Forget good to great - a great employee remarkable.

Great employees are reliable, dependable, proactive, diligent, great leaders and great followers... they possess a wide range of easily-defined—but hard to find—qualities.

A few hit the next level. Some employees are remarkable, possessing qualities that may not appear on performance appraisals but nonetheless make a major impact on performance.

Here are eight qualities of remarkable employees:

1. They ignore job descriptions. The smaller the company, the more important it is that employees can think on their feet, adapt quickly to shifting priorities, and do whatever it takes, regardless of role or position, to get things done.

When a key customer's project is in jeopardy, remarkable employees know without being told there's a problem and jump in without being asked—even if it's not their job.

2. They’re eccentric... The best employees are often a little different: quirky, sometimes irreverent, even delighted to be unusual. They seem slightly odd, but in a really good way. Unusual personalities shake things up, make work more fun, and transform a plain-vanilla group into a team with flair and flavor.

People who aren't afraid to be different naturally stretch boundaries and challenge the status quo, and they often come up with the best ideas.

3. But they know when to dial it back. An unusual personality is a lot of fun... until it isn't. When a major challenge pops up or a situation gets stressful, the best employees stop expressing their individuality and fit seamlessly into the team.

Remarkable employees know when to play and when to be serious; when to be irreverent and when to conform; and when to challenge and when to back off. It’s a tough balance to strike, but a rare few can walk that fine line with ease.

4. They publicly praise... Praise from a boss feels good. Praise from a peer feels awesome, especially when you look up to that person.

Remarkable employees recognize the contributions of others, especially in group settings where the impact of their words is even greater.

5. And they privately complain. We all want employees to bring issues forward, but some problems are better handled in private. Great employees often get more latitude to bring up controversial subjects in a group setting because their performance allows greater freedom.

Remarkable employees come to you before or after a meeting to discuss a sensitive issue, knowing that bringing it up in a group setting could set off a firestorm.

6. They speak when others won’t. Some employees are hesitant to speak up in meetings. Some are even hesitant to speak up privately.

An employee once asked me a question about potential layoffs. After the meeting I said to him, “Why did you ask about that? You already know what's going on.” He said, “I do, but a lot of other people don't, and they're afraid to ask. I thought it would help if they heard the answer from you.”

Remarkable employees have an innate feel for the issues and concerns of those around them, and step up to ask questions or raise important issues when others hesitate.

7. They like to prove others wrong. Self-motivation often springs from a desire to show that doubters are wrong. The kid without a college degree or the woman who was told she didn't have leadership potential often possess a burning desire to prove other people wrong.

Education, intelligence, talent, and skill are important, but drive is critical. Remarkable employees are driven by something deeper and more personal than just the desire to do a good job.

8. They’re always fiddling. Some people are rarely satisfied (I mean that in a good way) and are constantly tinkering with something: Reworking a timeline, adjusting a process, tweaking a workflow.

Great employees follow processes. Remarkable employees find ways to make those processes even better, not only because they are expected to… but because they just can't help it.

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Stages of Sleep

Every 60-100 minutes we go through a cycle of four stages of sleep

• Stage 1 is a drowsy, relaxed state between being awake and sleeping - breathing slows, muscles relax, heart rate drops
• Stage 2 is slightly deeper sleep - you may feel awake and this means that, on many nights, you may be asleep and not know it
• Stage 3 and Stage 4, or Deep Sleep - it is very hard to wake up from Deep Sleep because this is when there is the lowest amount of activity in your body
• After Deep Sleep, we go back to Stage 2 for a few minutes, and then enter Dream Sleep - also called REM (rapid eye movement) sleep - which, as its name suggests, is when you dream

In a full sleep cycle, a person goes through all the stages of sleep from one to four, then back down through stages three and two, before entering dream sleep

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Social Media Tools You Should Be Using NOW

Social media is everywhere. It's in our homes, places of worship, schools and, of course, our businesses. Everywhere you look, people are using social media and are talking about it. And it seems that every week a new type of social site pops up.

And as the number of social networking sites grows, so does the number of services that are created to measure, track and monitor those services. What's a marketing professional to do?

To help you cut through the clutter, here are the 10 must-use social media tools that can not only help you make sense of your social media efforts but make them more effective.

1. EditFlow
EditFlow is a plugin from open source content management system WordPress that allows you to manage your editorial team seamlessly.

