John Hall, CEO & Co-Founder of Influence & Co, Became Financially Responsible Thanks to a Book

John Hall is the CEO and co-founder of Influence & Co., a tech-enabled content marketing agency.

Our interview uncovered a very interesting author that taught John financial responsibility, but also the book that brought to surface his… romantic side. You’ll also find out more about his reading habits and whose words he recommends to young people who want to become entrepreneurs. Happy lecture!

What’s your favorite book and why? Business and non-business, if possible.

Non-business – The Notebook. Don’t make fun of me here, but I read it at a young age that I think aided in creating a little romance in my mind which I think helped me in my relationships and has benefited my marriage.

Business – Probably Give and Take by Adam Grant. It helped spark a helpful mentality in my life that has been invaluable.

Was there a moment, specifically, when something you read in a book helped you? Can you tell me about it?

I read a David Bach book that was given to me by my mother when I was a teenager. It was about personal finance and I remember reading it and promising myself I would be responsible with money moving forwards. That promise has been extremely valuable to me on my path in business.

What books had the biggest impact on you? (perhaps changed the way you see things, dramatically changed your career path)

Essentialism – Great book that helps you focus on what’s important in your life.

What books would you recommend to youngsters interested in your professional path? Why? (no number limit here)

• 50 Signs You Know You Are An Entrepreneur – John Rampton and Joel Comm
• Giftology – John Ruhlin

I’m interested in finding out more about your reading habits. How often do you read? In what format?

I’m always consistently reading. I use apps like Newspick and others to stay up-to-date on news and knowledge being share. I’m also fortunate to lead a company that is surrounded by amazing content from clients and partners that come across my screen frequently.

How do you make time for reading?

I travel a lot so I save reading for time on flights or stuck in an airport.

How do you choose what books to read next?

I trust my friends and close relationships to recommend what’s most valuable to them an aggregate the choices. Then I’ll spend about an hour a month searching for new types of books/information that others might not see.

Do you prioritize the books recommended by certain people? Is there anyone that you consider a book-recommendations guru?

Not Gurus… people I know and trust.

Last question: what book are you currently reading and what are you expecting to gain from it?

Tools of Titans – Tim Ferriss. It was a gift so I kind of have to read it.

Links where you can follow John Hall or find out more about his projects:

• Influence & CO
• JohnHallSpeaking.com
• Top of Mind book
• Connect with John on LinkedIn | Twitter
• Growth Everywhere’s podcast episde with John Hall: “How John Hall Grew Influence & Co. into the Largest Creator and Distributor of Expert Content”

All books mentioned by John Hall in this interview:

• The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
• Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success by Adam Grant
• Start Late, Finish Rich: A No-Fail Plan for Achieving Financial Freedom at Any Age by David Bach
• Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown
• Self-Employed: 50 Signs That You Might Be An Entrepreneur by Joel Comm, John Rampton
• Giftology: The Art and Science of Using Gifts to Cut Through the Noise, Increase Referrals, and Strengthen Retention by John Ruhlin