No topic outline. No pre-shared lists. Just two people who live inside the powersports industry every day comparing notes on the books that actually changed how they think.
Jacob Berry from Dealership fiXit and Brendan Baker from PSB Power Hour sat down for a joint episode to share the business books that hit hardest in the past year and talk about why they matter for dealers, operators, and anyone in a leadership role in this industry.
1. How to Win Friends and Influence People — Dale CarnegieThe first book Jacob picked up on his audiobook journey. The foundation for every people and sales conversation in this episode.
2. Never Split the Difference — Chris VossFBI hostage negotiator turned business negotiation coach. Jacob calls it one of the best strategy books on how to talk to people in any situation.
3. The Laws of Human Nature — Robert GreeneOld but powerful. The idea that people buy emotionally and justify logically maps directly to every powersports sale.
4. Magnetic Marketing — Dan KennedyThe OG of direct response marketing. Stop chasing customers and build marketing that attracts them. One is the loneliest number.
5. $100M Leads — Alex HormoziDistribution beats creativity. Dealers who post daily win attention. Dealers who wait lose market share.
6. $100M Offers — Alex HormoziMost businesses fail because the offer is weak, not the execution. Engineer deals, do not discount them.
7. $100M Money Models — Alex HormoziThe third in the series. Revenue stability comes from stacking predictable models. One-time sales are fragile.
8. Velocity 2.0 — Dale PollakThe only book on this list written specifically for dealerships. Inventory turn beats margin hoarding. Speed creates leverage.
9. Buy Back Your Time — Dan MartellTime is your most expensive asset. Delegate outcomes, not tasks. If you are the bottleneck, your growth is already capped.
10. 12 Rules for Life — Jordan B. PetersonResponsibility precedes progress. Discipline beats motivation. Clean up your own house before criticizing other systems.
11. Extreme Ownership — Jocko WillinkLeaders own outcomes. No excuses. If sales are down, start with yourself.
12. CEO Excellence — Carolyn DewarHigh-level leaders think differently than operators. Culture is modeled, not declared.
13. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People — Stephen CoveyBrendan's go-to. Effectiveness is not about doing more things faster. It is about doing the right things in the right order. The four quadrant matrix is something every dealer principal needs on their wall.
14. The Art of War — Sun TzuAncient military strategy that maps to business chess. Victory goes to whoever understands the terrain, knows themselves, and moves at the right moment.
15. 1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History — Andrew Ross SorkinBoth Jacob and Brendan are reading this one right now. The parallels to today's market are striking. The danger of assuming this time is different.
16. How to Talk to Anyone: 92 Little Tricks for Big Success in Relationships — Leil LowndesBrendan's pick for anyone who deals with people. 92 specific, practical moves for every conversation situation.
Emotional Intelligence 2.0 — Travis Bradberry and Jean GreavesBrendan referenced emotional intelligence as an underrated skill set for dealer operators and salespeople.
Libby App — Free audiobooks and ebooks through your local library card.Available at: https://libbyapp.com
Watch on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@dealershipfixit?si=xGw636a89UUDAK20
Connect with Brendan Baker (PSB): https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendan-baker-b744629/
PSB Power Hour Podcast: https://powersportsbusiness.com/powersports-business-power-hour/
Connect with Jacob: https://linkedin.com/in/jacob-b-berry
Follow the Fixit Online: https://linktr.ee/dealershipfixit
MotoHunt for Dealers: https://dealers.motohunt.com