TL;DR: I made a list of books! Use the table of contents to skip to the juicy parts. :)
Table of contents
I haven't met many entrepreneurs who don't love learning. Part of that is a natural drive always to improve. The campaign to get better sends us nose-first into books and podcasts looking for knowledge.
On that quest myself, I've digested hundreds of business and self-improvement books.
After seeing some success running a $1M a year business, I've learned MANY of the books I cherished starting in the business world were... quite frankly... garbage.
When talking with entrepreneurs, I find myself referring back to the same group of books. These books offer real advice and will help with any entrepreneur's journey.
While no one book has the key to make someone successful, the right book can make a big difference.
The following books are my top must-reads for entrepreneurs and business owners.
NOTE: None of these books are in any particular order. They all will be amazing no matter what order they’re read in.
The List of Books Every Entrepreneur Should Read
Books on Growing, Scaling, and Operating a Business
Each of these books is regularly referred to when making important decisions in my own company, and I'd recommend them to anyone looking to build a successful business. For example, the E-Myth makes a hard case for setting up a business like a franchise, even if franchising is not a part of the plan. There's a reason franchises do so well with their repeatable methods. Profit First starts will a silly accounting concept that seems backward initially but, once implemented, can make a HUGE difference in how a company operates. My own company Tidy Casa included! Additionally, the High Growth Handbook and Scaling Up offer an excellent how-to for preparing a business at each stage of a companies life cycle.
Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It
by Michael E. Gerber
Profit First
Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine
by Mike Michalowicz
Scaling Startups From 10 to 10,000 People
by Elad Gil
How a Few Companies Make It...and Why the Rest Don't (Rockefeller Habits 2.0)
by Verne Harnish
Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't
by Jim Collins
Books on Dealing With Employees, Making Sales, and Understanding People
Building a business takes a lot of people-power. Knowing how to read people and empathize makes a considerable difference when recruiting and retaining talent. Below a list of books that have helped me understand the human condition and become a more effective manager.
Delivering Happiness
A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose
by Tony Hsieh
by Dale Carnegie
92 Little Tricks for Big Success in Relationships
by Leil Lowndes
Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on It
by Chris Voss
A Business Fable About Shedding The Three Fears That Sabotage Client Loyalty
by Patrick Lencioni
The Secret to Love that Lasts
by Gary Chapman
5 Love Languages needs a bit of explaining since it's not a typical business book. The book argues each person has a type of activity, like getting praise or receiving gifts, that fills them with a tremendous feeling of love. Learning how to identify these can play a significant role in keeping employees happy and motivated. As an example, if you know an employee's love language is spending time. Taking time for regular one-on-ones will make them feel appreciated. Alternatively, someone who enjoys getting gifts wouldn't get as much out of this exchange. Using this framework can help identify ways to motive staff and keep them on-board for the long run.
Business Mindset and Expectation Setting
Having the right mindset makes a huge difference in how one perceives and adapts to failure. Key trails when growing a business. The following books do a great job of outlining the things we don't have the power to control and the things we can. Understanding the stoic philosophy of life in The Subtle Art Of Not Giving a F*** helps a ton cope with day-to-day stress. Learning how billionaires like Bill Gates had luck play into their success helps frame what to expect. Grit, one of my favorite books, illustrates how important a skill grit is for every entrepreneur.
A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life
by Mark Manson
The Story of Success
by Malcolm Gladwell
The Power of Passion and Perseverance
by Angela Duckworth
Reboot
Leadership and the Art of Growing Up
by Jerry Colonna
Books on Politics and History That Apply To Business
There's a lot to learn about being a great leader and planning for the future from history. Additionally, there are many parallels in politics and business. Whether running a private small business or trying to keep a board of directors happy, there's a lot to learn from the study of history and politics.
Why Bad Behavior Is Almost Always Good Politics
by Johny Heller
by Robert Greene
A 400-Year History of American Capitalism
by Bhu Srinivasan
Classic Business Books From History
These are the business books that stood the test of time. The lessons in these books teach things that never change. They instruct how to manipulate others and how to lead. They're classics for a reason. If you haven't read them, do it!
by Niccolo Machiavelli
by Sun Tzu
If there are any great business or self-development books that should be included and weren't. Hit me up at ryan@tidycasa.com and I'll get them added. :)