Ex Libris for some Holiday Reading

This book list is for social entrepreneurs.

Now that the holidays are coming you might have a chance to relax and pick up a book. Sharing a few things on my book shelf or on my laptop. Committed social entrepreneurs that we are, these readings will enrich our knowledge to help us do better at work. We hope you like the list.



The CEO Paradox: The Privilege and Accountability of Leadership 
by Thomas R. Horton

I'm still currently reading this book and so far I find it relevant and refreshing in terms of content and voice. Written as a letter from an outgoing CEO to an incoming one, the tone is conversational and frank. With chapter titles like You've Made it to the Top - Now What? and Those Lonesome CEO blues, the book tackles topics familiar to CEOs ranging from Delegation to Making time for yourself, to passing the torch. This book should find a place in the bookshelves of current and aspiring CEOs.




Making a Living in Crafts: Everything You Need to Know to Build Your Business 
by Donald A. Clark

Throughout this great book, several artisans and craftsmen offer practical advice based on their experience in setting up their workshops, promoting their work in trade fairs, marketing, branding, and even intellectual property. The stories are inspiring, the advice is actionable, and the photos are gorgeous. This book will inspire anyone thinking of setting up a crafts business to go for it.




Priming the Pump: The Case for a Sector Based Approach to Impact Investing
by Matt Bannick and Paula Goldman



Impact Investing is the new buzzword in social development but the space is still amorphous. This paper supports our long held belief that ecosystems should be built to create an enabling environment. While there are gazelle social enterprises, creating and scaling up entire sectors increases the chances of success for individual social enterprises.

The paper discusses three kinds of organizations in a sector: market innovators, market scalers, and market infrastructure all of which will require investment.

This is a great read for anyone wanting to make large scale impact through social entrepreneurship.



Please feel free to share your thoughts on this list as well as share it with others who might be interested.