Whether you're just starting out on your entrepreneurial journey or have years of hard-won experience under your belt, the path to business success is always a steep learning curve.
Entrepreneurs are a unique breed—creative, dedicated, and resilient—and it's this very passion and flexibility that drive them to constantly seek new knowledge and insights.
For the voracious entrepreneur eager to thrive in the business world, we’ve painstakingly curated a list of 37 game-changing books for entrepreneurs.
This collection is more than just reading material; it's an arsenal of wisdom covering a vast landscape of topics essential for any business mogul. From the foundational principles for beginners to in-depth strategies for seasoned leaders, each book has been selected for its potential to refine and inspire.
We explore themes such as innovative business strategy to keep you ahead of the competition, transformative leadership to galvanize your team, and prudent financial management to ensure your enterprise’s longevity and profitability. This lineup of entrepreneurial books isn't merely theoretical—it's a toolkit designed to cultivate the traits that define successful entrepreneurs.
The books in this list are conduits to the experience and expertise of some of the world's most successful business thinkers and doers. They promise to stretch your thinking, provoke new ideas, and fortify your entrepreneurial spirit.
Dive into our '37 Best Books for Entrepreneurs' and arm yourself with the knowledge to turn your vision into reality. The path ahead is as challenging as it is rewarding, and these books are here to guide you through every step.
What is an Entrepreneur?
Many people think of entrepreneurs ONLY as those who start their own businesses, wear suits and are perhaps featured on the “Shark Tank” or running a startup company.
I think that definition of an entrepreneur is far too narrow.
By my definition, anyone is an entrepreneur who is trying to make something happen in business that is outside of the normal 9-5 work.
This includes WAHM's (work at home mom's…and dad's), artists, writers, editors, and any other sort of side hustler.
If you bust your butt to create something that makes money in your free time -you are an entrepreneur, and these entrepreneur books can help you be better at it.
An entrepreneur can also be someone who has a 9-5 job. As long as they are also being creative, trying new thing and passionate about improving their work and themselves.
Before we get to the entrepreneur books. Let’s make a quick list of entrepreneur habits to see if you or your loved ones are (or could be) entrepreneurs.
Entrepreneur Habits
Well, that is enough from me about entrepreneurs. Now it is time to find you the best books about entrepreneurs. Enjoy!
Best Entrepreneur Books for 2024
Note: These entrepreneur books are all worth reading. The #1 book on this list may not be any better than the #14 book. Do not read anything into some books being “higher” than others.
1. The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
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Takeaways:
- The book advocates for the principles of validated learning, experimentation, and iterative development, emphasizing the importance of continuously testing assumptions and adapting to feedback in startup ventures.
- It introduces the concept of the “minimum viable product” (MVP) as a strategy for quickly launching products to gather feedback and validate market demand.
- The author emphasizes the value of “build-measure-learn” feedback loops to drive innovation and decision-making based on real-world data rather than assumptions.
- The book encourages entrepreneurs to embrace a scientific approach to entrepreneurship, applying the principles of hypothesis testing and rapid iteration to minimize wasted resources and maximize learning.
- It provides insights into the concept of “pivot” as a strategic change in direction based on validated learning, enabling startups to adjust their business models in response to market feedback.
While most startups fail, a lot of those failures can be prevented. The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses offers a new approach that changes the way companies are created and products are launched.
Every startup has one thing in common, they want to get through uncertainty to find a path that leads to a sustainable business, but few accomplish this feat.
The approach offered in this book helps companies that are smart with their money and use human creativity wisely grow. The lessons presented enable companies to change their direction with their agility and make changes in their plans according to increase their chances of success.
The Lean Startup doesn't create elaborate business plans. Instead it offers entrepreneurs a way to continuously test their vision and adapt to their own needs before it’s too late.
Reis lays out a scientific approach to creating prosperous startups in an age where companies have to be exceptionally innovative to survive.
Readers have found that this book is honest in addressing situations that are commonly faced by startups. The author's intellectual curiosity and his pursuit of excellence are clear in his writing. Anyone who is thinking about innovation or product development can benefit from reading this book.
2. Ignore Everybody: and 39 Other Keys to Creativity by Hugh MacLeod
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Takeaways:
- Embrace your uniqueness. The book encourages individuals to embrace their originality and not be afraid to express their true selves in their creative work.
- Trust your instincts. It emphasizes the importance of trusting your creative instincts and not letting the opinions of others deter you from pursuing your vision.
- Persistence is key. The author highlights the significance of persistence and resilience in the creative process, urging readers to persevere through challenges and setbacks.
- Cultivate solitude. It provides insights into the role of solitude and introspection in fostering creativity, emphasizing the value of quiet contemplation and independent thinking.
- Challenge the status quo. The book encourages individuals to take risks and challenge conventional norms, advocating for a willingness to disrupt traditions and explore unconventional ideas in creative pursuits.
In Ignore Everybody: and 39 Other Keys to Creativity, Hugh MacLeod unveils his 40 keys to creativity that he came up with beginning as a young professional. He talks about his sharpest insights, offers clever cartoons, and provides useful advice.
For example, he focuses on the point that if you are starting up a new business, you can't follow in anyone else's footsteps. Existing business models are not effective. You need to be a thought leader and forge your own path. This unique path to success is what leads to entrepreneurial success.
This is a useful book to read, especially if you want to learn about establishing creativity. It offers quick tips and ideas for success that are also easy to understand. Macleod gives advice without adding unnecessary fluff. Yet his writing is also funny, realistic and relatable.
The key point of this book, to forge your own path, is simple. But this simplicity is both effective and more efficient than other books that go into too much detail, taking up your valuable time with minutia.
3. Rework by Jason Fried
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Takeaways:
- Embrace simplicity. The book advocates for simplifying processes and cutting out unnecessary steps to increase efficiency and effectiveness in business.
- Focus on what matters. It emphasizes the importance of prioritizing essential tasks and focusing on meaningful work that drives results, rather than getting bogged down by trivial details.
- Embrace constraints. The author encourages embracing constraints as a catalyst for creativity and innovation, highlighting how limitations can lead to resourceful problem-solving.
- Build a great team. The book provides insights into building a strong team by hiring the right people, fostering a positive work culture, and empowering employees to do their best work.
- Launch and iterate. It advocates for the concept of launching products quickly and iterating based on feedback, rather than striving for perfection before releasing to the market.
Most business books provide readers with endless instructions on writing a business plan, looking closely at their competition, finding investors, etc. However, Rework is different.
It describes why these topics are not helpful when it comes to creating a sustainable business. Instead, the author argues that what you need is a productive work ethic and exposure. Written in an inspiring way, this book debunks common business myths.
Jason Fried offers a straightforward book. The content that is easy to understand. You will find yourself nodding your head and going “that’s true” quite a bit while reading.
Rework is a worthwhile book for anyone who has dreams of making it on their own. Whether you are a die-hard entrepreneur to or an artist who doesn’t want to be starving and struggling anymore.
This optimistic book can inspire hope in future entrepreneurs. The author makes sure that the reader is grounded in the simplest, yet most effective, principles. The advice in this book applies to starting up a business,but can also be applied to creating a better life in general.
