Do Books

When you get the right balance in life you can do amazing things: create, perform, lead a team, build a great company, raise a family. But so often the scales tip and we feel overwhelmed and stressed.

Michael Townsend Williams, an adman turned yoga teacher and mindfulness coach, is an advocate of 'welldoing' - leading a busy and productive life, but not at the expense of our health and wellbeing. And key to this? Our breath.

The crucial link between mind and body, our breath reflects what we're dealing with at any given moment. It tells us when we're out of our depth.

With simple breathing exercises and elements from yoga, meditation and mindfulness, Do Breathe will help you to:

· Reduce stress and increase productivity
· Improve focus and work flow
· Cultivate new good habits and drop the bad
· Build courage and resilience

Why not breathe yourself better?

'Great little book about something we do 600 million times in our life but rarely think about.'
Michael Acton Smith

'Perfect for anyone looking to learn how to breathe better, find peace and understand the basics of mindfulness. I, for one, could read this book on a monthly basis.'
Lynchpin Media

So much passes us by, unnoticed. We multi-task, switch between screens, work faster. When was the last time you paused to consider a beautifully-made object or stunning natural landscape? Yet this is when our spirits lift and our soul is restored.

Designer Alan Moore invites us to rethink not only what we produce - whether it's a website, a handmade chair, or a business - but how and why. With examples from Apple, Yeo Valley and Blitz Motorcycles, we are encouraged to ask: Is it useful and considered. Is it a thing of beauty?

Do Design will inspire you to:
Improve your creative process Raise the quality and craft of your work Consider the experience as much as the product Adopt simplicity, utility and honesty as guiding principles
We are creative beings. We love to make things. This book will inspire you to create better things for better reasons. Things that people will love - for a long time to come. Some say beauty is a luxury. But what if it is key to creating a better world for us all?

'An excellent guide to the essence of beauty - the freedom to create it and an argument for its power and importance to the soul.'
Tim Smit, The Eden Project

'A handbook for mindful making and conscientious consumption.'
CRAFTS Magazine

'Alan Moore's book on beauty links the history of that which has been simply made, to that which has been extraordinarily made. The difference is that which is engineered, to what is crafted, to what is designed.'
John Maeda, Automattic

'What is described in this book is not just an approach to design, it's a way of life.'
Karen Hodkinson, formerly ID magazine

'Your book gave me real clarity and a forceful nudge to just make things and see where it takes me. What a book!'
Jono Smart, contemporary potter

Do Work You Love. Sounds simple, doesn't it? But the reality can be quite different. Whether you're just starting out or simply ready to head in a new direction, you're going to need some help turning your natural skills into success-seeking missiles of radness.

On hand is Gavin Strange, a creative working by night under the name of JamFactory and, by day, at Aardman Animations - the Academy Award-winning studio behind Wallace & Gromit and Shaun the Sheep.

With advice, encouragement and a reminder that life's too short to not pursue your passion, whatever your age or position - from school leaver or graduate just starting out to CEO ready to head in a new direction, Do Fly will inspire you to:

Change your perspective and revamp your mindset Develop creative side projects Stay optimistic and resilient Discover skills and passions you never knew you had!
Do Fly is your all-in-one guide, ticket and passport to a new destination. Are you ready for take off?

'A unique formula for self-motivation, staying passionate, and striking that often elusive balance between paying the bills and enjoying life to the creative max. A gem of a book'
Inky Goodness

'A light-hearted and hilarious guide packed full of lessons on how to discover your passion, turn it into something that supports you and dedicate 100% of your time to doing what you love. A frank, hip hop lyric-peppered self help book for people who don't read self help books.'
HUCK magazine

Real-world leadership is very different from all that the media would have us believe. Forget the dashing swashbuckler - effective leadership is typically understated. It's the myriad small things that make the big things possible.

In Do Lead, Les McKeown demolishes the myths that have paralysed leadership in our modern era, then provides new, relevant tools for the job. You'll discover that we can all lead. And what's more, we should. Because effective leadership is goal- not people-oriented. It's about the person with the right skills putting themselves forward. Find out:

The mindset required The basic leadership toolkit Techniques for dealing with the (inevitable) failures How to get started
Whether you are new to the game or reigniting a dormant passion, start leading from where you are, right now, and make a difference.

You can lead. Yes, you.

'When Les writes, I read. Don't be deceived by this book's diminutive size - it's like a rich, chunk of leadership fudge that you never want to end. This eye-opening, challenging, and encouraging book may be small, but it packs a big punch.'
Steve McKee, Businessweek.com columnist and author

'If you don't think of yourself as a leader - think again. Les McKeown shows you how to be a great one. This is a must read for anyone who leads (or wants to lead) a company, team or group.'
JJ Ramberg, Host of MSNBC's Your Business

'A thoroughly refreshing take on what real leadership is all about. It is not about heroics or headlines, it is about achieving real results in the here and now. It's short, to the point, and not to be missed.'
Rita Gunther McGrath, Professor and author

How do you grow your business when you don't have a marketing budget?
How do you stand out in a busy world?
And what if the answer is right in front of you?

'For me, the newsletter is the most important tool I have in building a global denim brand. Second only to the sewing machine.'

So writes entrepreneur David Hieatt who has based his entire marketing strategy around a simple email newsletter. And it's worked. His company has grown into a creative global jeans business with a fiercely loyal community.

Now, David shares his insight, strategy and methodology so you can do the same. In Do Open you will discover:

Why giving is your secret to success How to get people's attention when time is your biggest competitor Why creating beats sharing How a small team can win
Build community. Build your brand. Build long-term growth. Discover why the humble newsletter is pure and utter gold.

'Don't be fooled by its pocket-sized appearance, this book is full of transformative tools from entrepreneur and founder of Howies and Hiut Denim, David Hieatt. Packs in some great advice for business-minded folk! '
Nathan @ngngdesign

'Big admirer of David Hieatt...Now he shares how a newsletter can have a great impact on your business. Couldn't agree more. Full of practical, helpful tips. '
Tina Roth Eisenberg

The most important brands in the world make us feel something. They do that because they have something they want to change. And as customers, we want to be part of that change. These companies have a reason to exist over and above making a profit: They have a Purpose.

Yes, we love the product they make. But the thing we love most about them is the change they are making.

Purpose is an incredibly powerful thing. It provides the strength to fight the impossible. It tells your story, it builds your teams and it defines your culture.

In Do Purpose, David Hieatt offers insights on how to build one of these purpose-driven companies. You know, those rare brands we all fall in love with. The crazy ones that don't just make something, but change something as well.

'David Hieatt is the man who proved to a world full of shallow brands the benefits of having a real purpose. There is no greater expert on the matter.'
Richard Reed, co-founder Innocent Drinks

'A wonderful book that reveals one of the secrets of business: do something you love and you'll never have to work another day in your life.'
Michael Acton Smith, CEO Mind Candy

Today's world wants to know you and the real story behind why you do what you do. Whether you have a product to sell, a company mission to share or an audience to entertain, people are far more likely to engage and connect if you deliver a well-crafted story with an emotional core.

Bobette Buster is a story consultant, lecturer and screenwriter who works with the major studios and in top film programs all over the world. In this, her first book, she shares the tools and principles used by some of the world's best storytellers and helps you apply them to your own. Find out:
How to source, structure and shape your story Ways to discover the essence of your story Why forming an emotional connection with your audience can take a story from good to great
So, what's your story?

'Bobette is a truly fantastic teacher, a mainstay in the USC Peter Stark Program where she has made such a tremendous impact on students. No one understands story better than her.'
Larry Turman, Director, USC Peter Stark Program and Producer of The Graduate