Country music superstar Trace Adkins isn’t exactly known for holding back what’s on his mind. And if the millions of albums he’s sold are any indication, when Trace talks, people listen. Now, in A Personal Stand, Trace Adkins delivers his maverick manifesto on politics, personal responsibility, fame, parenting, being true to yourself, hard work, and the way things oughta be. In his inimitable pull-no-punches style, Trace gives us the state of the union as he sees it, from the lessons of his boyhood in small-town Louisiana to what he’s learned headlining concerts around the world. Trace has worked oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, been shot in the heart, been inducted into the Grand Ole Opry, and braved perhaps the greatest challenge of all: being the father of five daughters. And shaped by these experiences, he’s sounding off. • I’m incredibly frustrated with the state of American politics. If there were a viable third party, I’d seriously consider joining it. • If anybody wonders who the good guys are and who the bad guys are in this world, just look at the way we teach our children as opposed to the way the fundamentalist Muslims teach their children. • Organized labor now exists for the sake of organized labor, and not for the workers it once protected. • I believe the easiest way to solve the illegal immigration enforcement problem is to go after the employers who hire illegal aliens. • As a society, we’re unwilling to sacrifice our luxuries and our conveniences in order to conserve. We won’t change until we’re forced to. • The war on terror is like herpes. People can live with it, but it’ll flare up from time to time. Brash, ballsy, persuasive, and controversial, A Personal Stand isn’t just the story of Trace Adkins’s life; it’s the story of what life can teach all of us.

The design marketplace has never been more competitive, or demanded more from emerging talent. To succeed, you must navigate the transition from learner to professional with purpose and precision. In Stand Out: Building Your Design Portfolio, Denise Anderson offers a hands-on, three-step, full-color action plan for establishing your unique brand, crafting a killer portfolio, tailoring and delivering your message, getting your perfect design job, and excelling once you're hired. In this superbly organized and beautifully designed book, Anderson distills 20+ years of experience as a graphic designer, entrepreneur, instructor, and mentor, offering you powerful insights and easy-to-use tools for successfully launching your career. Whether you're in graphic design, advertising design, interactive or web design, fashion, or any other design field, Anderson will help you identify what makes you unique, and use it powerfully differentiate yourself from everyone else. Stand Out's step-by-step approach, hands-on work exercises, and short, easy-to-absorb chapters guide you through: Clarifying your brand purpose and unique attributes Designing your brand identity, encompassing all brand touchpoints Creating an online presence that showcases you at your best Self-promoting your brand, from social media to print "leave-behinds" Optimizing your portfolio for the industry and company where you want to work Discovering what's hot in portfolio design and strategy - and what's not Understanding what employers want from you Producing your digital and/or print portfolio Choosing your mentor(s) and creating your personal advisory board Developing a personal job plan you can start executing right now Protecting your work against theft Identifying your dream job Writing and designing outstanding resumes and job-specific cover letters Interviewing and presenting your work effectively Accepting a position and negotiating salary Succeeding in your first job, and preparing for the next Stand Out brings together all the easy-to-use forms, checklists, and tools you'll need... multiple examples of great student and young professional portfolio work to show you how it's done... dozens of great tips and tricks... "in the trenches" insights from recent graduates... all you need to get where you want to go!

Richardson, "challenges readers to begin an interactive training program that will transform internal obstacles such as self-doubt, conflict phobia, and a fear of what others think, into a new foundation of courage, confidence, and self-esteem."

Win the respect you deserve You probably already have the skills to be more fulfilled and successful. But sometimes it’s about showcasing these skills so that colleagues, customers, friends and the rest of the world can recognize what you do. Drawing on extensive research and inspiring real-life examples, psychologist and bestselling author Dr. Rob Yeung guides you through proven techniques that will get you noticed for all the right reasons. How to Stand Out shows you how to: Utilize winning body language techniques Incorporate the words that get people nodding in agreement Supercharge your persuasive skills to sell products, pitch ideas, network, and socialize with friends Boost your motivation to become more successful Improve your confidence to get the results you desire Praise for the Book “We all need to sell ourselves and this book is a great, very readable guide on how to do that. This book is full of useful career advice – and brought to life by fascinating examples and often surprising insights.” Rhymer Rigby, writer for The Telegraph and Financial Times and author of 28 Business Thinkers Who Changed the World “How to Stand Out covers the latest evidence on body language, communication and persuasion. It’s a rigorously researched, compelling and sometimes surprising read no matter what your goals in life. You will undoubtedly learn something new.” Dr Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, CEO of Hogan Assessments, and Professor of Business Psychology at University College London and Columbia University “Engaging, no-nonsense and full of scientifically proven advice – an essential book for anyone wanting to outshine the crowd and get ahead in business and life.”Dr. Michael Sinclair, co-author of Mindfulness for Busy People, Founder & Clinical Director, City Psychology Group “An easy read with some well researched, practical and evidence backed advice. Definitely stands out from the crowd and can easily be applied straight away.” Paul Hughes, Executive Development Director at Cranfield School of Management “An extraordinary book for everybody: Dr Yeung’s book presents a wealth of useful tips on how to build your confidence and stand out from the crowd. This book is a treasure trove of useful tips on how to outperform in a job interview, get promoted, win more customers, get your business funded or simply become more successful in life.” Professor Khalid Hafeez, Dean of The Claude Littner Business School at the University of West London “Practical, accessible tips and techniques for making yourself more interesting to clients, customers, and friends!” Tamara Box, Partner and Global Chair of the Financial Industry Group at international law firm Reed Smith LLP “Once again, Rob Yeung demonstrates how challenge can quickly become opportunity. He has the uncanny knack of identifying our insecurities, helping us view them from a different angle and transforming them into foundation stones for building new confidence. Whether you want to learn to ‘talk like TED’, present your best side at a job interview, or simply want to stand out from the crowd – this new book offers simple, clear and practical guidance. Like his previous books, this is another example of why Dr Rob Yeung stands out from other psychologists and coaches.” Malcolm Green, Creative Chairman at advertising agency Green Cave People

Stand and Delivergives you everything you need to know to become an incredibly poised, polished, masterful communicator. Someone who can hold an audience of 1, 10, or 1000 in the palm of your hand, from the first word you speak to them until the last. You will learn... •How to identify your authentic self so that you project an original and unique style •How to win over any audience in ONE MINUTE •A 5-point checklist that will make stage fright disappear •A powerful tactic for getting your listeners to act the way you want them to (works equally well with colleagues, children...anyone you talk to!) •The renowned "Magic Formula" technique -- a no-fail 3-step process that ensures your listeners not only remember what you say, but make immediate and positive changes based on it •The secrets to handling hostile or potentially embarrassing questions with ease and professionalism Stand and Deliveris packed with tips, strategies, and secrets you can use immediately to begin dramatically improving all of your communications. You'll be surprised and thrilled by how frequently you find yourself reaching into this amazing arsenal of techniques to help you achieve your goals, and what an enormous impact they will have on every facet of your life.