What they’re reading now

Melissa Cohn
President, MC Home Loans

What are you reading right now?

I just finished “Pitch Perfect” by Bill McGowan, who is just an incredible coach in terms of learning how to communicate in today’s world, with today’s social media technology. He’s really helping people understand how to get the message across the right way, the first time.

What spurred you to read that book?

I’m starting a new company, MC Home Loans. While I believe … that I have good communication skills, you can always brush up on them. You can get new opinions and see what people are saying now. Selling is selling. You can see in the book how that relates to any other industry.

Has anything you read in it stuck with you? Would you recommend it to others?

I’ve learned the lesson that I can rely upon my own knowledge and thought process. I just need to focus more on what I’m saying through social media platforms, in terms of being concise and getting people’s attention.

I’d absolutely recommend it. I have a friend who knows Bill and held a benefit [for which] Bill donated a personal session of media training. I was so impressed with the book that I bid and I actually won at the auction, and had a session with Bill directly.

Chad Roffers
Chairman, Concierge Auctions

What are you reading right now?

I’m currently reading “A Short History of Nearly Everything” by Bill Bryson. It takes on the most significant questions about the world we live in and how it all came about.

What spurred you to read that book?

I noticed a copy of the book on the desk of a client, who actually just happened to sell his company to Blackstone for a few billion. I figured if he’s reading it, I’m sure I could learn a thing or two.

Has anything you read in it stuck with you?

The book is a fantastic reminder of how lucky we all are to be here and the importance of accepting facts and circumstances beyond our control. It was also a refreshing departure from the litany of business and leadership titles I typically read. In particular, I found the content helpful in sharpening critical thinking skills and overall openness to new information.

Would you recommend it to others?

Without question, but with fair warning to be well rested and on your third cup of Starbucks before tackling a chapter, let alone a few at a time! In all seriousness, the book was a gigantic reminder of how much we all have to learn and the importance of curiosity.

David Behin
CEO and Co-Founder, CityFunders, President of investment sales, MNS

What are you reading right now?

I’m reading “The Family Office Book” by Richard Wilson. The book is an explanation of family offices and a series of interviews with the folks who run them, with solid examples of how they operate, their perspectives, motivations and inner workings.

What spurred you to read that book?

I’ve started doing business with some family offices in New York … and I wanted to understand them. In dealing with them, I saw that they had many differences and that a one-size-fits-all approach would not be successful. I also wanted to research what makes them tick.

Has anything you read in it stuck with you? One thing that really stuck out to me is the focus on capital preservation and the different types of approaches that [family offices] have to everything from deal intake to analysis and investing. More importantly, family offices are in place to manage wealth holistically, so someone is coordinating the insurance and risk management aspects with wealth management, tax management, real estate investments, etc. For the ultra-wealthy, selling an asset a few months late after a tax deadline could cost them $1 million, enough to operate their own small, single-family office. So these great levels of wealth demand a holistic management system.