9 Instinctive…

David Rockwell believes that all the world is a stage. His $30 million firm approaches projects as if they were an elaborate musical: He casts the right designers, finds the right collaborators, and thinks about the way people experience it.David Rockwell believes that all the world is a stage. The 56-year-old architect's love of theater informs every design project ever done by his firm, Rockwell Group, in New York City. Whether the projects are restaurants (Nobu, Emeril's), hotels (the W), the Oscar ceremonies (2009 and 2010), or Broadway sets (Hairspray), the $30 million company approaches each one as if it were an elaborate musical: Rockwell casts the right designers, finds the right collaborators, and thinks not only about the building material but about the way people experience it.I prefer projects where there's a lot at stake, like the Academy Awards

Starting a business, personal productivity, marketing skills--these good reads cover the essentials an entrepreneur needs to master.Most entrepreneurs wear a variety of hats. Some wear every hat.That's why most entrepreneurs need to be very well rounded.Here are six books that at least partially cover the entrepreneurial gamut: starting a business, personal productivity, marketing, improving skills, operations--even health and fitness.Each will leave you feeling challenged, inspired, motivated, and ready to take your professional life to new heights.Starting and Sustaining a BusinessPart research, part science, and part introspection exercise, Heart, Smarts, Guts and Luck does help you understand your personality and decision-making traits--useful in itself--but more importantly is filled with cool insights and tips any entrepreneur can benefit from.One is the Three-Minute Rule, based on the premise that what your customers do in the three minutes just before and just after they use your product or service tells you a lot about their needs and how they actually use what you sell.For example, studies show customers buy less when their arms are full--which is why placing empty shopping baskets or carts in the middle of a retail store can dramatically increase sales per customer.If you're hesitating to take the entrepreneurial plunge, this book should jar you off the fence. If you already own a business you'll learn a number of things you'll want to start doing--or stop doing.Personal ProductivitySometimes it's easy to dismiss a book simply because it has gained widespread popularity; it's like playing the popularity backlash card.If you've placed David Allen's Getting Things Done in that category, rethink that decision.