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Love Is the Killer App: How to Win Business and Influence Friends

Tim Sanders (Goodreads Author),

Gene Stone (Goodreads Author)

3.91 · Rating details · 3,038 ratings · 186 reviews

Are you wondering what the next killer app will be? Do you want to know how you can maintain and add to your value during these rapidly changing times? Are you wondering how the word love can even be used in the context of business?

Instead of wondering, read this book and find out how to become a lovecat—a nice, smart person who succeeds in business and in life.

How do you ...more

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Kindle Edition, 236 pages

Published (first published January 1st 2002)

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· 3,038 ratings · 186 reviews

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Mar 31, 2010 Daniel Lundgren rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: recommended-business-books

BIG THOUGHT: In a marketplace of greed and selfishness, love is the killer app that will allow you to stand out from the crowd. Love, or bizlove, (used here in the more specific context of business) is defined as sharing one's knowledge, networks, and compassion with those who you come into contact with who can benefit from it in their business lives.

The knowledge component means reading as many good books on business (and the specifics of what will help you in your job) as you can. Most of thes ...more

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Mar 29, 2010 Parker rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Tim Sanders was in a band, then joined a few small companies, then a startup called Broadcast.com, which was acquired by Yahoo, where he quickly became successful using his "lovecat" strategy.
Being a lovecat means putting warmth, love, and charity into all your business dealings through knowledge, networks, and compassion.

He recommends reading voraciously, then sharing your knowledge with your "bizmates" like a doctor shares prescriptions. He recommends matchmaking people in your network at eve ...more

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Jul 16, 2011 Andy rated it liked it · review of another edition

This weekend, I finished "Love is the Killer App: How to Win Business and Influence Friends" by Tim Sanders. I don’t usually go for motivational, inspirational books, much less books that motivate and inspire my professional life, but I’ve heard several friends and trusted influencers rave about it.

One reason I don’t read those books is in order for the authors to distinguish themselves from others, and because it makes lectures and speaking engagements easier, they speak in buzzwords and simpli ...more

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Mar 14, 2017 Amy marked it as not-going-to-finish · review of another edition

>.>
Lovecats.
I could not take this book seriously. I figured I could get through it because it was short but I am not going to bother anymore. Blahhhh. Boring!

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Dec 04, 2009 Shawn Grimes rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I was hesitant about this book but it's actually pretty good.

Some will criticize it for being too touchy feely and even I can't help but admit that as someone who is adverse to physical expressions of emotions, I'm weary of a huggy work environment. Aside from all the hugging, it has some pretty good ideas for making yourself marketable and admired.

One of the points that the book makes is the importance of sharing knowledge. It gives you good steps for gaining knowledge to share as well, encour ...more

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Mar 30, 2011 Ross rated it really liked it · review of another edition

If you are looking for concrete practical strategies for building business relationships, as well as heartfelt, earnest inspiration to apply it, you have targeted your search successfully by landing on "Love Is The Killer App".

Mr. Sanders teaches us in this book how to practice "bizlove", which is all about sharing. More specifically, it is freely sharing the sources of intangible value which we all have in our (1) knowledge, (2) personal networks, and (3) compassion. The bulk of the book deals If you are looking for concrete practical strategies for building business relationships, as well as heartfelt, earnest inspiration to apply it, you have targeted your search successfully by landing on "Love Is The Killer App".

Mr. Sanders teaches us in this book how to practice "bizlove", which is all about sharing. More specifically, it is freely sharing the sources of intangible value which we all have in our (1) knowledge, (2) personal networks, and (3) compassion. The bulk of the book deals with how to effectively work to build the knowledge, networks, and compassion you have, prepare them for effective sharing, recognize when to share, and follow through on your sharing.

While it is laced throughout with Mr. Sanders' infectious enthusiasm, this book is highly practical. For instance, the "Knowledge" chapter outlines four steps to acquiring and sharing knowledge. Each of these steps are explored in terms of how and why, with concrete examples abounding. In turn, some steps are broken down into sub-steps and similarly explored. While Sanders gives many examples of his own bizlove in practice, he also encourages you to discover and develop your own personal bizlove language, with tips on discovering what works best for you.

For whatever reason, I didn't find the highly autobiographical opening two chapters very compelling, and it wasn't until my third reading attempt that I reached the meat, potatoes, and spice of the rest of the book.