4. Virtual Freedom by Chris Ducker
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Takeaways:
- Embrace outsourcing. The book advocates for leveraging virtual assistants and remote workers to delegate non-essential tasks, allowing entrepreneurs to focus on high-impact activities.
- Systemize processes. It emphasizes the importance of systemizing and documenting business processes to streamline operations and facilitate delegation to virtual team members.
- Cultivate a virtual culture. The author provides insights into building a positive virtual work culture, fostering communication, collaboration, and accountability among remote team members.
- Focus on results. The book encourages a shift from traditional time-based work to a results-oriented approach, empowering virtual team members to deliver based on outcomes.
- Scale your business. It provides strategies for scaling a business through virtual teams, enabling entrepreneurs to expand their capacity and reach without being limited by traditional office-based constraints.
Entrepreneurs often think that in order to be successful, they have to do everything themselves. They try to make a successful business by running a one-man show. This is often why people don't pursue their business dreams- they find it too daunting to start.
In this book, outsourcing expert Chris Ducker explains how to get the help you need using affordable resources. Entrepreneurs don't have to do everything alone when they discover the power of creating a team of virtual employees to help launch their businesses.
Virtual Freedom: How to Work with Virtual Staff to Buy More Time, Become More Productive, and Build Your Dream Business is a step-by-step guide to build a business working with virtual employees.
Drucker focuses on business growth and explains in detail everything you need to understand, from delegating jobs to managing virtual assistants. It provides the knowledge and tools that are needed to build the business you want with a virtual staff.
Understanding the principles of staff and many of his suggestions is the key to taking a single person side hustle and turning it in a viable business. This book is the authoritative guide to finding and managing a virtual staff. I have personally used it as a blueprint in hiring two virtual assistants and a part-time staff writer.
This is a great resource for people who have never considered doing this before. What makes this book unique is that it is great for beginners as well as people who already have a virtual staff. There are several tips that can be used, even after working with a virtual assistant.
5. Publish and Profit by Mike Koenigs
Takeaways:
- Leverage content marketing. The book emphasizes the power of content marketing for building authority, attracting an audience, and driving business growth.
- Monetize your expertise. It provides insights into turning knowledge and expertise into profitable products, such as books, online courses, and consulting services.
- Embrace multimedia publishing. The author advocates for leveraging various forms of media, including books, videos, and podcasts, to reach and engage a wider audience.
- Implement automation and systems. The book encourages the use of automation and systems to streamline the publishing and marketing process, enabling authors to reach more readers with less effort.
- Collaborate and network. It provides strategies for collaborating with influencers, forming partnerships, and leveraging networks to expand reach and maximize the impact of published content.
It is tough to gain a competitive edge in this chaotic world.
In Publish and Profit: A 5-Step System For Attracting Paying Coaching And Consulting Clients, Traffic And Leads, Product Sales, And Speaking Engagements, Koenigs claims that what people need to succeed is a bestselling book.
By writing a book, people can connect with their target audience and build credibility in their market. He points to the fact that books have been used in every industry for hundreds of years to make people and concepts well-known.
In this book, Koenigs leads his readers through a step-by-step process that has helped his clients write a profitable book. His clients range from ordinary business owners to entrepreneurs and professionals on the upswing of success. If you follow the process laid out in this book, it can work for you, too.
This book is easy to read and provides information that can be used right away to help grow your business.
Though, public speaking and sales is not my area of expertise (and I do not desire them to be). I can attest to the fact, that having a bestselling book brings people to you in a way that few other things could. I have been approached with many speaking and sales offers I turn down.
6. The New Freedom by Rob Cubbon
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Takeaways:
- The book emphasizes the importance of embracing change and adapting to new technologies in order to achieve personal and professional freedom.
- It highlights the significance of developing a growth mindset and continuously learning in order to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving world.
- The author discusses the role of entrepreneurship and self-employment as pathways to freedom and fulfillment, advocating for taking control of one's own destiny.
- The book delves into the concept of financial independence and offers practical advice on building wealth and creating passive income streams.
- It underscores the value of creating a balanced lifestyle that prioritizes well-being and personal happiness alongside professional success.
Rob’s book is about doing something outside of the box for a career in order to obtain happiness in life. By being an entrepreneur, you can free yourself from the typical 9 to 5 schedule and work anywhere you want without boundaries.
The New Freedom: Ordinary People Are Living Extraordinary Lives & So Can You! aims to free people from employment. It teaches people how to make a new life online, create your own schedule and do work that is meaningful for you. It provides the reader with actionable strategies to make their life as a professional more enjoyable.
Rob details his in-depth interviews with recently successful entrepreneurs such as Justin Cooke from Empire Flippers, Shayna Oliveira, who teaches English as a second language online, and Nora Dunn from The Professional Hobo.
Readers will walk away from this book knowing what essential items they will need when working from home. They will have a new approach to living a happier life. And have a path to live a life with fewer complications.
Readers have found that this book is a gem when it comes to online entrepreneurship. Rob has a great way of telling people who are just getting started exactly what they need to hear in order to make them comfortable with their decision to work online.
He also gives them the motivation they need to get them started. Rob’s tone is sincere and down-to-earth, and his information and advice are believable, because they are honest and from the heart.
For full disclosure, Rob Cubbon has been an online friend of mine for quite a few years. He has always been honest and straight-forward and I believe that if I read this book and did not know him, my review would be exactly the same.
7. Talent Is Overrated by Geoff Colvin
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Takeaways:
- The book challenges the notion of innate talent, arguing that deliberate practice and focused effort are the primary drivers of exceptional performance in any field.
- It explores the concept of “10,000-hour rule” popularized by Malcolm Gladwell, emphasizing the importance of sustained, purposeful practice in developing expertise.
- The author examines real-life examples to illustrate how individuals and organizations can cultivate talent through dedicated, deliberate practice rather than relying solely on natural abilities.
- The book delves into the role of mental representations and feedback in the learning process, highlighting their significance in honing skills and achieving mastery.
- It encourages readers to adopt a growth mindset and embrace the idea that excellence is attainable through persistent, deliberate practice rather than being solely dependent on innate talent.
Are people are not born with an innate ability to do something great? According to Talent is Overrated, the answer to that question is a resounding, “NO!”
Rather, greatness comes from practice and perseverance that is perfected over decades. Additionally, the key is how you practice, analyze your progress, and learn from your mistakes that make you the most successful. In this way, the book reminds me of many of my ideas from my book on best learning practices.
Talent Is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else includes many scientific and real-world examples. Colvin shows that when people use the right kind of effort, they can improve at anything.
Colvin's mindset and practical advice are meant to change the reader's way of thinking about their job and career and inspire people to achieve more.
8. The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
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Takeaways:
- The book identifies “resistance” as the primary obstacle to creativity and self-expression, urging readers to recognize and overcome this internal force to unlock their full potential.
- It emphasizes the importance of discipline and perseverance in pursuing creative endeavors, highlighting the need to consistently show up and put in the work despite resistance and self-doubt.
