(The top part of this page explains the background of The Anti-MBA Book Club. If you just want the facts, scroll to the bottom).
NOTE: To see all book club related posts as well as the reading schedule, click here.
The Anti-MBA Book Club is simple: it’s a monthly book club hosted by me, Sam. We read a book a month and discuss it along the way.
But this club is actually a lot more than just a reading group.
Here’s why:
In 2011 I was a junior in college in Nashville, Tennessee and had just started my first business, Southern Sam’s Hot Dogs: Weiner’s as Big as a Baby’s Arm.
Day and night I’d be out on the street hustling meat. It was a fun job for a college kid and taught me a lot.
A year after starting Southern Sam’s I learned how to created an online store. Immediately, I realized how much better making money online was. I could make money while sleeping or in class and didn’t have to be outside in 105 degree heat or around drunken bar folks.
And so in 2012, seeing that my future in business was centered around the internet, I packed my bags, sold my stuff, and moved to San Francisco.
Moving to San Francisco was exhilarating. The city felt like the Wild West. I met a guy named John who was working on getting a startup off the ground. He let me join him as a co-founder, and things started happening.
But even though I knew John, I still felt lonely and inadequate in a city where everyone felt so…accomplished.
I met grads from Harvard, Stanford, Dartmouth and the rest of The Ivey Leagues. I also met folks who worked BCG, Goldman, Bain, Blackstone, Google and Facebook. I had no idea what many of those companies were, but they all sounded special.
More so, I noticed that the people from these groups had a sense of camaraderie with one another. Something I wanted. They were part of a club with other folks
So, knowing that I one day wanted to create a business that was big and powerful, I decided that I would need help along the way. A group of people and education like the folks from Goldman and Harvard.
And thus the Anti-MBA was born.
The Anti-MBA started in 2013 as a weekly meet up. We read a book a month and met each week to discuss it. Sometimes I’d have an expert on the book’s topic come in and lead the week’s discussion.
Our club met each week for nearly 2 years. 20 people showed up each week and about 2,000 people met online. But then I founded my startup The Hustle in 2014, making weekly meetings a bit tough.
So here we are. It’s Dec 24th, 2017. And I’ve decided to start The Anti-MBA Book Club again.
Here’s how it works
- I’ll pick a book a month the first week of the month. Most the books will be business-y. Lots of biographies too, because that’s what I’m interested in.
- You buy the book. Use Amazon or Audible. Try to use my Amazon links so I get a little commission money.
- I’ll send out a reading schedule the first week of the month.
- Each week I’ll also send out book notes. These will be notes on my thoughts, summaries, and other resources I’ve found while reading the book.
- You discuss the book in the Facebook Group. To get access to the group, sign up with your email on any of the boxes on this site.
- Every once in a while, I’ll get an expert to come in and talk about the book…but only when I don’t have to work too hard to make it happen. 🙂
OK – sound good? Now join!
FAQ’s
What’s The Anti-MBA?
It’s the name of my blog where I write about books, startups, money, and anything else I feel like.
Who are you?
Sam.
What’s The Anti-MBA Book Club?
It’s the book part of this blog. Scroll up and read the description.
Is The Anti-MBA Book Club free?
For now, yes.
What other books have you read for the club?
The 48 Laws Of Power – cheat sheet. Made To Stick – cheat sheet. Influence – cheat sheet. The 4 Hour Work Week – cheat sheet. Meditations. The Art of Learning. The Art of Seduction. Wired For Story. How To Win Friends and Influence People
Any other questions?
Tweet at me: @thesamparr
NOTE: To see all book club related posts as well as the reading schedule, click here.