Start You Up: Rock Star Secrets to Unleash Your Personal Brand & Set Your Career on Fire

According to Jones (Brand Like a Rock Star), vice-president of programming at Newcap Radio and a former deejay, “Rock ’n’ roll provide[s] an incredible template for building stronger brands and creating more profitable businesses in the process.” Here, music lover Jones identifies and analyzes rock stars who have perfected a recognizable and memorable brand: Springsteen and his blue-collar, politically minded fervor, Lady Gaga and her inventive costumes, Buddy Holly and his glasses. His thoughts about branding follow a fairly standard line: tell your story and keep it authentic; “be different or be invisible”; take risks; find your purpose; and find a mentor. In addition, he suggests that readers follow the “Five P’s of Personal Branding”: Positioning, Presentation, Passion, Purpose, and Profits. The book’s strength is in the author’s energy and palpable love for rock and the people who make it, with catchy, arresting headlines that keep the content upbeat. Along the way, he highlights entrepreneurs who have succeeded by building a strong brand and businesses that have done the same, such as Zappos. Readers who prefer their business lessons with a heavy dose of music may find this a strong contender. (May)