Yeni Wong is a successful entrepreneur, philanthropist, and community leader who spent most of her life helping newly arrived Asian women immigrants learn, grow, share, and evolve. Yeni is known as a bookworm. She loves books, but she can’t seem to pick just one. Ahead of celebrating the start of this year’s Asian Heritage Month, we sat down to talk about her favorite books and any inspirational books she would like to recommend to young Asian women. The interview was edited for length and clarity.
What’s your favorite book? Why?
The book I love most is The Last Empress. Despite a few factual errors and cultural slipups, Pakula’s portrait of one of the most influential figures in Chinese politics can’t help but be absorbing. It’s a good story—a story of wartime travails, of high-stakes political gambling, of an epic fight to the finish between authoritarian nationalists and radical communists. It’s also a story of a tempestuous partnership between an ascetic military man and his glamorous, winsome, shrewd, and luxury-loving wife. It is a beautifully designed book, with an inviting cover and an excellent array of photographs. Madame Chiang trail blazed the role of first lady in China and surpassed it. Her advocacy for the nationalist cause was doomed, but she certainly cut a deep path on the consciousness of modern China. Pakula’s story of May-Ling’s conquest of America is extraordinary. She is a glittering cameo of an ambitious, overindulged woman who—had she been born fifty years later—truly might have ruled the world. It’s really making me reassess the things I take for granted.
What’s the last book you read?
The book I was last reading was Hillary Rodham Clinton by Cynthia Levinson—an inspiring and meticulously researched middle-grade biography of Hillary. Acclaimed author Levinson creates a compelling and personal portrait of Hillary’s historic journey from her childhood to her service as secretary of state and beyond. From her time at Wellesley to her life at the White House and beyond, Hillary has been at the forefront of huge change—and despite setbacks and political scandals, she has worked for good in the world. An admirable biography chronicles the life and many remarkable accomplishments of Hillary. It is indeed a respectful, insightful, and inspiring portrait of a fiercely ambitious, remarkably successful woman who has changed the face of American politics.
Tell me about a good book you’ve read recently.
I remember sitting on a couch and opening Focal Point by Brian Tracy on a Sunday morning, thinking I’d get through a chapter and then get on with my day. Instead, about twelve hours later, I was finished with the book. The concepts in it were mind-blowing to me. To think that thoughts can create your reality sounded a little far-fetched at first. But after going through the book and understanding that your thoughts create your beliefs, which lead to actions, which then lead to habits—well, you can get where I’m going with this. Got a lot on your to-do list? Of course you do. But what separates productive people from others is their ability to focus on a singular task at a time and getting it done before moving on to the next one. Sounds simple in theory, but this can be extremely difficult in practice. In this book, Brian offers tips to help build discipline and organization into your day so you can get more stuff done. If you focus your thoughts on success, achieving it will be much more likely than thinking about obstacles, failures, and everything else that can get in your way.
Tell me if there are any must-read books for growth entrepreneurs.
There are times in life when you come across a certain book that makes you rethink the world, those rare finds that push you as both a person and a leader. I’m talking about the ones that hit you in the head, heart, and gut all at the same time. Coincidentally, two such books were released recently. I was so moved by both, I feel compelled to share them, as I know they will help you enjoy meaningful growth, change, and progress: The Third Wave by Steve Case and Irrational Persistence by Dave Zilko.
First, Case was the cofounder of America Online and one of the most important entrepreneurs in decades, so you’d expect a book by him to be a tale of the past. Yet Case does the opposite, taking the reader on a journey forward into the next wave of business and technology. He uses his experience at the leading edge of change to frame the opportunity and pitfalls that lie ahead. It is an inspiring and practical road map for the future of business, shared with great storytelling and powerful examples. Gushing endorsements by Warren Buffett, Colin Powell, and Sheryl Sandberg are not just window dressing. The book delivers both meaning and practicality.
Next, an inspiring, “only in America” story of a salsa company founded in the back of a bankrupt restaurant that remarkably grew to become the number-one brand of fresh salsa. Readers ride along with Dave and his partner as they conquer countless setbacks and crushing adversity to ultimately sell to a Fortune 500 food company for $231 million. With great humility, Zilko shares seven powerful secrets, gleaned over the course of his multidecade entrepreneurial career.
Irrational Persistence is a different kind of business book. Shunning a textbook, didactic approach, Zilko takes the reader on a touching journey, in a story that reads much more like a novel. This heartfelt and personal account is both energizing and practical, delivering a success formula applicable to both the upstart entrepreneur as well as the multinational firm.
