[00:00:00] Emma: Books have an incredible way of shaping the way we think, the way we act, and how we grow in business. Some books spark new ideas, others challenge our thinking, and a few truly transform the way we operate today, I'm going to share five business books and one non business book that has been influential in my business.
[00:00:42] and in my life. I'm going to share what the book was. I'm also going to share, my key takeaways and also what I've actually implemented so that you too don't even have to read these books. You could just listen to my summary and then go out and buy them. What I want you to do as you're listening to this podcast today is to think about what books have impacted you?
[00:01:03] And also what is the The theme that runs through each of these five books. I do a lot of reading. in 2024, I challenged myself to read 40 books. I end up reading 51, which I was thrilled about. This year my goal is to read 50 books. I read a lot of business books. I just love them.
[00:01:25] I love to read non fiction over summer. It helps me to switch off. But I love business self development books. I always have. I'm a nerd like that. And I don't apologize for it. Today is all about the five books that have impacted me in my business journey little summary and the bonus at the end. Stick around until the end.
[00:01:44] The first cab off the rank is Atomic Habits by James Clear. Have you heard of him? Have you seen him? Have you seen his book? Unbelievable. But first of all, I read his book and I was reading his book on a plane. On my way to Sydney to meet him and the air steward was asking me what I was reading and why the book was so good We got into a conversation about it, and I gave my copy away to him and he was stoked he said do you have another copy?
[00:02:12] I said no, I'll get one I'm actually gonna go and meet James now, and he's like no way now It was my second run through of the book so I had read the book already but I had to then go and buy a book so that James could actually Signed the book for me, so I also have a signed version. So atomic habits is all about the small, consistent changes that lead to massive results. No need for willpower marathon or overnight transformations, just tiny tweaks that stack up over time. It's not about setting the big goals.
[00:02:42] it's about becoming the kind of person who naturally achieves them. If you want to be healthier, Be the person who never skips a workout. If you want to grow your business, be someone who shows up and sells every day. My favorite thing, by the way, the trick is focus on the systems, not the outcome. I think that's my favorite bit. I am a bit of a process girl. If a process is in front of me, I just follow it. My clients that I work with work the same way as following a recipe. Some of them are just like, give me the recipe, Emma, and I will do what I need to do.
[00:03:13] And I love that. His book is very, very practical and it's an actionable guide for forming really good habits, breaking bad ones and making small changes that lead to awesome results over time. It's like the 1% ers, you know those 1% ers where you just have to tweak, everything is good, you just need to tweak it, it's like that.
[00:03:33] I'd encourage you to read it, I'd encourage you to sign up to his email list, he has an amazing email list of people. the two take outs for me from the book were about
[00:03:42] The power of tiny gains, so small consistent improvements that lead to exponential growth and the fact that success is a result of daily habits, not one time transformations.
[00:03:53] And number two is
[00:03:55] The four laws of behavior change. So, he introduces this cool framework, uh, for habit formation based on four key principles. And the four are cue, craving, response and reward. They're the four rules of building a great habit or breaking a habit. talks about making it obvious if you want to do something. Put it right in front of you. He talks about wanting to eat more apples, putting apples in the fruit bowl where you will see them. If you want to read more, put your book on your pillow. If you want to quit something, hide the triggers.
[00:04:26] So you want to cut down on scrolling on your phone, move your phone to another room, right? So make it obvious. The second one is make it attractive. Pair the habit with something you love. Only listen to your favorite podcast when you're walking. If you're trying to break a habit, how do you make it?
[00:04:39] unattractive by linking it with something negative. So you want to quit sugar? Start watching documentaries on its health effects. The third thing is making it easy. Reducing the friction. Right? Want to exercise? Lay out your workout clothes the night before. I do this. If you're stopping a habit, do the opposite.
[00:04:57] So if you are trying to save money and you don't want to do online shopping, delete the save payments details. Make the friction there. the final one is make it satisfying, celebrate small wins, cross it off your habit tracker, tell a friend or just acknowledge the effort, So the big takeaways from this book were identifying your mindset and shifting your thinking instead of saying, I want to be fit.
