Why we wrote this book
A letter from the authors
When we first set out to write our book, we immediately hit a pretty significant roadblock. As the four of us soon-to-be authors sat around chatting about our disdain for run-of-the-mill business or leadership books, we asked ourselves,
“Why would we write yet another ‘business book’ when we disliked them so much?”
They’re lofty, pedantic—and approach business from such a purely hypothetical angle.
We felt like many we’ve read are holding back the truth, plastering over mistakes to look and sound more polished, or holier than thou. Most notably, we didn’t like how dry they are—devoid of any emotion, humanity, and realness. Many of us pick up a book like this intending to learn some profound truth or mind-blowing leadership observation that will kickstart our careers or help us soar past our competitors. But then we hit chapter one and slog through until our eyes roll back in our heads from boredom—or naptime.
Okay, we’re being harsh toward an entire genre of books—but let’s be honest—you’ve noticed it, too. So when we thought about our book and the story we wanted to tell, it needed to different from any "business" or "leadership" book we’ve ever read. Not for you, but for us...and for you.
Yes, we know how that sounds, too,
“We’re different, we promise”
This time, it’s true—“Love As A Business Strategy®” hits different. We crafted something that holds absolutely nothing back from our story. Something that’s so chock full of real-world examples of mistakes, heartbreak, and redemption that it reads more like a juicy exposé than a business book. We steer clear from piety and theoretical concepts and instead share the realities of real people running a real business. A business, as you’ll come to find out, that was on the brink of disaster before ‘love’ took hold. “Love As A Business Strategy®” doesn’t preach or mislead, rather it lays out the blueprints for better business outcomes, and walks you through it step-by-step.
We invite you to give our book a chance—to see yourself and your organization in the stories we share and the lessons we learned along the way. We challenge you to walk this path with us, and maybe even pick up a few new tools to make a real impact in the lives of others—inside and outside of your workplace.
Is this the anti-business book we’ve dreamed of? We’re not quite sure yet, and honestly, that’s not the point of this book. But one thing is certainly true: Every ounce of passion we have for bringing humanity back to the workplace was woven tightly through every paragraph of "Love As A Business Strategy®".
It’s our heart and soul—our love letter to folks wishing and hoping for a better way forward.
Lastly, thank you for giving our story a chance. You can find Love as a Business Strategy® everywhere books are sold.
Straight from the Authors
Writing a book has been a dream of ours for many years, and we can't believe that we can finally say it has come to fruition. Join us as we discuss and celebrate our new book Love as a Business Strategy®: Resilience, Belonging & Success on the day of its launch and make sure to snag your copy today.
About the authors
Mohammad, Chris, Frank, and Jeff are co-creators of the Culture Rise leadership training experience and other culture-building products for Softway and Culture+.
Love as a Business Strategy® is each author’s debut book.
Mohammad Anwar
CEO at Softway
Co-Founder at Culture+
Chris Pitre
VP at Softway
Co-Founder at Culture+
Jeff Ma
Director of Products & Experiences at Softway
Co-Founder at Culture+
Frank Danna
Creative Director
at Softway
Co-Founder at Culture+
Chris Pitre
VP of Softway®
Chris is a student of the world and enjoys anthropology, history, travel, and culinary experiences. His interests in global cultures naturally led him to travel around the world, co-facilitating Seneca Leaders™, a leadership development training program, and managing client relationships globally.
Chris is a native Houstonian who loves everything Beyoncé. He has a BA in Business Administration from The George Washington University in Washington, DC.
Jeff Ma
Director of Products and Experiences
Jeff spent the first decade of his career working in the video game industry, from game testing to project management. He continues to bring his love for games into everything he does, from playing with his kids to training and coaching leaders.
Jeff has a burning passion for board games, magic tricks, Agile, and growth mindsets. He was born and raised in Texas, where he and his beautiful wife, Maggie, dote heavily on their wonderful children, Cody and Penelope.
Frank Danna
Creative Director
Frank, the oldest of six children, can often be found perfecting the art of brewing, drinking, and sharing coffee with friends and family. Frank is an entrepreneur at heart, having successfully sold his first startup at twenty-five.
Frank is a pop culture connoisseur, world traveler, and collector of limited-edition posters. In his spare time, he writes children’s books, makes silly videos, and enjoys fitness. Frank lives in Houston, Texas, with his gorgeous wife Megan and awesome children, Emma and Levi.
Mohammad Anwar
CEO of Softway
Mohammad is the youngest of five children and was born and raised in Saudi Arabia by Indian parents from Bengaluru. He graduated from the University of Houston (Go Coogs) with a BS in Computer Science and started Softway® at twenty, where he still serves as the President and CEO.
Mohammad lives in Sugar Land, Texas, with his amazing wife Yulia, a Russian diver and five-time Olympic medalist, and his beautiful children, Sufia and Moshin. In his spare time, he enjoys fitness, watching college sports, and butchering American idioms.
Love as a Business Strategy®,
but make it a Podcast.
So good you’ll read it twice!
What people are saying about Love as a Business Strategy®
Esmaeil Porsa
MD, MBA, MPH, CCHP-A, President and CEO of Harris Health System
“A brutally honest confession and road map that can help transform the culture of any system or individual willing to do the hard work of changing for the better.”
Kandace Cooks
Head of Diversity and Inclusion at Nuro
“As a diversity and inclusion practitioner, leveraging the insights from Love as a Business Strategy® will propel companies into uncharted territories of success. Love is the most efficient pathway to achieving any form of success. If you and/or your company have the desire to evolve, you must read Love as a Business Strategy®”
Dr. Shaista Khilji
Professor of Human and Organizational Learning at
The George Washington University
“Organizations founded on greed, power, control, and self-centered, shareholder-maximizing strategies have not served us well. We need responsible and humanistic organizations that focus on human dignity and societal well-being. In this book, through the case transformation of Softway®, the authors show us a compelling way to centralize humanity in the workplace. Love as a Business Strategy® is real and much needed to transform the way we organize and lead our organizations. Through their examples and practical tips, the authors weave a story of ‘love in the workplace.’ This transformation is possible! It can be done. Love as a Business Strategy® shows us how. A must-read for all managers, leaders, and C-Suite executives!”
Rod Brace
PhD, Founding Partner of Relia Healthcare Advisors
“Love as a Business Strategy® is the compelling story of one organization's gut-punch realization that success comes from embracing love as a core value.”
