My name is Sara Colée

I’m a brand strategist, creative entrepreneur, and community builder with a passion for purpose-driven business. I’ve embarked on an exciting quest to pursue an MBA at the Saïd Business School, Oxford University. Over the next year, I’m diving deep into a self-designed pre-MBA curriculum, and I’d be thrilled to have you alongside me on this adventure.

The Game Plan

To prepare for Oxford, I’ve set a personal challenge:

Weekly Reading: One book per week, spanning topics like business, creativity, strategy, and personal growth.

The Oxford Ten Newsletter: Each month, I’ll distill some of my favorite readings into ten key insights and share them directly with you.

This approach not only sharpens my analytical skills but also fosters a community of lifelong learners eager to grow together.

What’s in It for You?

This isn’t just about me getting into Oxford, it’s about building a community of curious minds who want to grow together.

Every month, The Oxford Ten gives you:

Fresh insights from books that go beyond buzzwords
Real reflections from a creative, non-traditional mind
Fuel for your own goals, whether you’re leading a team, launching something new, or simply evolving

You’ll walk away each month with sharp ideas, relatable lessons, and maybe even a book to add to your own stack. If you’re the kind of person who loves thoughtful growth with a bit of edge, welcome. You’re in the right place.

Join The Oxford Ten

If this journey resonates with you, I invite you to subscribe to The Oxford Ten on Substack. It’s free, insightful, and lands in your inbox monthly. You can unsubscribe anytime, no hard feelings!

Have a book that’s profoundly impacted you? I’d love your recommendations. Whether it’s on business, creativity, or personal growth, I’m always eager for great reads.

Being part of a supportive community is invaluable, and I’m excited to have you with me on this journey.

Warm regards,

Sara Colée

The Reading List

Below is the curated list of books I’ll be exploring, in no particular order. Each month, I’ll share my top ten takeaways in The Oxford Ten newsletter. You can access all editions on my Substack archive.

Subscribe to My Oxford 10 Substack

✔️ HBR 10 Must Read: Emotional Intelligence

✔️ Dweck, C (2006) Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, New York: Ballantine Books.

✔️ Murphy, M (2024) Culture of Growth: How the New Science of Mindset Can Transform Individuals, Teams, and Organizations. New York: Harper Business

HBR 10 Must Read: Mental Toughness

✔️ Ariely, D. (2008), Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces that Shape Our Decisions, London: Harper Collins.

✔️ Bilton, N. (2014), Hatching Twitter: A True Story of Money, Power, Friendship, and Betrayal, USA: Portfolio Penguin.

Brooks, J. (1969) Business Adventures: Twelve Classic Tales from the World of Wall Street, London: John Murray Press.

Carreyrou, J. (2018) Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup, New York: Knopf.

Horowitz, B. (2014) The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building Business When There Are No Easy Answers, New York: Harper Business

Goldratt, E. M. (1984) The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement, USA: North River Press.

Porter, M. E., Davenport, T. H., Daugherty P., Wilson H. J. (2018) HBR 10 Must Reads AI, Analytics, and the New Machine Age, Harvard Business Review.

Heath, C., Heath, D. (2008), Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Take Hold and Others Come Unstuck, London: Penguin Random House.

Lewis, M. (1989) Liar's Poker: Rising through the Wreckage on Wall Street, New York: Norton.

Lewis, M. (2003) Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game, New York: Norton.

Mayer, C. (2019) Prosperity: Better business makes the greater good, Oxford: Oxford University Press.