About Bud Bilanich
Bud Bilanich is The Common Sense Guy. His pragmatic approach to business, life, and the business of life has made him one of the most sought-after speakers, consultants, and executive coaches in the U.S!
Dr. Bilanich's work focuses on helping individuals, teams, and entire organizations succeed. Bud is Harvard educated, but has a no-nonsense, common sense approach to his work that stretches back to his roots in the steel country of western Pennsylvania.
In addition to Straight Talk for Success, Bud has authored six books on business and leadership and is a featured contributor in three business anthologies. He is a regular guest on talk radio and podcasts. He writes the popular career and life success blog SuccessCommonSense.com.
His clients include Pfizer, Johnson and Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, PepsiCo, General Motors, Citicorp, JP Morgan Chase, UBS Financial Services, AXA Advisors, AT&T, Pitney Bowes, and The Boys and Girls Clubs of America.
Bud is a cancer survivor and lives in Denver with Cathy, his wife. He is a retired rugby player and an avid cyclist. He likes movies, live theatre, and crime fiction.
"Straight Talk for Success" is written by Bud Bilanich, who is also known as "The Common Sense Guy." He definitely has been given the correct title. I found "Straight Talk for Success" to be well-organized and easy-to-understand. The book is arranged in five parts. Each section has its own chapters that give you further advice on the topics presented. All of the information provided is based upon common sense, which makes it easier to apply. After reading the whole book, you will see that the title is perfect.
About a week ago, a friend commented that most of my "gurus" just provide me with information that should be common sense. I totally agree with this, however, sometimes when life gets in the way, we need to have other people lead us back to what makes sense. When events at work become so convoluted it is easy to get lost and feel helpless. Reading "Straight Talk for Success" helped me put a lot of things into perspective. One of the biggest ways it will influence me is in how I deal with situations with other people, especially co-workers; one in particular. Bilanich reminded me to act assertively, keep my integrity, and to learn from the situation.
The biggest feeling that I had when I finished reading "Straight Talk for Success," was excitement. I am looking forward to applying the principles that I learned to my career so that I can get myself out of a slump that I feel myself falling into. I am looking forward to putting these new tools to work, so that I can present myself with confidence and integrity. It feels so good to be excited about doing something well, especially when I know that my career helps others.
I highly recommend this book for people in the work world. It is appropriate for those at every stage of their career. It would make a wonderful gift for a college graduate who is just starting out. I wish I had something like this way back when. It will also be good for people who are in the middle of their career when they feel themselves hitting rough patches. People nearing retirement can still benefit from this book because it will help them finish strong. "Straight Talk for Success" would also be the perfect text for a work retreat.
Paige Lovitt
Bud is generous with his advice, sensitive to the reader's time and highly entertaining. The writing is straightforward and especially helpful for people entering the workforce. This is a must read. I'd highly recommend this book.
Success Television
Bud Bilanich has hit the nail on the head with his new book, Straight Talk for Success - Common Sense Ideas That Won't Let You Down.
Bud has studied the successful for decades and learned firsthand the characteristics they all have in common - and he presents them in this book. And in his typical, easy to read, common sense style, he shows you exactly how you can achieve success too.
Don't let the simplicity of the book fool you - the stories he tells will draw you in, but every one of them present a powerful message. Bud is transparent with his own stories of success and disappointment. This book is 'real' and heart-felt - not to be missed.
Peggy Murrah
This book definitely over delivers on providing answers to all the questions people are afraid or embarrassed to ask. Even for those of us who have been in the business world for a while. As I was reading this book, I recalled my first business dinner meeting and not knowing what to do - this book would have been a tremendous aid. I wish this book was a required reading for anyone entering the business world. Mr. Bilanich does an excellent job of not only providing some great business 101 success tips, but does it way that makes it an enjoyable read by providing lots of great stories. The best way to describe this book is the one and only resource for common sense answers to business basics.
Henry Pellerin
There are many books on the market dealing with how to have a successful business or a successful career, and "Straight Talk for Success" is one of them. HOWEVER, and I stress the "however," there isn't a book as concise, captivating, and poignant as this one.
Bud Bilanich, also known as "The Common Sense Guy" comes from just that - common sense. We often struggle using what if, I shouda, I coulda, and so on. Bud Bilanich gets the reader unstuck in those struggles and gives direction through instilling self-confidence using techniques that work.
Although Bud's intent was to direct this book toward young and mid-career professionals, I believe it covers us all - those just starting out and those that have been in careers for decades. We all will find no-nonsense ideas as well as strategies and techniques we can use to enhance our chosen fields. Highly recommended.
Irene Watson
First of all, I have to say that I am fortunate enough to be friends with both Bud and Cathy Bilanich. They frequently dine at the restaurant in which I am employed. When Bud told me that he was a writer I asked him to bring me some of his work and within a few weeks I had a signed copy of "Straight Talk For Success" fresh off the press! In all honesty I was a little skeptical at first. I'm not big on "self-help" books because to me they are all pretty much the same. If you've read one you've read them all. I could not have been more wrong about "Straight Talk For Success". It was an absolute pleasure to read cover to cover. I like the fact that Bud focuses on "common sense" and "hard work" as a framework for being successful not only in business but also in life. His ideas on Self Confidence, Positive Personal Impact, Outstanding Performance, Communication Skills, and Interpersonal Competence are all great reads. Even better are his ideas on how to be a good and successful person. Things like having empathy, being punctual and just plain being nice are things that people seem to be forgetting these days. Bud Bilanich hasn't. Great Book. I'd recommend this to anyone!
Travis Lester
When Bud Bilanich was growing up, he was always puzzled by the message on the pencils his father brought home from U.S. Steel, "Knowing's Not Enough." Years later, in a philosophy course, Bud read the quotation from Goethe that not only solved the puzzle but has inspired his work ever since, "Knowing is not enough, we must do. Willing is not enough, we must apply." In Straight Talk for Success, Bud provides the essential bridge between knowing and doing for everyone seeking career success. Written in bite-sized pieces of practical advice, his guidance is all the more valuable because it is actionable. Bud Bilanich shows you how. The motivation is up to you. You can start by reading this book!
Joel Marks
I purchased this book since I already have all other books written by Dr. Bud Bilanich. I had high expectations due to my perceived quality of his previous publications - and was not disappointed.
The book offers solid and actionable advice on creating (yes, creating - hard work is involved) your foundation for personal success.
I would recommend this book to anyone willing to put in an effort to grow.
Per Wendelboe Nielson
"Straight Talk for Success" is a great item to hand to a newly minted employee by his or her new boss or a human resources manager. Very little of what it covers is taught by any school and it is a veritable encyclopedia of things that every working professional should know. Hats off to The Common Sense Guy for a resource that fills a gaping hole.
D. Kirkpatrick
|