[00:05:23] You say, I am a person who moves daily. And your actions will follow your identity. He reckons that your environment shapes you. And so what that means is make good habits the easiest choice and make bad habits really inconvenient. We all know that small change compounds over time. So you just need to do the small.
[00:05:42] Small habits that lead to big results over time. And we know that systems matter more than goals. I know, it's controversial, but it's true. And your identity drives your habits. Align your habits with who it is you want to be. Your environment also shapes your behaviour and sets you up for success. And habits compound like interest.
[00:06:02] What I love about the habits is that you can stack a habit so that there's four or five things that become habits stacked. So for me, that looks like having my supplements next to my water in the bathroom of an evening, so before I brush my teeth, I can see them there. Or, having my gym gear out in the morning, my airpods charged, and my water on the kitchen counter, ready to go along with, um, Meaning I have it all set up, and then the habits are stacked.
[00:06:28] Isn't that awesome? I love habit stacking. You want to change a habit? Pick one habit you want to build or break. Use the four key Cue, craving, respond, reward to make it happen, make it stick, make sure you track it and stay consistent. You won't see immediate results, right? And the question to ask yourself is, am I becoming the person that I want to be?
[00:06:51] That's it. Small steps, big impact, no magic, no fluff, just habits that work. My next book is Who Not How. Dan Sullivan. Oh my goodness. You and I both know that most business owners are doers. We are wired to ask, how can I make this happen? How can I make this bigger? How can I? But before you do that and dive head first into figuring out all of that ourselves, he wants us to flip the script.
[00:07:17] He wants us to instead ask, not how, Who? Who can help me move faster? Who already knows how to do this? Who can help me take this off my plate? Over the last eight years, I've flipped sometimes a bit too far, getting the who without understanding the task fully. Don't be me. That wasn't fun. There are three things I loved about this book.
[00:07:41] One, Doing it all yourself equals slow growth. You're not meant to be good at everything. When you try, you end up overworked and frustrated. Number two, Getting the right who equals momentum. So when you bring the right people in, things move faster. Stress goes down, results go up, right? And number three,
[00:08:00] Value equals effort.
[00:08:02] So success isn't about working harder,
[00:08:04] it's about working smarter.
[00:08:06] And that means playing to your strengths and letting others do the same. I also had a crack at these steps, applying some steps myself to this. So step number one, I listed my biggest goals.
[00:08:17] I wrote three things down I really wanted to achieve over a six month period. I thought six months would work better for me. Step two, I had to work out what was slowing me down, which parts felt heavy, what was I avoiding? These are the things I knew I shouldn't be doing and it was a relief to get to that moment.
[00:08:33] Step three,
[00:08:33] I had to find my who. I asked myself,
[00:08:35] Who already knows how to do this?
[00:08:37] Who's the expert in the space?
[00:08:38] Who loves this kind of work and who can help me move faster? One of the decisions I made in my business is that I would do all the coaching and all the delivery and I would outsource wherever I could, which means we have a team of experts rather than me trying to find a unicorn to do it all.
[00:08:54] And then step four is the hard one.
[00:08:56] I had to let go and trust the process.
[00:08:58] I got quite good at delegating, quite good at outsourcing. And this year I'm focused on collaboration. It's taken me a long time to stop trying to do it all alone and all myself. I mean, I did outsource my calendar in the very, very early on because I hated managing that thing.
[00:09:14] But step 5 is then
[00:09:15] Watch your business and your life get lighter and more profitable.
[00:09:19] More time, more money, more energy, better results. That's the power of finding the right who. And I have made some mistakes over the time, let me tell you. But, And it's a big but. I wish I had the big black book of contacts that I now have.
[00:09:37] I wish someone had handed that to me when I first started my business, and I would have saved myself a lot of heartache and a lot of cash. On a side note, Dan does talk a bit about outsourcing overseas, and the decision that I have made for Emma McQueen Pty Ltd is that we won't do that. I want to support local people in business where I can, women where I can, so my model is a bit more expensive than if you were outsourcing overseas.