With it, you can get a snapshot of your month-to-month content with the calendar feature. It also offers improvedcontent status beyond WordPress' default draft and pending review. And user groups can help you keep your team of writers organized by department or function.

Who should use it and why: Any business owner who manages a multi-author website should give EditFlow a look. This tool can keep all of the things that are important to a multi-author blog in one spot so management is easy, clean and documented.

2. TweetReach
This tool allows you to see how far your tweets travel. For example, with TweetReach I can search my blog and come up with these results. It breaks down how many people your messages reach and how many tweets it took to reach them. For instance, TweetReach can tell you how many times your tweets have been shared by retweets, replies and other standard tweets.

Who should use it and why: From a social media manager to a small-business owner, basically anybody who is interested in finding out how effective his or her tweets are based upon the number of people they touch should consider using TweetReach. It can also useful from a metric standpoint in terms of justifying the results of your social media campaigns with senior management or partners.

3. ArgyleSocial
This Durham, N.C.-based startup is a social media platform that aims to help marketers connect the business dots with the social media dots. ArgyleSocial offers a single dashboard to monitor Facebook and Twitter that allows you to delegate tasks to your team. It also offers easy reporting on the ROI of your social media efforts.

If you'd like to be an affiliate, you can use ArgyleSocial's white label brand and resell the social media platform to your clients. All of your accounts can be wrapped up into one bill and sent to you to distribute or absorb as an included service.

Who should use it and why: From the social media manager to the one-person business that needs to prove to management, clients or themselves that their social media campaign is paying off.

4. HootSuite for iPad
HootSuite users should be happy with this iPad application. It includes a stationary column in the sidebar that keeps track of all streams being tracked.

Among the other things HootSuite says you can do with this iPad app include checking in using a Foursquare account, scheduling messages to send at a later time, examine click-through statistics, add geo-location coordinates to messages and shorten URLs with a built-in Ow.ly tool.

Who should use it and why: HootSuite for iPad is for heavy iPad users who want to manage their social media content and engagement.

5. TweetLevel
You might be thinking you don't need another Tweet metric tool, but TweetLevel, allows you to specifically search for hashtags, which can lead you to insights on who to follow based upon conversation versus person.

Once you've found someone you'd like to follow, you can use TweetLevel to help measure his or her social influence. You can also evaluate the buzz around a certain topic to determine if it's a trend worth paying attention to. Then take a peek at related phrases around your topic to gauge the true scope of the trending idea.

Who should use it and why: Public relations managers and social media marketing professionals who want to analyze a campaign should give TweetLevel a try. This tool can help you identify the Twitter conversation, where it's going wrong and how to correct that mistake.

6. ReFollow
When it comes to Twitter, numbers might not be as important as the people you follow and who follows you.ReFollow is an application that allows you to lock in those followers that you've connected with and make sure they continue to follow you.

Other features include filtering a search on Twitter to uncover insights, such as what you have in common with certain followers. This can lead you to connecting with someone who maybe you're Twitter conversation has been close to zero, but with a simple direct message to that person you can make a connection and build a business relationship.

Who should use it and why: This can be the perfect tool for the person who wants to grow a list of highly-qualified, like-minded people. Consider using ReFollow if your concern is quality over quantity, which it should be.

7. TwitterSearch
You've probably heard of TwitterSearch but, more than likely, you aren't using it correctly.

New media expert Thomas Baekdal offers a number of little-known tips for using TwitterSearch. For instance, to see what people are saying about your competitors, search with to:competitor or from:competitor. Replace "Competitor" with that company's Twitter handle.

To uncover top trending topics search that topic plus –rt filter:links. For example, "digital marketing-rt filter:links". That code will remove all of the retweets from the search.

Who should use it and why: Anyone who wants to use and search Twitter more effectively should brush up on his or her TwitterSearch skills. And knowing what's trending on Twitter can be a useful way to generate ideas for your business blog. When you see trending topics, you can create a blog post with content relevant to that discussion.

8. Traackr
One simple way to find and follow people who are influential in your space is to use Traackr. It allows you to identify the "authorities" in your industry who can mean the most to your business or your client's.

What's also useful about Traackr is that you can watch how social media leaders are responding and contributing to content you are sharing. An ad agency, for example, can see who it should target to help social media campaigns get off the ground, build its engagement strategies based upon Traackr's unique intelligence and then see results of those campaigns.