- The author explores the concept of professional versus amateur mindset, advocating for a committed, professional approach to one's creative pursuits.
- The book delves into the idea of “turning pro” by fully dedicating oneself to their craft, embracing the challenges and responsibilities that come with pursuing a creative career.
- It encourages readers to confront their fears and insecurities, offering insights into how to navigate the internal battles that often accompany the pursuit of artistic and professional fulfillment.
This book talks about knocking down the barriers to success that people may encounter. The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win your Inner Creative Battles pinpoints the internal enemy that people face and explains how to achieve success despite the naysayers and roadblocks.
While this book was written for writers, many others have embraced its message, from business entrepreneurs to actors and dancers.
This book is a quick read and leaves people feeling inspired. Pressfield, one of my favorite fiction writers, writes his nonfiction with the same skill and intensity as his fiction books.
This book is full of actionable advice. It is practical and makes sense, no matter what area of your life you are trying to apply the information.
9. The Daily Entrepreneur by S.J. Scott and Rebecca Livermore
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This is a great book for people who want to become a freelancer or are looking for a way to make some extra money. Most entrepreneurs hope to make enough money to make it on their own, but often that expectation is not met.
However, the problems that entrepreneurs face are common, meaning that a lot of people experience them. This also means that people have found ways to overcome them. Their secret is that they build specific daily habits.
In The Daily Entrepreneur: 33 Success Habits for Small Business Owners, Freelancers and Aspiring 9-to-5 Escape Artists, the author talks about the power that developing habits can have and shows the reader how to use these habits to overcome common challenges.
This book is unique from others because it is organized according to the challenges that everyone faces each day. There are 33 life-changing habits described in this book that will increase your ability to overcome obstacles and meet your goals.
Readers recommend this book to entrepreneurs who want to include effective methods in their schedules to get more out of each day that streamlines productivity. The ideas are supported by evidence and examples, allowing readers to relate to the material.
Full disclosure: This is a book that I co-wrote. I feel this book has some great information for readers, but I did not write the above review since I hate being overly self promotional. I clipped this from someone else review of my work and reprinted it here.
10. The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz
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Takeaways:
- The book offers candid insights into the challenges of leading and managing a business, providing practical advice on navigating tough decisions and turbulent times.
- It emphasizes the importance of making difficult choices and confronting brutal realities as a leader, highlighting the need for resilience and decisiveness in the face of adversity.
- The author shares personal anecdotes and lessons learned from his own experiences, offering valuable perspectives on handling crises, leadership transitions, and organizational growth.
- The book delves into the complexities of managing people and fostering a strong company culture, addressing the nuances of building and sustaining a successful team.
- It underscores the significance of maintaining a long-term perspective and strategic vision, urging leaders to stay focused on their ultimate goals while tackling the immediate challenges of running a business.
Ben Horowitz, a successful entrepreneur, offers critical advice in this book on running a start-up company. He includes practical wisdom to help manage common problems that business school doesn’t teach and gives real-world advice.
Horowitz analyzes the problems that leaders run into on a regular basis in this book and shares the knowledge that he has gotten from developing and running his own companies.
He knows everything about owning and running a business from keeping a CEO mentality to knowing when it is time to shut down.
The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers is engaging and entertaining as the author uses his favorite rap lyrics throughout to share his business lessons. He makes serious subjects such as firing friends into a more light-hearted and easy read.
Horowitz uses his humor and straight talk in this book that is invaluable for people who are just starting their own business as well as veteran entrepreneurs.
His humbling experiences can help people at any level. Readers have found this book to be refreshing because the concepts are not dumbed down. There is useful advice given throughout this book for building relationships and working with other people in many situations.
11. Tribe of Mentors by Tim Ferriss
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Takeaways:
- The book compiles wisdom and advice from a diverse range of successful individuals, offering valuable insights and actionable guidance on personal and professional growth.
- It emphasizes the importance of seeking mentorship and learning from others, highlighting the impact of surrounding oneself with supportive and knowledgeable individuals.
- The author explores the habits, routines, and mindset of high achievers, providing readers with a wealth of practical strategies and life lessons to apply in their own lives.
- The book encourages readers to embrace experimentation and continuous learning, promoting a mindset of curiosity and adaptability in pursuit of personal and professional excellence.
- It underscores the value of self-reflection and introspection, offering prompts and questions to help readers clarify their goals, values, and priorities on the path to success and fulfillment.
Tribe of Mentors: Short Life Advice from the Best in the World is a compilation of ideas from some of the world's most successful entrepreneurs.
It is great for people who are questioning their path in life or are looking to start new or get a new sense of motivation.
Some of the subjects that this book addresses include effective morning routines, the best purchases you can make that are less than $100, how to achieve a work-life balance, and how to sort through all of the information that you take in every day.
This book is not 100% about productivity and time management, but enough of the ideas of the experts in this book touch on these subjects to make it a valuable read for people wanting to become more productive.
Some readers dislike the format of this book. It doesn't have a flow or have an obvious sense of order, rather it is the responses he got from people he reached out to when asking these questions. This seems to make the book a bit choppy.
However, it is still full of useful information that can relate to a lot of people. While not every reader will be able to relate to every part of this book, there is something in this book for every reader.
Lots of interesting stuff in this book. Even the stuff unrelated to entrepreneurship and business is still fun and educational.
Great lessons from the world’s most famous and most successful people, and certainly an book on entrepreneurship that every wannabe entrepreneur should mine for every deep thought Ferris shares.
12. The Entrepreneur Roller Coaster by Darren Hardy
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Takeaways:
- The book outlines the unpredictable journey of entrepreneurship, preparing readers for the emotional and psychological ups and downs that come with building a business.
- It emphasizes the importance of mindset and resilience, offering strategies to navigate the challenges and uncertainties inherent in the entrepreneurial path.
- The author provides practical advice on managing risk, making strategic decisions, and cultivating the mindset of a successful entrepreneur.
- The book delves into the significance of personal development and self-mastery, highlighting the role of continuous growth and learning in achieving entrepreneurial success.
- It encourages readers to embrace the entrepreneurial roller coaster, framing the inevitable setbacks and obstacles as opportunities for growth and progress.
In The Entrepreneur Roller Coaster: Why Now Is the Time to #JoinTheRide, Darren Hardy explores why most small businesses fail. He found that the reasons were different than any previously recorded reasons.
Failure was actually not caused by outside factors. Failure is actually internal. The unexpected emotional roller coaster that an entrepreneur goes through is the largest cause of entrepreneur failures.
This book will prepare anyone for the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. It will give warnings and prepares future entrepreneurs to handle doubters and naysayers. It also prepares people for the pains of rejection and failure and provides a guide to move past the obstacles lead to the failure of 66% of new businesses.
After reading this book, you will know the best strategies that the author has collected from successful people, covering the four essential skills that are needed for success, which are recruiting, sales, leadership, and productivity.
This entrepreneur book is great for people who want to own their own business but are scared of the unknown. It is also great for people who are currently running their own business but want to be sure to stay successful, or even take it to the next level.