[00:10:00] But you know what? You do you. So who is your next who? My third book, Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Gadara. It's all about going above and beyond to create unforgettable experiences, whether in business or in life, and he's a chef. And, uh, it's written from a chef's and a restaurant's perspective, but it's not about that.
[00:10:23] It's about making people feel seen and valued and special in a way that they will never forget. Now, I thought I was pretty good at surprise and delight. I thought I was pretty good at valuing people. Then I read this and realized, holy dooly, I've got a way to go. He took 11 Madison Park from a good restaurant to the best in the world by focusing on one thing.
[00:10:45] Hospitality that blows people away. Not just good service, next level generosity that made guests feel like royalty. He was chasing Michelin stars, and he's the kicker. This isn't just for Restaurants, it isn't just for hotels. Any business can use these ideas. My biggest takeaways were this.
[00:11:07] Surprise and delight matter more than you think.
[00:11:11] More than you think. Small, thoughtful gestures make people feel loyal for life. It's the unexpected touch, a handwritten note, a personalized experience, or just making things That could be your biggest impact. Apologies to all my thriving women who know how challenged I am in tech. Number two,
[00:11:32] Your business isn't just about what you do.
[00:11:34] It's about how you make people feel.
[00:11:36] You can be the best person from a transaction perspective, but how are you making people feel? Whether you run a coaching business, a retail shop, or a corporate team, people remember how you make them feel, not just what you delivered. Number three, Culture starts with you.
[00:11:53] Even if you're a one man band like me, if you want to lead a team or a community to deliver an incredible experience, you have to lead by example, empower them, trust them and celebrate when they go the extra mile. This was late realized lately by myself from one of my thriving women. One of my thriving women told me that Emma, you are the culture.
[00:12:14] Everyone is watching what you do and you're doing. an incredible job of bringing a community together. Now, that sounds like I'm blowing wind up. I don't mean it like that. Just the fact that she had recognized that I was the leader in this culture and in this community was super, super cool. Number four, Every touch point is an opportunity to create magic.
[00:12:35] And that's what they talk about in the book. From the first interaction to the follow up, every moment is a chance to make people feel amazing. The best businesses don't just meet. The expectations of their people, of their clients, of their customers, of their patients. They exceed them in ways no one else does.
[00:12:53] Now, if you're very lucky and have a creative friend, I have a beautiful creative friend, shout out Lauren Samuels, you know who you are. I will say to her, I'm thinking about doing A, B and C and she'll throw in a creative idea and I'll be like, why didn't I think of that? So, you have to love on your creative friends.
[00:13:10] Now, how do you apply this? Well, I look for small ways to wow people. A thank you video instead of an email, a surprise gift of some sort, a check in that's just about them, not sales. It's just simple and powerful. Number two, Make every client feel like your only client. Personalised attention makes all the difference.
[00:13:30] Who can you surprise this week? We try really hard to do personalized, things for our clients, even if they're in a group program, right? So, we can get better at this. Admittedly, but it's a start. Number three, Empower your team to go the extra mile. Give them freedom to create the unforgettable experiences.
[00:13:49] We had a situation. I was out of town and I was not reviewing my emails and Serena found an email and, the person was going through a bit of a rough time. Serena organized some flowers or a plant or something like that and sent it on behalf of Team McQueen. I did not have to do anything. She organized it.
[00:14:05] She did it because she knew what her boundaries were and it made that person's day. Number four, Make generosity your secret weapon. This is my favorite. It doesn't have to cost a fortune. A thoughtful, touch beats a big budget campaign every time. My final thought is this, Businesses that stand out aren't the ones with the best products or the best services necessarily although shout out to Apple.
[00:14:29] I love you. They're the ones that make people feel special, valued, and deeply connected. And. Unreasonable hospitality isn't just a nice to have, it's the difference between forgettable and legendary. So what's one thing you can do today to make someone's experience extraordinary? That is my question. My next book is one, it's a little book, it's a little book and it's called Useful Belief.
[00:14:55] It's by a guy called Chris Helder. And it's all about shifting your mindset in a way that actually works. It's not about forced positivity or pretending everything is great when it's not. Instead, it's about choosing the beliefs that serve you. Beliefs that are actually useful in moving you forward. So the first takeaway was Ditch the think positive trap. Sometimes life is tough, business is tough, don't we all know it, right? And no amount of just be positive is going to fix that. But what will help is choosing, choosing to believe something that pushes you forward.
