Tim Duggan’s ‘Cult Status’ named best small business book

Cult Status by Tim Duggan has been named as the best entrepreneurship and small business book at the 2021 Smart WFM Australian Business Book Awards.

The Junkee co-founder’s book, which has been described as “a perfect reference book and guiding manual” for founders and entrepreneurs, beat out a shortlist that also included Gabby and Hezi Leibovich’s Catch of the Decade and Songy Knox’s How do You Want to Be Seen. The book was also shortlisted in the social responsibility category.

It was one of 13 books recognised in this year’s awards, which were announced on November 24.

The End of Technophobia by Tracy Sheen, a guide for business owners to digitise their business, won the overall Book of the Year award, as well as scooping up the prize for the best technology book.

Small business marketing guru Fiona Killackey won the honour of the best general business book for her book, Passion. Purpose. Profit.

The Australian Business Book Awards are presented annually to recognise the best business books by local authors, and are run by Publish Central as a not-for-profit venture. Profits from the awards are donated to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.

The full list of this year’s winners and finalists are listed below.

The winners and finalists of the 2021 Australian Business Book Awards:

Book of the Year 2021

Winner: The End of Technophobia by Tracy Sheen

Finalists:

• Passion. Purpose. Profit. by Fiona Killackey
• The Happiness Workout by Noa Belling

Best Entrepreneurship and Small Business Book

Winner: Cult Status by Tim Duggan

Finalists:

• Catch of the Decade by Gabby Leibovich and Hezi Leibovich
• How do You Want to BE SEEN by Songy Knox

Best Social Responsibility Book

Winner: The Money Sandwich by Marc Bineham

Finalists:

• Cult Status by Tim Duggan
• Seven Words That Change Everything by Louise Karch

Best Personal Development Book 

Winner: Spacemaker by Daniel Sih

Finalists:

• Self-fidelity by Cassandra Goodman
• Thriving Mind by Dr. Jenny Brockis

Best Communications and Sales Book

Winner: Seven Words That Change Everything by Louise Karch

Finalists:

• Magnetic Stories by Gabrielle Dolan
• Captivate by Donna McGeorge

Best Personal Finance and Investment Book

Winner: She’s On The Money by Victoria Devine

Finalists:

• The Money Sandwich by Marc Bineham
• Commercial Property Investing Explained Simply by Steve Palise

Best Management and HR Book

Winner: Naturally Successful by Ingrid Messner

Finalists:

• Bad Boss by Michelle Gibbings
• The Agile Change Playbook by Dr Jen Frahm & Lena Ross

Best Leadership Book

Winner: Everyday Creative by Mykel Dixon

Finalists:

• Advance by Ishan Galapathy
• Purpose, Passion and Performance by Stephanie Bown

Best Technology Book

Winner: The End of Technophobia by Tracy Sheen

Finalists:

• The Platform Owner’s Guidebook by Shane Williams
• Spacemaker by Daniel Sih

Best Health and Wellbeing Book

Winner: The Happiness Workout by Noa Belling

Finalists:

• Approaching the ‘Pause’ by Dr Rosie Ross and Joanne Vines
• Self-fidelity by Cassandra Goodman

Best General Business Book

Winner: Passion. Purpose. Profit. by Fiona Killackey

Finalists:

• Magnetic Stories by Gabrielle Dolan
• Generation Alpha by Mark McCrindle, Ashley Fell, Sam Buckerfield

Best Marketing and Publicity

Winner: Flourish for Mums by Sonia Bestulic

Finalists:

• The Secure Board by Claire Pales and Anna Leibel
• Leader by Design by Colleen Callander

Best Cover Design

Winner: Bad Boss by Michelle Gibbings

Finalists:

• From Zero to CEO by Victoria Coster
• Approaching the ‘Pause by Dr Rosie Ross and Joanne Vines
• Spacemaker by Daniel Sih

Best Audiobook

Winner: Why Smart Women Make Bad Decisions by Annie McCubbin

Finalists:

• What’s Your Plan by Suzzanne Laidlaw
• Smart Company, Big Crisis by Bronwyn Reid