 💯 Love that book. Great reminder to re-read! (from X)

The bestselling business book from award-winning restauranteur Danny Meyer, of Union Square Cafe, Gramercy Tavern, and Shake Shack Seventy-five percent of all new restaurant ventures fail, and of those that do stick around, only a few become icons. Danny Meyer started Union Square Cafe when he was 27, with a good idea and hopeful investors. He is now the co-owner of a restaurant empire. How did he do it? How did he beat the odds in one of the toughest trades around? In this landmark book, Danny shares the lessons he learned developing the dynamic philosophy he calls Enlightened Hospitality. The tenets of that philosophy, which emphasize strong in-house relationships as well as customer satisfaction, are applicable to anyone who works in any business. Whether you are a manager, an executive, or a waiter, Danny’s story and philosophy will help you become more effective and productive, while deepening your understanding and appreciation of a job well done. Setting the Table is landmark a motivational work from one of our era’s most gifted and insightful business leaders.

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Recommended by Joel Gascoigne

@jerrycolonna @RebootByJerry Thank you for this great book! I'm listening to you on audio and very much enjoying the authenticity of the words and wisdom you're sharing. (from X)

One of the start-up world’s most in-demand executive coaches—hailed as the “CEO Whisperer” (Gimlet Media)—reveals why radical self-inquiry is critical to professional success and healthy relationships in all realms of life. Jerry Colonna helps start-up CEOs make peace with their demons, the psychological habits and behavioral patterns that have helped them to succeed—molding them into highly accomplished individuals—yet have been detrimental to their relationships and ultimate well-being. Now, this venture capitalist turned executive coach shares his unusual yet highly effective blend of Buddhism, Jungian therapy, and entrepreneurial straight talk to help leaders overcome their own psychological traumas. Reboot is a journey of radical self-inquiry, helping you to reset your life by sorting through the emotional baggage that is holding you back professionally, and even more important, in your relationships. Jerry has taught CEOs and their top teams to realize their potential by using the raw material of their lives to find meaning, to build healthy interpersonal bonds, and to become more compassionate and bold leaders. In Reboot, he inspires everyone to hold themselves responsible for their choices and for the possibility of truly achieving their dreams. Work does not have to destroy us. Work can be the way in which we achieve our fullest self, Jerry firmly believes. What we need, sometimes, is a chance to reset our goals and to reconnect with our deepest selves and with each other. Reboot moves and empowers us to begin this journey.

JG

Recommended by Joel Gascoigne

You Are Here: Discovering the Magic of the Present Moment book cover

by Thich Nhat Hanh, Melvin McLeod, Sherab Ch÷dzin Kohn·You?

Cut through the busyness and anxieties of daily life to discover the simple happiness of living in the present moment, as taught by a world-renowned Zen monk In this book, Thich Nhat Hanh—Zen monk, author, and meditation master—distills the essence of Buddhist thought and practice, emphasizing the power of mindfulness to transform our lives. But true mindfulness, Hanh explains, is not an escape. It is being in the present moment, totally alive and free. Based on a retreat that Thich Nhat Hanh led for Westerners, You Are Here offers a range of effective practices for cultivating mindfulness and staying in the present moment—including awareness of breathing and walking, deep listening, and skillful speech. These teachings will empower you to witness the wonder of life and transform your suffering, both within and outside you, into compassion, tenderness, and peace. As Thich Nhat Hanh declares, “the energy of mindfulness is the energy of the Buddha, and it can be produced by anybody.” It is as simple as breathing in and breathing out.

