SV Monthly Book Club

SV Monthly Book Club

SV Monthly Book Club: Amazon Unbound: Jeff Bezos and the Invention of a Global Empire
Book of the month:

Amazon Unbound: Jeff Bezos and the Invention of a Global Empire

by Brad Stone

 

calendarDate: Thursday, December 15, 2022 | 7:00pm - 8:00pm

computerLocation: Virtual

speakerHost: Marc Scotchlas

 

Book Selection for December:

Amazon Unbound: Jeff Bezos and the Invention of a Global Empire by Brad Stone

Almost ten years ago, Bloomberg journalist Brad Stone captured the rise of Amazon in his bestseller The Everything Store. Since then, Amazon has expanded exponentially, inventing novel products like Alexa and disrupting countless industries, while its workforce has quintupled in size and its valuation has soared to nearly two trillion dollars. It’s almost impossible to go a day without encountering the impact of Jeff Bezos’s Amazon, between services like Whole Foods, Prime Video, and Amazon’s cloud computing unit, AWS, plus Bezos’s ownership of The Washington Post. We live in a world run, supplied, and controlled by Amazon and its iconoclast founder. In Amazon Unbound, Brad Stone presents an “excellent” (The New York Times), deeply reported, vividly drawn portrait of how a retail upstart became of the most powerful and feared entities in the global economy. Stone also probes the evolution of Bezos himself—who started as a geeky technologist totally devoted to building Amazon, but who transformed to become a fit, disciplined billionaire with global ambitions, who ruled Amazon with an iron fist, even as he found his personal life splashed over the tabloids. Definitive, timely, and “engaging” (Jon Meacham, author of The Soul of America), Stone has provided an unvarnished portrait of a man and company that we couldn’t imagine modern life without.

 

Registration

To attend the discussion forum, please pre-register (for free) and be sure you have pre-read the book of the month. Registration is necessary as we are limiting the gathering to 15 attendees, so that everyone has a chance to express their opinion and listen to others.

 

About the Event Leader

Host MScotchlas

 

 

Marc Scotchlas will be the event leader and discussion moderator

 

 

 

 

Registration

  • Required and limited to 15 attendees. First come first serve.
  • Zoom link to be distributed to registrants on the day of the event.

  

Additional Information

EventLeader: Marc Scotchlas

PDU: Up to 5.0 PDU to complete the pre-reading; 1.0 to participate in the monthly meeting. PDU claim code available to attendees at end of event.

♦PDU claiming instruction

 

Event Date 12-15-2022 7:00 pm
Event End Date 12-15-2022 8:00 pm
Individual Price FREE
No. of Power Skills PDUs 1.0
PMI Event Number Event code to be shared at the end of presentation
Location Zoom

We are no longer accepting registration for this event

Book of the month:

How Google Works

 

by Eric Schmidt and Jonathan Rosenberg

calendarDate: Thursday, April 20, 2023 | 7:00pm - 8:00pm

computerLocation: Virtual

speakerHost: Marc Scotchlas

Book Selection for March:

How Google Works by Eric Schmidt and Jonathan Rosenberg

Google Executive Chairman and ex-CEO Eric Schmidt and former SVP of Products Jonathan Rosenberg came to Google over a decade ago as proven technology executives. At the time, the company was already well-known for doing things differently, reflecting the visionary-and frequently contrarian-principles of founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin. If Eric and Jonathan were going to succeed, they realized they would have to relearn everything they thought they knew about management and business.

Today, Google is a global icon that regularly pushes the boundaries of innovation in a variety of fields. How Google Works is an entertaining, page-turning primer containing lessons that Eric and Jonathan learned as they helped build the company. The authors explain how technology has shifted the balance of power from companies to consumers, and that the only way to succeed in this ever-changing landscape is to create superior products and attract a new breed of multifaceted employees whom Eric and Jonathan dub "smart creatives."

Covering topics including corporate culture, strategy, talent, decision-making, communication, innovation, and dealing with disruption, the authors illustrate management maxims ("Consensus requires dissension," "Exile knaves but fight for divas," "Think 10X, not 10%") with numerous insider anecdotes from Google's history, many of which are shared here for the first time.
In an era when everything is speeding up, the best way for businesses to succeed is to attract smart-creative people and give them an environment where they can thrive at scale. How Google Works explains how to do just that.