This book to be motivating and informational. A lot of the information in this book is not common things that one would come across while researching online, they are first-hand accounts of success and are as interesting and exciting to read as they are informational.
13. The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz
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Takeaways:
- The book emphasizes the importance of managing energy, rather than time, as the key to high performance and personal renewal.
- The authors stress the significance of oscillating between energy expenditure and recovery, advocating for the strategic renewal of energy to optimize performance and well-being.
- The book offers practical techniques for creating routines that support sustainable energy management, enabling individuals to operate at their best consistently.
- It underscores the connection between energy management and overall effectiveness, providing a holistic approach to achieving success and fulfillment in both personal and professional domains.
This bestselling book has helped thousands of people balance the stress of their work life and home life and sustain high performance even when they have daunting workloads and constant demands on their time.
The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal is tough-minded yet gentle and gives the reader inspiration to do it all.
The authors recognize that our digital age is rushed, fast-paced, and relentless. Facing full workloads, people try to do as much as possible every day, despite not having enough time. Time management is not possible.
Rather, this book focuses on managing energy instead of time. In order to both perform at a high level and stay healthy and happy. This practical book is based on science and gives a reasonable approach to manage your energy both while at work and while at home.
Loehr and company lay out key training principles for their readers. They give a step-by-step program to balance energy, mobilize their sources of energy, expand their capacity, and create lasting changes.
Readers appreciate this book's ability to give people a guide to becoming more engaged in their lives. A logical connection is made between athletic training and training for life in general that makes sense to any reader who is looking to improve their life.
14. Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon
Takeaways:
- The book encourages embracing inspiration from various sources to fuel creativity, emphasizing the value of remixing and building upon existing ideas.
- The author highlights the significance of cultivating a creative routine and consistently showing up to do the work, promoting the idea that creativity is a habit that can be nurtured.
- The book delves into the concept of “side projects” and their potential to fuel creativity, offering insights into how pursuing diverse interests can enrich one's creative endeavors.
- It underscores the value of sharing one's work and engaging with a community of peers, promoting the idea that creativity thrives in a collaborative and open environment.
Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative focuses on creativity and the fact that everyone has a creative side to them somewhere.
This guide provides a positive message for the reader along with a graphic look and illustrations, examples, and exercises that will allow readers to connect with their artistic side.
Austin Kleon, the author of this book, had a speech go viral when he was asked to talk to college students in upstate New York. He focused on the ten things that he wished he knew when he was starting out. After this talk became so popular, Kleon further analyzed his own ideas to write this book.
This book is not only inspiring, but it is also original and practical. It is entertaining and filled with formerly unknown truths about creativity.
The author argues that nothing is original, so it is best to embrace influence, generate ideas, and re-imagine things in order to discover your own path. Readers are urged to follow their interests, stay out of debt, and make room for your creative self to become daring with your imagination.
Readers have found that this book offers helpful advice while also being a fun and easy read. The author explains all of his points well and gives clear examples so readers are able to relate to the text. This small book packs in a lot of information that is not easily found elsewhere.
15. Work Smarter by Nick Loper
Takeaways:
- The book offers practical strategies for increasing productivity and efficiency, focusing on leveraging technology and smart work habits to achieve better results.
- It emphasizes the importance of prioritizing tasks and managing time effectively, providing actionable advice on streamlining workflows and minimizing distractions.
- The author explores the concept of outsourcing and delegation as a means to free up time and focus on high-impact activities, offering insights into building a virtual team and automating tasks.
- The book delves into the principles of remote work and flexible scheduling, highlighting the benefits of location independence and work-life integration.
- It underscores the value of continuous learning and skill development, promoting a mindset of adaptability and growth in the pursuit of professional success.
Overly successful people always get more done than others. What are the secret weapons of the people who are always on top of things and ahead of the game? In this “entrepreneur resource” book Loper shares with us many of the tools that help make super-productive people so darn productive.
Extremely productive people these people are able to think smarter, not harder. Everyone has the same amount of time in every day, and the tips in this book help readers make the most of that time, by using their favorite combinations of 500 time tested online tools.
Over 800 of today's most successful entrepreneurs came together to create this guide. Included in Work Smarter: 500+ Online Resources Today’s Top Entrepreneurs Use to Increase Productivity and Achieve Their Goals are the real tools that are used by superstar business leaders each day.
Readers are given access to over 500 resources to help them grow their business from the ground up.
16. The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
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Takeaways:
- The book explores the concept of the “tipping point” as the moment when an idea, trend, or behavior reaches a critical mass and spreads rapidly.
- It delves into the factors that contribute to tipping points, such as the influence of connectors, mavens, and salesmen in disseminating information and driving social change.
- The author discusses the role of small, seemingly insignificant actions in triggering major shifts, highlighting the power of context and social dynamics in shaping outcomes.
- The book examines real-world examples, from the spread of epidemics to the rise of viral trends, to illustrate the principles of the tipping point phenomenon.
- It underscores the significance of understanding tipping points in various contexts, offering insights into how small changes can lead to significant impact.
The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference refers to the moment when an idea or trend crosses a threshold into becoming viral. One action can quickly become a movement in these days of social media.
This bestselling book explores and illuminates the tipping point phenomenon and is already makes changes to the way people worldwide think about selling their products and spreading ideas.
Readers have found this to be a solid book for all types of businesses. It helps people become aware of the different factors that go into making something into a movement or making something go viral. This awareness is great for people who own a company and want to grow their business.
17. Make Money, Live Wealthy by Austin Netzley
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Takeaways:
- The book advocates for a holistic approach to wealth, emphasizing the importance of aligning financial goals with personal values and well-being.
- It offers practical strategies for building multiple streams of income and creating passive revenue sources, promoting a diversified and resilient financial portfolio.
- The author provides insights into the mindset and habits of successful wealth builders, offering actionable advice on setting and achieving financial goals.
- The book delves into the principles of smart investing and wealth preservation, highlighting the significance of long-term planning and risk management.
- It underscores the value of financial independence and freedom, encouraging readers to pursue wealth with the intention of living a fulfilling and purpose-driven life.
Make Money, Live Wealthy: 75 Successful Entrepreneurs Share the 10 Simple Steps to True Wealth the advice of 75 successful entrepreneurs to help people who are overwhelmed in their lives.
The experts in this book are iconic investors, successful entrepreneurs, bestselling authors, and financial planners, but they didn't start out like that. These people are living proof that anyone can ultimately be successful.
Readers will walk away from this book knowing the simple actions that they need to take to achieve success. This simple step-by-step guide helps readers take control of their business and their wealth.
Readers have found that the principles in this book can be applied to any aspect of life. It is a well-rounded book that is motivating to the reader and teaches people how to invest in themselves.
18. Inspire! by Patrick King
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Takeaways:
- The book emphasizes the importance of effective communication skills in both personal and professional settings, offering practical tips for improving interactions with others.
- It provides insights into the psychology of persuasion and influence, highlighting the power of storytelling and emotional connection in inspiring action and change.
- Inspire! encourages readers to embrace authenticity and vulnerability as key components of effective leadership, fostering trust and connection with others.
