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Want to improve your communication skills in 2025?

Explore our recommended books to help you enhance your communication

"Starting A Business" 📚📚📚

is a practical guide for aspiring entrepreneurs, offering essential insights on launching and managing a successful business. The book provides clear steps and advice on the challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship.

Here are 7 lessons from the book:

1: Identify a Viable Business Idea

The foundation of any successful business is a strong and viable business idea. Before you embark on your entrepreneurial journey, take the time to thoroughly research and evaluate potential business opportunities. Consider your passions, skills, market demand, and competitive landscape to identify an idea with the potential for growth and profitability.

2: Craft a Comprehensive Business Plan

A well-crafted business plan serves as a roadmap for your business, outlining your goals, strategies, and financial projections. It provides a clear direction for your venture and helps you attract investors, secure funding, and make informed decisions along the way.

3: Secure Funding and Manage Finances

Starting a business often requires financial investment. Explore various funding options, such as personal savings, loans, grants, or investments from partners or venture capitalists. Carefully manage your finances, track expenses, and develop a sound financial plan to ensure the sustainability of your business.

4: Establish a Strong Legal Foundation

Choose an appropriate business structure, such as a sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, or corporation. Comply with local, state, and federal regulations, obtain necessary licenses and permits, and seek legal counsel to protect your business interests.

5: Build a Winning Team

Surround yourself with talented and passionate individuals who complement your skills and expertise. Build a cohesive team that shares your vision and is committed to the success of your business.

6: Develop Effective Marketing and Sales Strategies

Reach your target audience and generate interest in your products or services. Develop a comprehensive marketing plan that utilizes various channels, such as online marketing, social media, and public relations. Implement effective sales strategies to convert leads into paying customers.

7: Embrace Adaptability and Continuous Improvement

The business world is constantly evolving, so be prepared to adapt and pivot as needed. Embrace feedback, learn from mistakes, and continuously refine your strategies to stay ahead of the competition and ensure long-term success.

Walter’s Starting A Business underscores the importance of preparation, financial awareness, and adaptability in building a successful venture. By following these lessons, aspiring entrepreneurs can navigate the complexities of starting and growing their businesses with confidence and purpose.

I picked up How to Be a Gentleman at a time when the world felt increasingly rude—where social media rewarded outrage, common decency seemed forgotten, and the idea of "gentlemanly behavior" felt like a relic of the past. Then I met John Bridges’ revised and expanded guide, not as a scolding etiquette manual, but as a refreshing reminder: Good manners aren’t about stuffy rules—they’re about respect, kindness, and making the world a little more pleasant for everyone.

This book isn’t just about which fork to use (though it covers that too). It’s about how to move through life with grace, confidence, and consideration—whether at work, online, or in love. Here are five timeless lessons that stayed with me:

1. A Gentleman’s Strength is in His Courtesy

Bridges dismantles the myth that politeness is weakness. True gentlemen don’t dominate conversations—they listen. They don’t flex status—they put others at ease. From holding doors to writing thank-you notes, small acts of respect create lasting impressions. "Manners are the quiet way of showing you value people."

2. Dress Well—Not to Impress, But to Respect

Clothing isn’t about vanity; it’s about appropriateness. Bridges offers practical advice on dressing for occasions (from job interviews to casual outings) without obsession over labels. The key? "Look like you made an effort, even if it was effortless."

3. Digital Manners Matter Just as Much as In-Person Ones

The revised edition wisely addresses modern pitfalls—ghosting, oversharing, or texting at the dinner table. A gentleman doesn’t hide behind screens; he communicates with clarity and kindness. "If you wouldn’t say it face-to-face, don’t type it."

4. Chivalry Isn’t Dead—It’s Evolved

Holding chairs isn’t outdated, but condescension is. Bridges redefines chivalry as "attentiveness without assumption"—whether offering a seat to someone who needs it or respecting boundaries in dating. "Treat women as equals, but never forget to be thoughtful."

5. Grace Under Pressure is the Ultimate Test

Anyone can be polite when things go well—but a gentleman remains composed (and kind) when plans collapse, tempers flare, or mistakes happen. Bridges emphasizes apology, adaptability, and humor. "Losing your cool never fixes anything. Keeping it might."

How to Be a Gentleman is a call to reclaim civility without pretension. In a world that often confuses brashness for confidence, Bridges reminds us: True gentlemen stand out not because they demand attention, but because they give it freely. After reading, I didn’t just polish my shoes—I reevaluated how I show up for others. And that’s manners at their best.

10 High Fantasy Novels That Will Transport You to Other Worlds

1. Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

2. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

3. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

4. The Hobbit, or There and Back Again by J.R.R. Tolkien

5. The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

6. The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan

7. Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb

8. The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie

9. The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams

10. Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson