At Empirical, the holiday season and a great book are two of our favorite things!
As another year draws to a close, our team is delighted to share a thoughtfully curated collection of book recommendations for our annual tradition that also serves as a gift guide. In this 2025 edition, you’ll find an engaging mix of compelling fiction and thought-provoking non-fiction, blending timeless favorites with fresh discoveries we hope will be new to you. Whether you’re searching for a meaningful gift for someone special or building your own to-read list for the year ahead, we believe this year’s selections will resonate with readers of all kinds.
We are please to present this year’s edition of The Gift. Our entire team sends warm wishes for a wonderful and joyous holiday season – one brimming with exceptional reads!
I have two books to recommend:
First, I was recently introduced to Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, and I was impressed by how well it holds up today. Jane is the original quiet leader — resilient, principled, and unwilling to compromise her values, even when it costs her. It’s not just a gothic love story; it’s a lesson in integrity, self-respect, and finding strength in solitude. It’s a 19th-century novel with timeless leadership lessons — and yes, a little drama in the attic never hurts.
Second, Main Street Millionaire is a refreshing, practical blueprint for building real wealth through everyday businesses. Codie Sanchez cuts through the noise with clear frameworks, actionable steps, and a no-BS approach that makes the path to financial freedom feel accessible and achievable. It’s inspiring, tactical, and one of the most useful playbooks for anyone looking to break into small business ownership.
– Bill Morrow, Managing Partner
The Science of Scaling: Grow Your Business Bigger and Faster Than You Think Possible by Dr. Benjamin Hardy and Blake Erickson is my recommendation. Scaling a business is a top three topic our clients are most interested in discussing. The authors provide a thought-provoking roadmap to what they call, “The Scaling Framework”. I enjoyed the book, and pulled a few nuggets from it!
– Christopher Lee, Managing Partner
My recommendation is Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by American journalist David Grann. There is so much history that we are unaware of that is the under pinning, good or bad of the country.
– Jason Fisher, Managing Partner
I recommend the book How Leaders Lose Their Way, by Peter Greer and Jill Heisey, after recently attending an event where Peter spoke. The authors blend biblical insights with contemporary examples, and encourage leaders to avoid distractions that can lead them off course. By learning from the past and applying practical strategies, leaders can strive to finish well, maintaining mission fidelity and integrity throughout their journey.
– Jonathan Peters, Senior Partner
Recently, I read the book, Under His Wings, by Emily Compagno. The author comes from a long line of highly decorated veterans, and each chapter highlights an American hero who shares the impact faith had while they were on the front lines fighting for our country. If you’re looking for a tribute to some amazing Americans, a brush up on history and the power of faith, this book is a must read.
– Laura Schlessinger, Talent Acquisition Partner
My favorite book this past year was one that satisfied my guilty pleasure for James Patterson and my interest in mystery/thrillers. Billion Dollar Ransom had the usual character development and plot twist that James is known for (yep, we’re on a first name basis after all the books I have read by him!). If you just need a break from reality and a real page turner, this is a great book to read.
– Laurie Beasley, Director of Human Resources
While on vacation this year I read an interesting, captivating, easy-reading, fiction book: Whalefall, by Daniel Kraus. The story follows a 17-year-old boy as he looks to recover his estranged father’s remains … and gets swallowed by a whale along the way!
– Scott Magee, Director of Operational Excellence
I’m currently reading Challenger by Adam Higginbotham. It is a factual review of everything leading to and post the space shuttle challenger disaster. What you learn is that the mistakes from Apollo 1 surface again and again within NASA. The drive to meet deadlines by overlooking glaring and well document issues that ultimately cause the loss of life more than once and kills the credibility of the industry. It’s a direct parallel to what happens in manufacturing businesses from time to time. Humans often fail to learn from others mistakes.
– Chris DiMascio, Operations Partner
I have a pile of books next to me (I’m a book hoarder and voracious reader), and one that does resonate with me is the book How Great Women Lead: A Mother-Daughter Adventure into the Lives of Women Shaping the World by Bonnie St. John. I had the opportunity to hear St. John speak years ago at DuPont during an MLK Day celebration. She is a dynamic speaker and very engaging. One reason this book resonates is that it is an easy read and a journey of a mother and daughter digging into this topic together. The information on great women leaders is also very inspirational and a good read for all.
– Irene Legiec, Operations Partner
I moved to Pennsylvania around a decade ago and have had a goal to learn as much of the history of the state as possible. I read The Johnstown Flood by David McCullough, and am truly blown away by the history and details of the town’s disaster. From business tycoons at the turn of the century to the resilience of the community, this is an unforgettable historical event. A follow-up goal of mine is to visit the town and the museum in the spring of 2026, and walk the streets of the hallowed town to put a bow on my “research project”!
– Laurel Cavalluzzo, Marketing Partner
Here’s a fiction one (my fave read of the year so far!): I loved The Names by Florence Knapp. Its three-path narrative shows how one mother’s choice of a name for her son has ripple effects across a lifetime.
– Erin Dalton, Director of Marketing
I just finished reading Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman. This book is a good reminder that time is limited, so we should spend it wisely. I recommend it to anyone looking for a calmer, more meaningful way to manage their day.
– Nilay Patel, CRM Marketing Specialist
The Housemaid and the two books that follow in the series, The Housemaid’s Secret and The Housemaid is Watching by Freida McFadden. The books are super easy to get into—perfect for both new and longtime thriller fans who just want a fun, surprising, suspense-filled ‘junk food’ read. I’m not even much of a reader, but I tore through this series and ended up grabbing more of her books right after.
– Natachia Laurendine, Marketing Associate
The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter is one of those books that sticks with you. It’s all about getting uncomfortable, breaking routines, and finding growth on the other side of challenge, something I’ve been trying to lean into more this year. It pushes you to rethink what “comfort” really means and how much potential we leave untapped when we always take the easy path. It’s a great reminder that real progress, both personally and professionally, usually happens outside the comfort zone.
– Zach Lee, Director of Business Development
Happy holidays and happy reading and gift-giving from the Empirical team!