About the SV Monthly Book Club : Register Here

The SV Monthly Book Club is a no-cost forum to discuss books and publications that touch on various topics about project and program management. It recurs on the 3rd Thursday each month, virtually. There is no club membership, and anyone can join the discussion forum of the month. To attend the forum, please pre-register (for free) and be sure you have pre-read the book of the month. Registration is necessary as we are limiting the number of attendees, so that everyone has a chance to express their opinion and listen to others.

This is a professional event. While we are open to opinions from all angles during the book discussions, please be respectful to the host and all attendees.

About the Event Leader

Host MScotchlas

Marc Scotchlas is the event leader and discussion moderator

Registration

  • Required and limiting attendees. First come first serve.
  • Zoom link to be distributed to registrants on the day of the event. Look for a Zoom invitation the day of the event from scotchlas@gmail.com. Feel free to set that not to go to your junk mail.

  

Additional Information

Event Leader: Marc Scotchlas  {Click here to contact Marc}

PDU: Up to 5.0 PDU to complete the pre-reading; 1.0 to participate in the monthly meeting. PDU claim code available to attendees at end of event.

♦PDU claiming instruction

 

Recognize that PDU credit may be partial if you've read only the part of the book that you will read, or that full credit can be taken later after the discussion event is complete and you have completed the entire book.  There's no drop-dead requirement by the discussion date for reading, but the discussion is much fuller if you've read the entire book.

Speakers

Marc Scotchlas - Event Host

Shot Director at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Marc served a career in the Navy prior to joining Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in 2018, serving as Shot Director at the National Ignition Facility. Managing operations at the world’s premier laser facility that is leading the way to ignition and solving humanity’s energy needs has been his passion since. Residing in the Bay area and perpetually expanding his horizons has been his pastime.

 
Event Date 04-20-2023 7:00 pm
Event End Date 04-20-2023 8:00 pm
Cut off date 04-19-2023
Individual Price FREE

We are no longer accepting registration for this event

Book of the month:

Steve Jobs

 

by Walter Isaacson

calendarDate: Thursday, May 18, 2023 | 7:00pm - 8:00pm

computerLocation: Virtual

speakerHost: Marc Scotchlas

Book Selection for March:

Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

Walter Isaacson’s “enthralling” (The New Yorker) worldwide bestselling biography of Apple cofounder Steve Jobs.

Based on more than forty interviews with Steve Jobs conducted over two years—as well as interviews with more than 100 family members, friends, adversaries, competitors, and colleagues—Walter Isaacson has written a riveting story of the roller-coaster life and searingly intense personality of a creative entrepreneur whose passion for perfection and ferocious drive revolutionized six industries: personal computers, animated movies, music, phones, tablet computing, and digital publishing. Isaacson’s portrait touched millions of readers.

At a time when America is seeking ways to sustain its innovative edge, Jobs stands as the ultimate icon of inventiveness and applied imagination. He knew that the best way to create value in the twenty-first century was to connect creativity with technology. He built a company where leaps of the imagination were combined with remarkable feats of engineering.

Although Jobs cooperated with the author, he asked for no control over what was written. He put nothing off-limits. He encouraged the people he knew to speak honestly. He himself spoke candidly about the people he worked with and competed against.

His friends, foes, and colleagues offer an unvarnished view of the passions, perfectionism, obsessions, artistry, devilry, and compulsion for control that shaped his approach to business and the innovative products that resulted.

His tale is instructive and cautionary, filled with lessons about innovation, character, leadership, and values.

Steve Jobs is the inspiration for the movie of the same name starring Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen, and Jeff Daniels, directed by Danny Boyle with a screenplay by Aaron Sorkin.

About the SV Monthly Book Club : Register Here

The SV Monthly Book Club is a no-cost forum to discuss books and publications that touch on various topics about project and program management. It recurs on the 3rd Thursday each month, virtually. There is no club membership, and anyone can join the discussion forum of the month. To attend the forum, please pre-register (for free) and be sure you have pre-read the book of the month. Registration is necessary as we are limiting the number of attendees, so that everyone has a chance to express their opinion and listen to others.