- The author explores the concept of charisma and offers strategies for cultivating a magnetic presence that captivates and motivates those around you.
- The book underscores the significance of mindset and attitude in shaping one's ability to inspire and lead, encouraging readers to adopt a positive and proactive approach to influence and impact.
Inspire! The Art of Persuasive Leadership: How to Influence, Establish Trust, and Gain Respect might be right for you if you want to learn how to motivate people better and be a more effective leader. It teaches people to be better at persuasion and winning people over while still maximizing efficiency and being respected.
King argues that all problems can be linked back to the people who are involved. This book teaches readers how to deal with people and quickly gain their support.
The author looks deep into psychology to find ways to make a win-win situation every time. He addresses the human elements that are needed in leadership and techniques to make other people share your same goal.
Readers have found that this is a great book to help learn how to deal with people who have opposing values or opinions. It is easy to listen to while in the car during a commute or even on a lunch break. There is a lot of value provided in this leadership book.
19. EDGY Conversations by Dan Waldschmidt
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Takeaways:
- The book emphasizes the importance of embracing discomfort and taking bold, unconventional actions to achieve success, challenging readers to redefine their limits and push beyond their comfort zones.
- It offers practical strategies for fostering resilience and mental toughness in the face of adversity, encouraging readers to confront challenges head-on and maintain a relentless pursuit of their goals.
- EDGY Conversations delves into the significance of authenticity and honesty in communication, advocating for genuine, transparent interactions that build trust and meaningful connections.
- The author explores the concept of radical accountability, urging readers to take ownership of their actions and outcomes while holding themselves to the highest standards of performance and integrity.
- The book underscores the value of relentless persistence and unwavering commitment to personal and professional growth, inspiring readers to cultivate a mindset of determination and perseverance in pursuit of their aspirations.
The standard advice that is given to people who want to be successful is often ineffective. You work hard all day, but often find yourself no closer to success than you were just last week. Edgy Conversations: How Ordinary People Can Achieve Outrageous Success reveals the truth, which is that it is not your actions that are holding you back.
Instead, it is who you are. Your own mind is keeping you from success, which has started this Edgy conversation.
This honest book does not hold back in its discussion about what it takes to be successful. Based on the stories of hundreds of regular people in all types of industries, this book illustrates the achievements of people who have created greatness for themselves.
I admit this is not your typical “entrepreneur book” I think this book is (and the book above) are important for entrepreneurs because a big part of success (or failure) as an entrepreneur is based on how well you can convince others of your vision.
Edgy Conversations gives you the tools to communicate your entrepreneurial vision to others and help them get behind you and your vision. An essential key to becoming an entrepreneur.
20. Discover Your True North by Bill George
Takeaways:
- Discover Your True North emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and authenticity in leadership, guiding readers to align their actions with their core values and beliefs to become effective and inspiring leaders.
- The book offers a framework for personal and professional development, encouraging individuals to identify their true purpose and passion while maintaining integrity and ethical conduct in their endeavors.
- It explores the concept of resilience and adaptability, highlighting the significance of learning from failures and setbacks to cultivate the strength and agility needed to navigate challenges and lead with confidence.
- Discover Your True North delves into the power of empathy and emotional intelligence in building strong, collaborative relationships, emphasizing the role of compassion and understanding in effective leadership.
- The author shares insights from real-world leaders, providing valuable lessons and perspectives on navigating complex organizational dynamics and fostering a culture of trust, respect, and innovation.
Discover Your True North: The Leadership Classic Expanded for Today's Leaders helps readers become an authentic leader by discovering their “True North”. Based on interviews with over 200 leaders, this book provides insight from authentic global leaders who are diverse, global, and contemporary.
It includes relevant case studies and personal stories to teach readers how to become the leaders that they want to be. It even includes helpful exercises throughout the book to help engage the reader.
Readers appreciate the concrete and comprehensive program that this book explains for becoming a real leader. It is also very helpful that the author gives examples of how to chart one's path to leadership.
Once you discover the purpose of your leadership, you'll find the true leader inside you. This book shows you how to use your natural leadership abilities to inspire and empower others to excellence in today's complex global world.
Discover Your True North enables you to become the leader you were born to be and stay on track of your True North.
21. Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull and Amy Wallace.
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Takeaways:
- Creativity, Inc. delves into the principles of fostering a creative and innovative culture within organizations, emphasizing the importance of nurturing a supportive and open environment for idea generation and collaboration.
- The book offers valuable insights into the leadership and management strategies employed at Pixar Animation Studios, highlighting the significance of empowering teams and creating a space for constructive feedback and risk-taking.
- It explores the concept of embracing failure as a natural part of the creative process, encouraging readers to view setbacks as opportunities for growth and learning rather than obstacles to success.
- Creativity, Inc. underscores the value of storytelling and the power of narrative in driving engagement and emotional connection, offering practical guidance on leveraging storytelling to captivate audiences and convey compelling messages.
- The authors share firsthand experiences and anecdotes from their journey in the animation industry, providing valuable lessons and perspectives on nurturing creativity, fostering a culture of excellence, and navigating the challenges of leading a creative enterprise.
Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration is great for managers who are striving for originality and want to make their employees more successful. The author focuses on building a creative culture while also having a company that comes up with the best ideas as possible.
Written by one of the co-founders of Pixar Animation Studios, this book is written in a joyous way that comes off as almost storytelling. Readers have found that it has emotional authenticity using Pixar movies as a lesson in what creativity actually is. (Speaking of movies, check out our favorite movies for entrepreneurs!)
Readers have found this book to be enjoyable to read and full of useful information. It is an inspiring book that can help managers in any industry.
22. The Warren Buffett Way by Robert G. Hagstrom
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Takeaways:
- The Warren Buffett Way offers valuable insights into the investment philosophy and strategies of Warren Buffett, emphasizing the importance of long-term thinking and a focus on intrinsic value when selecting investments.
- The book delves into the principles of value investing, highlighting the significance of thorough research, patience, and a disciplined approach to identifying undervalued stocks with strong growth potential.
- It explores the concept of economic moats and competitive advantages, guiding readers to assess the durability of a company's competitive position and its ability to sustain long-term success.
- The Warren Buffett Way underscores the value of rational decision-making and the avoidance of emotional biases in investment, advocating for a methodical and unemotional approach to portfolio management.
- The author shares valuable lessons from Warren Buffett's investment journey, providing practical insights and principles that can be applied by investors seeking to build wealth through a prudent and rational approach to the stock market.
Warren Buffett became a billionaire and investment professional by viewing companies as businesses instead of numbers on a stock screen.
The Warren Buffett Way gives investors an in-depth look at the investment and business strategies that he used to achieve success. The author also draws on the subject of behavioral finance to explain how investors can move past obstacles that prevent them from being successful.
After reading this book, people will know how to think like a long-term investor, overcome obstacles, and behave rationally in the market.
The psychological foundations that are addressed in this book give the readers the best guide yet for understanding the principles and the behaviors that Buffet has used to become the best investor of this generation.
This is another book that is not “technically” an entrepreneurial book.