Who should use it and why: Traackr can be a useful tool for either advertising agencies or brands that want to build social media campaigns that improve over time and show how they pay off in the end.

9. SocMetrics
The Topical Influencer platform by SocMetrics is a web-based tool that allows you to identify influencers, understand who these people are, interact with them and then monitor your campaign.

The "Competitive Influence" feature allows you to specify brands and drill down for detailed influencers. What's slick about this tool is that you can narrow your search to a long-tail keyword, seeing who is truly influential.

Who should use it and why: Any marketing professional who wants to build an effective social media campaign based upon influencers in a specific industry should give this a look. SocMetrics can help you harness the power of thought leaders, which in turn can help you build your brand and sell more.

10. Social Scope
For BlackBerry users who've longed for an app that combines Twitter and Facebook on one screen, such as TweetDeck for your desktop, consider trying Social Scope.

And on that same screen you'll see a thumbnail image if someone shares something from TwitPic. It also has a built in retweeting feature, hash tag search and will also let you see the entire URL to know where a truncated URL is pointing.

Who should use it and why: Anyone who owns a BlackBerry and has a Facebook and Twitter account is a prime target for this app. It's probably the closest you can get to a desktop-type app on a BlackBerry.

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Exotic Honeymoon Destinations in Incredible India

Honeymoon is the most beautiful time that a couple could probably cherish for their entire lifetime. People look for places that offer soothing climate, serene surroundings and beautiful landscape. In India, there are some perfect places for honeymooners to travel. Below are some of the places where you and your partner can visit.

Goa

Glistering sands and swaying coconut palms make Goa one of the most favorite honeymoon destinations in India. The major attractions of Goa are the beaches, which are Anjuna, Baga, Colva, Calangute, Varca, Vagator, Candolim, Dona Paula, and Benaulim Beach. Goa offers wide range of choices for the newly-wedded couples, like pristine beaches to spend some beautiful moments, superb night life, restaurants and pubs. Moreover, couples can try out some of the adventurous activities in Goa like beach activities and water sports. The amusing blends of many beaches make Goa one of the beautiful places to spend time with your partner. Goa, is easily accessible with well connected roads.


Kashmir, Heaven on Earth

The Paradise on Earth, Kashmir is one of the perfect honeymoon destinations for couples. Kashmir's major attraction lies in its scenic beauty, snow clad peaks, lush green valleys, Alpine villages, cascading waterfalls, flower gardens etc. Kashmir is a destination worth visiting, during winter season where you can enjoy the boat ride on picturesque Dal Lake. The other major attractions are Gulmarg, Srinagar, Sonmarg and Pehalgam among others. The idyllic weather is sure to fascinate you, enthrall and rejuvenate you, which will make your honeymoon one of the most memorable moment ever. 


Kasauli, the cantonment town

The picturesque hill station Kasauli, is one of the most preferred honeymoon destination in India. The cantonment town is situated in the Solan district of Himachal Pradesh. The scenic attraction of Kasauli is covered with rhododendrons, wild roses, tall deodar, wild flowers and flowering kichnar. The place is also admired for bird-watchers and snowfalls in winter, which are worth watching. The other appealing things are weather, cleanliness and serene hilly areas, which made the place attractive and exotic. Kasauli is located at a distance of about 75 km from Shimla, 65 km from Chandigarh and is well connected by roads.


Coorg, the Scotland of India

Coorg is famously known as "the Scotland of India" and one of the most favorite places for honeymoon. The couple can enjoy the beauty of lush green forest, tall hills, essence of coffee estates and pale green rice valleys in Coorg. The other main attractions that made the place mesmerizing are lies in the calm banks of Kaveri River; waterfalls like Iruppu, Abbey and Mallalli, and Abbi Falls, which would serve a complete honeymoon trip for couples. Well connected roads are there to reach Coorg from places like Coimbatore, Bangalore, Ooty and Mysore.


Andaman

Andaman, the eastern coast of India is one of the popular destinations for newly-wedded couples. The dazzling sandy white beaches and the rich coral life make the place one of the most exotic. The attraction of this place lies in its natural beauty and places like Neil Island, Rangat, Long Island, Limestone Cave are Parrot Island near Baratang are the most eye-catching. You can also enjoy adventurous activities like cruising, scuba diving, snorkeling, trekking, water skiing, windsurfing and speed boating. The picturesque landscape and beautiful climate make the place attractive for the couples. 