The "Knowledge" and "Network" chapters both employ common-sense strategies, and Sanders frames them attractively... you will want to start consciously applying them immediately! (Example: I took "cliff notes" on this book, and I'm now reviewing it on Amazon). Perhaps the most significant impact on me here is the increased enthusiasm to build my knowledge and networks so that I can use them as means of serving people, whether in business or personal life.

The "Compassion" chapter isn't as developed overall as many other books on the subject, as Sanders acknowledges, but his treatment of how to recognize the best times to "get personal" in the business world was insightful, and new to me.

Mr. Sanders closes with advice regarding some of the challenges that one can encounter attempting to share bizlove, a few stories of bizlove in action (which I found pretty inspirational), and a suggested future reading list.

If you are looking to apply a personal touch to business, make yourself more valuable and memorable to your bizmates, and your time at work more valuable and memorable to you, you will be well-served by reading this. I can see Love Is The Killer App becoming a commonly used reference in my library. ...more

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Jun 26, 2009 Joanna rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This book contains the sort of inspirational mantra that I wish more folks would secretly adopt. Genuinely caring about people, getting to know them and understanding their needs will go farther than the old-school cut-throat business model of stomping on all around you to reach the top of the heap.

I got this book with mixed expectations (I mean, it's inspirational business luv stuff), and found that the first 65 pages were a great lead-in. After that it fell apart for a while as the author talk ...more

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Nov 02, 2014 Katerina rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: informative, business-economics

"Love Is the Killer App" proposes that love (the sensible but selfless promotion of the growth of another) is the key to satisfying business success. Love in the business world (bizlove) involves the sensible sharing of one's knowledge, network and compassion. Sanders devotes a chapter to each of these to show how to put bizlove into action.

I picked this book up because I liked his view of sharing knowledge for the benefit of others. I already believed that love is the best way to interact with ...more

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Feb 16, 2009 Gail rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: business

I'm certainly no expert on business books. But for what that genre is worth, this book is a home run.

Tim Sanders charisma oozes out of the pages of this book and his business philosophy is hard to argue with.

In Sanders' mind, we all need to practice "love business" - the act of intelligently and sensibly sharing what he calls our intangibles (our knowledge, our network and our compassion) with our business partners.

I found themes in the book that applied to both my job at the university and also ...more

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Jul 19, 2007 Sundeep rated it liked it · review of another edition

Two sentence summary: Invest in your network and you’ll reap intangible rewards. Read a lot and share the learnings from what you read with your world.

Recommended? Eh. Sorta. Nothing revolutionary in here, but that’s because this is how I’ve tried to approach my “network” from the beginning. Do what I can for people in my network without expectation of anything in return, and trust that when I need something the door will be open to ask. Right guys? You’ll hook me up when I need ya…right?? Also, ...more

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Feb 21, 2015 Bill Glover rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Sanders recipe for success is three pointed. Be friendly, create a larger network of 'biz-friends', and fanatically read/study books that you can inject into any conversation and disseminate. If folks in the business world become more friendly and more well read, that's a win.
Of course, some of the underlying assumptions of our modern business environment are impressively bleak; namely that you have a job because no one has invented a computer that can replace you (but they are feverishly worki ...more

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May 28, 2014 Stephen Hedlund rated it really liked it · review of another edition

"The difference between having [people's] time and their attention is the difference between ham and eggs. The chicken is involved, but the pig is committed."

"I've looked at all the possibilities, and for the student of business, books are the answer. Books should be your diet's staple because they are the complete thought meal, containing hypotheses, data, research, and conclusions..."

This wasn't the best book I've ever read, but I definitely recommend it. The book's big idea is to inspire the ...more

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Aug 08, 2012 Matthew Lindell rated it liked it · review of another edition

The general premise is the value of sharing our intangibles of knowledge, our network, and compassion with our business contacts. There are some very good practical nuggets of how to get the most out of a business book, how to gain strong networking skills and leverage them, as well as some tools for sharing compassion in the workplace.

On the negative, I found his language to be purposefully sloppy (lovecat, bizworld, littermate) and more of a distraction than of value. There was also a strong " ...more

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Jan 15, 2013 Desiree Loeven rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: do-not-recommend, read-2013

Info book. Encourages people to be compassionate by appealing to the ego. Follows up advice with lines like, "...your compassion makes others view you in a way that money can't buy. You are so money you don't even know it!" Treats compassion and people as commodities to be traded and connected to others for good energy/favors - while heavily denying that's what is suggested/expected.