Although it discusses many ways that Buffett has achieved success as an entrepreneur, this book focuses more on the financial aspects. However, every entrepreneur needs to have an understanding of money and investment opportunities.
While many books on investing and books on personal finance might give entrepreneurs the “money skills’ they need to be successful. I thought it apt to include a book about one of the greatest financial entrepreneurs of all time.
This book is a great encouragement for any potential financial entrepreneur to do their own thing and not listen to the fads of the day.
23. The Startup Playbook by David Kidder
Takeaways:
- The Startup Playbook offers practical insights and advice from successful entrepreneurs, providing a comprehensive guide to navigating the challenges of launching and growing a startup.
- It delves into the key elements of building a successful business, emphasizing the importance of identifying a compelling value proposition, understanding customer needs, and creating a scalable business model.
- The book explores the concept of resilience and adaptability, highlighting the significance of embracing failure as a learning opportunity and maintaining a persistent, agile approach to overcoming obstacles.
- The Startup Playbook underscores the value of effective leadership and team building, offering strategies for attracting top talent, fostering a culture of innovation, and leading with vision and purpose.
- The author shares firsthand experiences and anecdotes from entrepreneurs, providing valuable lessons and actionable insights on strategy, marketing, fundraising, and other critical aspects of launching and scaling a successful startup.
The Startup Playbook: Secrets of the Fastest-Growing Startups from Their Founding Entrepreneurs helps new businesses succeed.
24. The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber
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Takeaways:
- The E-Myth Revisited emphasizes the distinction between working in your business and working on your business, highlighting the importance of developing systems and processes to achieve sustainable growth and success.
- The book delves into the entrepreneurial myth and the common pitfalls that small business owners encounter, offering practical guidance on how to shift from being a technician to a strategic entrepreneur.
- It explores the concept of creating a franchise prototype for your business, guiding readers to develop a replicable and scalable model that can be systematized for consistent performance and expansion.
- The E-Myth Revisited underscores the value of understanding the different roles of the entrepreneur, manager, and technician within a business, and offers insights on how to effectively balance and fulfill these roles.
- The author shares actionable insights and strategies for building a business that is not solely reliant on the owner's presence, empowering entrepreneurs to create a sustainable and thriving enterprise with a clear vision and purpose.
I have not “really” rated these entrepreneurial books on how much they can possibly affect someone’s success or failure as an entrepreneur. However, if I did this book would be in strong contention for the #1 spot.
This revised edition of the original bestseller debunks the myths about starting up a business. Michael Gerber, a small business consultant and author, has years of experience in the field which allows him to point out to the reader how various factors can get in the way of having a successful business.
The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It guides the reader through the life cycle of a business and shows how to apply the important lessons of franchising to any business, even if the business is not a franchise.
This book helps readers grow their businesses in a productive and confident way. Readers have found that this book gets straight to the point in an impactful way.
25. Elon Musk by Ashlee Vance
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Takeaways:
- The biography delves into Elon Musk's relentless drive and audacious vision, highlighting his unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of technology and space exploration.
- It offers insights into Musk's leadership style and management approach, showcasing his ability to inspire and lead teams toward ambitious goals while maintaining a hands-on involvement in the development of groundbreaking innovations.
- The book explores Musk's resilience in the face of adversity, illustrating his ability to navigate challenges and setbacks with unwavering determination and a focus on long-term objectives.
- Elon Musk underscores the value of thinking big and taking calculated risks, offering a glimpse into Musk's bold decision-making and his willingness to challenge conventional wisdom in pursuit of transformative advancements.
- The author provides a comprehensive portrayal of Musk's entrepreneurial journey, offering valuable lessons and perspectives on innovation, disruption, and the relentless pursuit of ambitious, game-changing goals.
In Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future, Ashlee Vance gives the reader a look into the life of Silicon Valley's most daring entrepreneur. The book begins with the entrepreneur's journey starting from a rough childhood in South Africa to the height of the global business world.
This book tells the turbulent stories of Musk's global companies such as PayPal, Tesla Motors, and SolarCity, and describes a man who has sparked new levels of innovation.
Using Musk's story, Vance explores the question of whether or not a nation of inventors can continue to be successful with global competition. He argues that Musk has dedicated his life more than any other entrepreneur in the modern day to inventing a future that is rich and far-reaching.
This is possibly another book some people may find as an odd inclusion for a collection of entrepreneur books.
But Musk is such the perfect stereotype of the modern entrepreneur, you can learn a lot by simply studying all the wonderful things he has accomplished in his life.
Being a story about a very interesting guy this book is a much more entertaining read than many of the entrepreneurial “guides” on this list. It is entertaining, but I feel you will also learn a lot about entrepreneurship also.
26. The Personal MBA by Josh Kaufman
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Takeaways:
- The Personal MBA offers a comprehensive overview of fundamental business principles, providing readers with a practical and accessible alternative to traditional business school education.
- It emphasizes the importance of mastering key business concepts such as value creation, marketing, sales, finance, and decision-making, empowering individuals to develop a well-rounded understanding of business fundamentals.
- The book delves into the concept of mental models and their application in business, guiding readers to adopt effective thinking frameworks for problem-solving and decision-making in various business contexts.
- The Personal MBA underscores the value of entrepreneurship and innovation, offering insights into the process of identifying opportunities, creating value, and building successful ventures.
- The author shares a curated selection of essential business book recommendations, providing readers with a valuable reading list to further expand their business knowledge and acumen.
Business school is expensive and truly does not teach students as much as they will learn in the real world when they are actually working. This book is written by the founder of PersonalMBA.com, which is an alternative to wasting time in business school.
In this book, Kaufman shares the essentials of business development in one complete volume. The Personal MBA: Master the Art of Business teaches readers the most valuable business lessons through simple and memorable models that are easily applied to real-world situations.
This book gives readers a clear and straightforward understanding of what business is about. It is a great read for anyone because it talks about the nature of human endeavor along with how the world functions.
It covers a full spectrum of business topics and makes them approachable to anyone who is willing to learn them.
27. Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink
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Takeaways:
- Extreme Ownership emphasizes the concept of taking full responsibility for all outcomes, advocating for a mindset of accountability and ownership in leadership and teamwork.
- The book delves into the principles of effective leadership, highlighting the importance of clear communication, decisive action, and empowering team members to take ownership of their responsibilities.
- It explores the concept of decentralized command, guiding leaders to empower and trust their team members while maintaining overall strategic control and direction.
- Extreme Ownership underscores the value of humility and continuous improvement, encouraging leaders to learn from failures, adapt to changing circumstances, and lead by example.
- The author shares firsthand experiences from combat and business, providing actionable insights and principles for applying the mindset of extreme ownership to overcome challenges and achieve success in various endeavors.
Recounting a mission of a SEAL team unit, this book talks about how leadership is the most important factor in success. Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win explains the mindset that SEALs must have to accomplish their hardest combat missions.
It shows how to apply these principles and mindsets to any team or organization.
Each chapter talks about specific topics such as “leading up the chain” and “cover and move”. Extreme Ownership clearly explains these concepts are, what makes them important, and how to apply them to any leadership environment.
