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We asked travel tech leaders about a book that genuinely influenced them, whether from a personal or business perspective. The result? A fantastic list of books, just in time for the festive season!
As we approach this special time of the year, it’s perfect for immersing yourself in a good read. Their responses offer a glimpse into the people behind their roles, presenting a curated list of inspiring books that have made a significant impact.
Check out their recommendations – maybe your next book is waiting here?
Humankind: A Hopeful History
My outlook on life was put into words in Rutger Bregman’s book: “Humankind: A Hopeful History.” I would definitely recommend reading it as a positive boost at any time. As CEO of The Social Hub, but also as a father, husband, friend (and more), this book continues to really inspire and enlighten me.
Charlie MacGregor
CEO, The Social Hub
The Power of Moments
I believe every hospitality professional should read this book, it really highlights how creating remarkable experiences is often not serendipitous but needs a real commitment and drive to build and follow through. As technology in hospitality allows for more automation, I would love to see more hoteliers take the new freedom and power of technology to elevate and drive really memorable travel experiences.
Matthijs Welle
CEO, Mews
Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion and Purpose
I received this book as a gift from my co-founder Fabio Bin in the early days at WeRoad. It shares the story of Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh and the lessons he’s learned while launching and running different businesses and in his personal life. On top of having an emotional and personal connotation to me, this book has become extremely intertwined with the story of our company. In his book, Tony focuses on culture as the key driver for company growth through thick and thin and puts customer delight at the center of everything. Out of these two concepts, that we felt were describing the way we were shaping our first community of WeRoaders and team, we built our very first draft of the culture manifesto of WeRoad. Every time that I read one (the manifesto) or the other (the book), I remember why it’s so important to fight and keep on working to make businesses capable of delivering “happiness” and unique experiences to people.
Erika de Santi
Co-Founder & Chief of Experience, WeRoad
The Bible
It is the center of our Western civilization and the foundation for everything that I cherish in life.
Avi Meir
CEO, TravelPerk
The Upside of Stress
I would like to suggest ‘The Upside of Stress’, because as a CEO, I have no choice but to face a lot of stress all the time, so if I try to overcome the stress every time, I may be burned out at some point. Thus, it’s necessary to acknowledge that stress is good for me as long as I have the right mindset about it.
Jong Yoon Kim
CEO, Yanolja Cloud
Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, by Oliver Burkeman
The most impactful book I’ve read recently is Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, by Oliver Burkeman. Framing time this way offers a jarring realization as to how valuable it truly is. By choosing where I can make the greatest impact, I have to either delegate effectively or set clear expectations around my involvement. Personally, this way of thinking makes it easy to put the phone down, forget about email and Slack, and give more attention to my family, friends, and healthy habits.
Josh Montgomery
Head of Strategic Partnerships, GetYourGuide
The Phoenix Project
A book recommended to me by a good friend is “The Phoenix Project”, which was inspiring for me professionally and also a very enjoyable read. Initially, I assumed the book would be more technical, but it turned out to be an adventure novel that can reflect the day-to-day life of technology in large businesses. From a more personal perspective, one of my books of reference is Oscar Wilde’s “De profundis”.
David Garcia
CIO, TUI Musement
Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth and Happiness
Nudge examines the choices we make and how we can apply behavioural learnings to encourage desirable outcomes. It’s a book I’ve found useful in my personal and professional life and a highly recommended read.
Michael Riegel
CEO EMEA, Navan
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