Here at the Key Speakers office, we love receiving free things (we’re only human and gifts ARE our love language!)

Generally, we receive a lot of books… except for that one time we were sent cod liver oil—thanks Chris Johnson 😉. At first, when we used to unwrap books from our speaker friends, we’d of course be thankful, but eventually the book would become a desk accessory and gather dust.

But recently, we’ve enjoyed an idealistic shift. Personally, the dog days of summer have called for engaging reads. Professionally, our company has been trying to up our marketing ante, and we realized we had resources right at our fingertips, in the form of the know-how of some of our favorite speakers on brand development.

We realized how unique it is that we are able to be looped in with the world’s leading minds on every topic under the sun. As a keynote speakers bureau, we serve as a link between experts and our clients, and we feel especially fortunate to be play a role in providing our clients with a chance to be exposed to such a wealth of knowledge and expertise.

Even though we believe that there’s nothing quite like the medium of lecture and presentation, and that this knowledge and expertise is best shared in real-life settings, we understand that hosting a speaker can be expensive. Books, however, can serve as another sometimes more accessible link between experts and their audience.

So, we’ve been working through those books on our shelves and would like to share a round-up of some of the best books we’ve been sent. (Our reading stock is growing thinner… hint hint)

  1. The Fourth Age: Smart Robots, Conscious Computers, and the Future of Humanity by Byron Reese is an accessible journey that is easy-to-follow, yet doesn’t spare technical details and in-depth analysis. Reese provides a walk-through of humanity’s relationship with technology and where we are headed now.
  2. Fearless Success by John Foley provides a clear blueprint for performance and personal development at the highest level, illuminated with stories from Foley’s impressive career as a Blue Angel Lead Solo Pilot.
  3. Crisis Ready by Melissa Agnes is a must-read for anyone who is interested in protecting their business and brand (so… everyone!). Things can and will always go wrong—and Melissa Agnes realizes this and provides a way to feel less afraid of crisis, and perhaps even embrace it.
  4. Nikki Stone‘s engaging, original, and fun book When Turtles Fly: Secrets of Successful People Who Know How To Stick Their Necks Out will inspire you to have a hard shell, soft inside, and be willing to stick your neck out.