This powerful book uses compelling narrative and instruction to help revolutionize business management and the challenges that leaders face to effectively lead and win.
This is a very structured book. It allows readers a birds-eye view about eye-opening leadership experiences and teachable moments endured by the United States premier fighting force, the Navy SEALs.
28. The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy
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Takeaways:
- The Compound Effect emphasizes the power of small, consistent actions and decisions in creating significant and lasting change over time, highlighting the impact of daily habits on long-term success.
- The book delves into the concept of momentum, guiding readers to harness the cumulative effect of positive behaviors and choices to achieve substantial results in various areas of life.
- It explores the significance of mindset and personal development, offering practical strategies for cultivating a positive attitude, setting meaningful goals, and staying focused on continuous improvement.
- The Compound Effect underscores the value of accountability and self-discipline, encouraging readers to take ownership of their choices and behaviors to drive positive outcomes and achieve their desired results.
- The author shares actionable insights and principles for leveraging the compound effect in areas such as career, finances, relationships, and health, empowering readers to make incremental changes that lead to significant transformations over time.
The Compound Effect: Jumpstart Your Income, Your Life, Your Success is a book that can improve both your entrepreneurial, health and personal development success.
The premise is simple—the small, everyday actions that you take ultimately determine your success in life. If your day is filled with self-destructive habits, this will have a negative, compounding effect on your life. However, if you commit to doing daily, goal-specific habits, then success isn’t that hard to achieve.
The message of The Compound Effect is similar to other books like Essentialism, The One Thing and The Slight Edge. When you have a “zero excuses allowed” policy for important habits, you accomplish amazing things over the long term.
The ideas in this book are not complicated, yet strangely enough, I think they are profound.
Together with the books mentioned in the paragraph above they form a “must read” core of productivity books every single entrepreneur should read, understand and make a part of his/her lifestyle.
29. Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss
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Takeaways:
- Tools of Titans offers a compilation of insights and strategies from a diverse range of high achievers, providing readers with actionable advice on productivity, health, wealth, and wisdom.
- The book delves into the habits and routines of successful individuals, offering valuable lessons and practical tips for optimizing performance and achieving personal and professional goals.
- It explores the concept of experimentation and continuous learning, showcasing the diverse approaches and perspectives of top performers in various fields to inspire readers to explore new ideas and strategies.
- Tools of Titans underscores the value of resilience and adaptability, providing insights on overcoming challenges, embracing failure, and maintaining a growth mindset in pursuit of success.
- The author shares a curated collection of interviews and tools from top performers, providing readers with a wealth of actionable insights and resources to enhance their personal and professional lives.
Tim Ferris, the host of The Tim Ferriss Show podcast, wrote this compilation as a notebook of the best points of his in-depth interviews with business professionals. He lays out tips and life lessons that his well-known guests have offered on the show as some reasons behind their success.
What makes Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers different from others is that it focuses on the minute details of successful people. For example, what is a good example of an effective morning routine? What are some common wastes of time?
This book for entrepreneurs has some very unique and original insights. However, some people do complain because of the episodic nature of the sections.
There is not a single narrative of how to succeed as an entrepreneur. But in many ways, this is more honest, because in reality there is not a single “right” ay to achieve success.
Personally I love the “pick-and-choose” natures of the chapters. I can learn from the people who inspire me and just skip the chapters of those who I do not believe have anything important to say.
30. The Entrepreneur Mind by Kevin D. Johnson
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Takeaways:
- The Entrepreneur Mind offers insights into the mindset and characteristics of successful entrepreneurs, providing practical guidance for aspiring and current business owners.
- The book emphasizes the importance of creativity and innovation, guiding readers to cultivate a mindset that embraces change, new ideas, and unconventional approaches to problem-solving.
- It explores the concept of risk-taking and resilience, highlighting the significance of calculated risks, perseverance, and adaptability in navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship.
- The Entrepreneur Mind underscores the value of strategic thinking and planning, offering actionable advice on setting clear goals, making informed decisions, and executing effective business strategies.
- The author shares practical tips and real-world examples to inspire and empower entrepreneurs, providing valuable insights on leadership, marketing, finance, and other critical aspects of building and growing a successful business.
In The Entrepreneur Mind: 100 Essential Beliefs, Characteristics, and Habits of Elite Entrepreneurs written for both novice and veteran entrepreneurs, Johnson pinpoints 100 key lessons that every entrepreneur has to learn in order to be successful.
These lessons make up the fundamental beliefs, characteristics, and habits that all elite entrepreneurs have in common.
Readers have found that this is a must-read book because of its ability to teach people how to think. It includes stories from the author's personal journey that are both easy to follow and easy to apply to any business situation.
This book is especially great for those who do not have a traditional business background but are looking to grow their startup into a household name.
31. Crushing It by Gary Vaynerchuk
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Takeaways:
- Crushing It emphasizes the power of personal branding and leveraging social media platforms to build a strong online presence, connect with audiences, and grow a business.
- The book delves into the stories of individuals who have successfully capitalized on their passions and expertise, offering actionable insights on how to monetize one's personal brand and create a thriving online business.
- It explores the concept of authenticity and providing value to the audience, guiding readers to prioritize genuine engagement and meaningful content creation to foster a loyal and supportive community.
- Crushing It underscores the value of hustle and perseverance, encouraging individuals to embrace hard work, consistency, and a relentless pursuit of their goals in the digital landscape.
- The author shares practical strategies and actionable advice for leveraging social media platforms, personal branding, and content creation to establish a powerful online presence and achieve entrepreneurial success.
This book offers lessons and inspiration taken from the experiences of dozens of entrepreneurs who decided against taking the predictable corporate path in order to pursue their dreams of building thriving businesses and personal brands.
I love this book. Vaynerchuck’s original hit “Crush It” was an eye-opener for me personally.
In this book, Gary insisted that an energetic personal brand is a crucial element to entrepreneurial success. I appreciate his frank and sometimes brusque manners and attitude. Although I do understand why some people might be put off by his style.
Crushing It: How Great Entrepreneurs Build Their Business and Influence-and How You Can, Too has some of the same, but goes far deeper into what it takes to achieve entrepreneurial success than his 2009 bestseller.
Gary also shares the principles of business that have changed over the years as well as those that have remained timeless and dependable.
Readers enjoy the stories in this book from other entrepreneurs who have succeeded in their business ventures by following the principles in the original edition of this book.
Readers appreciate the lessons on current trends such as social media platforms that allow people in any type of business to expand their personal brand.
This book is written in a lively and practical manner and is able to inspire readers to amplify their personal brand.
For readers with more experience, this book highlights some of the lesser-known differences in modern-day business and provides new tips and tweaks that have been proven to enhance common strategies.
32. The Motivation Myth by Jeff Haden
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Takeaways:
- The Motivation Myth challenges the notion that motivation is a prerequisite for achieving success, emphasizing the importance of consistent action and discipline in reaching goals.
- The book delves into the concept of “forcing functions,” guiding readers to create environments and systems that compel action and drive progress, regardless of momentary motivation levels.
