Books Review January 2012

HAPPY 2012! A new year and a new opportunity to rethink old ways. This month’s book review recommendation is Richard Branson’s latest book Screw Business As Usual!

I had the pleasure of working for Virgin Merchandising International in the mid 80’s out in the San Fernando Valley as an administrative assistant in the art department meeting musicians and working with artists on the music tour designs for tshirts for many groups on the Virgin Records labels. I know first-hand the entrepreneur spirit of Mr Branson and the people he entrusts to use his Virgin logo. Fast forward to this past year, I got to see Richard at UC Irvine where he spoke at the Center for Peace event about his life and his journey. He is one of the world’s most famous and admired business leaders, and he argues in his latest book “that it’s time to turn capitalism upside down – to shift our values from an exclusive focus on profit to also caring for people, communities and the planet.” As he writes: “It’s a vibrant and definite sea change from the way business was always done, when financial profit was a driving force. Today, people aren’t afraid to say, Screw business as usual! – and show they mean it.”

Richard further comments “It’s amazing how I keep coming across the same message, from bustling global cities to the townships of South Africa to small villages in India to G8 climate conferences. It’s no coincidence that so many people are talking about the same thing. There’s a real buzz in the air. Change is happening.

“People often associate me with challenges, with trying to break records while sailing the Atlantic or flying in a jet stream in a balloon or going into space with Virgin Galactic. But this book isn’t just about fun and adventure and exceeding one’s wildest dreams. It’s a different kind of business book. It’s about revolution. My message is a simple one: business as usual isn’t working. In fact, business as usual is wrecking this planet. Resources are being used up; the air, the sea, the land are all heavily polluted. The poor are getting poorer. Many are dying of starvation or because they can’t afford a dollar a day for lifesaving medicine. But my message is not all doom and gloom. I will describe how I think business can help fix things and create a more prosperous world for everyone. I happen to believe in business because I believe that business is a force for good. By that I mean that doing good is good for business.”

“Doing the right thing can be profitable. I will show how this works step by step in the following pages. It’s the core message of this book. I often say, ‘Have fun and the money will come.’ I still believe that, but now I am saying, ‘Do good, have fun and the money will come.’”

So if Santa didn’t get you everything you wanted, treat yourself to this book as a New Year’s present. If you have a book you would like me to review please email me at Lorraine92627@live.com Make it a great new year!