This is a professional event. While we are open to opinions from all angles during the book discussions, please be respectful to the host and all attendees.

About the Event Leader

Host MScotchlas

Marc Scotchlas is the event leader and discussion moderator

Registration

  • Required and limiting attendees. First come first serve.
  • Zoom link to be distributed to registrants on the day of the event. Look for a Zoom invitation the day of the event from scotchlas@gmail.com. Feel free to set that not to go to your junk mail.

  

Additional Information

Event Leader: Marc Scotchlas  { Click here to contact Marc}

PDU: Up to 5.0 PDU to complete the pre-reading; 1.0 to participate in the monthly meeting. PDU claim code available to attendees at end of event.

♦PDU claiming instruction

 

Recognize that PDU credit may be partial if you've read only the part of the book that you will read, or that full credit can be taken later after the discussion event is complete and you have completed the entire book.  There's no drop-dead requirement by the discussion date for reading, but the discussion is much fuller if you've read the entire book.

Speakers

Marc Scotchlas - Event Host

Shot Director at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Marc served a career in the Navy prior to joining Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in 2018, serving as Shot Director at the National Ignition Facility. Managing operations at the world’s premier laser facility that is leading the way to ignition and solving humanity’s energy needs has been his passion since. Residing in the Bay area and perpetually expanding his horizons has been his pastime.

 
Event Date 05-18-2023 7:00 pm
Event End Date 05-18-2023 8:00 pm
Cut off date 05-17-2023
Individual Price FREE

We are no longer accepting registration for this event

Book of the month:

The Jericho Principle – How Companies Use Strategic Collaboration to Find New Sources of Value

 

by Ralph Welborn and Vince Kasten

Page 1

calendarDate: Thursday, May 18, 2023 | 7:00pm - 8:00pm

computerLocation: Virtual

speakerHost: Marc Scotchlas

Book Selection for March:

The Jericho Principle – How ompanies Use Strategic Collaboration to Find New Sources of Valuebs by Ralph Welborn and Vince Kasten

Understanding the opportunities and dangers of innovation through intercompany collaboration

The Jericho Principle identifies key trends and patterns in the increasing use of collaboration by corporations and creates a strategic and operational framework for answering key questions about the why and how of using collaboration to rapidly create innovation in uncertain times. Two business and technology strategists from Bearing Point Consulting, formerly KPMG, provide models and diagnostics that break down the various collaborative models in the marketplace, to give managers the tools and understanding they need to quickly and effectively launch the strategic partnerships and alliances that will drive innovation and value creation. Using case studies, client stories, and research, the authors offer the reader a clear view of the promise and peril of collaboration, revealing what works and what doesn't.
Ralph Welborn (Westwood, MA), Senior Vice President, and Vincent Kasten (Fanwood, NJ), Managing Director, are senior business and technology strategists with Bearing Point Consulting, one of the world's leading management consulting and systems integration companies.

About the SV Monthly Book Club : Register Here

The SV Monthly Book Club is a no-cost forum to discuss books and publications that touch on various topics about project and program management. It recurs on the 3rd Thursday each month, virtually. There is no club membership, and anyone can join the discussion forum of the month. To attend the forum, please pre-register (for free) and be sure you have pre-read the book of the month. Registration is necessary as we are limiting the number of attendees, so that everyone has a chance to express their opinion and listen to others.

This is a professional event. While we are open to opinions from all angles during the book discussions, please be respectful to the host and all attendees.

About the Event Leader

Host MScotchlas

Marc Scotchlas is the event leader and discussion moderator

Registration

  • Required and limiting attendees. First come first serve.
  • Zoom link to be distributed to registrants on the day of the event. Look for a Zoom invitation the day of the event from scotchlas@gmail.com. Feel free to set that not to go to your junk mail.

  

Additional Information

Event Leader: Marc Scotchlas  {Click here to contact Marc}

PDU: Up to 5.0 PDU to complete the pre-reading; 1.0 to participate in the monthly meeting. PDU claim code available to attendees at end of event.