I have no doubt his tactics work for him, though seeing the inner workings of why and how he propagates the 'love ...more

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May 07, 2013 Andrew Gillette rated it did not like it · review of another edition

I read this book hoping that it would discuss customer/client considerations for software development. I was disappointed. Instead, this book uses new blood silicon valley fluffy speech about how to present yourself; your appearance, and how to basically be a smarmy ass-kisser rather than and individual that has a tangible skill.

My advice: business and policy people will enjoy it. Technical and science people will be sad that they'll never get their time back.

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Mar 14, 2016 Khalil Hamad rated it liked it

I loved the book at beginning till knowledge, I give 5 as a rate , but when sanders start talking about compassion I think he overreacted, you know this world is very superficial.

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May 09, 2009 Carole rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

One of the best books on marketing. It will change your typical views of being in business and the idea of competition. Forget that and become a Lovecat!

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Oct 09, 2007 Michael Lundy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: all

For everyone who loves books

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Dec 03, 2017 Mark Oppenlander rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: business-economics, career-and-vocation, self-help-and-advice

I read this book while doing research for a class on love in business. The title alone was enough to grab my attention; there just aren't that many people who pair the words "love" and "business" in a single sentence. Tim Sanders, a former Yahoo executive, thinks they belong together.

The concept of the book is simple and the writing is fast-paced, filled with personal stories and anecdotes. Sanders argues that starting with a posture of love in the world of business will lead to more success in I read this book while doing research for a class on love in business. The title alone was enough to grab my attention; there just aren't that many people who pair the words "love" and "business" in a single sentence. Tim Sanders, a former Yahoo executive, thinks they belong together.

The concept of the book is simple and the writing is fast-paced, filled with personal stories and anecdotes. Sanders argues that starting with a posture of love in the world of business will lead to more success in our professional lives and more personal satisfaction. He describes this approach as living the "lovecat" way.

Sanders then goes on to break this idea of "bizlove" down into three major areas: sharing of knowledge, sharing of networks and compassion. The first two are straightforward business strategies that build on the idea of "casting your bread on the water" in hopes that it will return home to you "after many days" as described in Ecclesiastes. Sanders feels that the open sharing of resources develops trust and ingratiates you to others, who will then look for ways to serve you in return. He provides practical suggestions on how to do all of this. The third concept of compassion is harder to sell in terms of ROI or other business language, but its clear that Sanders believes it is critical. Whether business gains from caring for others - employees, clients, vendors, etc. - are always clear up front, Sanders argues that loving others does more good than harm. It seems that many of the positive outcomes from compassion that Sanders describes will be to the lover's soul while other positive results will come in terms of deeper, more satisfying business relationships that may eventually lead to professional successes as well.

The major annoyance with this book was Sanders' insistence on using cheesy made-up words and acronyms like lovecat,, bizlives, NSPS or cliff . . . used as a verb. The informal style of the book and the unusual subject matter coupled with the weird use of language makes Sanders sound like a spaced-out surfer dude from California. One begins to wonder how seriously he can be taken.

But Sanders was a successful executive and he is dead serious about all of this. And I believe this book is worthwhile, despite the hippy-dippy tone. In principle, I agree with all of his major points and I would recommend this book for anyone who thinks businesspeople (or "bizfolks") have to be harsh and cruel to succeed. Nice guys can finish first sometimes and Sanders shows us how that happens. ...more

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Apr 13, 2018 Sarah rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: business, non-fiction

If I had to sum up Tim Sanders' book in a phrase, it would be "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you."

Seriously, his whole idea is basically The Golden Rule. Treat others with kindness and compassion; don't view people just for what they can do for you; knowledge isn't just for your own personal use.

The only thing missing is a motivator. Sure, Tim attempts to give motivation for why we should show compassion and love others, but he doesn't have the Truth, so it feels a little empt ...more

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Nov 29, 2012 Kathryn rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: leaders who believe in coaching, building and empowering their team.

Recommended to Kathryn by: An executive coach

Tim Sanders book was read by a team of coworkers. This is their collective review of "Love is the Killer App".

Knowledge, networking and compassion are the tent-poles necessary to be a lovecat...a nice smart successful person.

The first step in becoming a lovecat is to accumulate knowledge says author Tim Sanders. “Knowledge” is an absolute necessity to be a person of value and remain relevant in your career. And, in the process, help others to gain an edge in their careers. The result is that you Tim Sanders book was read by a team of coworkers. This is their collective review of "Love is the Killer App".