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Recommended by Joel Gascoigne

In The Mastery of Love, don Miguel Ruiz illuminates the fear-based beliefs and assumptions that undermine love and lead to suffering and drama in our relationships. Using insightful stories to bring his message to life, Ruiz shows us how to heal our emotional wounds, recover the freedom and joy that are our birthright, and restore the spirit of playfulness that is vital to loving relationships. The Mastery of Love includes: • Why "domestication" and the "image of perfection" lead to self-rejection • The war of control that slowly destroys most relationships • Why we hunt for love in others, and how to capture the love inside us • How to finally accept and forgive ourselves and others "Happiness can only come from inside of you and is the result of your love. When you are aware that no one else can make you happy, and that happiness is the result of your love, this becomes the greatest mastery of the Toltec: the Mastery of Love." — don Miguel Ruiz

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Recommended by Joel Gascoigne

Using solely their bodyweight for resistance and relying on minimal equipment, readers will learn how to perform a range of exercises, such as push-ups, pull-ups, core exercises, and lower body exercises. Read this book, and develop the strongest and most capable physique ever.Complete Calisthenics includes everything you need to know, such as; Step-by-step instructions with over 500 photographs to guide you through the exercises. Nutritional advice with simple-to-follow diet plans and sample diets. Program creation to suit your needs. Complete Calisthenics is the most detailed and comprehensive bodyweight exercise manual available on the market today. It is for anyone; male or female, beginner or advanced who is interested in building complete strength and taking their workouts and themselves to the next level.

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Recommended by Joel Gascoigne

#1 Wall Street Journal Bestseller The Obstacle is the Way has become a cult classic, beloved by men and women around the world who apply its wisdom to become more successful at whatever they do. Its many fans include a former governor and movie star (Arnold Schwarzenegger), a hip hop icon (LL Cool J), an Irish tennis pro (James McGee), an NBC sportscaster (Michele Tafoya), and the coaches and players of winning teams like the New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Cubs, and University of Texas men’s basketball team. The book draws its inspiration from stoicism, the ancient Greek philosophy of enduring pain or adversity with perseverance and resilience. Stoics focus on the things they can control, let go of everything else, and turn every new obstacle into an opportunity to get better, stronger, tougher. As Marcus Aurelius put it nearly 2000 years ago: “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.” Ryan Holiday shows us how some of the most successful people in history—from John D. Rockefeller to Amelia Earhart to Ulysses S. Grant to Steve Jobs—have applied stoicism to overcome difficult or even impossible situations. Their embrace of these principles ultimately mattered more than their natural intelligence, talents, or luck. If you’re feeling frustrated, demoralized, or stuck in a rut, this book can help you turn your problems into your biggest advantages. And along the way it will inspire you with dozens of true stories of the greats from every age and era.

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Recommended by Joel Gascoigne

Zhuangzi: Basic Writings book cover

by Zhuangzi, Burton Watson·You?

Only by inhabiting Dao (the Way of Nature) and dwelling in its unity can humankind achieve true happiness and freedom, in both life and death. This is Daoist philosophy's central tenet, espoused by the person―or group of people―known as Zhuangzi (369?–286? BCE) in a text by the same name. To be free, individuals must discard rigid distinctions between right and wrong, and follow a course of action not motivated by gain or striving. When one ceases to judge events as good or bad, man-made suffering disappears, and natural suffering is embraced as part of life. Zhuangzi elucidates this mystical philosophy through humor, parable, and anecdote, using non sequitur and even nonsense to illuminate truths beyond the boundaries of ordinary logic. Boldly imaginative and inventively written, the Zhuangzi floats free of its historical period and society, addressing the spiritual nourishment of all people across time. One of the most justly celebrated texts of the Chinese tradition, the Zhuangzi is read by thousands of English-language scholars each year, yet, until now, only in the Wade-Giles romanization. Burton Watson's conversion to pinyin in this book brings the text in line with how Chinese scholars, and an increasing number of other scholars, read it.

