We caught up with some of the community’s rising stars and asked them to reflect on the books that had an impact on their lives.  We’ve shared their responses below.

Jennifer Ostman | Nutritional Therapy Practitioner & Yoga Instructor

Everything Is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo. This book is one of those rare non-fiction books that you can’t seem to put down. I read it in January of this year, and it immediately gave me insight and inspiration to take action in my business. I had no idea just how important this book would be when our world (and my business) came to a grinding halt in March. Read more>>

Casey McEuin | President and Executive Director, Project RELO

Well this is an easy one… Even though I read very often, the one book that I read daily is the Bible. Everything in my life is guided by God, and reading His Words in Scripture create a playbook for my daily life. Even in the midst of all of the craziness in our world right now, it is a constant reminder of who God is and how much He loves each of us. He is the reason that I have lived a blessed life, and brought my incredible and beautiful wife and four amazing kids into my life. Read more>>

David Tripp | Artist and Writer

Larry McMurtry, “Walter Benjamin at the Dairy Queen”. This book reminds us that we no longer live in an age of storytelling. It has been replaced by the information age. I acknowledge that as a child I grew up listening to my parents raised as tenant farmers sitting in living rooms sharing and laughing at stories from their upbringing. Now as a senior citizen, I realize that I have grown up in an information and data age that is bloodless and noneventful. Gossip and current events are a poor substitute for the personal stories and experiences I heard from my childhood. Read more>>

Amanda Green | Sr. Social Media Manager & Business Owner

Relentless by Tim S. Grover. I have never found a book that described me so well. In the book Grover has people identified into 3 categories Coolers, Closers and Cleaners. I identify with being a Cleaner. Cleaners are unstoppable. We take responsibility, drop excuses, we don’t look for shortcuts, and we live for challenges. Everyone has it in them to become a Cleaner but they have to be willing to make changes and become unstoppable. I want others to read it too so they can see their potential and be challenged to achieve greater success in life. Don’t settle for second best in anything! Read more>>

Betsy Allen-Manning | Founder, Motiv8u Enterprises | Keynote Speaker & Best Selling Author

When I was 16 my dad handed me my first self-help book called, “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie. I read it in a day and have been hooked on personal development books ever since! Dale’s book taught me the importance of understanding people and building relationships for business and life success. After that, I became addicted to human behavior and how to build better relationships with others. It’s the foundation of my business and the reason my company exists today. Read more>>

Lloyd Lumpkins | Architect

I am currently reading a book on Vastu. Having previously been exposed to Feng Shui while i was teaching in Southeast Asia I somehow missed the Classical Indian art of architectural form and space. I find it is renewing my appreciation of spatial awareness and how Architecture influences and effects our well being. Read more>>