In an era where book quality has plummeted as authors regurgitate the same overtold stories and obvious lessons, The Third Wave and Irrational Persistence both shine brightly as standouts in a crowded arena. Each offers a healthy dose of inspiration fused with practical tools to help leaders of all types propel their success. At the risk of sounding trite, I highly recommend both books, as they will undoubtedly make a meaningful impact for you as you turn their rich pages.
What do you recommend as the best leadership books for every young Chinese American leader?
Reading is an essential life skill. It’s how we record our history and share stories. Sure, there are countless books jam-packed from cover to cover with valuable facts, but there are also limitless volumes containing invaluable insights on the human experience. Generations of people have scribed their experiences and struggles, their emotions and confessions, on blank pages, thereby transforming them into rich resources. Given this truth, it’s disheartening to report that global literacy rates are in decline. Individuals young and old all around the world are reading less, less absorbedly.
According to author John Coleman, this lack of literature extends into the business world and all the way up the corporate ladder. In his experience, “business people seem to be reading less,” which is bad news considering the fact that “broad reading habits are often a defining characteristic of our greatest leaders.” Perhaps it’s because reading has been shown to improve communication, emotional intelligence, and organizational effectiveness, and to reduce stress—all of which are critical requirements for an effective leader.
According to author John Coleman, this lack of literature extends into the business world and all the way up the corporate ladder. In his experience, “business people seem to be reading less,” which is bad news considering the fact that “broad reading habits are often a defining characteristic of our greatest leaders.” Perhaps it’s because reading has been shown to improve communication, emotional intelligence, and organizational effectiveness, and to reduce stress—all of which are critical requirements for an effective leader.
Now that you’ve been sufficiently convinced of the importance of reading, especially for would-be Chinese American leaders, you’re probably wondering what you should be reading. You might also be thinking that you don’t have the time. Well, the truth is that you do have the time: “Reading must become as natural as eating and breathing to you.” You don’t have to read fifty-two books in a year, but you do have to make time for more reading. And when you do, this list of the five best leadership books will inform and inspire young leaders.
1. Meditations by Marcus Aurelius. Lead yourself. Before you can lead someone else, a group, or a company, you must be able to lead yourself. That means discipline, self-actualization, sense of purpose, and humility. Although Aurelius was writing for himself, the surviving text is a road map to living a better life. By removing the excess, Aurelius shows us all how to rise above distractions to maintain our principles. Rooted in Stoic philosophy, Meditations is practical advice for controlling your thoughts, emotions, and actions to remove stress from your life. Life’s a journey. Each one of us should be trying to follow our own personal legend (that is, what we have always wanted to accomplish). The tale of Aurelius reveals what happens when you pursue your own legend: “the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
2. The Truth about Leadership by James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner. Define leadership. After building your foundation from which to lead, it’s important to understand exactly what leadership is and how it’s applied. It’s also helpful to study other successful leaders and businesses. There are some things that will always play a role in effective leadership. Trust, credibility, and ethics are among those things. Kouzes and Posner reveal thirty years of research that support these and other core principles. Some companies succeed, but most fail. Kouzes and Posner evaluated thousands of articles and interview transcripts to figure out why exactly that is. Then they packaged it all into this book to show you what traits you’ll need to build a great company. This book is a timeless lesson in leadership and success. By showing you how to change your mind-set to embrace an alternative perspective, the authors walk you through the self-mastery paradigm shift. This process is broken down into independence, interdependence, and continual improvement, resulting in meaningful and consistent growth.
3. Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh. Communicate and motivate. To lead, you must inspire others to follow your example or orders. It helps if you’re able to attract, engage, and encourage employees, business partners, and potential clients to get on board with your plan or proposal. The ability to motivate is central to leadership. That’s what makes Tony’s book so valuable. Packed with the secrets of motivation, the book suggests we move away from rewards and punishment, opting for meaningful work, mastery, and autonomy instead. Everyone wants to feel important. In this book, Tony shows you how to use that in your favor to make people like you and win them over. It’s a book about how to communicate and interact with people in a meaningful way. It all comes down to showing interest in the people you interact with and the work that they are doing. If you make that connection, you will have won a friend. As CEO of Zappos, Tony Hsieh built a massively successful business by doing what everyone else talks about: putting the customer first and hiring the right people. Serving customers and company culture were the main focus. As a result, employees and customers were happy and satisfied. Hsieh was able to dismantle traditional corporate leadership and deliver happiness and loads of profit along the way.