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Recommended by Joel Gascoigne

A behind-the-scenes look at the firm behind WordPress.com and the unique work culture that contributes to its phenomenal success50 million websites, or twenty percent of the entire web, use WordPress software. The force behind WordPress.com is a convention-defying company called Automattic, Inc., whose 120 employees work from anywhere in the world they wish, barely use email, and launch improvements to their products dozens of times a day. With a fraction of the resources of Google, Amazon, or Facebook, they have a similar impact on the future of the Internet. How is this possible? What's different about how they work, and what can other companies learn from their methods? To find out, former Microsoft veteran Scott Berkun worked as a manager at WordPress.com, leading a team of young programmers developing new ideas. The Year Without Pants shares the secrets of WordPress.com's phenomenal success from the inside. Berkun's story reveals insights on creativity, productivity, and leadership from the kind of workplace that might be in everyone's future. Offers a fast-paced and entertaining insider's account of how an amazing, powerful organization achieves impressive resultsIncludes vital lessons about work culture and managing creativityWritten by author and popular blogger Scott Berkun (scottberkun.com)The Year Without Pants shares what every organization can learn from the world-changing ideas for the future of work at the heart of Automattic's success.

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Recommended by Joel Gascoigne

The International Bestselling Workout Book for Men Is this a bodybuilding book that can help you pack on brain-shrinking amounts of muscle in 30 days flat? No. Is it a fitness book full of dubious diet and exercise “hacks” and “shortcuts” for melting belly fat faster than a roided hornet? Absolutely not. But is it an exercise book (and nutrition book) that’ll show you exactly how to eat and exercise to gain 25-to-35 pounds of lean muscle and lose just as much fat (or even more)? Yes. And faster than you probably think possible. Because here’s the deal: Muscle building and fat loss aren’t nearly as complicated as you’ve been led to believe. You don't need to: Obsess over "clean eating" and avoiding “unhealthy” foods like sugar, meat, and bread. Some foods are more nutritious and should be eaten more frequently than others. That's it. You don't need to: Spend a couple hours in the gym every day grinding through punishing strength training workouts. Sweating buckets, getting really sore, training until bone-tired . . . all wholly overrated for gaining muscle and strength. You don't need to: Slog away on the treadmill. In fact, you don't need to do any cardio exercise at all to shed ugly belly fat and even get six-pack abs. Those are just a few of the harmful fitness lies and myths that keep guys from ever achieving the lean, muscular, and strong body they truly desire. And Bigger Leaner Stronger will teach you something that most men will never know: How to transform your body while eating the foods you like and doing a few challenging (but not grueling) strength training workouts per week. Oh and cardio exercise? Completely optional. Here are just a few of the things you’ll discover inside this workout book for men: The 10 biggest fitness myths and mistakes that keep guys weak, fat, and confused. For example, “calories are all that matters,” “carbs and sugars make you fat,” and “some guys don’t have the genetics to get big.” The primary driver of muscle growth that forces your muscles to get bigger and stronger. And no, it has nothing to do with “muscle confusion,” “functional training,” or any other pseudoscientific fitness nonsense. How to create meal plans for building muscle and losing fat with foods you love so you never feel starved, deprived, or like you're "on a diet" (and especially a “bodybuilding diet”). 12 months of paint-by-numbers resistance training workouts for building a full chest, wide back, powerful legs, and bulging arms . . . in only 3-to-5 hours of weight training per week. A no-BS guide to fitness supplements that’ll save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars on useless (and sometimes even dangerous) pills, powders, and potions. And that’s not all, either . . . 338 peer-reviewed scientific studies support the Bigger Leaner Stronger system of eating, training, and recovering for losing fat and building muscle and strength. Bigger Leaner Stronger has sold over 600,000 copies in 16 different languages and is regularly revised based on the latest findings in nutrition and exercise research (four editions released and counting!). The bottom line is you can get that head-turning “Hollywood hunk” body without following a bland, boring, bodybuilding diet and without doing exhausting weightlifting workouts you hate. And this exercise book shows you how. Get your copy now, and start your journey to a bigger, leaner, and stronger you.

