Jack Trout

Aaron Levie's first business-book pick: Positioning by Ries & Trout

Box CEO Aaron Levie told the show that if you read only a few business books, the first should be Positioning by Al Ries and Jack Trout. Sam notes the same authors wrote The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing, one of Tim Ferriss's go-to recommendations.

“And we asked him what books he likes to read. He was like, if you're gonna read any business books, just read these 4 or something like that. And he listed off, uh, 4 books. He's like, if you read those, you'll, you're gonna be amazing. And the first book that he said was a book called Positioning by this guy named Al Trout, I think his name is. Mm-hmm. Um, I think he also wrote The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing, of which Tim Ferriss, that's like one of the only 3 books that he always says, like, just read this one.”

Copywriting as a college education: 3 years of audio in the car

Clemens explains how he replaced formal schooling by listening only to Jack Trout, Al Ries, Good to Great, and Gary Halbert audio in his car for three years while running Eben Pagan's info-product incubator (Altitude).

“By this time I was proficient in copywriting and marketing. I was— that became my college education. I didn't listen to music in my car for 3 years. I only listened to like audio cassettes by Jack Trout and Al Rize and Good to Great and, you know, Gary Halbert shit.”

Steal thisReplace your commute music with audiobooks and lectures in one skill until you've mastered it.