Knowledge, networking and compassion are the tent-poles necessary to be a lovecat...a nice smart successful person.

The first step in becoming a lovecat is to accumulate knowledge says author Tim Sanders. “Knowledge” is an absolute necessity to be a person of value and remain relevant in your career. And, in the process, help others to gain an edge in their careers. The result is that you become the go-to person as you acquire and share knowledge. Sanders purports that books be the mainstay for obtaining knowledge because they contain the full depth and breadth of any subject matter; a hypothesis, the research to support it and the outcomes, whereas, magazines and the news media lack depth of information. They tend to be more entertaining and have broad brush overviews.

Accumulating knowledge, according to the author, is laid out as a four step program: (1) aggregation, (2) encoding, (3) processing and (4) application. Aggregation is choosing books that help you own your own job. So choose key words that are important or relevant and search for books that contain those key words on the jacket or in a book review online. Step 2 is encoding. Underline important points in your book and make notes in the margins. Get a clear understanding of the main statements so you can share with others. Then, process the information by reading your notes and writing a review of the book. Find a group to discuss the book. The last step is application which is simply using or sharing your acquired knowledge in the workplace. The more you share it, the more you get in return. It builds strong relationships both internally in your organization and externally with clients or vendors.

Sanders’ approach to “networking” is a lot more dedicated than simply collecting business cards & storing them for future reference. He proposes we use the contacts we make and figure out how we can MATCH them with others in our network to create business relationships. In short, he wants us to be business matchmakers.

After reading through the chapter, his BIG IDEA makes a lot of sense and applies to his ‘’lovecat” way. His theory is that in business, you get ahead by helping others. It’s not always what you know, it’s who you know. According to Sanders’ philosophy, those you know will think of you more & be willing to help you out more if you’ve gone out of your way to help them. By connecting others, you’re creating, as Sanders states, a “unique, one-in-a-million business relationship with which you are forever linked to.” This in turn, can potentially open up a wealth of new networking opportunities for you.

Sanders offers great, practical advice that anybody can use to become a networking “lovecat”. His approach is a deep commitment & may perhaps even be a lifestyle change for some. This is because you have to get into the mindset of thinking about others first. Furthermore, you can’t expect anything in return, because people will be less willing to do business with you if they think you want some sort of payback. You’re putting faith that by helping others, you become someone worth remembering & keeping in continuous contact. As a result, that recognition will lead to people referring you more, thus increasing your network & its value. This philosophy can definitely be hard for some to embrace, especially in today’s “me first, get ahead” business society.

Overall though, it is a sound approach & something worth practicing, even if you don’t fully embrace the idea at first. At the very least, start small. Change begins with taking that first step, and start by connecting with one contact, it will give you a chance to see if this is something worth pursuing or not. It might be something you enjoy doing, but never thought you would.

“Compassion”…. It’s so easy to take everything for granted day to day. To fall into patterns where you dismiss people or don’t give them your full attention due to distractions or other priorities or bias. But Sander’s chapter on “Compassion” strikes a resounding chord. It’s not an easy thing to be a “love cat” as the definition of the book outlines it. It takes continual work and effort and a lot of times being outside a comfort zone. To some people this seems to come naturally to but to others, it’s a learned process. A relationship develops over time and it’s much easier to keep it superficial and light than to make the effort to involve emotions and feelings. It takes a willingness to commit, care and be compassionate.
Compassion is often reserved for the underdog, sick, injured, or lost souls compassion can also be felt in any circumstance. When you take the time to consider another person’s viewpoint and realize they have value regardless of whether you agree with them or not, when you can put aside your differences and put yourself in their shoes, that demonstrates true compassion. When you can rise above your own stubborn beliefs and righteousness and know that everyone just wants to be loved and accepted, as a basic human need, you reap the benefits. It can’t be forced or faked, but must be sincere and unconditional. Compassion is being able to take you outside yourself and consider another person’s needs and wishes first and making the effort to connect with them emotionally resulting in a positive, rewarding relationship for you both. You have the reward of self-satisfaction and they have the reward of knowing you care about their welfare.

Sanders’ effectively discusses the benefits of embracing knowledge, lots of it. And then sharing that knowledge with your network of contacts…and becoming a business matchmaker. He suggests that we be genuinely compassionate towards our coworkers, business partners and contacts, and to ourselves…we will be “lovecats”…nice, smart people who succeed.
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May 22, 2017 Mark Youngkin rated it really liked it

This is the first secular business book I've read in a long time. It has some tertiary application to ministry, but I'll have to spend time with it later in the year to develop them and hopefully apply them to some of the classes I teach.