[00:15:30] Not because it's necessarily true, but because it's useful. It's a bit to wrap your head around. Number two, Focus on what you can control. Wasting energy on things you can't is a one way ticket to frustration. Are you with me? When? Instead, shift your focus to what's in your hands. Ask yourself, what can I do right now to improve this situation?
[00:15:50] I had a client who was really struggling with her revenue, really struggling with her revenue. And so we had to dial up her sales and we had to dial up her Bd. I was with her every step of the way, every day checking in, how you going? How you going? How you going? Now, she could have just gone. It's all too hard and given up, but she didn't.
[00:16:08] She was on the business development bandwagon. It took a good month for her to get to feeling comfortable about the revenue she was bringing in, but she did it. She focused on what she could control The next takeaway for me is about mindset. Your mindset is an absolute choice. You don't have to feel a certain way to take action.
[00:16:27] Waiting for motivation is a trap. Instead, choose a belief that helps you move forward and act on it and momentum will follow. And I wrote about this in my own book, Go Getter. And then Make it work for you. This isn't about tricking yourself or pretending. It's about asking what's the most useful belief I can have in this moment and then running with it.
[00:16:46] P. S. This book is great with kids as well. How do I apply it? Well, you can Reframe your thinking. When you hit a challenge, you stop and ask, What belief would be most useful for me right now? And then choose one that helps, not hinders. Take action anyway. Motivation comes from action, not the other way around.
[00:17:04] Take one step forward. No matter how small. Filter the Ignore the things that you can't control. Put your time and energy into the things where you can make an impact. And Practice daily. Every morning set an intention. What's the most useful belief I can have about today? And then go act like it's true.
[00:17:23] There you go. I would love to see if you have any shifts after you read that book. I would also love to know, I'm just going to pause there for a minute. I know this podcast has gone on a bit longer than normal, but what I want to know is what theme are you seeing? What theme are you seeing that Emma McQueen reads?
[00:17:39] What is that looking like? And this should give it away. The next book The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod. Alrighty, let's talk about the mornings. You know, those rare ones where you wake up feeling fresh focus and ready to take on the world. Well, imagine if that was every day.
[00:17:55] Oh my goodness, wouldn't that change things? That's what the Morning Miracle is about. Starting your day with intention so you can show up as your best self in business and in life. Okay, so step one, he says to Wake up early without hating it. And you all know by now, I actually do get up at 5am. But you do not have to be part of the 5am club.
[00:18:15] Unless you want to be, right? Just wake up 30 to 60 minutes earlier than usual. Enough time to focus on you before the world needs you. Why? Because you deserve to be looked after and in order to look after others we need to fill our own cup. Here's how you can make this a bit easier Put your alarm across the room so you actually have to get up. Drink a glass of water first thing. And remind yourself why you're doing this. Set an intention for the day. Habit stacking. We love it. Now he talks about six simple steps and he calls them
[00:18:47] life s.A.V.E.R.S. Method S A V E R S. as the acronym. So the first one is S. Silence. Beginning your day with meditation or prayer or reflection or gratitude to set a calm and intentional tone. That might be breathing. It's definitely no phone, no emails, just peace and quiet. A is for Affirmations. Use positive statements to reinforce your goals, boost confidence and reshape your mindset. Say out loud, I know no one's listening to you, or write powerful statements about yourself and your goals. For example, I am confident and capable of attracting amazing opportunities.
[00:19:24] I know it feels weird. I know it feels weird. Do it anyway. Your brain will catch up. V is for Visualisations. Picture yourself achieving your goals and experiencing success, reinforcing motivation and clarity. In our Revenue Raiser program, we do a visual exercise at the beginning because we want people to see it and feel it.
[00:19:45] Close your eyes and see yourself winning. See yourself hitting whatever revenue goals you've got going on, launching that program or smashing your workout, feel it, believe it, and then go make it happen. E is for exercise, engaging in physical activity. So yoga, running, stretching, walking, whatever, to wake up your body and boost your mood.
