September Business Book : The Tipping Point, How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell

Last month’s business book, which I’m just getting around to blogging about today, was Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point.   Through interesting stories and studies of the human condition, Gladwell examines the tipping point of various things.  The spark that made something go from good to great.

My favorite example was about a nurse beginning a campaign to increase knowledge and awareness of diabetes and breast cancer in the African American community of San Diego.  She set up seminars in black churches, but wasn’t successful at getting the buzz and high numbers of people attending that she hoped for.  She realized she needed to find a captive audience.  People were too tired and hungry after service on Sundays.  The tipping point?  Beauty shops.  Women have to sit around anyway while they’re waiting in the hair salon, so why not spread the message there through the natural conversationalists doing the haircutting and styling.  Her program worked and it’s a great example of searching for the tipping point.