♦PDU claiming instruction

 

Recognize that PDU credit may be partial if you've read only the part of the book that you will read, or that full credit can be taken later after the discussion event is complete and you have completed the entire book.  There's no drop-dead requirement by the discussion date for reading, but the discussion is much fuller if you've read the entire book.

Speakers

Marc Scotchlas - Event Host

Shot Director at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Marc served a career in the Navy prior to joining Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in 2018, serving as Shot Director at the National Ignition Facility. Managing operations at the world’s premier laser facility that is leading the way to ignition and solving humanity’s energy needs has been his passion since. Residing in the Bay area and perpetually expanding his horizons has been his pastime.

 
Event Date 06-15-2023 7:00 pm
Event End Date 06-15-2023 8:00 pm
Cut off date 06-14-2023
Individual Price FREE

We are no longer accepting registration for this event

Book of the month:

From Zero to One (time change!)

by Peter Thiel and Blake Masters

 

Screenshot 2023 06 05 at 4.17.01 PM

calendarDate: Thursday, July 20, 2023 | 4:00pm - 5:00pm

computerLocation: Virtual

speakerHost: Marc Scotchlas

About the Book

From Zero to One by Peter Thiel and Blake Masters

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “This book delivers completely new and refreshing ideas on how to create value in the world.”—Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta

“Peter Thiel has built multiple breakthrough companies, and Zero to One shows how.”—Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla

The great secret of our time is that there are still uncharted frontiers to explore and new inventions to create. In Zero to One, legendary entrepreneur and investor Peter Thiel shows how we can find singular ways to create those new things.

Thiel begins with the contrarian premise that we live in an age of technological stagnation, even if we’re too distracted by shiny mobile devices to notice. Information technology has improved rapidly, but there is no reason why progress should be limited to computers or Silicon Valley. Progress can be achieved in any industry or area of business. It comes from the most important skill that every leader must master: learning to think for yourself.

Doing what someone else already knows how to do takes the world from 1 to n, adding more of something familiar. But when you do something new, you go from 0 to 1. The next Bill Gates will not build an operating system. The next Larry Page or Sergey Brin won’t make a search engine. Tomorrow’s champions will not win by competing ruthlessly in today’s marketplace. They will escape competition altogether, because their businesses will be unique.

Zero to One presents at once an optimistic view of the future of progress in America and a new way of thinking about innovation: it starts by learning to ask the questions that lead you to find value in unexpected places.

 

Peter Thiel

Peter Thiel is an entrepreneur and investor. He started PayPal in 1998, led it as CEO, and took it public in 2002, defining a new era of fast and secure online commerce. In 2004 he made the first outside investment in Facebook, where he serves as a director. The same year he launched Palantir Technologies, a software company that harnesses computers to empower human analysts in fields like national security and global finance. He has provided early funding for LinkedIn, Yelp, and dozens of successful technology startups, many run by former colleagues who have been dubbed the “PayPal Mafia.” He is a partner at Founders Fund, a Silicon Valley venture capital firm that has funded companies like SpaceX and Airbnb. He started the Thiel Fellowship, which ignited a national debate by encouraging young people to put learning before schooling, and he leads the Thiel Foundation, which works to advance technological progress and long-term thinking about the future.

List of Books for 2023 and 2024 : Click Here for more Information

About the SV Monthly Book Club : Register Here (email Marc to unregister)

The SV Monthly Book Club is a no-cost forum to discuss books and publications that touch on various topics about project and program management. It recurs on the 3rd Thursday each month, virtually. There is no club membership, and anyone can join the discussion forum of the month. To attend the forum, please pre-register (for free) and be sure you have pre-read the book of the month. Registration is necessary as we are limiting the number of attendees, so that everyone has a chance to express their opinion and listen to others.

This is a professional event. While we are open to opinions from all angles during the book discussions, please be respectful to the host and all attendees.

About the Event Leader

Host MScotchlas

Marc Scotchlas is the event leader and discussion facilitator

Registration

  • Required and limiting attendees. First come first serve.
  • Zoom link to be distributed to registrants on the day of the event. Look for a Zoom invitation the day of the event from one of the staff assisting, or scotchlas@gmail.com. Feel free to set that not to go to your junk mail.

