The world’s most successful business owners will agree: Constant learning and seeking knowledge is essential to developing your personal and business growth.
That’s why we’ve compiled a curated list of the best small business books to help you improve your leadership skills, be more productive, and hone your marketing skills.
You are reading: Best books for small business owners
but don’t worry; That doesn’t mean you should take a time-consuming course, let alone opt for an MBA. Fortunately, there are many ways to gain knowledge. one of the easiest and most accessible ways is to simply read a good book or two.
so what should you add to your reading list this year? We’ve rounded up the five must-read books for small business owners.
top 5 small business management books
1. traction
full title: traction: control your business
by gino wickman
focus: stay in control and avoid burnout
Every small business owner can relate to feeling stressed, unfocused, and ready to throw in the towel. Feeling frustrated, burned out, and overwhelmed are common problems for all entrepreneurs and business owners.
traction aims to help you overcome these challenges by implementing the enterprise operating system®, a wickman-designed approach to business success. This book is packed with tools and techniques to help you take back control of yourself and your business through a strategic and measured process.
Best of all, Wickman’s writing is straightforward and easy to read, making it accessible to everyone (no MBA necessary!).
2. start with why
Full Title: Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone
by simon sinek
focus: development of leadership skills
All small business owners can benefit from developing strong leadership skills, whether you employ one person or have a staff of 50, and this book argues that inspired leadership is a key factor for success. sinek explains that all great leaders think, act, and communicate the same way, and this common behavior is the key to building successful businesses, organizations, and movements.
To become an inspired leader, Sinek tells readers to reconnect with the reasons they started their business in the first place (hence, it all begins with “why?”). Sinek explains that by focusing again on why he started his business, rather than managing it from day to day, he will feel energized and better able to inspire his employees.
3. smarter faster better
full title: smarter, faster, better: the secrets to being productive in life and in business
by charles duhigg
focus: improve productivity
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If you’re looking to increase your productivity, this is the book for you. Smarter, Faster, Better focuses on eight key productivity concepts—such as motivation, goal setting, and decision making—that explain how the most productive people and companies get so much more done.
duhigg draws on both research findings and anecdotal experience to explain what drives productivity and how you can be more productive personally and professionally. duhigg gives you the insights and tools to create smarter, harder work in all aspects of your business, from building better teams to making better decisions to optimizing your personal time.
4. sand
full title: determination: the power of passion and perseverance
by Angela duckworth
focus: work hard to achieve results
Training psychologist angela duckworth delivers an extremely powerful message: no matter what your natural talents, you can become the best version of yourself through hard work and perseverance.
She explains how anyone, from students to parents to athletes to business owners, can achieve success with “courage,” which Duckworth defines as a special combination of passion and persistence.
Through research and anecdotes, grit shows that success is not based on talent but on passion and a strong work ethic. Basically, it tells readers how and why they can achieve their goals as long as they commit to working hard to achieve it.
5. the power of bankruptcy
by daymond john
approach: startup
If you think your initial effort is holding you back, read this book and think again. Author, founder of Fubu, and star of ABC’s Shark Tank, Daymond John humbly started his business with just $40 in his pocket.
John’s lack of financial resources led him to be more innovative and come up with creative and profitable campaigns that eventually launched his fashion brand Fubu into a $6 billion global phenomenon. but if he had started with more funds, he may never have had the desperation to do things differently.
The Power of Bankruptcy explains how financial conflict can be your greatest competitive advantage as an entrepreneur or small business owner because it inspires and demands creative thinking. being “broke” forces you to use resources more efficiently and strategically because there is no room for loss.
6 Best Small Business Marketing Books
1. everyone writes
full title: everyone writes: your guide to creating ridiculously good content
by ann handley
focus: writing good content
As a business owner, you write a lot about marketing. Make his writing sharper, smarter, and more meaningful with this fantastic book from Director of Content Marketing Prof, Ann Handley.
2. positioning
full title: position: the battle for your mind
de al reis and trout jack
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focus: brand
A must-read for understanding customer and brand communication, including positioning your business goals against your competitors.
3. nice social networks
full title: delightful social media: how to delight your customers, create an irresistible brand, and generally be amazing on facebook (and other social networks)
by dave kerpen
focus: branding on social media
dave really walks the talk when it comes to being the nicest guy online. This reading will help you better connect with your users or customers online and teach you how to build a strong (and likable) brand.
4. be our guest
full title: be our guest: perfecting the art of customer service
by theodore kinni
focus: provide excellent customer service
learn from disney professionals how to perfect customer service and help your users fall in love with your brand.
5. maximize your social networks
Full Title: Maximize Your Social Media: A Comprehensive Guide to Creating a Social Media Strategy for Marketing and Business Success.
by neal schaffer
focus: social media marketing
Neal is one of today’s leading experts on all things social media, making his book a must-read for any business owner. choose this and you can increase your social networks (and your earnings) through social networks.
6. expanding excellence
full title: climbing excellence: reaching more without settling for less
by robert i. sutton and huggy rao
focus: how to expand a business
Included in Inc.com’s list of the 10 Best Business Books of 2014, this book is about how to successfully grow and scale your business to maximize success. add it to your reading list.
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