The Duct Tape Marketing Podcast

Episode: How Books Can Shape Success
Host: John Jantsch
Guest: Todd Sattersten, CEO of Bard Press
Date: September 3, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, John Jantsch talks with Todd Sattersten, publishing veteran, business book expert, and CEO of Bard Press. Todd shares insights from his latest project, “100 Books for Work and Life,” a curated guide to essential reads that have helped shape thinking on business, personal growth, and success. The conversation explores how impactful books are chosen, their transformative potential, the crossover between work and life lessons, and specific recommendations for entrepreneurs.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Criteria for Selecting the 100 Best Books ([01:35]–[02:40])

• Selection Criteria:
  Todd emphasizes two main factors:
  • The book offers new teachings or a different approach that change the reader’s thinking.
  • Clarity and quality of writing—“Is the writing good? Do I understand what they're trying to teach me?” (Todd Sattersten, [01:50])
• Judgement is both subjective (books he’s read and liked) and objective (impact, quality of ideas, storytelling).

Agonizing Decisions & Book Coverage ([02:40]–[03:42])

• Limited list slots led to tough omissions, including Duct Tape Marketing itself.
• Todd aimed for broad coverage—drawing parallels with Duct Tape Marketing’s approach of “cover[ing] this really broad set of topics within your book, like, what are all the things that a small business owner needs to think about?” (Todd Sattersten, [03:07])

Timing and Impact: The Book at the Right Moment ([03:42]–[05:42])

• Books can be impactful based on when they’re read in one’s journey.
• Todd cites Your Brain at Work by David Rock as particularly formative, helping to understand workplace challenges through neuroscience.
• Re-reading at different times brings new takeaways, sometimes unanticipated even by the author.

Work Meets Life: Blurring the Lines ([05:42]–[08:12])

• Todd describes his past work as constrained by the “business book” label and how his new project intentionally crosses into personal development.
• Grit by Angela Duckworth is highlighted as a book that bridges business and personal lessons.
• “The problems we're dealing with in the workplace often look an awful lot like the problems we're dealing with in our personal lives...” (Todd Sattersten, [06:26])

Relationships and Broader Applications ([07:30]–[08:12])

• Books on topics like relationships (e.g. John Gottman’s work) offer insights for both personal and professional contexts.

The Research and Curation Process ([08:12]–[09:46])

• Project spanned four years.
• Structure: 25 chapters, each focusing on a specific topic with 4 books each.
• Todd read extensively to select, compare, and contrast books, ensuring diverse yet complementary pairings.

Hidden Gems: Books That Deserve More Attention ([10:46]–[11:59])

• Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg is cited as “criminally underrated,” excelling at both habit formation and breaking bad habits—recommended over more popular works in the same space.

What Makes a Book Timeless? ([11:59]–[13:52])

• Timeless books are written in a universal way where “time is not in the text”—e.g. 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, How to Win Friends and Influence People, and Peter Drucker’s The Effective Executive.
• “We still read books like 7 Habits... because they are largely written in a way where time is not in the text.” (Todd Sattersten, [12:23])
• There’s also value in “timely” books that address current contexts.

Renewed Relevance of Classics ([13:52]–[15:19])

• Classics like How to Win Friends and Influence People resonate anew in today’s context.
• “Summarize that book: don't be a jerk—right.” (John Jantsch, [15:03])
• Importance of core human skills (kindness, remembering names, genuine interest).

The Transformative Power of the Right Book at the Right Time ([15:29]–[16:50])

• Todd advises reading outside one’s comfort zone for genuine self-improvement, rather than seeking validation or simply entertainment.
• The book offers 25 different topics, each with 4 book recommendations—encouraging listeners to target areas of true challenge.

Discouraging the “Badge” Mentality ([16:50]–[18:05])

• Huge book counts for their own sake are questioned.
• True learning comes from deep engagement: “I think if you're reading that fast, we can question comprehension... are you working on and learning about the topics that are really difficult for you?” (Todd Sattersten, [17:05])
• The unifying theme across the top books is self-awareness, a predictor for creativity, empathy, and leadership.

The Intentional Reader ([18:22]–[20:24])

• John shares the value of reading with a specific purpose or intention—even drawing lessons from unrelated fields.
• Todd discusses the “Starting” chapter, which captures different types of beginnings (new jobs, businesses, days), demonstrating the power of thematic reading.

Should You Read the Summaries Only? ([20:24]–[21:40])

• Todd’s book provides interpretations and takeaways, not just reviews or summaries.
• His goal: “I want to convince you to go read the book.” (Todd Sattersten, [20:38])
• The book provides opening quotes, synopses, actionable takeaways, and frameworks—but is meant to inspire deeper reading.

Top Three Book Picks for New Entrepreneurs ([21:40]–[25:15])

1. Badass by Kathy Sierra

   • Focus on making your customers as skilled and successful as possible (ideal customer concept).
   • “Make the metric of how much making your customers [successful].” (Todd Sattersten, [22:47])

2. Influence by Robert Cialdini

   • Essential for understanding and responsibly using persuasion in all spheres—investors, employees, customers.
   • “We've got to have good influencing skills... if we don't understand the basics of those pieces, I think we're really missing out.” ([23:00])

3. The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier

   • Coaching seen as the primary modern leadership skill for entrepreneurs and managers.
   • “Coaching is such an important skill.” (Todd Sattersten, [24:06])

“The sooner you learn that you don’t have to have all the answers if you’re going to have employees, the better off you’ll be, no question.”
—John Jantsch [25:21]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Reading for Growth:
  “Read in a spot that you are uncomfortable.”
  —Todd Sattersten [15:53]

• On Self-Awareness:
  “If there's one theme that exists across all of these books is the question of self-awareness. All of these books are about building broader self-awareness for whatever it is that we do.”
  —Todd Sattersten [17:40]

• On Habit Books:
  “If you love process, if you love here are the steps, here are the things—I think [B.J. Fogg] does it better than anybody.”
  —Todd Sattersten on Tiny Habits [11:26]

• On Timelessness:
  “They are largely written in a way where time is not in the text.”
  —Todd Sattersten [12:28]

• On Synthesizing Books:
  “You write interpretations of the books... rather than reviews.”
  —Todd Sattersten [20:38]

• On Building Customer Success:
  “Make that the metric... make your customers better than your competitors' customers.”
  —Todd Sattersten [22:47]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Criteria for Book Selection: [01:35]
• Agonizing Over Choices & Book Coverage: [02:40]
• The Impact of Neuroscience Books: [04:11]
• Blurring Lines Between Work & Life: [05:42]
• Including Relationship Books: [07:30]
• Research and Curation Process: [08:41]
• Underrated Books—Tiny Habits: [10:46]
• Timelessness in Business Books: [11:59]
• Classics Regaining Relevance: [14:27]
• Advice on Reading With Intention: [18:22]
• Should You Read Summaries?: [20:24]
• Top 3 Books for Entrepreneurs: [21:56]

Resources & How to Connect

• Find Todd Sattersten’s work: bardpress.com
• Learn about “100 Books for Work and Life”: The 100 Best (numbered)
• John Jantsch’s resources and consulting: Duct Tape Marketing

Summary

This episode offers a deep dive into how carefully chosen books can transform both entrepreneurial and personal journeys. Todd Sattersten demystifies the curation process, champions intentional, self-aware reading, and leaves listeners with actionable advice and concrete book recommendations—making the case that reading, when approached thoughtfully, is a critical lever for growth in business and life.