TO SUCCEED in business, technology entrepreneurs need more than talent, hard work, and capital. They must also keep learning fast in an ecosystem that’s constantly changing. Here, two of Cebu’s technopreneurs share some of the books that have kept them going:
Dave Overton, founder and CEO of Symph
Overton is in the business of digital design and development, and operates a digital marketing studio in Cebu. He is one of the key personalities in the local startup scene. Among his favorite books are:
“Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days” serves as a practical guide to teams of any size, from startups to Fortune 100 companies. Authored by Jake Knapp who designed the five-day processes at Google, and Braden Kowitz and John Zeratsky at Google Ventures, the book strives to give light to entrepreneurs and leaders who want to know about where to focus their efforts, how to start a business, and how to implement ideas, among others.
“Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers” is a productivity and self-enrichment book by Timothy Ferris that contains the distilled tools and tactics of top performers.
“The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business” by Patrick Lencioni asserts that the difference between successful companies and mediocre ones has more to do with how healthy they are. The author believes an organization is healthy when it is whole, consistent and complete, when its management, operations and culture are unified.
Kristoffer Vince Loremia, director of Tudlo Innovation
Loremia’s startup is part of a community that has made it internationally. He is the managing director of Tudlo Innovation Solutions, which built the emergency app Tudlo and recently developed REACT HOA or Regional Early Warning Action and Communication Tool Horn of Africa. He recommends:
“Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future” is a 2014 book by the venture capitalist, PayPal co-founder, and early Facebook investor Peter Thiel, along with Blake Masters. The authors write that startups face a lot of unknowns and experimentation. In order to get to their goals, the book inspires individuals and teaches entrepreneurs how to think, decide and take action.