EXECUTIVE READ

HAVE YOU ALWAYS WONDERED WHAT NEWAGE ENTREPRENEURS LIKE TO READ? DO THEY EVER VENTURE BEYOND THE WORKS OF CEO WHISPERERS, OR DO THEY ALSO READ FOR FUN? BUSINESS TODAY WILL CHAT WITH THEM NOW AND AGAIN TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ROLE BOOKS PLAY IN THEIR LIVES.

ANEESH REDDY

CO-FOUNDER AND CEO, CAPILLARY TECHNOLOGIES, AN INDIA AND SINGAPORE-BASED CRM AND RETAIL TECH START-UP OPERATING GLOBALLY.

For you, is reading for business or pleasure?

At first, I used to read books like Built to Last and Good to Great, which gave me a lot of insights. But then,

Harry Potter, A Song of Ice and Fire and The Secret were some of the books I grew up with. So, for me, reading is a mix of knowledge and fun.

What are you reading now?

Books by Ben Horowitz. He is the author of the New

York Times bestseller, The Hard Thing About Hard

Things. Based on his experience, Horowitz does his best to fill the knowledge gap of other CEOs regarding founding, managing, buying and selling and investing in tech companies. Hard Thing offers practical wisdom needed to navigate through some of the toughest problems which B-schools do not cover. I also want to read his next book, What You Do Is Who You Are.

One book you can’t forget. What They Don’t Teach You At Harvard Business

School by Mark McCormack. What matters more than numbers and excel sheets are personal interactions and self-discipline. To be successful, you not only have to recognise the foibles of others but also your own. If you focus on quality and timeliness, you are sure to make things work. The book shares details of highprofile business people, and it is eye-opening how many of them came from non-business backgrounds.

One book all CEOs must read

Business Adventures by John Brooks. CEOs can discover 12 surprising and entertaining case studies which feature insights into some significant moments of business history.

As told to Sanghamitra Mandal