I have to admit the book also caught my eye with recommendations from a couple of very influential people who don’t normally give recommendations: Bill Gates and Bill Clinton.

“Microtrends” follows in the tradition of other great business books such as The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell, The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More by Chris Anderson, and The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century by Thomas Friedman in that those books really stretched my brain and my paradigms about today’s business.

I know there is a group of people who will not be able to apply the many microtrends identified in this book. That is because they lack the ability to apply new cutting edge principles and ideas. However, for the true entrepreneur, there is a goldmine of insights for new business niches and opportunities.

For years, I have independently identified and followed larger trends which I base my decisions on. However, like most people, I generally do not follow smaller microtrends. But these microtrends do eventually have a huge impact in all our lives. Most people don’t learn about them until it is too late.

For forward-looking entrepreneurs, this book is a great reference for those looking for new niches not known by most people. The thinking business person will truly appreciate the great insights Mark Penn provided.

Without a doubt, I highly recommend Mark J. Penn’s Microtrends: The Small Forces Behind Tomorrow’s Big Changes. It is a great new business book that has left a lasting impression on me.

Thomas Friedman is probably my favorite author when it comes to matters of business globalization. I first enjoyed his The Lexus and the Olive Tree: Understanding Globalization written a few years back.

His follow-up, The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century is quite impressive and comprehensive. He correctly includes, outlines, and discusses the major technological advances and milestones that have greatly affected the globalization movement. Coming from a high-tech background, his material resonated strongly with me.

As a whole, I am a proponent of globalization. However, it does come with a price. People who are not prepared to take advantage of it will ultimately become victims and get swept up in its wake. I respect and welcome but also somewhat fear globalization. However, I have come to accept its inevitability.

I enjoy Friedman’s writings because he puts it in language that most people can understand without becoming an economist.

I highly recommend The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century to any entrepreneur and investor today. Make sure to get the 2nd edition for the latest and greatest commentary.

The books that have made a long-standing impact on me and what I do are the following:

• The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing: Violate Them at Your Own Risk!
• The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding

These 2 books are simple to read and understand. Yet, they are applicable to nearly any business. I have re-read these books repeatedly over the years to get a refresher and reinforce these important lessons.

My other favorite books also by the Ries’ writing team that are also tremendously worth reading are:

• The Origin of Brands: How Product Evolution Creates Endless Possibilities for New Brands
• The Fall of Advertising and the Rise of PR

These 2 books are more involved but give a deeper understand on their ideas of marketing in today’s world.

You can find out more about the Ries Marketing team at http://www.ries.com