  

Additional Information

Event Leader: Marc Scotchlas  {Click here to contact Marc}

PDU: Up to 5.0 PDUs to complete the reading; 1.0 to participate in the monthly meeting.

The participation PDU can be either Business Acumen or Power Skills. PDU claim code will be emailed to attendees after the event. The self-claimed reading can be claimed on the PMI-PMP website after you log in. The full amount can be claimed after you’ve read the entire book (regardless of end time), or partial credit can be claimed when you’ve read all that you will complete. To claim the reading PDUs, log into the PMI-PMP website, and go to:
https://ccrs.pmi.org/claim/new/Read.

♦PDU claiming instruction

 

Recognize that PDU credit may be partial if you've read only the part of the book that you will read, or that full credit can be taken later after the discussion event is complete and you have completed the entire book.  There's no drop-dead requirement by the discussion date for reading, but the discussion is much fuller if you've read the entire book.

Speakers

Marc Scotchlas - Event Host

Shot Director at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Marc served a career in the Navy prior to joining Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in 2018, serving as Shot Director at the National Ignition Facility. Managing operations at the world’s premier laser facility that is leading the way to ignition and solving humanity’s energy needs has been his passion since. Residing in the Bay area and perpetually expanding his horizons has been his pastime.

 
Event Date 07-20-2023 4:00 pm
Event End Date 07-20-2023 5:00 pm
Cut off date 07-19-2023
Individual Price FREE

We are no longer accepting registration for this event

Book of the month:

Your Next Five Moves

by Patrick Bet-David with Greg Dinkin

 

Screenshot 2023 06 06 at 2.11.09 PM

calendarDate: Thursday, August 17, 2023 | 7:00pm - 8:00pm

computerLocation: Virtual

speakerHost: Marc Scotchlas

About the Book

Your Next Five Moves by Patrick Bet-David with Greg Dinkin 


From the creator of Valuetainment, the #1 YouTube channel for entrepreneurs, and “one of the most exciting thinkers” (Ray Dalio, author of Principles) in business today, comes a practical and effective guide for thinking more clearly and achieving your most audacious professional goals.

Both successful entrepreneurs and chess grandmasters have the vision to look at the pieces in front of them and anticipate their next five moves. In this book, Patrick Bet-David “helps entrepreneurs understand exactly what they need to do next” (Brian Tracy, author of Eat That Frog!) by translating this skill into a valuable methodology. Whether you feel like you’ve hit a wall, lost your fire, or are looking for innovative strategies to take your business to the next level, Your Next Five Moves has the answers.

You will gain:
CLARITY on what you want and who you want to be.
STRATEGY to help you reason in the war room and the board room.
GROWTH TACTICS for good times and bad.
SKILLS for building the right team based on strong values.
INSIGHT on power plays and the art of applying leverage.

Combining these principles and revelations drawn from Patrick’s own rise to successful CEO, Your Next Five Moves is a must-read for any serious executive, strategist, or entrepreneur.

About the SV Monthly Book Club : Register Here

The SV Monthly Book Club is a no-cost forum to discuss books and publications that touch on various topics about project and program management. It recurs on the 3rd Thursday each month, virtually. There is no club membership, and anyone can join the discussion forum of the month. To attend the forum, please pre-register (for free) and be sure you have pre-read the book of the month. Registration is necessary as we are limiting the number of attendees, so that everyone has a chance to express their opinion and listen to others.

This is a professional event. While we are open to opinions from all angles during the book discussions, please be respectful to the host and all attendees.

About the Event Leader

Host MScotchlas

Marc Scotchlas is the event leader and discussion moderator

Registration

  • Required and limiting attendees. First come first serve.
  • Zoom link to be distributed to registrants on the day of the event. Look for a Zoom invitation the day of the event from scotchlas@gmail.com. Feel free to set that not to go to your junk mail.

  

Additional Information

Event Leader: Marc Scotchlas  {Click here to contact Marc}

PDU: Up to 5.0 PDU to complete the pre-reading; 1.0 to participate in the monthly meeting. PDU claim code available to attendees at end of event.

