If you’re looking for a great book to infuse new wisdom and energy into your business, then check out this book list below. We asked dozens of entrepreneurs to share what they are currently reading, and here are the top books that were recommended over and over again.
20 Business Books Entrepreneurs Are Reading Now:
1. How to Win Friends and Influence People. It often comes up on best reads for business, but I never seemed to get around to reading it. When it showed up as a “book I might enjoy” on my Kindle, I decided it was time. I’m enjoying it’s ageless info, and I wonder why I waited so long. While much of it is common sense, it cements my view that the way you approach people matters. -Liz Crystal
2. Three Feet From Gold. The story is amazing and I love the fact that the authors have success and challenge stories from some of the smartest entrepreneurs out there. The title was really what attracted me to the book and I like it so much that I have it written on my wall in front of my computer! The story is really about never giving up and remaining open to possibilities and I believe that every entrepreneur needs to adopt that kind of philosophy to succeed! -Krizia
3. Black Faces in White Places. The book was recommended to me by several minority business owners to further refine my networking skills at business and social events with little diversity in race and gender. I encourage minority and women business professionals, including entrepreneurs to read the book to understand that their fears are not unnatural and to discover strategies to overcome these fears. -Crystal L. Kendrick
4. The E-Myth Accountant. The world is so full of new technology that there is a need for entrepreneurs to have a step by step method of handling the growth of their business and interacting with the IRS and financial world. You can be the best at your profession and if you do not keep the proper records and budgets then you will end up in debt and destroyed by your own success. -Constance Hackbarth
5. The Social Animal. This book uncovers the building blocks of human nature and socialization as one emerges from infancy through adulthood. The book explores the impact of the unconscious mind on how people succeed or fail. Entrepreneurs should read this book to gain an understanding of how and what motivates different people. -Liz Cingari
6. Poke The Box. Last month I read Seth Godin’s “Poke the Box”. The discussion around Poke the Box was based on the need to not just initiate, but to finish. So many business owners have great ideas, but then other things come up and the ideas get pushed to the back burner and never implemented. -Molly K. Gimmel
7. Step Into the Spotlight. Tsufit brings her background in show biz to the forefront as she teaches entrepreneurs how to stand out. Its fresh, outrageous, a fun read, and filled with practical information and applications. -Sue Henry
8. Profits Aren’t Everything, They’re the Only Thing. This book covers those who don’t pay themselves enough and those that pay themselves money the company doesn’t have. As a business coach I really can’t believe how many business owners I come across who don’t make profits. When asked who is the highest paid person working the least amount of hours more often than not it is someone who works for them. I recommend every business owner read this book. -Laurie McNaughton
9. Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done. Reading it infused a new energy within me. As an entrepreneur, it’s easy to get side-tracked. No one is managing you, so you have to be your own leader, propelling desired action and outcomes. I encourage other entrepreneurs, especially those who recently transitioned from corporate life to self-employment, to read Execution, follow the wisdom and embrace the momentum. -Alex Sukhoy
10. Blue Ocean Strategy. This is an excellent book about the benefits of having a business strategy that focuses on creating value for customers instead of battling against competitors. It encourages entrepreneurs to look at the BIG picture of the market, focus on customer value, and eliminate the extraneous “norms” that don’t actually benefit the end user. -Sara Sutton Fell
11. Chocolate Wars. What’s great about this book is you get a real primer on the intricacies of marketing and brand management and how to survive and overcome adversity. And just as importantly, you get a fantastic view of the true nature of businesses that were originally conceived not simply to make money for money’s sake, but to become fabulously successful so they could do more good in the world. -Craig Wolfe
12. Making Money Is Killing Your Business. This is a comprehensive, yet simple system to help grow your business. I learned not to copy Big Business, why conation is so important, and what my next step is that I need to take for my business to grow up. It is now my system for running my business and I keep that concept in the front of my mind at all times as I’m making business decisions. -Holly Mais
13. The Micro-Script Rules. For entrepreneurs it is a great primer, bringing you up to speed on concise brand language that truly differentiates your business or product. For experienced and well-read brand professionals, familiar with Rosser Reeves, Bill Bernbach, Lester Wunderman and the like, it feels light. We use it as a shelf reference for some of the best micro-scripts throughout history. -Thorsten Hoins
14. Shine: Using Brain Science To Get The Best From Your People. Unlike so many business books that say “do better” and “motivate more” and other useless generalities that are easy to say and hard to implement, this book gives you the science behind why its suggestions are important and ideas on how to start implementing. It also told me things that I had never heard before. Things about the way our brains work. It is rare to come across a business book that really tells you something new. -Matt Peters
15. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. It is a fascinating book about how to approach life and its challenges and struggles from the mindset that anything is possible if you work hard, and that the reward is in the journey, not the result. I couldn’t recommend it more highly, and every time I start beating myself up about the business I reread it! -Cindy Teasdale McGowan
16. Platinum Rule. I was drawn to the book because I heard it helped people in business relationships-working together, mentoring, sales, etc… It helps me assess whether individuals are “Drivers”, “Socializers,” “Relators” or “Thinkers”. How I approach, negotiate, mentor or coach each “type” is quite different. I think it is a helpful book for anyone in business who wants to become more effective, more influential, or more successful. -Maureen Daniek
17. ReWork. It forces entrepreneurs to look through a different lens on startups giving a fresh perspective to world filled with jargon and platitudes. Rework lends a bit more common sense to developing systems and startup functions that other business books. -Tod Whipple
18. The Law of Success. The author took over a decade’s worth of research for the book, interviewing and observing the great entrepreneurs of his time as well as normal working folks. What he came up with are seventeen principles that all really successful business people embody. As he walks you through them, he encourages you to look within yourself and accept the challenge of working to build these characteristics yourself in order to share your gifts with the world. -Karen Hancock
19. Predictable Success. I think this book is a must-read for entrepreneurs. No matter what stage you are in business, it shows you how to move towards what every business wants and needs – predictable success. The book shows how to improve when you are stuck, doing the same old things and getting poor results. And, it shows you how to accelerate your plans to reach a consistent level of excellence. -Chris Westfall
20. The Magic of Thinking Big. This book eschews New Age aphorisms and feel good proclamations for practical advice on how to think like a winner. Dr. Schwartz addresses those issues that most haunt entrepreneurs (fear of failure, negative self-talk, etc.) with the voice of a warm and caring mentor. The biggest lesson this book taught me? All the education and experience in the world mean nothing if you lack belief in yourself. -Michael Brenner
Add your latest read to the list. What book are you reading to help improve your business?
