Roy Spence was raised in a family of huggers. When his dad—Big Roy, the biggest hugger of them all—passed away at the age of ninety-five, Roy Jr. started the healing process and discovered a more profound purpose behind the power of hugs. Roy inherited his dad’s way of greeting both friends and strangers alike with a hug. In his journey from small-town Texas boy to CEO of a nationally acclaimed advertising agency, he hugged heads of state and CEOs, waitresses and receptionists, the famous and the salt of the earth. And he used hugs to mend fences, to get over it and get on with it, and to spread a little good in the world. In the 10 Essential Hugs of Life, Roy shares the inspiring lessons he has learned from practicing what his dad taught him—anyone worth meeting is worth hugging—with the hope that others will take up the call to put a little more joy in the lives of those we touch, including our own. We simply need to hug ourselves first, hug our faith and our flags, our friends and family, our fears and failures, our firsts, our futures, and our finals. When we embrace all of the people and events that make us who we are, we discover deep wells of love. With warm Texas charm and stirring artwork, The 10 Essential Hugs of Life reveals a path to healing, to goodness, to a future full of love and hope.

Who is Roy Spence and what makes him the Pied Piper of Purpose? Over the last thirty-five years, Roy Spence has helped organizations such as Southwest Airlines, BMW, the University of Texas, Walmart, the Clinton Global Initiative, and many others achieve greatness by getting them to obsess about one big idea: purpose. With purpose as the North Star, employee engagement is higher, competition is less threatening, customers are more loyal, and innovation flows. It's the secret to developing a more fulfilling work life as well as a healthier bottom line. Simply put, purpose is a definitive statement about the difference you are trying to make in the world. As Spence writes, "It's your reason for being that goes beyond making money, and it almost always results in making more money than you ever thought possible." It's not soft stuff, as some might scoff. Especially during times of great economic uncertainty, purpose is the key to creating and maintaining a high-performing organization. It deserves just as much attention as strategy, execution, and innovation. A real purpose can't just be words on a piece of paper. It has to get under the skin of every member of your organization like Southwest's purpose of democratizing the skies or Walmart's of saving people money so they can live better. If you get it right, your people will feel great about what they're doing, clear about their goals, and excited to get to work every morning. No organization is too big or too small, too niche or too mundane, to benefit from a clearly defined purpose. Spence and coauthor Haley Rushing share their insider insights and case studies to help you discover your organization's purpose, proclaim it to the world, and apply it to everything you do. This book will force you to address some tough and profound questions: •What difference do we want to make in the world? •What do we really stand for? •Do we have purpose-based leaders in key roles? •Do our employees feel like what they do matters? •Would our customers miss us if we ceased to exist? •Do we bring our purpose to life everywhere we can both internally and externally? Spence's hard-won lessons will change the way you view your job, your business model, your leadership style, and your marketing. They will help you make money, make a difference, and with a little luck,make history.

Inside this charmingly chunky, die-cut board book are a variety of cute and cuddly stuffed animals. And all of them are just waiting to offer big hugs and small hugs, soft hugs and strong hugs. Toddlers will be instantly drawn to the sweet watercolor illustrations and gently rhyming verse, making this a much requested bedtime book. It's also the perfect gift for faraway loved ones, when you can't be there to deliver your snuggles in person.

As Mickey takes his dog Pluto for a walk he visits all of his friends and gathers treats to bring to his most special friend, Minnie! As they read, kids can use the attached arms to interact with the book's pages and then to help Mickey give Minnie a big hug.

Barkley the Bear is now ready to continue his family's business, which involves taking care of everyone in the forest. What a job! Barkley worries that he will not be able to provide the care necessary for everyone, but he soon finds out how easy it is to help others, and how much you can get in return. New York Times best-selling author Nick Ortner, along with Alison Taylor, take you on a memorable journey of what's most important in life: Kindness, hugs, and a little bit of work.

This inspirational and uplifting collection of quotes and stories is a celebration of hugs in all their guises A hug is one of the most basic ways two (or more) human beings touch. There is power in a hug. A hug can break down barriers that sometimes words cannot. At times, it can speak more than any words can say. We bond with a hug. We find comfort with a hug. We greet and separate from each other with a hug. We establish human contact and interaction with a hug. The beauty of a hug is in its simplicity. The gesture towards another human being, known or unknown, is easy. It costs nothing but is a simple act of caring and kindness. The Little Book of Hugs looks at all aspects of hugging, from stress-reducing health benefits to hugging etiquette, different hugs for different occasions, hugging quotes and anecdotes, and information about the hugging “community”. This beautifully illustrated book has been created as a gift that is a joy to give as well as receive, and will enrich the life of whoever reads it.

Celebrated artist and lead character designer of Brave, Ratatouille, and Despicable Me, Carter Goodrich, shows that sometimes, even the prickliest people—or the crankiest cacti—need a little love. Hank is the prickliest cactus in the entire world. He sits in a pot in a window that faces the empty desert, which is just how he likes it. So, when all manner of creatures—from tumbleweed to lizard to owl—come to disturb his peace, Hank is annoyed. He doesn’t like noise, he doesn’t like rowdiness, and definitely does not like hugs. But the thing is, no one is offering one. Who would want to hug a plant so mean? Hank is beginning to discover that being alone can be, well, lonely. So he comes up with a plan to get the one thing he thought he would never need: a hug from a friend.