4 Good Reads for February

New York--Two books looking toward the future of business and two others assisting business people in reaching their goals are the new releases National Jeweler is recommending to retailers this month.

Author and Time magazine Influential 100 honoree Martin Lindstrom has a new book out called Small Data, which details how he spent time in strangers’ homes to learn about human desires and the products that become successful as a result of them.

Will it Fly, a book by Pat Flynn, is a beneficial read for a retailer looking to put an idea in motion. Does the idea have merit? Will it succeed in the market it’s intended for, or be a waste of time and resources? These are among the questions addressed in this book.

The following list includes two other publications that are new, potentially good reads for the month of February, all culled from the new releases list put together by book discussion site Goodreads.

1. Small Data: The Tiny Clues that Uncover Huge Trends  
Martin Lindstrom

Lindstrom spent 300 nights a year in strangers’ homes to learn what makes people tick and, ultimately, find clues to the next big product. This book shows how a noise reduction headset led to Pepsi’s trademarked, signature sound, how a bracelet helped Jenny Craig increase customer loyalty and other human desires that led to marketing triumphs. This book is 256 pages.

2. How to Have a Good Day: Harness the Power of Behavioral Science to Transform Your Working Life
Caroline Webb

To help people be their best under pressure and handle co-worker conflicts and difficult deadlines, economist and author Webb details in her book seven practices central to having a good day, among them setting the right priorities, having effective conversations and being resilient to setbacks. This book is 368 pages.

3. Will it Fly? How to Test Your Next Business Idea So You Don’t Waste Your Time and Money 
Pat Flynn

With action-based exercises and real-world case studies, Will it Fly challenges the reader to think critically and act deliberately when it comes to a business idea. The book is broken down into five parts that include assessing current market conditions and making sure a target idea supports the goal. This book is 336 pages.

4. The Industries of the Future 
Alec J. Ross

Ross, a former senior adviser for innovation to the U.S. Secretary of State, shows readers what kinds of changes are coming in the