If you ever catch me at a club in the city… It’s probably a book club.
Many books and binders of notes later, I’ve built a little archive of stuff I think more people should know.
From business strategies to self-help gems, you never know what’ll pop up in Nolen’s Book Nook™.
Each month, I’ll break down two books that helped shape who I am — plus the best lessons learned along the way.
The Books
Building A Story Brand by Donald Miller
The importance of a Story Brand:
Without a clear story to tell your customers, investors & employees, you will simply go unheard *even if you have the coolest ads*
If you confuse, you lose. When telling a story, you need to remember that it’s not the customer who’s buying into your story; it’s the brand adding and supporting the customer in their journey to thrive and survive.
The best movies of all time are quite frankly SIMPLE. They are easy to understand and revolve around a basic playbook that we as consumers fall for every time.
The SB7 Framework:
This path is simple, yet has been used for countless decades to engage customers and play into their stories.
1. A Character
** The Customer is the hero, NOT your brand **
You need to find your ideal customer and identify their key ambitions.
By showing the gap between where they are now and where they want to be, you draw the customer in.
The key is to avoid trying to attract everyone. If you’re a company for everyone, you’re a company for no one.
2. Has a Problem
Every hero we attract has a real, painful problem they want to solve.
People buy based on their inner frustrations and desires, the end result of fixing their external problems is internal peace.
The Villain: We’re not here to scare people, but every story needs a villain. The villain gives the customer’s frustration a clear focal point.
Brand Questions: What deeper story does your brand tell? What core internal or philosophical problem does your customer face every day?
3. And Meets a Guide
Hero’s are looking for guides, so what makes a good guide to begin with?
Think of Master Yoda—he didn’t take credit but guided Luke Skywalker to crush his biggest problem in destroying the Death Star.
A guide can’t do the hero’s job, but they do bring clear steps and knowledge to help the hero win.
If you’re selling a product, software, or service, you need to show your brand as trustworthy—someone who’s “been there, done that.” People don’t listen to brands without proof or street cred.
4. That Gives a Plan
You’ve earned your customer’s trust. Now, you need to give them a clear plan to solve the problem they’re struggling with inside.
Most brands just push for a sale and skip the important steps. We don’t do that here.
Customers trust you to solve their problems, so lay out simple steps that make it easy for them to take action!
5. And Calls Them To Action
Customers need a clear challenge to take action. As the guide, you must show them what life looks like after they act—and what happens if they don’t.
If you don’t answer the “So what?” question, you’ll lose customers to brands that do.
There are two key calls to action:
Direct CTA: “Buy Now,” “Call Now.” These guide customers straight to the solution. Use these consistently across your website and marketing.
Transitional CTA: “Free Tutorial,” “5 Easy Steps.” Some customers hesitate, and these gentle offers help build trust. They let you collect info and nurture the relationship with helpful guides or samples, leading to a direct CTA later in the relationship.
6. Helps Them Avoid Failure
** Every human is trying to avoid a tragic ending **
People hate losing more than they like winning.
Brand Questions: What emotions will your customer feel if they don’t fix the problem you resolve?
7. And Ends In Success
Never assume people understand how your brand can change their lives – You must tell & show them!
The key here is to list out the 3 main resolutions and make these a staple throughout your brand. By doing this, you not only help your customers find success after the purchase, but for potential customers feel a glimmer of the other side.
Brand Questions: Where is your brand taking someone? What are your customers’ first emotions once they experience the success your product brings to their life?
Final Thoughts:
If you’re looking to build a brand and are struggling with the high-level direction of where to point, I believe this book is the right read for you.
My movie and ad life will never be the same after reading this book. Seeing how the best grab attention and fit into your story is amazing. It also shows how some people have no idea what they’re doing.
I need to know – is the 2.0 of this book EVEN BETTER? If you know, let me know < Text Me >
Free To Lead – 2nd Edition
After dropping out of college and moving to a new city, I truly didn’t have a big community to call home.
But after 1 month, and a brutal 8 pm workout with a friend, he introduced me to the brotherhood of F3.
Where Men all around the world come to not only work out at ridiculously early times, but to push each other and build relationships beyond the status quo.
These small groups hide in every city near you, and this book highlights the impact and story of how 2 men in Charlotte built a movement based around fitness, fellowship, and faith.
Summary:
The Problem – SadClown Syndrome:
Many modern men suffer from what F3 calls SadClown Syndrome—they look fine on the outside but feel empty on the inside. They’re physically soft, emotionally disconnected, and lacking true friendship or purpose. This isn’t a motivation issue—it’s a meaning issue. Without change, they drift through life without joy or direction.
“The SadClown has achieved much but feels little.”
The Solution – F3’s Core Freedoms:
F3 (Fitness, Fellowship, Faith) offers a clear path forward.
It’s a free, peer-led workout group for men that meets outdoors and is open to all. But it’s not really about exercise—it’s about transformation.
- Fitness builds physical strength and mental grit.
- Fellowship creates deep, trusted bonds with other men.
- Faith centers life on something greater than self, whatever your beliefs.
It starts with showing up. Over time, it leads to transformation, relationships, and purpose.
The Fellowship – Brotherhood by Design:
Most men don’t have real friends. F3 changes that by making deep connection a priority.
The workouts build trust through shared hardship, and the casual moments after, like coffee, create space for honesty. Men open up, hold each other accountable, and grow together. It’s not just camaraderie—it’s commitment. Everyone’s expected to step up and support each other.
“Men don’t need more acquaintances. They need battle brothers.”
The Impact – Reclaiming the Warrior:
When men get healthy, connected, and purposeful, everything changes. They become better husbands, fathers, and leaders.
Service becomes instinct, F3 men start building up their communities, not just themselves. The change doesn’t stop with them—it spreads. Because when a man is freed to lead, everyone around him benefits.
“A man freed to lead doesn’t just live better—he makes everything around him better.”
Final Thoughts:
If you’re in a rut and looking for a community that values not your accomplishments but the person you are, I would not only give this book a read but also find a local F3 workout group near you
The Book Nook Energy
I love my book nook. It’s been a big part of my childhood and now my adult life.
The moment I sit in this orange chair, my brain flips a switch. I escape the noise around me and enter a space of peace, and focus on the book in my hands.
One big idea I took from James Clear’s book Atomic Habits is zoning your house for different activities—sleeping, eating, reading, relaxing, and more.
A book nook can be anywhere—a park bench, a library, or a corner in your home. It’s not about the place, but the mindset and calm you enter when you sit down.
If you struggle to get into the flow of reading, find a spot and use it only for reading. After many pages, you’ll automatically tune into your book when you enter that space.
The key essentials of a Nolen-certified book nook.
Conclusion:
Reading books can only take you so far if you’re not willing to share and use the knowledge shared.
Reading -> Journaling -> Sharing
I hope my sharing these books has not only taught you valuable lessons, but also inspired you to follow the same steps I value. Even if that means picking up a book for the first time!
At This Point In Time:
Age: 20
Location: Greenville, South Carolina
Job: Southern Tide