While I strive to check key business publications every day, those aren’t the only resources that I like to use. Below are some of the top training, education, and business-oriented resources I use and recommend to others. With many of these resources being customizable, check out what interests you. The time you invest in yourself with these can pay great dividends for you and your organization down the road.
Multimedia
- Alltop: create a fully customized page with links to top blogs in your areas of interest – great resource, very robust. Free.
- Udemy: a huge collection of training videos – many free – some a nominal charge (I have a business success channel here.
- OpenColleges: a collection of resources, courses, articles and more, including The Complete Guide to Personal Branding and How to Write a Business Plan.
- SkillShare: large selection of training videos on various business topics – most at a nominal fee.
- Vimeo: a large collection of training videos, many for free, some at a nominal charge. I have a business Success Channel here with 25+ free videos.
- YouTube: hundreds of thousands of videos on virtually any business topic. Once you find a video you like, subscribe to that channel. Many colleges and professional trainer have channels on YouTube. I also have a YouTube channel with the same videos as my Vimeo channel.
- TED: amazing videos on various topics from top thinkers in the world. Very inspirational – some potentially life-changing! Free.
- iTunes: go immediately to iTunes and look at iTunes U – a HUGE collection of audio download from top business schools and business thinkers in the world. You can download audio files on every conceivable business topic – from the top colleges in the world – for FREE! There is NO excuse not to use this resource – turn your car into a rolling university – truly amazing! ALSO – at iTunes you can go to the “Podcast” section and there are hundreds of podcasts on leadership, sales, management, social media, marketing… all for FREE!
- Audible / Audio Books / Get Abstract: if you like audio books or brief PDFs these are three fantastic resources. They are a bit expensive – but I will tell you they are worth every penny (if you use them). I have subscribed to all of them – and they are powerful for keeping up with the latest in business ideas.
- Brain Pickings: Very intellectual, interesting ideas, a site that makes you think and deliver unique content. Free.
- Online MBA in Entrepreneurship: This guide serves as a roadmap to everything prospective students need to consider in the pursuit of an online MBA in entrepreneurship.
- Big Think: much like Brain Picking – but much more business focused – also has some superb videos from top business thought leaders. Very helpful site.
- SlideShare: hundreds of thousands of slide decks and presentations submitted from people all over the world. Great resources for information, ideas and learning how to make better slides. All of my slide decks and workbooks are loaded on this site. Free.
- Harvard Business Review: thousands of articles, blogs, books and videos on every imaginable business topic (usually focused on large corporations and multinationals – but still has great ideas for any size business). A great resource for downloading PDFs of key articles. Most articles cost about $9.
- Strategy + Business: very much like the Harvard Business Review, superb articles written by top thought leaders of various business topics. Some free, nominal charge for downloading PDFs.
- Small Business Trends: great website with lots of very helpful information.
- American Express OPEN: you will have to join the “OPEN Forum” – it is free – then there are some great resources, blogs and videos.
- The Ultimate MOOC Handbook: Massive Open Online Courses: who they’re for, how they work, and where to find them.
Personal Blogs
- Shep Hyken: has some great ideas on customer service.
- Mitch Joel: superb blog with great business and marketing ideas. He has awesome audio interviews you can download for free. Really bright guy.
- Lolly Daskal: insightful ideas and motivational quotes.
- Guy Kawasaki: Atop internet thought leader, GREAT guy, always has neat ideas and information.
- Gary Vaynerchuk: a wild man with wild ideas – but also VERY good ideas — has a lot of videos on his site – fun to watch – always giving good, REAL advice.
- Chris Brogan: one of the top bloggers on the internet, a top thought leader in marketing. Writes some very interesting things.
- Seth Godin: a top- thought leader in marketing, says lots of profound and provocative things – always interesting.
- S. Anthony Iannarino: fantastic information on sales and general business topics. Has some fantastic audio interviews for free download.
- Jack Malcolm: focuses a lot on sales and presentations skills. Brilliant guy, very thought provoking ideas. One of my favorite blogs.
- Frank Sonnenberg: superb leadership and business ideas – an excellent thinker – great content. His book, “Managing with a Conscience” is one of my all-time favorites!
- Wally Bock: recognized as a top leadership blogger. Serious thinker, sound ideas and advice.
- John Jantsch: a good friend and great marketing thought leader. His blog is absolutely superb, always has fantastic business, referral and marketing ideas.
- Peter Shankman: just a damn smart guy, great business ideas, his blog is superb. His books are superb as well – especially “Nice Companies Finish First.”
These are by NO means all of the resources available, these are just the ones I use regularly. If you have a favorite resource that is not listed, please feel free to let us know as we look to build a resource list useful for everyone.