4. Endurance by Alfred Lansing. Keep going. Sometimes things don’t go as planned. If and when that happens, you’ll have to pick yourself up and start all over again. Perseverance and resilience are mandatory. In 1914, explorer Edward Shackleton undertook an expedition to the South Pole. Although the mission was a failure, the resulting story of survival in the icebound Antarctic seas serves as a guidepost for leaders confronted with adversity. Start by reading this book and then continue on reading everything Lansing has written. From his blog to his books and everything in between, Lansing is sharing a winning formula for stepping outside of the status quo to do meaningful work. It’s this kind of work that will inspire others to follow, help you get noticed, and leave a legacy long after you’re gone.
5. Daring Greatly by Brené Brown. Be real. No one can fake leadership. And, if they can, it won’t last long. Acknowledging fear and vulnerability are far more valuable leadership skills than being cold or shut off. Being vulnerable doesn’t have to be a weakness. Fear and shame shouldn’t prevent us from daring to do big things. Instead, Brown tells us that it’s most important to show up, to try, and to fail, because coming up short is better than never having tried at all. Anything you create is going to require one heck of a battle:; that’s the war of art. Every single person in the world who has written a book, published an article, started a business, or made art has been scared out of his or her mind. Procrastination, fear, and self-doubt strike everyone. The only way to beat them is to make stuff and share it with the world.
What are the books that every entrepreneur must read?
Out of all of the books I’ve read, these are the five I believe you must absolutely read if you are an entrepreneur or thinking about becoming one.
1. Boost Your Sales: How to Use Irresistible Offers by Lisa Sasevich. A quick read—but well worth it. She outlines how to create the best offer you can for your target audience. Lisa is known for the “invisible close.” She is the undisputed queen of conversion, and her material is phenomenal. If you are in business, you are in sales, and Lisa’s approach helps you still feel good and not salesy. Feeling good while doing sales is a hard feeling to come by, but Lisa has it dialed in, and her book is a great workbook to help you reframe your offer and bring in more money.
2. Accounting for the Numberphobic by Dawn Fotopulos. My copy is battered and torn, marked with Post-its and scribbles. Why I like it: Dawn is known as a “turnaround specialist”—helping a lot of small-business owners figure out why they are working like dogs and still not able to pay themselves. If this is your story, this is your book. It’s not scary or boring; it’s really simple and easy to understand. She breaks down how you need to price your goods/services so that you can actually be profitable. This is a must-read for every single business owner. I’m serious.
3. The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber. If you are overwhelmed even in the slightest, stop what you are doing and read this book. I got to interview for a local newspaper a few years ago, and our conversation was just as incredible as the book. When any one of you comes to me with questions about creating a system or getting organized, this is the book I recommend immediately. Not only does Gerber explain how you can start to look at your business in a totally different way, but also he gives real-world examples of what the consequences of not creating such a system will do to your business. Contrast is really powerful here. It was recommended to me by my friend. I read it in a weekend, and I’ve reread it several times since then. You will be amazed at the insights you’ll glean from reading this book.
4. Choose Yourself by James Altucher. Altucher will always challenge what you think. If there is a norm, James is there to show you how ridiculous it is. I love that. This book isn’t about being selfish, which is what a lot of people mistake it for based on the title. It’s about how deciding to work on your own dream is the best thing you can do for you, your family, your community, and your country. I always recommend this book when I run into someone who is dealing with the fraud complex. Feeling like you aren’t competent, capable, or credentially qualified to be running your business can take a massive toll. And if you are able to choose yourself, you can circumvent that. Choose Yourself is one of my very favorite books and a champion for entrepreneurship. If anything, Altucher will question how you think, which is always a good thing.
5. How The World Sees You by Sally Hogshead. Haven’t you ever wondered why some people are more fascinating than others? Sally’s book teaches us to find our own way of fascinating. It was created to show people that playing up your innate talents and skills is the perfect way to be fascinating. Through the book and an online quiz, you can find out where your strengths lie and how others see you. There are seven different personality types and, within those, forty-nine different archetypes that will describe how the world sees you. I got Talent, meaning I’m a combination of Passion and Prestige personality types. There are other archetypes, such as Tthe Victor, Tthe Rock Star, and Tthe Blue Chip. Definitely worth reading and taking the quiz to find out how to best engage others.
Is there any particular book that might change your life?
Yes, the book that changed me is The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. He offers simple yet enlightened ideas to finding inner peace and achieving greater fulfillment from life. I think reading this has helped me to try to become the best person I can be, and to make peace with the fickleness of my career as well as learn how to be happy despite it all.