To expand my knowledge and skills, I read. To be inspired by innovative ideas and develop a better understanding of the ever-changing world we live in, I carefully absorb information from books. Over the years, I’ve read dozens of amazing works, but for busy entrepreneurs, here are 12 leadership, marketing, and technology books I highly recommend. Taken together, they offer valuable life guidance, contemporary approaches to work, and unconventional worldviews that will motivate you to approach things in a new and refreshing way.
1. Smart Hacks: How Hackers, Innovators, and Icons Accelerate Success by Shane Snow
Shane Snow, co-founder of contently and journalist for wired, the new yorker and fast company, investigates the rapid rise of successful people and companies to identify the habits and strategies that led to their achievements. In doing so, she debunks the conventional wisdom of reaping success from hard work, and instead promotes the use of “clever cuts” (clever shortcuts) to reach goals quickly.
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2. malcolm gladwell’s turning point
Using real-life examples, sociologist Malcolm Gladwell examines the tipping point where little-known ideas become social epidemics. What he discovers are three main factors converging to bring about rapid and dramatic changes in society: people with unique and powerful social talents, the rigidity of ideas, and contextual circumstances.
3. hooked: how to create products that create habits by nir eyal
educator and entrepreneur nir eyal offers the “hook model,” a practical framework for encouraging user engagement and building customer habits. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to start a business or develop a product because it provides four practical steps to attract users and ensure they keep coming back.
4. Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert T. kiyosaki
From his own personal experiences with his father and a second father figure, businessman Robert Kiyosaki imparts his philosophy on money management. In particular, he champions the idea that money should work for people and not the other way around, and offers practical guidance on investing in income-producing assets.
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5. trust me i’m lying for ryan holiday
media strategist ryan holiday reveals how people like him manipulate the media to achieve their ends. he does so by explaining how blogs drive mainstream news and effectively control what kind of information is presented to the public. At the same time, he also provides helpful tactics on how to run a marketing campaign on a limited budget.
6. the 4 hour workweek by tim ferriss
If you’re looking for a better work-life balance, lifestyle design expert Tim Ferriss shares a series of personal strategies for working less and living more while building wealth. His approach includes defining what you want in life, eliminating time-wasting habits, and outsourcing many tasks to virtual assistants. he also provides guidelines on how to generate a sustainable source of income.
7. freakanomics by steven d. Levitt & Stephen J. bender
Economist Steven Levitt and journalist Stephen Dubner apply economic theory to uncover the underlying causes and motivations of a variety of topics not normally studied in economics. case studies include crime, parenting, deception, and information control. what they find are results that contradict established credibility and paint a more complicated picture of reality.
8. Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Businesses by Jim Collins & Jerry I. cheers
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Comparing 18 ‘visionary’ companies with their leading competitors, business consultant Jim Collins and Stanford professor Jerry Porras reveal the characteristics that produce today’s leading corporations. His research results also refute a number of common business principles, including the notion that it takes a great idea to start a business. instead, extraordinary companies are flexible and experiment with new ideas to find out what works.
9. emotional intelligence 2.0 by travis bradberry & denim greaves
talentsmart co-founders travis bradberry and jean greaves share the company’s step-by-step program to increase your emotional intelligence and improve your life. measures your emotional intelligence skills in four areas: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. strategies are then provided to improve your skills.
10. the shallows: what the internet is doing to our brains by nicholas carr
author nicholas carr explores how the internet has stunted our intellectual development, specifically how the internet does not lead to greater knowledge and deeper thinking despite providing greater access to information. Based on historical and scientific evidence, he finds that the Internet encourages browsing, altering the way we read and process information.
11. how google works by eric schmidt & jonathan rosenberg
This book reveals how the authors helped build Google when they were hired more than a decade ago as CEO (Eric Schmidt) and Senior Vice President of Products (Jonathan Rosenberg). They take on many topics, including innovation, corporate culture, and strategy. the lessons they learned along the way are relevant to any business.
12. what’s new new: a silicon valley story by michael lewis
Writer Michael Lewis chronicles the life of Jim Clark, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur who launched three billion-dollar businesses. In doing so, the book provides insight into the process of turning an idea into reality, as well as a window into the people and culture of Silicon Valley.
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