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Incredible India - Unexplored Destinations

India is diverse; tourists who traverse through various parts of India have always been fascinated by India's cultural and geographical richness, architectural marvels, exclusive heritage sites, majestic monuments, and exotic flora and fauna. There are zillions of unexplored destinations within the country which offer an unforgettable experience to all types of tourists and make India an awe-inspiring nation. From Himalayas in the north to the Indian ocean in the south, India has an ample number of places that are still left unexplored and unheard of. Lets have a glimpse of some of the best unexplored destinations.

Sandakphu (East India) 

Sandakfu or Sandakphu is the highest peak in the state of West Bengal, India. The Sandakphu is the culminating point of many trekking routes in the Darjeeling-Sikkim region. It is the highest point on the Singalila ridge that forms the border between Eastern Nepal and India. The peaks of Kanchanjanga and Everest can be seen from its summit. Sandakphu is resplendent with the ethereal beauty of magnolias, rhododendrons, primulas and other sub-alpine flowers. It also contains more than 600 varieties of orchids.The temperature swings from -20 C (including wind chill factor) in winter to +15C in summer. Sandakphu gets snowfall in late December to early february. 


Sar Pass and Chanderkhani Pass, Himachal Pradesh

Sar Pass Trail offers an opportunity to enjoy the exquisite beauty of Parvati Valley. For those looking forward to experiencing an adrenaline rush or for those seeking solace with a bit of thrill, head to Sur pass and Chanderkhani pass in Himachal Pradesh, where it is inspiring to tread as very few have done so before. Situated at a height of 13,800ft, The Sar Pass territory has places for trekking and a landscape that changes with every turn you take on the 80km trail.

Lepchajagat, West Bengal

Lepchajagat is located on a hill covered with Oaks forests and beautiful rhododendron. It is situated on Ghoom-Mirik road at the Sukhipokhri near Darjeeling. This place has an astonishing exquisiteness that is difficult to get over. The curious play of colors in the sky strikes you straight away. Partly black and white clouds drift from one hill to another. The other places close by that are not to be missed include Jorepokri, Mirik and Pashupati

Gokarna, Karnataka

Gokarna, with its blue seas and clean sands, coconut palms andpristine quaint beaches is perfect for an idyllic vacation by the sea. Gokarna is located in North Karnataka. A pleasant surprise is the beach which resembles 'Om', the Sanskrit symbol for the invocation that is believed to have created the universe. Gokarna is pretty much a round-the-year destination, although you'd be well advised to avoid it during the monsoon. Also in the Northern part of Karnataka, on a thin strip of tropical sand lies Karwar, bound by the Western Ghats on its eastern side and embraced by the Arabian Sea on the west. 

Sindhudurg fort, Malvan Region, Maharashtra

Filled with fascinating forts and coastlines, the Malvan region is one the premiere places for a peaceful holiday to seep in history or to soak up the sun. Sindhudurg fort stands on a rocky island, known as Kurte, barely a km, from the Malavan is 510kms south of Mumbai and 130kms north of Goa. It is one of the best preserved forts of the Marathas; the 48 acre Sindhudurg fort has a four kms long zigzag line of 9 metres high and 3 metres wide rampart with 42 bastions. The massive walls were designed to serve as a deterrent to approaching enemies and to the waves and tides of the Arabian Sea. Apart from the Fort, one can relax on the beaches of Tarkarli and Chiwla beach in Malwan region. These beaches are neat and clean and very less crowded.

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Billionaires Kids Who Won't Inherit Wealth from their Parents

You must have thought all the billionaires’ children are very lucky as they can enjoy their parents’ wealth in their lifetime and you might have also wished to have such a posh life by looking up to them. But take that thought out of your mind as you have better examples of billionaire kids who are not going to inherit their parent’s wealth to become rich. Here is the list of billionaires who are not going to inherit their parents wealth in their life.

1. Bill Gates:

William Henry “Bill” Gates is an American business tycoon, investor, philanthropist and author and he is also the former CEO and current Chairman of Microsoft, a software company which he jointly founded with Paul Allen. Bill Gates of his total wealth is considered as one among the richest person in the world. He plans to give his children only a tiny portion of his total wealth. This statement from him has made his children to find their own way in life though they will be getting a secured share in his wealth for the lifetime.

