Brett Atlas's Blog

In my book Three Things Matter Most, I conclude that time is the most valuable resource we have, and the choices we make will make all the difference. For those just beginning a career -or even interviewing for their first internship- there is no better use of time than unlocking the indispensable professional wisdom found in the pages of these five books. Truth be told, I could recommend 20 books you should read, but these five alone will give you (or your children) a boost in confidence and the critical insights to leap closer to whatever the ultimate goals may be. 

Rejection Proof by Jia Jiang

There is nothing more self-destructive than insecurity and fear of rejection, and if you aren’t completely comfortable asking for what you want, then start right here. Jia Jang’s short book is a brilliant account of his experiment to spend 100 days pushing the envelope to fight through rejection. It is both entertaining and insightful, with the obvious lesson shining through clearly by the end. 

Getting There: A Book of Mentors by Gillian Zoe Segal

An easy-to-read compilation of short stories about some of the most successful businesspeople in the world. Whether you read it piece-by-piece or in a single sitting, it is an incredible window into the highs and lows of a career. There are very few overnight success stories, and nearly everyone points to the biggest mistake they made as the most valuable lesson they learned.   

Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson

Actual interpersonal communication skills are in high demand and short supply for younger people these days, particularly with the ubiquity of smartphones and other technological advances. There will never be a replacement for the skills and willingness to have direct conversations, particularly when it feels awkward or uncomfortable. There are basic lessons here, but don’t confuse that with unimportant. 

The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel

You could read a half-dozen books and still not get the breadth of value Morgan Housel delivers in The Psychology of Money. It’s an easy read that mixes the art of growing money intelligently along with different perspectives about money itself. The earlier in life you think about these ideas, the more impact they can have in so many ways. 

The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday 

The Daily Stoic is intended to be read a page at a time, each day for a year. It won’t be a surprise if, when you finish the book, you start over and continue reading a page a day. Like I did. Life wisdom that has held up for centuries from some of the greatest minds in antiquity. Making important life decisions requires having the right counsel, and it would be difficult to find better companions than the Stoics.  

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Well, that was certainly not what I expected.

As my friend and distributor specialist Pep Cavazos pulled onto I-29, neither of us was quite sure whether we were leaving Weston, Missouri or Bardstown, Kentucky. Back in 1804, on the same spot we just left, Lewis and Clark discovered a limestone spring just off the Missouri River. In 1856, the Holladay brothers build a distillery there. And today, we share the joy of discovery about this special place you’re going to hear more and more from.

McCormick (where Holladay is produced) is the oldest distillery West of the Mississippi still operating in its original location.

Cistern for the limestone spring water

The bonded cave, where experimental finishes are taking place

About the Distillery

For me, bourbon is about sharing- experiences, relationships, and a connection to history. The McCormick Distillery, where the resurgent Holladay brand is produced, checks these boxes as well as any place I’ve visited. It’s exactly what today’s bourbon universe needs, and, yet, it’s been here for longer than many of the best-known distilleries.   

Column still and doubler

Rickhouse A

Rickhouse B

I spent the day exploring and literally climbing around through seven-story rickhouses. The grounds and facilities are historic and beautiful. I had visions of waking up at the distillery and bringing coffee and a book outside the bonded cave as the stream rolled by. Repurposed materials are all over the property. A rickhouse was converted into executive offices and a bar. A lightning-struck tree was carved into a table. They even turned Maker’s Mark’s very first still into a featured bar for the spectacular event space!

From former rickhouse to current bar and executive offices

Maker’s Mark’s first still repurposed as a bar for the Holladay event space

Comms Mgr Jordan Germano puts the final touches on the “Taste With the Masters” event setup

Taste With the Masters

The event space is where I was invited to join the incredibly knowledgeable and accomplished Maggie Kimberl and McCormick Master Distiller Kyle Merklein on a panel for “Taste With the Masters” that evening, where we sipped Holladay whiskey alongside 50 guests and discussed a myriad of topics.

With Maggie Kimberl and Master Distiller Kyle Merklein

The “Taste With the Masters” lineup included:

Holladay Soft Red WheatHolladay Soft Red Wheat Rickhouse ProofBen Holladay Bottled-In-BondBen Holladay One Barrel Bourbon: “Shorty”Experimental Collection from the Finishing Cave – French Oak Heavy Toast

“Taste With the Masters” Lineup (minus the Experimental Cave pour)

About the Bourbons

I reviewed the Ben Holladay Bottled-In-Bond bourbon last year, and since then, Kyle’s been busy. All expressions are six years old and none are under 100 proof. He’s using the bonded cave to experiment with barrel finishes, but the underlying integrity of the bourbon keeps Holladay firmly connected to the past. Why else would they wait an extra two years to release their bottled-in-bond bourbons? These people know what they’re doing, have the partners to support the vision, and the patience to see it through 

After cooking the grains at two different temperatures, they are fermented here.

The new soft red wheated bourbons are excellent, and are offered at both 100 proof and rickhouse proof. The corn and wheat is grown in Missouri. Like many other distilleries, McCormick gets its barrels from Independent Stave in (where else?) Missouri.

Most exciting to me, they’ve recently launched a “One Barrel” program for private selections, but you’re going to have to come to Weston to do it. They won’t be sending sample kits to gas stations and Kyle won’t select one for you. You’ll do it the right way or you won’t do it. True authenticity doesn’t make exceptions.

A bourbon friend, Ryan Hopkins, brought his “One Man Wolf Pack” group to McCormick recently, and he generously sent me their excellent One Barrel to try, which gave me high hopes for Holladay’s barrel program. That enthusiasm was magnified when the “Taste With the Masters” guests were treated to the distillery’s now-legendary “Shorty” One Barrel. Everyone wanted to buy a bottle of the chewy showstopper. Unfortunately, it’s not for sale and only available to taste when you visit (while it lasts). Such is the magic of a true honey barrel. 

