successful people read.
a lot.
You are reading: Books about running a business
bill gates reads 50 books a year. dial cuban readings for more than 3 hours every day. And, when asked how he learned to build rockets, Elon Musk simply said, “I read books.”
is this a coincidence? nope.
Tom Corley, author of Rich Habits: The Daily Success Habits of Rich People, studied the role reading plays in success. your findings?
Wealthy people (defined as those with an annual income of $160,000 or more and a net worth of $3.2 million or more) read to educate themselves, improve themselves, and succeed.
But, the poorest people (defined as those with an annual income of $35,000 or less and a net worth of $5,000 or less) read primarily for entertainment.
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in short?
These types of books for entrepreneurs are powerful. but, to harness this power, you have to read the right books.
In this article, we share the 12 best books for entrepreneurs starting a new business.
fasten your seatbelt.
1. the war of art: break the blocks and win your inner creative battles by steven pressfield
You have probably heard of the “Art of War”, written in the 5th century BC. c. by renowned military strategist sun-tzu.
by comparison, steven pressfield’s ‘art war’ is sun-tzu for the soul.
what is it that really prevents us from reaching our full potential? How can we combat the negative forces within ourselves that lead us to procrastination, self-doubt and self-sabotage?
This book for entrepreneurs identifies the most powerful enemy of our dreams that we all face: ourselves.
simply put, pressfield believes that our greatest enemy is the “resistance”. resistance is our natural tendency to procrastinate and self-sabotage.
And it doesn’t just expose resistance so you can understand what’s really holding you back. pressfield also outlines a battle plan to help you defeat this enemy within.
So if you ever have self-doubt, overthinking, or procrastination, this book will help you blaze a trail to success, through accomplishment and productivity.
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This book is a succinct, captivating, and no-nonsense guide to success in any creative field.
2. the 4 hour workweek: get away from 9 to 5, live anywhere and join the nouveaux riches by tim ferris
no list of books for entrepreneurs would be complete without the four-hour workweek.
Having sold more than 1.3 million copies and translated into 35 languages, this business book has held a place on the New York Times bestseller list for more than seven years.
Often referred to as “the bible of lifestyle design”, Ferriss shows you how to live more and work less.
This business book constantly challenges conventional thinking.
The idea is to start thinking outside the box, always testing common points of view and pushing boundaries further than you ever thought possible.
ferris will show you why you should forget about the outdated concept of a working life, followed by retirement. she will also learn how to use time and location to gain financial leverage.
At its core, this book for entrepreneurs is about productivity and efficiency, covering topics like prioritization, outsourcing, and automation.
Whatever you want to accomplish as an entrepreneur, this business book provides an invaluable set of tools to help you achieve your goals.
3. purple cow: transform your business by being remarkable by seth godin
This bestselling book for entrepreneurs comes from multiple bestselling author and marketing guru seth godin.
in purple cow, godin demonstrates how the traditional p’s of marketing (product, price, promotion, place, etc.) don’t work like they used to.
why?
because there is a new ‘p’ that is now more important: the ‘purple cow’.
a ‘purple cow’ is godin’s metaphor for something phenomenal, counterintuitive and extraordinary.
Cows are simply boring after seeing a few. but a purple cow? now, that would get everyone’s attention.
this book for entrepreneurs explains how, in today’s market, your business is remarkable or invisible.
and in it, you’ll learn why safe is dangerous and why very good is really bad.
godin also provides examples of companies that have succeeded in becoming purple cows and urges you to emulate them to drive explosive growth through word of mouth.
To thrive, every new entrepreneur needs to understand how to stand out from the competition.
This book will show you how.
4. the $100 startup: reinvent the way you make a living, do what you love, and create a new future by chris guillebeau
in 2013, chris guillebeau achieved his goal of visiting all 193 countries in the world.
and has never had a “real job” or earned a regular paycheck. instead, he finds ways to turn ideas into income to support his adventurous life.
In The $100 Startup, Guillebeau highlights the fact that it doesn’t take a lot of money to start a successful business.
This book for entrepreneurs features 50 case studies of people who have built businesses earning $50,000 or more with a small investment, often $100 or less.
and most of these people had no special skills to begin with, but discovered aspects of their personal passions that could be monetized.
guillebeau then distills the most valuable lessons from those who have learned to turn their passions into profits.