2. Warren Buffett:

He is an American business magnate, investor and also a philanthropist and he is also widely regarded as one of the successful investors in the world often introduced as ‘Legendary investor, Warren Buffett”, reports the Wikipedia. He is the next person who has asked his three children not to expect much from his wealth as he is not going to leave them much of his property. He has always believed in teaching them values than giving those billions. But the point to be noted here is, his children have already started their own careers and are self sufficient to manage their life.

3. Bernard Marcus:

Bernard is an American pharmacist and retail entrepreneur who was born to a Jewish-Russian immigrant parents in New Jersey. This Chairman of Home Depot joins the list of billionaires who won’t leave much of his property to his children. He believes that if his children want to be rich, they will have to work for it. And because of that reason he plans on leaving most of his Home Depot stock worth to his Marcus foundation which helps for to the handicapped people and for educational purposes of the poor.

4. George Lucas:

Born in the year 1944, this American film producer, screen writer, director and also an entrepreneur is the founder, chairman and chief executive of Lucasfilm. He is considered as the financially successful director and producer of the American film industry. He has promised to give away at least half of his wealth away for the needy not leaving too much for his three kids.  

5. Ted Turner:

Ted Turner, fully known as Robert Edward ‘Ted” Turner 3^rd is an American media tycoon and philanthropist. He is the founder of Cable News Network CNN, the 1^st 24 hour news channel and also the Chairman of the United Nations Foundation has said that at the time of his death almost all his wealth will go to the charity and if he really gives his billions to the charity then his children will have to work hard to make their way to the top.

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Richest Women of the World

The world of business is largely male dominated and fighting to the top is no easy task. However, there are a few women who, with inherited fortunes Christy Walton and conquered the path to glory like Gina Rinehart, have made a niche for themselves. Here are the richest women in the world.

1. Christy Walton

Age: 56
Country: United States
Net worth: $24.5 Billion
Company: Walmart
Currently: Philanthropist

Christy Walton inherited a fortune of $15.7 billion in 2005 after the death of John T. Walton, one of the sons of the founder of Wal-Mart, Sam Walton. She is considered to be the richest women alive, the sixth richest in the United States and the 10th richest person in the world. A large bulk of her calculated net worth of $26.5 billion comes from her shares in Wal-Mart and First Solar, a solar panel maker in which her husband invested. According to the amount she gives as a percentage of her wealth, she has been ranked the highest female philanthropist and 2002-2006, Walton contributed billions from her then $16.3 billion net worth to charity.

2. Liliane Bettencourt

Age: 89 
Country: France
Net worth: $23.5 billion
Notable company: L’Oreal
Currently: Principal shareholder, L’Oreal

Liliane Bettencourt is the richest woman in Europe, second richest women in the world and second richest person in France (behind Bernard Arnault). She is the only child of Eugene Schueller, founder of the cosmetic giant, L’Oreal. Liliane, who had a close bond with her father, joined his company at the age of 15 as an apprentice, mixing cosmetics and labeling bottles of shampoo. In 1950, she married French politician André Bettencourt and in 1957, she inherited the L'Oréal fortune when her father died. She has always been in news ranging from a high-level French political scandal regarding tax evasion to a sensational family scandal involving a long political battle with her only daughter and heir, Francoise Bettencourt-Meyer.

3. Alice Walton

Age: 61 
Country: United States
Net worth: $20.9 Billion
Notable Company: Walmart
Currently: Board member, Amon Carter Museum

Alice is another heiress to the Wal-Mart fortune and is the daughter of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton and Helen Walton. She is the tenth richest American, the riches goes to the original Bentonville store founded by her father with his brother James in 1962. Wal-Mart, the largest retailer in the world, has sales over $405 billion today and employs more than 2.1 million people. Alice Walton founded Llama Company, an investment bank engaged in corporate finance, public and structured finance in 1988, which she closed down in the late 1990s. Her primary philanthropic efforts are done as a board member of the Walton Family Foundation. Currently she is on the board of the Amon Carter Museum in Fort Worth, Texas and is a member of the Trustees' Council of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.

