8 books that helped me build a UX/UI Design agency (and what they taught me)
Like many of us, I heard that CEOs read a ridiculous amount of books every year. So I started to do the same when I built my company, and along the way, found some absolute gems. Hope this helps to build your agency or anything else!
Deep Work — Cal Newport
Rating
10/10. Changed how I actually do work forever.
Notable learning
I wrote an entire article about this, but if there was one key point, it would be that in the long run, it's better to do difficult tasks in a focus mode or not at all.
No more Netflix in the background while you do your work, if you want to spend less time doing it that is.
Thinking Fast & Slow — Daniel Kahneman
Rating
10/10. I’ve never felt more dumb reading a book, probably a good sign.
Notable learning
Becoming a professional is not just about the number of hours or reps you put in. It’s not just the classic 10,000 hours, it’s about how often you can get feedback and iterate. This is what really helps you become a pro in anything.
Watching and reviewing game film is an example of this. I started recording my sales calls to study how I behaved with prospects, in order to improve my communication and handling for future ones.
Articulating Design Decisions — Tom Greever
Rating
10/10. The best book a Designer can read, hands-down.
Notable learning
Again, there are so many, but the biggest one was understanding the importance of storytelling. Storytelling is important not only for Designers but in general life. The way we frame things is what makes things enticing or boring to others and ultimately drives action.
Now that’s powerful.
Never Split the Difference — Chris Voss
Rating
8.5/10. An interesting read about a necessary exercise in life.
Notable learning
Use specific numbers to show that thought has gone into pricing, e.g. £2980/mo sounds calculated rather than £2999/mo which sounds like you just don’t want to charge me £3k.
Built to Sell — John Warrillow
Rating
8/10. Important for understanding the mechanics of agency-building.
Agencies don’t last forever, and as part of our longer-term vision, one of our potential strategies was to sell the company. So I read about what that process actually looks like. The book is actually a story about a hypothetical agency owner who is struggling to sell his business and gets advice from a friend who’s experienced in the art.
Notable learning
You need to start charging people up-front in order to really grow your business. Once you have cash flow, you can take on risks sooner, you reduce your mental hassle in payment worries, and you have a healthier balance sheet.
The Obstacle is the Way — Ryan Holiday
Rating
7.5/10. A good reminder for times of struggle.
Building a business is challenging, and dealing with the tough times is just as important as securing the wins. This book helped bring me perspective as I navigated the tough times.
Notable learning
Be a victim, not a victor. A simple but effective quote. Another one is, you can’t change what happened, but you can choose how you react afterward.
How to Win Friends and Influence People — Dale Carnegie
Rating
10/10. The book should really be called ‘How to be a better human being’.
Notable learning
Remember people’s names and stories. Do whatever it takes to make it happen. I created a Notion table that I would fill out after meeting people or jumping on calls. Imagine how it feels when someone remembers something meaningful in your life, that’s what you can make others feel with this.
Demand-Side Sales — Bob Moesta
Rating
8/10. Actionable book for understanding what makes customers want to buy.
Notable learning
People buy at critical points, and you need to cater to their needs at the right time. It helped me move away from leads that would be lost, by understanding that we weren’t serving them when they really needed us.
Books I read that didn't make the cut (or I didn’t finish)
I used to think that as soon as I picked up a book, I should complete it. I would be harsh on myself and say that if I didn’t it was because I’m the type of person that gets bored easily and can't stay committed.
Then I realized some books are actually shit.
Or some are just super boring and not aligned with what I was looking for.
Here are a few of those books:
- Bhagavad Gita — Just super hard to read and it didn’t slap enough, might watch a movie about it
- Happy Pocket Full of Money — Once you get the idea of abundance it gets repetitive
- The Cryptonians — There’s only so much you care to hear about nerds that want to make sure they make money
- Bank 4.0 — Actually very interesting but I did 4 years in fintech so I need a bit more time before I delve back into it
- Your ideal future — Classic self-help book vibes, better to do rather than read situation
Sakky B
Co-founder, ZeroToDesign
