--- title: "Book Lovers Day: Recos from Mike, Payworks' President" description: This year, we’re checking in with our very own Chief Operating Officer Mike Penman to find out more about some of the all-time favourite books on his shelf. image: https://blog.payworks.ca/hubfs/ILTRMonth_Feb10.jpg --- [Skip to main content](https://blog.payworks.ca/book-lovers-day-recos-from-mike-our-payworks-president#maincontent) [Skip to footer](https://blog.payworks.ca/book-lovers-day-recos-from-mike-our-payworks-president#footer-en) ![Checking in with our company President for his Book Lovers Day recos. ](https://blog.payworks.ca/hubfs/BlogBanner_BookLover_Aug9.jpg) # Book Lovers Day: Recos from Mike, Payworks' President Aug 09, 2024 [Resources](https://blog.payworks.ca/tag/resources) ![Payworks](https://blog.payworks.ca/hubfs/Payworks%20February%202019/Images/inTheLoop-ring-150px.png) Payworks Share this article [![Share this on Facebook.](https://blog.payworks.ca/hubfs/Payworks%20February%202019/Images/button.gif)](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://blog.payworks.ca/book-lovers-day-recos-from-mike-our-payworks-president) [![Share this on Twitter.](https://blog.payworks.ca/hubfs/Payworks%20February%202019/Images/button.gif)](http://twitter.com/share?text=A%20great%20article%20from%20Payworks!&url=https://blog.payworks.ca/book-lovers-day-recos-from-mike-our-payworks-president) [![Share this on LinkedIn.](https://blog.payworks.ca/hubfs/Payworks%20February%202019/Images/button.gif)](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://blog.payworks.ca/book-lovers-day-recos-from-mike-our-payworks-president&title=&summary=&source) Looking to give your summer reading list a boost? [As always](https://blog.payworks.ca/book-lovers-day-recos-from-amanda-one-of-our-marketing-stars?hsLang=en-ca), we’re here to mark National Book Lovers Day (that’s today!) with some recos hand-picked for you by a member of [our very own crew](https://blog.payworks.ca/book-lovers-day-recos-from-jenn-our-vp-hr?hsLang=en-ca)! ![Headshot of Mike Penman, Payworks’ Chief Operating Officer, who is wearing a navy blue suit jacket and smiling.](https://blog.payworks.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Michael-Penman_approved-1.jpg?width=146&height=183&name=Michael-Penman_approved-1.jpg)     This year, we’re checking in with [Payworks' President Michael Penman](https://www.payworks.ca/about-us/media/article/2024/11/05/michael-penman-announced-as-payworks--new-president) to find out more about some of the all-time favourite books on his shelf. For inspiration on managing your money and your team, read on… *Photo: Mike Penman, Payworks’ President*   ## The Wealthy Barber: The Common Sense Guide to Successful Financial Planning ### By David Chilton **Mike says:** “[This personal financial planning book](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2674.The_Wealthy_Barber) was written and published over three decades ago, but is just as relevant today as it was back then. It’s trend-proof advice, written in a way that makes it accessible even to those who are brand-new to thinking about how to manage their money. This is a great book to read early in your working years so that you start off on the right foot!” **About the Author:** David Chilton is a Canadian-born author, investor and television personality (you may remember him from *Dragons’ Den*!) who has sold over five million copies of The Wealthy Barber and The Wealthy Barber Returns. ## Money-Smart Kids: Teach Your Children Financial Confidence and Control ### By Gail Vaz-Oxlade **Mike says:** “[This is a fantastic read](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13077317-money-smart-kids) for parents of young kids who want to make sure they’re well-equipped and not afraid when it comes to spending and saving money. The author really drives home the importance of communication around best practices at a young age, and letting your kids make mistakes and learn for themselves now while the stakes are still low. As a dad to two young kids myself, I couldn’t recommend it more!” **About the Author:** Gail Vaz-Oxlade is the former host of financial planning reality TV shows *Til Debt Do Us Part* and *Princess*, as well as a bestselling author of several personal finance books. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team ### By Patrick Lencioni **Mike says:** “[I would recommend this book](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21343.The_Five_Dysfunctions_of_a_Team) to those who are leading pretty much any kind of team – whether in the business world, sports, or otherwise. It’s written in a way that’s very narrative and engaging, and you’re sure to see familiar traits in each of the ‘characters’ you meet throughout the book. As an exploration of the key areas of team failure, it’s relatable and inspiring. Definitely a must-read!” **About the Author:** Patrick Lencioni is the author of 13 books, which have sold over eight million copies and been translated into more than 30 languages, and one of the founders of The Table Group: a firm “dedicated to making companies more successful and work more fulfilling.”   Looking for more ideas from the Payworks team (along with legislative explainers, updates on how to best leverage Payworks’ workforce management solutions, warm-and-fuzzy community news, and a whole lot more)? Subscribe to theWorks blog for a monthly roundup of insights delivered straight to your inbox: [https://www.payworks.ca/landing-pages/campaigns/subscribe-to-theworks-blog](https://www.payworks.ca/landing-pages/campaigns/subscribe-to-theworks-blog). Key topics in this article: [Resources](https://blog.payworks.ca/tag/resources)[Finance](https://blog.payworks.ca/tag/finance)[HR Management](https://blog.payworks.ca/tag/hr-management)[Payroll Management](https://blog.payworks.ca/tag/payroll-management) These articles are produced by Payworks as an information service. They are not intended to substitute professional legal, regulatory, tax, or financial advice. Readers must rely on their own advisors, as applicable, for such advice. 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Curious what better Canadian workforce management looks like in action (and how much time you could reclaim in your day-to-day)? Book a pressure-free, get-to-know you demo today. [REQUEST A DEMO](https://www.payworks.ca/landing-pages/campaigns/book-a-demo) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Payworks", "url" : "https://blog.payworks.ca/author/payworks" }, "dateModified" : "2026-01-13T21:43:22.001Z", "datePublished" : "2024-08-09T13:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "Book Lovers Day: Recos from Mike, Payworks' President", "image" : [ "https://blog.payworks.ca/hubfs/ILTRMonth_Feb10.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.payworks.ca/book-lovers-day-recos-from-mike-our-payworks-president", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.payworks.ca/hubfs/Payworks.png" }, "name" : "Payworks" } } ```