The book goes deep, too: you’ll find out exactly how long each entrepreneur had to start and what they did in the first few weeks and months to gain traction.
also covers the key mistakes they made and provides insight into what made each business stick.
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This book will help you find the intersection between your passions and skills, and what other people are willing to pay.
5. deep work: rules for focused success in a distracted world by cal newport
author and professor cal newport defines “deep work” as the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task for extended periods of time.
And it’s an ability that’s becoming rare, just as it’s becoming more valuable.
While most people waste precious time in a frantic jumble of superficial tasks like email and social media, the most successful people focus their attention on the tasks that really matter.
Simply put, deep work is the vital skill for mastering complicated tasks and producing better results in less time.
And this skill will not only boost your effectiveness, Newport also argues that it’s the key to a true sense of satisfaction.
This book for entrepreneurs is divided into two parts.
The first argues how cultivating a deep work ethic will produce monumental results in almost any profession.
In the second, Newport lays out four detailed “rules” for transforming your mind and habits to develop the ability to “go deep.”
In short, in an increasingly disruptive world, the ability to dig deep will put you far ahead of the competition.
and this business book will show you how.
6. mastery by robert greene
new york times bestselling author robert greene believes we all have the potential to become teachers.
and, in this book for entrepreneurs, greene charts the path to mastery: learn the secrets of your field, commit to rigorous learning, and absorb the knowledge of those with years of experience.
in addition, greene presents the behaviors of great masters, such as darwin, leonardo da vinci, as well as nine contemporary masters interviewed especially for the book.
then distills the common traits of these masters to show that success isn’t about what you know, it’s about who you are. and that a true master of any field can find a way to succeed in any other.
In addition, this business book will show you what major traits you already have and how to build on the ones you don’t.
If mastery is the path to greatness, this book is your roadmap.
7. never eat alone: and other secrets to success, one relationship at a time by keith ferrazzi
Ferrazzi originally had humble beginnings, but his web of relationships now stretches from Hollywood’s a-list to Washington’s power brokers.
In this essential book for entrepreneurs, Ferrazzi demonstrates the power of relationships in business. Plus, he lays out the mindset and steps he uses to connect with thousands of people.
basically, think of never eating alone as a modern version of “how to win friends and influence people.”
what’s so refreshing, is that ferrazzi eschews the traditional joy treatment usually synonymous with ‘networking’.
Instead, he advocates basing relationships on generosity and connecting friends with other people.
This business book also outlines the timeless strategies used by some of the world’s most connected people, including Winston Churchill, Bill Clinton, and the Dalai Lama.
and presents a set of proven principles and practical tactics you can use to advance your career and happiness.
Not to mention, since Never Eat Alone was published in 2005, the rise of social media has only made ferrazzi’s tips and strategies more valuable to all entrepreneurs.
Fortunately, the new edition also includes detailed tips for making connections in the digital world.
In short, networking expert Keith Ferrazzi shows you how to increase your success by constantly reaching out to other people and creating a dynamic, win-win relationship.
8. the lean start: how today’s entrepreneurs use continuous innovation to create radically successful businesses by eric ries
eric ries is the creator of the lean startup revolution.
And in this timeless book, he shows entrepreneurs how to start a business, gain traction, and keep it in shape for maximum results.
Constant digital innovation means companies need to continuously adapt and learn or else they will be outcompeted and abandoned.
ries maintains that “the only way to win is to learn faster than anyone else.”
This book for entrepreneurs is all about taking action, constantly testing, and relentlessly adapting. and in it, ries provides an innovative and practical process to become a more adaptable company.
lean startup is also packed with case studies that demonstrate the principles that rie teaches within.
This business book is particularly good if you’re prone to overplanning and overpreparing while postponing the inevitable action needed to make progress.
so whether you want to build a rudimentary startup, a small business, or a corporate machine, read this book.
because the lean startup methodology is the new model for business success.
9. the 22 immutable laws of marketing: violate them at your own risk! by al ries & jack trout
If you build an airplane but ignore the laws of physics, it will never fly.
so you are in compliance with the laws of marketing if you want to build a successful brand.
In this timeless classic, world-renowned marketing consultants Al Ries and Jack Trout lay out the 22 immutable laws of marketing.
These include the law of the mind; “It’s better to be first in mind than first to market.” and, the law of leadership: “it is better to be the first than to be the best.”
In addition, this short business book is packed with helpful case studies to illustrate each law.
