It’s no secret that if you want to learn more, you have to read more. As
a startup founder, you don’t have the time to start looking for books, reading
reviews and figuring out which will help you succeed in the business world.
In this post, we’ve made a list of the top 11 books to
read. These books are often written or recommended by entrepreneurs and by
following their insights it can help you lead your startup to success.
As mention above, majority of entrepreneurs don’t have a
lot of time to dedicate to reading books. That’s why we have prepared a list of the top five Ted talks held by successful
entrepreneurs who started small and now are thriving in the business world.
Take a listen on your way to your office.
Who
This New York Times Bestseller
and the award-winning book was written by Geoff Smart and Randy Street. They
provided an easy and practical solution to what the Economist calls “the single
biggest problem in business today”. The main error small business owners focus
on is the “what”, they tend to ignore the “who”, this book goes into detail
about why the “who” is so important.
Creativity Inc.
By Ed Catmull with Amy Wallace is a fascinating in-depth
look into the world of Pixar. Named one of the best books of 2014 by The
Huffington Post, Financial Times, Success, Inc. and the Library Journal, Creativity
Inc. will give you insight into what it takes to continuously
break the mold to persistently create amazing things.
Zero to One
Written by Peter Thiel and Blake Masters stems based on a
course about startups that Thiel taught at Stanford in 2012. Zero
to One is the meticulous notes of one student (Blake Masters),
revised for a wider audience. Recommended by such entrepreneurs as Mark
Zuckerberg and Elon Musk, Zero to One will
challenge the way you think and force you to answer questions that will help
push your startup forward.
The Lean Startup
This book is by Eric Ries begins with the experience of Ries
himself has with “sitting in a dorm” and “inventing the future”. His premise is
that startups can organize the development of their product in a much better
way than they currently are. They should do this by treating their startup like
an experiment. This book comes highly recommended by WiseStamp’s co-founder
Josh Avnery and many other startup entrepreneurs.
The Checklist Manifesto
This book by Atul Gawande is perhaps told from a medical
surgeon’s point of view, but it applies to professionals in any field.
Gawande’s claims that failing in the modern world is more of a result of
“ineptitude” because of the ignorance or not knowing enough. He suggests that
in our complex world even experts require checklists and that this checklist
can vastly improve results. This book is valuable for its assertions but is
also beautifully written and offers some fun vignettes. According to Business Insider, Jack Dorsey includes The
Checklist Manifesto in a welcome kit he gives to all new employees.
Built To Sell
John Warrillow shares the top tips for small business
owners at each stage of their business. The book dedicates each chapter to
creating a unique product, setting up processes and building teams and
automating your business. Learn how to create value and agile business that
adapts accordingly
The Hard Thing About Hard Things
This book by Ben Horowitz is about Ben’s journey to
success. While he doesn’t impart any secret formula, he does share details of
his struggle. Understanding the need to separate facts from perception and the
understanding that “there are no short-cuts to knowledge” are two important
lessons that can be found in this important book. Horowitz shares profound
insights into what it takes to build a successful startup and he does it with
tremendous flair, making this book such a reading delight.
Hooked
Hooked by Nir Eyal should be required reading for all
startup founders looking to build a product that will heavily engage users.
Understanding how our emotions play a major role in driving our behavior is one
of the more fascinating discussions in the book. If it is properly applied to a
product, a new habit can be formed and with it a potential startup success..
The Four Steps to the Epiphany
Steve Blank takes the reader through a tough but necessary
read that will teach you that products are an illusion of startup success.
Blank will then go on to impart the most fundamental question a startup founder
can ask himself – “where are the customers?” This informative and valuable book
will provide you with concrete examples and skills that will give you insight
into the sales and marketing required to build a successful startup.
The E-Myth Revisited
The book by Michael E. Gerber was written to help startups
develop predictably and productively. It dispels many myths entrepreneurs have
about building a business and provides them with powerful insights that will
help them through the stages of infancy and adolescence to maturity. It is both
an entertaining read and a valuable guide that will help startup founders
understand that building a business is a never-ending quest to learn more and
be more.
The $100 StartUp
Written by Chris Guillebeau is an easy-to-read book filled
with inspiring stories of entrepreneurs who have found ways to turn their
life’s passions into income. Perhaps aimed at small businesses, it motivates
big ones to think creatively, encouraging them to push beyond their limits.
The most important lesson when reading business books is
to forget what you think you know and be open to gaining further insight. Try
and relate your business to the context of the book. Find the connection
between what is said and what you have been applying to your own business. Here
it is, The best books to read to push your business forward! Don’t miss out on
the chance to channel your uttermost creative self in the business world.
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