4. Iris Fontbona

Age: N/A 
Country: Chile
Net worth: $19.2 billion
Notable company: Antofagasta
Current position: Owner, Antofagasta

Second wife of Antonio Andrónico Luksic Abaroa, a Chilean billionaire who heads one of the world’s biggest and most influential copper-mining concerns, Fontbona become one of the richest in the world after his death.  Her business empire, Antofagasta, is the 30th-biggest company listed on the London Stock Exchange. Iris Fontbona and family hold shares in Quinenco, a consumer packaging and beverage maker, and Plava Laguna, a chain of Croatian beach resorts. Her son Jean Paul is the Chairman of Antofagasta, of shares of which have more than doubled in the past 12 months.

5. Gina Rinehart

Age: 57 
Country: Australia
Net worth: $18 Billion-$20 Billion
Notable company: Hancock Prospecting
Currently: Chairman & Director, Hancock Prospecting

Unlike the aforementioned successful business women, success was not just gifted to Gina Rinehart, rather she earned it. She went all the way to making his dad’s struggling mining concern, Hancock Prospecting, one of the greatest in the industry with an eye toward expansion and profit. She was ranked the wealthiest person in Australia by both Forbes Asia and Business Review Weekly in 2011. Rinehart growth was quite amazing that in 2007, her wealth amounted to $1 billion which more than doubled to $2.4 billion next year and in spite of the global economic slowdown, she was reported to be having assets worth $9 billion, which once again doubled to $18 in 2012.

6. Susanne Klatten

Age: 48 
Country: Germany
Net worth: $14.6 billion
Notable companies: BMW; Altana
Currently: Supervisory board, BMW

Susanne Klatten  is the richest woman in Germany and the 44th richest person in the world. Upon her father Herbert Quandt’s death, Klatten inherited partial ownership of renowned carmaker BMW and 50.1 percent stake in pharmaceutical and chemicals manufacturer Altana, which she now wholly owns. She has been named in a sex-tape scandal in 2008 and a blackmail plot, of which the accused named Helg Sgarbi pleaded guilty in court. Since 2005, she has been a member of the University Council of the Technical University of Munich and is one of the major donors of the centre-right political party the Christian Democratic Union.

7. Birgit Rausing

Age: 87 
Country: Switzerland
Net worth: $14 billion
Notable company: Tetra Pak
Current position: Owner, Tetra Laval

Birgit Rausing inherited the food-packaging giant Tetra Laval when her husband Gad Rausing died in 2000, making her one of the richest women in the world. The company was founded in 1944 by Gad’s dad which revolutionized the packaging of liquids such as juices and milk. Tetra Laval employs more than 31,000 people in 165 countries today. All her three children are on Tetra Laval's board. While her son Jorn is the head of mergers and acquisitions, son Finn is the chairman of the board of the Swedish R.R. Institute of Applied Economics and daughter Kirsten is a horse breeder in the U.K.

8.  Jacqueline Mars

Age: 71 
Country: United States
Net worth: $13.8 billion
Notable company: Mars, Inc.
Current position: Vice president, Mars, Inc.

Jacqueline Mars is the granddaughter of Frank C. Mars, Founders of the American candy company Mars Incorporated. The company has bunch of brands like Snickers, Pedigree, M&M and Milky Way which are quite famous across the globe. She is the fourth richest American woman and has been ranked the 52nd richest person in the world and the 26th richest person in America by Forbes. The combined sales of all the business undertakings of the company exceed $30 billion and her shares in the company is said to be more than $10 billion. She is the public face of the Mars business group.

9. Anne Cox Chambers

Age: 92 
Country: United States
Net worth: $13.4 Billion
Notable company: Cox Enterprises
Currently: Owner, Cox Enterprises

92 year old, Anne Cox Chambers’ is the daughter of James M. Cox, the founder of Cox Enterprises. Today, the media empire has a vast range of business undertakings includes Cox Communications cable company, 15 TV stations, 17 daily newspapers, 86 radio stations, Manheim Auctions (cars) and AutoTrader.com. The family has a history of political activism as James Cox had served as U.S. representative and governor of Ohio before being the Democratic nominee for president and Anne too followed his path and was named ambassador to Belgium in 1977 by the then President Jimmy Carter. Cox-Chambers is the 20^th richest person in the United States and 53^rd richest person in the world.