- It explores the significance of small, incremental steps and habits in achieving meaningful results, advocating for the power of consistent effort and perseverance over fleeting bursts of motivation.
- The Motivation Myth underscores the value of setting clear, achievable goals and focusing on the process rather than waiting for the perfect moment or feeling motivated to take action.
- The author shares actionable insights and practical strategies for cultivating discipline, maintaining momentum, and achieving success through consistent, deliberate effort, dispelling the myth that motivation is the primary driver of accomplishment.
In The Motivation Myth: How High Achievers Really Set Themselves Up to Win, Jeff Haden makes the argument that motivation, as we think about it, is a myth. Motivation is actually a result of a process, not a cause.
As the book progresses, the reader is taught how to reframe their thinking about how motivation relates to success.
Part if the reason I live this book is that it reaffirms my own thinking on motivation. If you need to be motivated to succeed, you will never succeed LONG-TERM. It is better to set up a system that cannot fail rather than rely on something as ephemeral as motivation.
Haden recognizes that people are anxious at the beginning of a big goal. They are unsure and scared of how to proceed. He offers practical advice that can be used by anyone to stop stalling and start pursuing their dreams.
Overall, this book teaches that success isn't only for certain people. It is possible for anyone to be successful if they understand the real nature of motivation. This inspiring book is eye-opening for anyone, no matter what they are working on in their life at the moment.
33. Zero to One by Peter Thiel and Blake Masters
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Takeaways:
- Zero to One emphasizes the importance of creating and monopolizing new markets rather than competing within existing ones, highlighting the value of innovation and differentiation.
- The book delves into the concept of building a unique and valuable business from scratch, offering insights on the power of technology, visionary thinking, and creating something truly distinctive.
- It explores the significance of contrarian thinking and embracing unconventional ideas, guiding entrepreneurs to seek out uncharted territory and develop breakthrough innovations.
- Zero to One underscores the value of strategic planning and long-term vision, advocating for a focus on creating and capturing new value rather than simply imitating existing successes.
- The authors share actionable insights and principles for entrepreneurs and business leaders, providing valuable perspectives on fostering innovation, achieving sustainable growth, and creating transformative ventures in a rapidly evolving world.
In Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future, legendary entrepreneur and investor Peter Thiel talk about how information technology has quickly improved, but progress should not be limited to computers. Progress can be achieved in all industries.
Progress can only come from the important skill of learning how to think for yourself.
When you do something new, you are adding value to the world that it has not seen before. Tomorrow’s champions will escape competition because their business ideas will be unique.
Readers appreciate the optimistic view that is shown in this book. It also explores a new way of thinking about innovation, leading readers to find value in places where they did not expect to find it.
34. Your Next Five Moves by Patrick Bet-David with Greg Dinkin
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Takeaways:
- Your Next Five Moves: Master the Art of Business Strategy offers a strategic framework for making calculated decisions and planning ahead in personal and professional pursuits, guiding readers to anticipate and prepare for future opportunities and challenges.
- The book emphasizes the importance of strategic thinking and proactive decision-making, providing actionable insights on how to assess risks, leverage strengths, and position oneself for success in competitive environments.
- It explores the concept of developing a clear vision and executing deliberate actions to achieve long-term goals, highlighting the significance of intentionality and foresight in shaping one's trajectory.
- Your Next Five Moves underscores the value of continuous learning and adaptability, offering practical strategies for staying ahead of the curve and adjusting to changing circumstances in dynamic industries and markets.
- The authors share actionable insights and principles for strategic planning and execution, providing valuable guidance on leadership, decision-making, and positioning oneself for success in various professional endeavors.
35. Buy Then Build by Walker Deibel
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Takeaways:
- Buy Then Build: How Acquisition Entrepreneurs Outsmart the Startup emphasizes the advantages of acquiring an existing business rather than starting one from scratch, highlighting the potential for reduced risk and accelerated growth through acquisition.
- The book delves into the process of identifying, evaluating, and acquiring businesses, offering practical guidance on navigating the complexities of business acquisition and due diligence.
- It explores the concept of entrepreneurship through acquisition, guiding readers on how to leverage existing businesses as a platform for growth, innovation, and value creation.
- Buy Then Build underscores the value of strategic planning and risk mitigation in business acquisition, providing insights on how to identify opportunities and execute successful acquisitions.
- The author shares actionable insights and principles for aspiring entrepreneurs and business buyers, offering valuable perspectives on leveraging acquisition as a pathway to entrepreneurship and business growth.
36. Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller
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Takeaways:
- Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen outlines a framework for clarifying a brand's message to effectively engage and resonate with customers, emphasizing the importance of positioning the customer as the hero of the story.
- The book delves into the concept of storytelling and narrative structure in marketing, offering practical guidance on how to craft a compelling brand narrative that addresses customer needs and positions the brand as the guide to help them achieve success.
- It explores the significance of creating clear and simple messaging that communicates the brand's value proposition and resonates with the customer's desires and challenges.
- Building a StoryBrand underscores the value of empathy and understanding the customer's journey, providing insights on how to create marketing materials that speak directly to the customer's aspirations and pain points.
- The author shares actionable insights and practical strategies for implementing the StoryBrand framework, offering valuable guidance on creating effective marketing messages that drive customer engagement and loyalty.
37. The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel
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Takeaways:
- The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness delves into the behavioral and psychological aspects of personal finance, providing insights into the irrational and emotional factors that influence financial decision-making.
- The book emphasizes the importance of understanding one's relationship with money, guiding readers to recognize the impact of individual biases, emotions, and social influences on financial choices.
- It explores the concept of long-term thinking and the value of patience in building wealth, offering perspectives on the power of compounding, resilience, and the ability to withstand market volatility.
- The Psychology of Money underscores the significance of risk management and the impact of unexpected events on financial outcomes, providing insights on how to navigate uncertainty and mitigate potential setbacks.
- The author shares actionable insights and principles for managing money and making sound financial decisions, offering valuable perspectives on building financial resilience, embracing humility, and focusing on what truly matters in the pursuit of financial well-being.
Final Thoughts on Best Entrepreneur Books
What are your thoughts on these entrepreneur books? Does this list have the best entrepreneur books? Or are there some important gaps in the entrepreneur books chosen.
Please share your own thoughts on these books and any entrepreneur books you feel should be on the list but were overlooked for one reason or another.
I will be updating this list every year, with new entrepreneur books and many of the future choices might come from what YOU THE READER add in the comments section below. So please share your thoughts about any entrepreneurial books you love.
If you enjoyed this post, please share it on your favorite social media platform. I need YOUR help to get the word out and make this post as good as it can be.
And if you're looking for more resources on the best entrepreneur books, be sure to check out these blog posts:
- 6 Best Planners for Entrepreneurs
- 35 Best Motivational Books to Read
- 17 Long-Term Benefits of Reading Books
- Daily Routines Of Successful Entrepreneurs
- 20 Best Books on Minimalism and Simplifying
- 31 Best Personal Development & Self Improvement Books
Finally, if you want to take your goal-setting efforts to the next level, check out this FREE printable worksheet and a step-by-step process that will help you set effective SMART goals.
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