Business Book Awards 2018 Shortlist Announced

We’re overwhelmed by the quality and quantity of the books we received this year.

The organisers of the Business Book Awards are proud to announce the 36 authors that have made the 2018 shortlist. These awards celebrate the best UK business books published between January 1 and December 31 2017.

In its inaugural year, the awards have attracted 150 entries from an amazing variety of publishers. Seventeen different publishers have made the shortlist, with entries ranging from independent publishers such as The Authority Guide, through to household names such as Penguin Random House and Bloomsbury.

The founder of the awards is Lucy McCarraher, author of 11 books, and co-founder and Managing Editor of Rethink Press. Lucy McCarraher said, “We’re overwhelmed by the quality and quantity of the books we received this year. It was an extremely difficult task for the judges to narrow down this shortlist and, as a result, we’ve even had to create an additional category – the Judge’s Choice – for books that didn’t quite fit the categories that they had entered under, but were of such a high standard that we felt they should be recognized.”

The nominated books are divided into seven categories: Startup Inspiration, Selling the Dream, Leading the Team, Embracing Change, Thought Leader, Self-Development, and the Judge’s Choice.

Safaraz Ali, the founder of ThinkFest, the organisers behind this initiative, said, “Given this is our first ever Business Book Awards event, I’m more than delighted to have such a high calibre of entries. We’re thrilled with the reception that we’ve received from both writers and publishers. I’m looking forward to the winners being announced in March.”

The Business Book Awards ceremony will take place on March 16 2018 at The Grange City Hotel, London. Tickets for this event can be purchased through the website.

Business Book Awards 2018 Shortlist:

Category 1: Startup Inspiration
Judged by John Williams

It Takes a Tribe by Will Dean (Portfolio, Penguin Random House)
Recipe for Success by Karen Green (Matador)
She Means Business by Carrie Green (Hay House Publishers)
Tested by Alpesh H. Patel (Peshmode)
Thrive Don’t Just Survive by Karen Ingram (Rethink Press)

Category 2: Selling the Dream
Judged by Andy Lopata

Scale Up Millionaire by Gordon McAlpine (Rethink Press)
Secret Skill, Hidden Career by Paul Owen (Rethink Press)
Strategic Tendering for Professional Services by Matthew Fuller and Tim Nightingale (Kogan Page)
The Authority Guide to Pitching Your Business by Mel Sherwood (The Authority Guides)
The Growth Director's Secret by Andrew Brent (Bloomsbury Publishing Plc)
UnBranding by Scott Stratten and Alison Stratten (Wiley)

Category 3: Leading the Team
Judged by Martin Norbury

Leadersmithing by Eve Poole (Bloomsbury Publishing Plc)
Myths of Leadership by Jo Owen (Kogan Page)
The Change Catalyst by Campbell Macpherson (Wiley)
The High-Potential Leader by Ram Charan, with Geri Willigan (Wiley)
The Joy of Leadership by Tal Ben-Sharhar and Angus Ridgway (Wiley)
The Listening Leader by Emilio Galli Zugaro and Clementina Galli Zugaro (Pearson)

Category 4: Embracing Change
Judged by Ginny Carter

Core by Neil Gaught (Routledge)
Futureproof by Minter Dial and Caleb Storkey (Pearson)
Humanification by Christian Kromme (The Choir Press)
What To Do When Machines Do Everything by Malcolm Frank, Paul Roehrig and Ben Pring (Wiley)
Who Can You Trust? by Rachel Botsman (Portfolio, Penguin Random House)

Category 5: Thought Leader
Judged by Carl Reader

24 Assets by Daniel Priestley (Rethink Press)
Fully Connected by Julia Hobsbawm (Bloomsbury Publishing Plc)
Neuro Design by Darren Bridger (Kogan Page)
The Power of Purpose by John O’Brien and Andrew Cave (Pearson)
The Startup Way by Eric Ries (Portfolio, Penguin Random House)

Category 6: Self-Development
Judged by Suzanne Collier

Influence by Warren Cass (Capstone, Wiley)
Myths of Work by Ian MacRae and Adrian Furnham (Kogan Page)
The Leader’s Guide to Presenting by Tom Bird and Jeremy Cassell (Pearson)
The Reputation Game by David Waller and Rupert Younger (Oneworld)
The Rules of People by Richard Templar (Pearson)

Category 7: Judge’s Choice
Judged by Lucy McCarraher

Almost is Not Good Enough by Andrew R Jennings (Andrew R Jennings)
Client Earth by James Thorton and Martin Goodman (Scribe UK)
Customers the Day After Tomorrow by Steven van Belleghem (Lannoo)
Trusted by Lyn Bromley & Donna Whitbrook (Practical Inspiration Publishing)

ENDS

Lucy McCarraher and the event organisers are available for interview.

For further information please contact Mary-Jane Rose, email mary-Jane@famouspublicity.com or Adam Betteridge, email adam@famouspublicity.com or Tina Fotherby, email tina@famouspublicity.com or call 0333 344 2341.

Lucy McCarraher, Managing Editor

Lucy McCaraher started her first publishing company at university, and has been publishing, editing and writing ever since. She has been a magazine and book editor and publisher, print and TV journalist in Australia and the UK; a writers’ agent, and editor for Methuen. As Director of Development at Lifetime Productions International, she developed, wrote and edited UK and international TV and video series, including three series of Runaway Bay, a children’s series shot in Martinique and starring Naomie Harris; Go Wild! with Chris Packham; and the Lovers Guide video series and books.

Lucy became a national expert in work-life balance, writing academic and business reports for clients and authoring The Work-Life Manual and The Book of Balanced Living. Her clients included multinational and blue chip companies, large public sector and voluntary organisations, and SMEs. She has also worked as a coach with many individuals on their work-life balance and personal development.

Lucy is the author of 11 published books, including her latest, best-selling How To Write Your Book Without The Fuss, with her business partner Joe Gregory; and the acclaimed How To Write Fiction Without The Fuss. Her first novel, Blood and Water, was shortlisted in a major competition and published by Macmillan New Writing, followed by Kindred Spirits and Mr Mikey’s Ladies. Lucy’s self-help books include A Simpler Life and The Real Secret, both co-authored with social psychologist, Annabel Shaw. The Real Secret was published by Bookshaker and Lucy subsequently became Commissioning Editor of the publishing company, contributing to its 14-year experience of niche business and self-development books.

Lucy became the Publish Mentor for KPI UK in 2013, for KPI Singapore in 2015, and enjoys working with the wide variety of talented KPI entrepreneurs to plan, write, and publish their business books.

She mentors and coaches individual writers; gives keynotes, workshops, masterclasses and webinars in all aspects of writing and publishing; and has a post-graduate diploma (DTLLS) in teaching Creative Writing and Literacy.