10. Savitri Jindal

Age: 61 
Country: India
Net worth: $13.2 Billion

Notable company: O.P. Jindal Group
Currently: Chair, O.P. Jindal Group

Savitri Jindal is the wealthiest woman in India and the world's 56th richest person. This Indian steel baroness is the non-executive chairperson of O.P. Jindal Group and is the member of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha. She also had served as a Minister of Power in the Government of Haryana until 2010. She become the chairperson of the company upon the death of her husband, O. P. Jindal, in a helicopter crash in 2005. In actual practice, it’s her four sons, Prithviraj, Sajjan, Ratan and Naveen who run the businesses. Jindal Steel & Power is the biggest asset of the Jindal family, which is run by the youngest son Naveen, a member of parliament.

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Does your idea have to be "unique" for your startup to be successful or you can be just "+1" to the market, execute well and still succeed?

You are more likely to fail if you are "unique".  Its safer and easy to clone existing businesses and incrementally improve them.  First movers almost never understand the market as well as their competitors and are usually annihilated by the later competition (which only has to improve their product or exploit a new marketing channel).

Creating a new market and holding it is the most difficult you can do, where as incremental improvement is much easier and has comparable financial advantages.

Google was not the first search engine.  Google did not invent search monetization (Overture did).

Facebook was not the first social network.  It was a clone of HouseSYSTEM and myspace.  Myspace was a friendster clone.

Zynga did not invent Farmville, they copied the game almost to the pixel from Farmtown.  Farmtown was a copy of the Chinese game HappyFarm.

The iPod was not the first mp3 player.

Microsoft Windows was not the first or even the best GUI OS.  In fact it was technically inferior to its competitors, but won the standards war because Microsoft had a better understanding of the market and the nature of computer standards than IBM or Apple.

And so on.  Its rare that the first company into a market is the company that becomes the dominant player in that market.  I have never seen it happen in the absence of a government granted monopoly.

Your product should be designed to satisfy a validated demand that consumers have, but perhaps in a new way, or with a new technology; for instance, people have been watching video since the 1960s, but Youtube enables them to satisfy that need over a new medium (the internet/web-browser).

If there is not a product in a market (or atleast an extreme shitty product), the reason is generally that there is no demand for that product.  However, concepts like tablet computing and Groupon were tried several dozen times and failed before they were successful.

Personally, I am big fan of improving existing services, exploiting superior knowledge about your market (such as using better marketing strategies or distribution methods) and market segmentation.  Market segmentation is great strategy for grabbing your competitor's customers and potentially being able to achieve higher margins

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What books are on your "must read" list for web startups?

1. Startups Open Sourced (Jared Tame) - This is a really great collection of interviews and promises to share some insight into some of the most interesting stories you typically won't hear on HN.
2. The Thank You Economy (Gary Vaynerchuk) - This book attest that your relationship with your customers will define your business's success.
3. Designing for the Web (Mark Boulton) - This material was eye opening from a developer's perspective because it helps you understand the designer's process. This is great from a designer's perspective because it covers 80% of the ground that make most web designers great! (Not to mention it's FREE to read online!)
4. The Four Steps to the Epiphany (Steve Blank)This seems to be the entrepreneur's bible to business development. 
5. The Entrepreneur's Guide to Customer Development: A Cheat Sheet to the Four Steps to the Epiphany (Brant Cooper , Patrick Vlaskovits) - I understand that this book really dissects the Customer Development process.
6. Business Model Development: A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers and Challengers (Yves Pigneur and Alex Osterwalder) - Excellent book which walks you through developing your business model and efficiently pivoting until you achieve product-market fit.
7. Founders at Work (Jessica Livingston) - Case studies on some of the great businesses and their founders of our day. Fascinating insight from people who have walked the walk.
8. Escape from Cubicle Nation: From Corporate Prisoner to Thriving Entrepreneur (Pamela Slim) - I haven't gotten to this book personally, but I'm told there are some great takeaways. I've seen Pam speak on several occasions and have high expectations from her book as well.
9. My Start-Up Life: What a (Very) Young CEO Learned on His Journey Through Silicon Valley (Ben Casnocha) - Another book I haven't gotten to, though the hot spot that is Silicon Valley has been a personal interest for me. I'm expecting a first-hand experience of what a new company in the Valley goes through.

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