♦PDU claiming instruction

 

Recognize that PDU credit may be partial if you've read only the part of the book that you will read, or that full credit can be taken later after the discussion event is complete and you have completed the entire book.  There's no drop-dead requirement by the discussion date for reading, but the discussion is much fuller if you've read the entire book.

Speakers

Marc Scotchlas - Event Host

Shot Director at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Marc served a career in the Navy prior to joining Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in 2018, serving as Shot Director at the National Ignition Facility. Managing operations at the world’s premier laser facility that is leading the way to ignition and solving humanity’s energy needs has been his passion since. Residing in the Bay area and perpetually expanding his horizons has been his pastime.

 
Event Date 08-17-2023 7:00 pm
Event End Date 08-17-2023 8:00 pm
Cut off date 08-16-2023
Individual Price FREE

We are no longer accepting registration for this event

Book of the month:

Relevance - Making Stuff that Matters

by Tim Manners

 

Screenshot 2023 06 06 at 2.11.23 PM

calendarDate: Thursday, September 21, 2023 | 7:00pm - 8:00pm

computerLocation: Virtual

speakerHost: Marc Scotchlas

About the Book

Relevance – Making Stuff that Matters by Tim Manners 


After years studying remarkable companies and speaking to some of the most influential leaders around, Tim Manners has discovered a solution to the marketing woes of many brands. Stop worrying about demographics, fads, and cutting-edge advertising. Instead, focus on relevance.

Manners shares how the best of the best create solutions to their customers’ problems and help them live happier lives. You’ll learn how:

  • Levi’s reasserted relevance when it created wardrobe solutions for men.
  • Dunkin’ Donuts stopped trying to mimic the look and feel of Starbucks and found success by delivering a simple, quick cup of joe.
  • Hasbro reinvented board games for today’s time-pressed consumers.
  • Kleenex’s new germ-fighting tissues helped keep the company relevant by turning a useful product into a necessary one.
  • Staples stopped wasting its shoppers’ time with extraneous products.
  • Nintendo’s simple design for the Wii appealed to consumers of all ages and game designers alike, allowing it to outsell its competitors.


The path to sustainable growth for your brand begins with designing meaningful solutions and providing them when and where people need them most. Relevance will teach you how to become—and remain—indispensable.

About the SV Monthly Book Club : Register Here

The SV Monthly Book Club is a no-cost forum to discuss books and publications that touch on various topics about project and program management. It recurs on the 3rd Thursday each month, virtually. There is no club membership, and anyone can join the discussion forum of the month. To attend the forum, please pre-register (for free) and be sure you have pre-read the book of the month. Registration is necessary as we are limiting the number of attendees, so that everyone has a chance to express their opinion and listen to others.

This is a professional event. While we are open to opinions from all angles during the book discussions, please be respectful to the host and all attendees.

About the Event Leader

Host MScotchlas

Marc Scotchlas is the event leader and discussion moderator

Registration

  • Required and limiting attendees. First come first serve.
  • Zoom link to be distributed to registrants on the day of the event. Look for a Zoom invitation the day of the event from scotchlas@gmail.com. Feel free to set that not to go to your junk mail.

  

Additional Information

Event Leader: Marc Scotchlas  {Click here to contact Marc}

PDU: Up to 5.0 PDU to complete the pre-reading; 1.0 to participate in the monthly meeting. PDU claim code available to attendees at end of event.

♦PDU claiming instruction

 

Recognize that PDU credit may be partial if you've read only the part of the book that you will read, or that full credit can be taken later after the discussion event is complete and you have completed the entire book.  There's no drop-dead requirement by the discussion date for reading, but the discussion is much fuller if you've read the entire book.

Speakers

Marc Scotchlas - Event Host

Shot Director at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Marc served a career in the Navy prior to joining Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in 2018, serving as Shot Director at the National Ignition Facility. Managing operations at the world’s premier laser facility that is leading the way to ignition and solving humanity’s energy needs has been his passion since. Residing in the Bay area and perpetually expanding his horizons has been his pastime.

 
Event Date 09-21-2023 7:00 pm
Event End Date 09-21-2023 8:00 pm
Cut off date 09-20-2023
Individual Price FREE

We are no longer accepting registration for this event