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Recommended by Joel Gascoigne

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “This book delivers completely new and refreshing ideas on how to create value in the world.”—Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta “Peter Thiel has built multiple breakthrough companies, and Zero to One shows how.”—Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla The great secret of our time is that there are still uncharted frontiers to explore and new inventions to create. In Zero to One, legendary entrepreneur and investor Peter Thiel shows how we can find singular ways to create those new things. Thiel begins with the contrarian premise that we live in an age of technological stagnation, even if we’re too distracted by shiny mobile devices to notice. Information technology has improved rapidly, but there is no reason why progress should be limited to computers or Silicon Valley. Progress can be achieved in any industry or area of business. It comes from the most important skill that every leader must master: learning to think for yourself. Doing what someone else already knows how to do takes the world from 1 to n, adding more of something familiar. But when you do something new, you go from 0 to 1. The next Bill Gates will not build an operating system. The next Larry Page or Sergey Brin won’t make a search engine. Tomorrow’s champions will not win by competing ruthlessly in today’s marketplace. They will escape competition altogether, because their businesses will be unique. Zero to One presents at once an optimistic view of the future of progress in America and a new way of thinking about innovation: it starts by learning to ask the questions that lead you to find value in unexpected places.

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Recommended by Joel Gascoigne

Ben Horowitz, cofounder of Andreessen Horowitz and one of Silicon Valley's most respected and experienced entrepreneurs, offers essential advice on building and running a startup—practical wisdom for managing the toughest problems business school doesn’t cover, based on his popular ben’s blog. While many people talk about how great it is to start a business, very few are honest about how difficult it is to run one. Ben Horowitz analyzes the problems that confront leaders every day, sharing the insights he’s gained developing, managing, selling, buying, investing in, and supervising technology companies. A lifelong rap fanatic, he amplifies business lessons with lyrics from his favorite songs, telling it straight about everything from firing friends to poaching competitors, cultivating and sustaining a CEO mentality to knowing the right time to cash in. Filled with his trademark humor and straight talk, The Hard Thing About Hard Things is invaluable for veteran entrepreneurs as well as those aspiring to their own new ventures, drawing from Horowitz's personal and often humbling experiences.

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Recommended by Joel Gascoigne

How companies can stay competitive in a world of total transparency. With their first book, 1993's The One-to-One Future, Don Peppers and Martha Rogers introduced the idea of managing interactive customer relationships, long before the Web and social networking made it standard business practice. With Extreme Trust, they look to the future once again, predicting that rising levels of transparency will require companies to protect the interests of their customers and employees proactively, even when it sometimes costs money in the short term. The importance of this "trustability" will transform every industry. Retail banks won't be able to rely as much on overdraft charges. Consumers will expect retailers to remind them when they have unused balances on gift cards. Credit card companies will coach customers to avoid excessive borrowing. Cell phone providers will help customers find appropriate calling plans for their usage patterns. Success won't come from top-down rules and processes, but from bottom-up solutions on the part of employees and customers themselves. And the most successful businesses will earn and keep the extreme trust of everyone they interact with

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Recommended by Joel Gascoigne

Once in a while, a book comes along that has the power and the wisdom to speak to the best part of us and awaken our highest selves to the miracle our lives were meant to be. In this truly unforgettable guide, Robin Sharma, author of the national bestseller The Monk Who Sold His Ferrariand a man whose life lessons are currently transforming the lives of many thousands of people across the planet, will show you how to access your inner gifts and reshape your whole outer life in the process. With brilliant simplicity and remarkable insight,The Saint, the Surfer and the CEO will teach you: • How to stop betraying your self and live your destiny • Simple ways to feel a rare amount of fulfillment and joy in your days • How to reconnect to your inner child like heart for a more passion-filled life • Lessons to conquer stress, balance life, and feel good about yourself • A proven process that will revolutionize your relationships and fill your life with love • How to restore adventure, simplicity, and prosperity into your life • Powerful principles to become strikingly successful at work • Practical wisdom to help see a gorgeous vision for your future and then make it a reality

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Recommended by Joel Gascoigne

How do you develop products that people will actually use and buy? This practical guide shows you how to validate product and company ideas through customer development research―before you waste months and millions on a product or service that no one needs or wants. With a combination of open-ended interviewing and fast and flexible research techniques, you’ll learn how your prospective customers behave, the problems they need to solve, and what frustrates and delights them. These insights may shake your assumptions, but they’ll help you reach the "ah-ha!" moments that inspire truly great products. Validate or invalidate your hypothesis by talking to the right people Learn how to conduct successful customer interviews play-by-play Detect a customer’s behaviors, pain points, and constraints Turn interview insights into Minimum Viable Products to validate what customers will use and buy Adapt customer development strategies for large companies, conservative industries, and existing products

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Recommended by Joel Gascoigne

The Score Takes Care of Itself: My Philosophy of Leadership book cover

by Bill Walsh, Steve Jamison, Craig Walsh·You?