This essential information has stood the test of time and presents a clear path to lasting marketing success
as rivers and trout write, “rape them at your own risk!”
then read this business book to make sure your marketing efforts comply with these immutable laws.
After all, prevention is better than cure.
10. reworking of jason fried and david hansson
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Most business books offer the same advice to entrepreneurs: study, write a business plan, attract investors…
but, this new york times bestselling book shatters outdated notions and challenges the prevailing business mindset and culture.
and then, it provides a whole new way of thinking.
Minimalist in delivery and ideology, the rework shows you that you need much less than you think to start a successful company.
You don’t need an office. you don’t need to be a workaholic. you don’t need more staff or investors. you don’t even need meetings.
what you need is to prioritize more. say no more. stop talking, investigate and plan and start doing.
You’ll also learn why plans are bad, outside investors are unnecessary, and why it’s best to ignore the competition.
Overall, this playbook is full of revolutionary counter-intuitive ideas.
Presented in powerful, bite-sized chapters, the rework shows you a better, faster, and easier way to succeed in business today.
so whatever your entrepreneurial dreams are, get this information in your head to help make them come true.
11. the hard of hard things: building a business when there are no easy answers by ben horowitz
The hardness of hard things is backed up by the likes of Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Page, and Peter Thiel.
then you should probably read it.
As one of Silicon Valley’s most respected and experienced entrepreneurs, Ben Horowitz offers essential advice on building and running a business.
many people highlight the excitement of life as an entrepreneur.
But in this business book, Horowitz also sheds light on the difficulties and struggles entrepreneurs face.
what is particularly interesting is that horowitz starts by arguing that there is no formula for success. but, that you can learn invaluable lessons from the failures and difficulties of others.
It’s full of Horowitz’s signature humor, including tales of what it’s like to poach competitors and fire friends.
this business book grew out of horowitz’s personal blog long ago.
and includes most of his original posts, compiled and adapted into one incredible guide to navigating the inevitable problems that occur in business.
Overall, this book for entrepreneurs is a no-nonsense, uncensored look at what it really is to be an entrepreneur.
12. Crushing It!: How Great Entrepreneurs Build Their Business and Influence—And How You Can Too by Gary Vaynerchuk
gary vaynerchuk, four-time new york times bestselling author, turns up the heat with his latest book, crushing it!
Not to be confused with his 2009 business book, Crush It, in which Vaynerchuk argued that a vibrant personal brand is vital to business success.
This book for entrepreneurs showcases new lessons, tips, tactics and strategies taken from their own experiences and from many other powerful influencers and entrepreneurs.
all of these successful entrepreneurs eschewed traditional corporate life.
and instead built businesses on their own terms to enrich themselves, financially and personally.
In this lively and inspiring business book, Vaynerchuk breaks down each of the major social media platforms and shows you how to use them to increase your brand awareness and grow your business.
then if you are looking for practical advice on how to build a powerful brand on social media channels like facebook, twitter, youtube, instagram and snapchat, this book is for you.
But it’s not just about professional and financial success.
It’s about living life on your own terms.
bonus business book: the ultimate guide to starting your first ecommerce business by tomas slimas
tomas slimas is an e-commerce force of nature.
in the ultimate guide to starting your first ecommerce business, slimas walks you step by step through the process of starting your first ecommerce business.
You will learn how to find great products, how to find suppliers, how to launch your eCommerce store, and how to market your products.
And do you want to know the craziest part? This book is completely free.
why?
because slimas has a mission to help new entrepreneurs create the business of their dreams.
first, he founded shopify, the platform to help you build a successful ecommerce store fast.
and now, with this book for entrepreneurs, he teaches you exactly how to make it happen.
More than any other book on this list, this book for entrepreneurs offers extremely specific advice for starting your business.
summary: choose a book for entrepreneurs
That’s a lot of reading!
so don’t try to do it all at once.
Pick one of these business books to get started. Which do you find more useful right now?
whatever book you choose, it will be worth it.
just listen warren buffet…
When asked about the keys to success, he said, “I read 500 pages every day. this is how knowledge works. accumulates, like compound interest. all of you can do it, but I guarantee you that not many of you will.”
but he’s not talking about you.
You’re going to “read to lead,” so pick a book and get to work.
Did I miss an amazing book for entrepreneurs? let us know in the comments below – we read them all!
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