Sanders, a Yahoo! executive, believes and has proven that you can be successful in business by being a "lovecat" - the opposite of the "mad dogs" I've encountered at every step in my career. Nice, Smart People Succeed is his mantra, and it's certainly something ...more

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May 09, 2017 Mark Youngkin rated it really liked it

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Mar 08, 2017 Paige rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2017, blinkist, worth-re-reading

Worth reading again - Great look at how to make an impact on your career and workplace. Excellent POV for CEOs & helpful for managers.

Notes:

This is not love in the sentimental or physical sense – love in business, which involves smartly offering your three intangible qualities: knowledge, network and compassion.

First, knowledge is all the information you’ve gained and will continue to gain, whether you picked it up at school, work, or taught it to yourself.

Second is your network – your web Worth reading again - Great look at how to make an impact on your career and workplace. Excellent POV for CEOs & helpful for managers.

Notes:

This is not love in the sentimental or physical sense – love in business, which involves smartly offering your three intangible qualities: knowledge, network and compassion.

First, knowledge is all the information you’ve gained and will continue to gain, whether you picked it up at school, work, or taught it to yourself.

Second is your network – your web of relationships and potential collaborators. Your network lays the foundation for your success because without it, you can’t apply your knowledge.

Last is compassion, your ability to warmly attend to those around you in a way that supports their growth. This last quality is key because the way people feel about you is much more important than the way they think about you.

Instead, be the knowledgeable guy, a move that will propel your career forward. It’s simple: just learn enough that you can share your knowledge with others. This works because knowledge is powerful and consequential. Being able to offer it will give your career the edge it needs to advance.

Tips for training knowledge as you read:

The first trick to reading a book is to encode it, which means actively reading so you digest everything. A good strategy is to always write while you read. In fact, oftentimes when you underline something slowly you’re also forced to reread the sentence, thereby aiding your memory.

The second step is processing, which means being certain that you’ve properly taken in everything you’ve highlighted. You can do this by going over major sections before moving on, thereby enhancing your comprehension. Another great strategy is to commit to a once-weekly review of one or two past books.

The last step is application, a time during which you share your newly gained knowledge at work. First it’s essential to know what you’re going to share by visualizing a discussion. When you put down your book, be sure to summarize the key points in your head

Build your network by collecting people, keeping track of their wants, needs, and value, and connect them. Call people by their name and make them feel good about themselves ...more

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Sep 07, 2017 Garrett Maroon rated it really liked it

Very good read and detailed explanation of how to lead our relationships with love and the impact that has on those around us and in turn, our careers. The author encourages the reader to focus more on giving to those around them, expecting nothing in return. Through the principles in the book we can truly influence and encourage those around us which, as a result, grows our own value in the marketplace

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Aug 31, 2018 Steven Reames rated it it was amazing

Recently reread one of my favorite business books built on such a simple premise: share with everybody! Share your knowledge that you're constantly adding to through reading. Share your network that you're constantly building through introductions. Share your compassion and kindness in genuinely meaningful ways. I love this concept so much that I've listed the premise on my Linked In profile for years.

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Jun 24, 2018 Phil Levy rated it it was amazing

Three concepts to devoting a value added personal brand.

This very readable and entertaining book prescribes three interrelated aspects for becoming a true business resource to clients, associated and vendors. It also relates to social contacts. These aspects are; knowledge, networking sharing and dealing with others with loving kindness. Well worth reading.

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Jan 14, 2018 L rated it it was ok

This book is random, and leads to many dead end roads. I don't know if it is because the references are no longer relevant that it seemed cheesy, but it comes across as if this guy has what he believes is this incredible revelation about "love and the workplace" and feels it is his calling to share. For me it lacked depth, and meaning. I am still hungry after reading...

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Sep 02, 2018 Cassandra rated it liked it

Shelves: self-help, own-physical

Tim Sanders is a bit cheesy in his language, but I found it entertaining. The book has more words than it needs to explain the primary points: pay it forward by supporting people, sharing ideas and connections; always have new ideas to share by staying up to date on the latest by reading.

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Jun 05, 2018 Jill Nowicki rated it liked it

Shelves: 2018

It was ok - heard all of the content before in different places. Can be summed up by treat people well and read lots of books. I agree completely with the concepts but have heard them from others in a more appealing way.

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