The last lecture on leadership by the NFL's greatest coach: Bill Walsh Bill Walsh is a towering figure in the history of the NFL. His advanced leadership transformed the San Francisco 49ers from the worst franchise in sports to a legendary dynasty. In the process, he changed the way football is played. Prior to his death, Walsh granted a series of exclusive interviews to bestselling author Steve Jamison. These became his ultimate lecture on leadership. Additional insights and perspective are provided by Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana and others. Bill Walsh taught that the requirements of successful leadership are the same whether you run an NFL franchise, a fortune 500 company, or a hardware store with 12 employees. These final words of 'wisdom by Walsh' will inspire, inform, and enlighten leaders in all professions.

JG

Recommended by Joel Gascoigne

The personally revealing and complete biography of the man known everywhere as “The Oracle of Omaha”—for fans of the HBO documentary Becoming Warren Buffett Here is the book recounting the life and times of one of the most respected men in the world, Warren Buffett. The legendary Omaha investor has never written a memoir, but now he has allowed one writer, Alice Schroeder, unprecedented access to explore directly with him and with those closest to him his work, opinions, struggles, triumphs, follies, and wisdom. Although the media track him constantly, Buffett himself has never told his full life story. His reality is private, especially by celebrity standards. Indeed, while the homespun persona that the public sees is true as far as it goes, it goes only so far. Warren Buffett is an array of paradoxes. He set out to prove that nice guys can finish first. Over the years he treated his investors as partners, acted as their steward, and championed honesty as an investor, CEO, board member, essayist, and speaker. At the same time he became the world’s richest man, all from the modest Omaha headquarters of his company Berkshire Hathaway. None of this fits the term “simple.” When Alice Schroeder met Warren Buffett she was an insurance industry analyst and a gifted writer known for her keen perception and business acumen. Her writings on finance impressed him, and as she came to know him she realized that while much had been written on the subject of his investing style, no one had moved beyond that to explore his larger philosophy, which is bound up in a complex personality and the details of his life. Out of this came his decision to cooperate with her on the book about himself that he would never write. Never before has Buffett spent countless hours responding to a writer’s questions, talking, giving complete access to his wife, children, friends, and business associates—opening his files, recalling his childhood. It was an act of courage, as The Snowball makes immensely clear. Being human, his own life, like most lives, has been a mix of strengths and frailties. Yet notable though his wealth may be, Buffett’s legacy will not be his ranking on the scorecard of wealth; it will be his principles and ideas that have enriched people’s lives. This book tells you why Warren Buffett is the most fascinating American success story of our time. Praise for The Snowball “Even people who don't care a whit about business will be intrigued by this portrait. . . . Schroeder, a former insurance-industry analyst, spent years interviewing Buffett, and the result is a side of the Oracle of Omaha that has rarely been seen.”—Time “Will mesmerize anyone interested in who Mr. Buffett is or how he got that way. The Snowball tells a fascinating story.”—New York Times “If the replication of any great achievement first requires knowledge of how it was done, then The Snowball, the most detailed glimpse inside Warren Buffett and his world that we likely will ever get, should become a Bible for capitalists.”—Washington Post “Riveting and encyclopedic.”—Wall Street Journal “A monumental biography . . . Schroeder got the best access yet of any Buffett biographer. . . . She deals out marvelously funny and poignant stories about Buffett and the conglomerate he runs, Berkshire Hathaway.”—Forbes “The most authoritative portrait of one of the most important American investors of our time.”—Los Angeles Times