12 Books for Entrepreneurs & Future Business Owners
In celebration of National Small Business Week, we are listing 12 books which can help you develop the skills and character to run a successful business.
If you’re an entrepreneur or a business owner, chances are you may have read some of these already, but if you haven’t, this is a great list to add to your world domination arsenal.
This is by no means a complete list, but it does include a diverse set of ideas that have made giants of many across the world and across generations.
Are we missing a book? Tell us what books you would add in the comments section of the article above and we’ll add your email to a raffle for a $30 Amazon gift card.
The Quick & Easy Way To Effective Speaking by Dale Carnegie
Notable Quote:
“Look your audience straight in the eyes, and begin to talk as if every one of them owed you money.”
“Look your audience straight in the eyes, and begin to talk as if every one of them owed you money.”
Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable by Seth Godin
Notable Quote:
“In your career, even more than for a brand, being safe is risky. The path to lifetime job security is to be remarkable.”
“In your career, even more than for a brand, being safe is risky. The path to lifetime job security is to be remarkable.”
The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Timothy Ferriss
Notable Quote:
“A person’s success in life can usually be measured by the number of uncomfortable conversations he or she is willing to have.”
“A person’s success in life can usually be measured by the number of uncomfortable conversations he or she is willing to have.”
The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason
Notable Quote:
“A part of all you earn is yours to keep.”
“A part of all you earn is yours to keep.”
How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
Notable Quote:
“You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”
“You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini
Notable Quote:
“The way to love anything is to realize that it might be lost.”
“The way to love anything is to realize that it might be lost.”
Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose by Tony Hsieh
Notable Quote:
“Your personal core values define who you are, and a company’s core values ultimately define the company’s character and brand. For individuals, character is destiny. For organizations, culture is destiny.”
“Your personal core values define who you are, and a company’s core values ultimately define the company’s character and brand. For individuals, character is destiny. For organizations, culture is destiny.”
Rework: Change The Way You Work Forever by Jason Fried
Notable Quote:
“When you don’t know what you believe, everything becomes an argument. Everything is debatable. But when you stand for something, decisions are obvious.”
“When you don’t know what you believe, everything becomes an argument. Everything is debatable. But when you stand for something, decisions are obvious.”
Zero to One Notes on Start-Ups, or How to Build the Future by Peter Thiel
Notable Quote:
“The most valuable businesses of coming decades will be built by entrepreneurs who seek to empower people rather than try to make them obsolete.”
“The most valuable businesses of coming decades will be built by entrepreneurs who seek to empower people rather than try to make them obsolete.”
Think & Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
Notable Quote:
“The starting point of all achievement is DESIRE. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desire brings weak results, just as a small fire makes a small amount of heat.”
“The starting point of all achievement is DESIRE. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desire brings weak results, just as a small fire makes a small amount of heat.”
Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…And Others Don’t by Jim Collins
Notable Quote:
“Greatness is not a function of circumstance. Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice, and discipline.”
“Greatness is not a function of circumstance. Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice, and discipline.”
The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses by Eric Ries
Notable Quote:
“A startup is a human institution designed to create a new product or service under conditions of extreme uncertainty.”
“A startup is a human institution designed to create a new product or service under conditions of extreme uncertainty.”
Do you want to read some or all of these books? Learn to read faster and more efficiently by enrolling in an Iris Reading course today!
More Resources:
Paul Nowak
Paul is the founder of Iris Reading, the largest provider of speed-reading and memory courses. His workshops have been taught to thousands of students and professionals worldwide at institutions that include: NASA, Google, HSBC and many Fortune 500 companies.
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Comments
sgraubert
Thanks for this! Here are my suggestions:
The Behavior Gap by Carl Richards
The $100 Startup by Chris Gillebeau
The Art of Learning, An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance by Joshua Waitzkin – I know that seems a little left-field but he is truly inspiring and got to the top of two professions by applying his knowledge
For women- Prince Charming Isn’t Coming by Barbara Stanny
Clayton
Creativity, inc… by Catmull
How Will You Measure Your Life by Christensen
The Power of Habit… by Duhigg
Essentialism… by McKeown
jb-ball
I’d suggest adding “Managing Oneself” by Peter F. Drucker
dlleuful
Great list! I’d also recommend “The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results” https://www.amazon.ca/ONE-Thing-Surprisingly-Extraordinary-Results/dp/1885167776
Owolabby
I’d suggest adding “Managing Onself” by Peter F. Drucker
Desmond
Great list! I’d also recommend “The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results” https://www.amazon.ca/ONE-Thing-Surprisingly-Extraordinary-Results/dp/1885167776
spencer
Love your list! I’ve read all but Zero to One (I’ll check that one out) and I would add The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy, Just Listen by Mark Goulston and my favorite less known book The Book on Mind Managament by Dr. Dennis R. Deaton (can’t recommend this one enough).
n.e.r.c.4.5
Great list, thanks!
I would add 2 books. Daniel Pink’s ‘Drive’ & Stephen Covey’s ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People’.
ctpatter
Coach Wooden’s Pyramid of Success: Building Blocks For a Better Life
Shmuel
Great list, thanks!
I would add 2 books. Daniel Pink’s ‘Drive’ & Stephen Covey’s ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People’.
Chris
Coach Wooden’s Pyramid of Success: Building Blocks For a Better Life.