Writers and Thinkers, Philosophy and Practice: Nicole Valentine's Influencers

On her interview on yesterday’s episode of Smashing the Plateau, founder of Synergy Business Development Nicole Valentine discussed her forward-looking approach to leadership and business, and her strategy for moving ideas from the creation stages through to successful exit.

Here, she shares with us a few key writers and business leaders who have helped to influence her:

1. Peter Drucker (druckerinstitute.com; @druckerinst; The Effective Executive: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Right Things Done)

“My first introduction to Peter Drucker and his business management wisdom was when I purchased the Harvard Business Review, November 2009: “The Drucker Centennial – What Would Peter Do?” From that moment, I began to learn his philosophies, way of thinking about business and society and strategies for strengthening our business ecosystem.”

2. Malcolm Gladwell (http://gladwell.com; @Gladwell; Tipping Point, Blink, Outliers, David & Goliath)

“I learned of Malcolm Gladwell after reading Tipping Point.  He is a genius at leveraging data, context and patterns to make profound mind-shifting points which lead to clearer roadmaps for solutions.”

3. Susan L. Taylor (caresmentoring.org; @IAmSusanLTaylor; In the Spirit, Lessons in Living)

“For 20 years, Susan held the position of Editor-in-Chief of Essence Magazine, a lifestyle and beauty guide I’ve been reading since I was a teen.  One lucky day we met each other and became friends.  She is an angel who supports my business journey.  And I support her nonprofit focused on providing mentors to underserved populations.”

4. Arianna Huffington (www.huffingtonpost.com; @ariannahuff; Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder)

“I met Arianna Huffington through a friend while I was in the process of building my app.  I mentioned that I would love to share my process and she connected me to her internationally-recognized blog and news platform.  Blogging and writing is now an important component of my career.”

5. Mark Suster (bothsidesofthetable.com; @msuster)

“As an entrepreneur-turned-VC (UpFront Ventures), Mark shares his perspective on disruptive startups in his blog “Both Sides of the Table.” As an innovator and start-up founder, I value his insight and predictions on the future of technology, society and business.”