[00:20:04] it's not about burning calories. This is about waking up your energy. Even five minutes of jumping jacks and stretching works. R is for Reading. Read personal development books or educational materials. feed your brain with things. No doom scrolling, right? Just 10 pages a day that makes you better. And then S is for scribbling or journaling. Write down your thoughts, your goals or reflections to enhance clarity and track progress. Whatever's on your mind. You can just keep it simple and say, What am I grateful for? And what is my number one focus today?
[00:20:37] Why does it work? Establishing a consistent morning routine improves focus, motivation and mindset. Starting the day with intention helps you eliminate stress and decision fatigue and Lord knows we all need that.
[00:20:52] And then small daily improvements compound, just like James Clear says. I have the gift of discipline. So people with struggling with discipline and consistency will love this. If you don't have an hour, just do a 6 minute version, a minute per habit.
[00:21:07] If you're not a morning person, try gradually waking up 15 minutes early. And if you hate journaling, just write 3 bullet points and call it a day. Are you ready to give that a try? I would love to know. Here's what you couple of things you can do next. Pick a wake up time, set up your space tonight and start tomorrow, even if it's messy.
[00:21:25] Progress over perfection. Yeah? Okay, that's five. That's my five business books. And I have gone on way too long. Sorry to my beautiful editors. But what I want to say is there's one more book I want to talk to you about. And it's not technically a business book, but I think it will be amazing for my audience.
[00:21:42] It is Mel Robbins book, The Let Them Theory. Have you heard about it? It's all about letting go of the stress and frustration that comes from trying to control others. It's a simple, powerful idea. Instead of getting caught up in what people do or say, just let them, let them make their choices, let them be who they are, let them act how they act.
[00:22:03] And by doing this, you free up your own energy for what really matters, your own happiness and success. Perfect. She doesn't just stop at let them though. There is a let me part of the book and I'll let you read that. Here's the core of the theory. You've got to let go of control. Stop trying to manage how others behave or react.
[00:22:22] Don't feel bad about that. let them behave that way. People are going to do what they're going to do and that's okay. Number two, You need to accept what is. Instead of wishing people were different, accept them as they are. Fighting reality only creates stress. Number three, Release expectations. Not everyone will meet your standards or act the way you'd like.
[00:22:40] That's okay. That's on them, not you. And then four, Focus on you. Redirect all that energy into your own goals, your own growth, and the things that you actually can control. Stephen Covey does some beautiful work around circles of control, and if you want to read more about that, you can Google him, and you'll be able to find that, just pop in circles of control.
[00:23:02] She is so relatable. She has all these examples in the book and all this practical advice to show how this approach works in relationships, in work, and even parenting. And the big takeaway, When you stop wasting energy trying to change others, you create space for more joy, more peace, and more productivity in your own life.
[00:23:23] And mate, who doesn't want that? And can I just say? Can I just say, if you're perimenopausal or menopausal and the idea of your partner chewing bothers you, or things are really getting on your goat, this is perfect. Just let them. So some actionable steps from Mel Robbins. We need to, one, Pause and reflect. Next time someone does something that frustrates you, take a breath, and say, let them. Remind yourself it's not your job to fix or control them.
[00:23:58] Number two, Set boundaries. Letting them doesn't mean letting them walk all over you. Decide what you're willing to accept and stick to that. Number three, Refocus. Use the energy you'd spend on others to double down on your own goals. Whether it's a work project or self care, channel the effort into you.
[00:24:17] Amazing! And finally, Celebrate the freedom. Woohoo! Notice how much lighter you feel when you stop carrying the weight of other people's actions. So I love this. The Let Them Theory isn't about giving up or telling someone to go take a hike. It's about gaining back control of your own time, energy and happiness. Simple actionable steps.
[00:24:41] What's not to love?
[00:24:43] I don't know about you, but when I read a book, it really needs to be practical. It needs to be step by step. Am I alone? I am curious. Now I've spilled a My book secrets? It is your turn, beautiful listeners. What's the one book that has rocked your world in business?
