Lightning in a Bottle by David Baum

David Baum is a renowned speaker and consultant, and is a nationally respected expert in deep and sustainable change. His clients have ranged from Oprah Winfrey to Jane Goodall and former President Bill Clinton.

David’s book, Lightning in a Bottle: Proven Lessons for Positive Change, has been a source of inspiration for leaders, CEOs, and managers in every discipline since its initial publication in 2000, but David wanted to add additional content to the book, update its design, and create an eBook version. Our goal was to create a design that lived up to the content, and conveyed David’s creativity and playfulness (he literally eats fire and once joined a traveling circus).

The playful graphic cover uses mid-century modern book design as its touchstone. The color scheme, simple graphics, and halftone pattern in the lightning bolt were inspired by publishers like Penguin, Meridian, and New Directions (especially the work of Alvin Lustig, who created memorable book covers for New Directions in the 40s and 50s).

Lightning in a Bottle is comprised of over 70 short chapters. It’s the kind of book you want to keep in your bag or briefcase and open for a quick dose of inspiration. Because portability was important, we chose smaller dimensions for the volume, ensuring it could slip easily into a purse or suit pocket.

We copyedited Lightning in a Bottle, helped David select new material, redesigned both the cover and the interior, created a print and eBook, and did all of the logistical setup on Amazon.