Is your future “One Barrel” selection in here?

As with most things in life, it ultimately comes down to the people. Everyone on team Holladay understands hospitality. Thoughtfulness is not something they do; It’s who they are. I was fortunate to spend quality time with key business and production members. At every turn, I was continually surprised and impressed. But more importantly, I paid attention to how they treated each other and guests of the distillery. Like the history and the bourbon, this too was truly authentic. 

Holladay bourbon may be back, but it isn’t new. The more you soak up its past, the more excited you’ll be about its future. I was honored to be invited as a panelist for their event, but I’m excited to return as a fan of the people, the property, and of course, the products.

Special thank-you’s to Noelle and Joe for the thoughtfulness and surprises. Thank you to Mick, Patrick (and your lovely spouses), Matt, Jordan and Kyle for your incredible hospitality. And, of course, thank you to Pep for being the perfect companion for this trip.

I wasn’t joking about climbing through the rickhouses!

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The Independent Author Network honored Three Things Matter Most by Brett Atlas as the Outstanding Non-Fiction Book of the Year in the Self-Help/How-To category.

For a complete list of winners and finalists, click here

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I am incredibly excited to announce that I have been recognized as a Book Excellence Award Finalist for my book, Three Things Matter Most: Linking Time, Relationships, and Money in the Self-Help Category.

Out of thousands of books that were entered into the Book Excellence Awards competition, my book was selected for its high quality writing, design and overall market appeal.

To view my complete award listing, you can visit it: here.

The book was released in Fall 2021 and is a guide to help each person identify the most important and meaningful things in their lives, and provide the motivation to make the most of them.

The book is perfect for anyone age 18 and older.

You can get a copy for yourself at Amazon.

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Omaha, NE — The READER VIEWS LITERARY AWARDS recognized Three Things Matter Most: Linking Time, Relationships, and Money by Omaha author Brett Atlas in the category of Self-Help as a Bronze Award Winner.

The competition is judged by reviewers throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. The Reader Views Literary Awards program is recognized industry-wide as one of the most respected literary awards programs for independent authors and publishers. 

In Three Things Matter Most: Linking Time, Relationships, and Money, author Brett Atlas provides a collection of insights that influence the way people set priorities in their lives. Drawing from centuries-old wisdom, philosophy, psychology and personal experiences, Atlas explains that as the pace of our lives increases, we often lose track of the basics that actually determine the quality of our lives. 

Atlas says, “The book is ultimately a guide to help readers identify what the most important and meaningful things are in their lives, and then provide the motivation to make the most of them.” 

AUSTIN, Texas – March 7, 2022 – PRLog — Each year Reader Views, a book review and author publicity service, hosts its annual literary awards to honor self-published or independently published authors. The awards are open to all independent authors, regardless of residency, provided the book is published in the English language and targeted toward the North American reading audience.

Prizes are awarded in various categories and include children’s fiction and non-fiction by age groups; numerous adult fiction genres such as fantasy, LGBTQIA, historical fiction, poetry, romance, and science fiction. Non-fiction categories include biography, business, health, spirituality, travel and writing/publishing. Regional categories and Global categories are also honored, along with several sponsored awards, with prizes ranging from $2,500 in cash to featured marketing and publicity services.

The judges consist of the Reader Views staff, and team of reviewers. Reviewers are avid readers and experts in their fields, and they are representative of an author’s target reading audience. Judging criteria is content/originality, presentation/design, innovation, social relevance, production quality, enjoyment/impact, plot/story line, and resourcefulness. All authors entering the contest have their books read and scored, and the books are guaranteed a review placed on the Reader Views website. Three finalists (or more in the event of ties) are selected in each category before final determinations are made each Spring.

Sheri Hoyte, managing editor of Reader Views, states, “Each year, millions of books are published, and Reader Views is pleased to offer the opportunity through our literary awards program, for much-needed and much-deserved publicity for quality books in a wide range of genres and categories. We are honored so many authors have come to appreciate our commitment and expertise, and we value the opportunity to do what we love every single day – represent independent authors and get the news out about their books.”

Sponsors of the annual event are BookFunnel, B.A. Bellec’s Production Studio, Conversations Media, Marquette Fiction, Cardinal Points Consulting, Author Marketing Experts, The Barefoot Librarian, Feathered Quill Book Reviews, Book by Book Publicity, First Chapter Plus, I Have Something to Say Press, and Inside Scoop Live.  

For a complete list of the 2021/2022 Literary Awards Winners, and for more information about how to enter the upcoming 2022-2023 Literary Awards, visit readerviews.com/literaryawards/.

About Reader Views

Reader Views is dedicated to helping Indie authors spread the word about their books by providing affordable, personalized services, creating the right platform for each independent author, book by book. For more information visit www.Readerviews.com. 

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‘Three Things Matter Most: Linking Time, Relationships, and Money’ is a finalist for the Reader Views 2021-2022 Literary Awards! Click here to see the complete list of finalists.

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On February 1st, I joined Annette van de Kamp-Wright and Jennie Gates Beckman from the Jewish Federation of Omaha to kick off their brand new Local Author Series with a discussion of my book Three Things Matter Most: Linking Time, Relationships, and Money.

Open article and then click here to watch!

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Click the link to read Newschannel Nebraska article

https://metro.newschannelnebraska.com/story/45438940/nebraska-author-learns-teaches-lessons-through-book?fbclid=IwAR3RzeMjkTQ-4PopgnwQpBQlsE7nZUTc0KLGbMf0fZZ05xbK5GmjU5fw47M

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Open the post and click here to check it out!

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