Three business leaders share their top picks to read, watch and listen

Read. Watch. Listen. is an excerpt from our magazine, Ecommerce Insider, that explores what business leaders are reading, watching and listening to in order to educate themselves, further their businesses or simply find a bit of relaxation and enjoyment. We spoke with Wilf Wikkerink, CEO of Book Depot; Dr. Liza Egbogah, Founder/Owner of Dr. Liza Shoes; and Amanda Buhse, Co-founder/Owner of Coal & Canary about their top picks.

Business leader: Wilf Wikkerink CEO, Book Depot

Read

I am reading An American Life, the autobiography of Ronald Reagan. In a day and age where leaders spend far too much time following and seeing which way the wind is blowing, Reagan’s autobiography provides a refreshing perspective on how true leaders take risks and inspire their people to achieve more. From his humble roots growing up in Middle America to becoming President of the United States, Reagan remained a true servant leader.

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Watch

As a family we regularly watch Shark Tank. Even with six children of varying ages, it’s a show that can be enjoyed by young and old alike. I find it encouraging to see that the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well. Small business is the economic engine that drives our economy and a show that encourages entrepreneurship is just what we need to help build the economy of the future.

Listen

My favourite podcast is How I Built This with Guy Raz. Guy interviews and shares the stories of entrepreneurs who built some of the world’s best-known companies. To hear how these innovators and dreamers took ideas and turned them into multi-million-dollar businesses, while often overcoming seemingly impossible obstacles, inspires me to always be reinventing ourselves and thinking about what’s next.

One entrepreneur who was interviewed said something along these lines, “When someone tells me that is the craziest idea I’ve heard of, then I know I’m on to something!” That really resonated with me as many times in our business we have sailed into unchartered waters and done things that others said could not be done. Are we always successful? No, but you cannot continue to build a business without some bumps and bruises along the way – and those bruises usually make you stronger.

Business leader: Dr. Liza Egbogah Founder/Owner, Dr. Liza Shoes

Read

Currently, I am reading Unleash Your Primal Brain by Tim Ash and 100 Things Every Designer Needs to Learn About People by Susan Weinschenk. I find it fascinating to learn more about the way people think and why they behave as they do. While certainly a personal interest, it is helpful for business. Subscribing to Business of Fashion (BOF) helps keep me up to date on what current trends are in the fashion industry.

Watch

I enjoy 90 Day Fiance and Sons of Caliphate. When I watch TV, it’s primarily for pleasure and to relax so I try to watch things completely irrelevant to my work life where I can completely escape.

Listen

Collective Insights podcast by the Neurohacker Collective. This is an interesting podcast on how the mind works and ways to optimize the body and mind and lead a more fulfilling life.

Business leader: Amanda Buhse Co-founder/Owner, Coal & Canary

Read

I’m between two books currently, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra and Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. I try to switch it up and go between something that inspires me personally with something that motivates me professionally.

Watch

I wish I had something more impressive sounding for this, but to be honest, I love a good horror movie! So, anything scary on Netflix is usually a good idea for me. If I’m not watching a horror flick, my guilty pleasure is watching the Below Deck series (my secret dream is to be a chief stewardess on a luxury yacht somewhere in the Mediterranean, but for now I can live vicariously through the cast of the show).

Listen

I work best when listening to music and think I may have listened to the entire Spotify library at this point. My playlist changes everyday depending on my mood, and I love so many different types of music. If I had to choose some favourite genres, I would say 70s/80s classic rock (Fleetwood Mac, Doobie Brother, ELO, etc.); 90s pop and power ballads; as well as anything indie.

The other thing I’ve just recently discovered is 8D music – it’s mind blowing! If you haven’t had a chance to listen to it, I recommend checking it out. It’s great when you need to just relax and chill.