3 Must-Read Self-Growth Books for Aspiring Millionaires

Innovative Insights and New Releases from Efrem Harkham, Tilman Fertitta, and Brian Grazer.

Efrem Harkham is CEO and hotelier of Luxe Hotels, a world-renowned luxury boutique hotel with locations in Rome, Beverly Hills, and Los Angeles, and Luxe Collection, representing beautiful independent hotels and luxury properties in vibrant and prime destinations around the world. In his new book, Living the Luxe Life: The Secrets of Building a Successful Hotel Empire, Harkham shares his inspiring journey of success in the hospitality industry and his secrets to living a happy and fulfilling life both in and out of the office. With each anecdote, Harkham offers philosophical wisdom, such as the necessity of nurturing relationships, the importance of building a business with a high-quality product or service, and the role of marketing in attracting the right clientele to a value-based brand. Practical, heartwarming, and inspiring, Living the Luxe Life is essential for every entrepreneur’s bookshelf.

Here, Harkham reveals the media that influences and uplifts him.

Digital

I read the Wall Street Journal every day. CSQ, Departures, Hotels, and Destinations magazines are also some of my favorites. On Instagram, I follow the Getty Museum, Travel + Leisure, The New York Times. As far as podcasts, there’s two that I try to listen to daily. One is Ted Talks. The other is a podcast by a brilliant, award-winning author and historian named Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks.  

Television and Film

Sacha Baron Cohen’s new Netflix show The Spy is based on the true story of Eli Cohen. He was a childhood hero for me. As far as film, I love Once Upon a Time in Hollywood with Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt. Culture films are important. I have art documentaries of great artists playing at my house all the time—Manet, Pissarro, Degas, Cézanne. I love learning about these artists. 

Reading 

There is one book that I read over and over again: Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. He’s not just out there searching for meaning. Every minute is the answer for that search. Another book that I enjoyed reading is Ritz and Escoffier: The Hotelier, the Chef, and the Rise of the Leisure Class by Luke Barr. It’s a great, fun read about hotelier César Ritz, founder of the Ritz brand. I also enjoy The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander, conductor of the Boston Philharmonic. They use the metaphor of music as a way of dealing with life’s situations. A must-read that I recommend to my children and friends is Measure What Matters by John Doerr. It’s about creating objectives to get key results.

New Releases from the CSQ Network 

In Face to Face: The Art of Human Connection, Hollywood producer Brian Grazer (Visionary of the Year, Sports, Media & Entertainment, 2018) shares how connecting with people opened doors for him in Hollywood, led him to the love of his life, and gave him an edge in the business world, and how creating meaningful connections can change all of our lives.

Restaurateur and Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta (who penned an op-ed in our 2018 Sports, Media & Entertainment issue) sheds light on how to grow a business and be a successful entrepreneur in Shut Up and Listen! Hard Business Truths that Will Help You Succeed. The entertainment tycoon provides no-nonsense strategies, tactics, and ideas on leadership, persistence, and hospitality for the experienced and aspiring businessman alike.