It's no secret that to become successful you have to be willing to learn. While there are infinite resources available nowadays from YouTube, to courses, gurus and even blogs just like this one; nothing quite beats an old-fashioned book.
The time, effort, thought and structure put into a book that has been successfully published for the world to see and read, in my opinion makes books one of the greatest content resources we have as aspiring entrepreneurs.
In fact, some of today's top successful business leaders have openly attributed books as a factor in helping them build a sustainable business.
If you are on the road to having your own business and know you will have things to learn, take the time to read through this article and find out some good places to start.
Whether you've got a side business or you're building a personal brand; if you are just getting into reading books and consuming content to grow your business, I've got a couple of recommendations to get you started:
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: 30th Anniversary Edition
- Starting a Business QuickStart Guide
- The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses
- The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich (Expanded and Updated)
- The Best of Dale Carnegie (Set of 5 Books)
First thing's first. I know not all of us feel we have time to even sit down and read a full book, let alone multiple books a year. So here's my recommendation:
Not much of a reader? Me neither.
I have never considered myself much of a reader. I just couldn't stay focused long enough to take in all that sweet information, and even if I could, retaining and implementing what I learned was a whole other issue.
Luckily, as time goes on things get easier. Technology offers other options and formats like audio books.
If you have trouble with reading like I did, don't let that hold you back. I can't believe it took me as long as it did to sign up for Audible (which is essentially an online bookstore), but let me tell you; it's a lifesaver.
I'm a huge fan of music and podcasts especially, so I'll often turn a podcast as I work and you'd be surprised how much content you can consume in a workday.
Little fact about me: I used to be a landscaper, so I had the whole day to listen to content. Which meant that I could easily listen to books and learn from them without interrupting my work schedule.
Full disclosure, I've listened to Dale Carnegie's "How to Win Friends and Influence People" about seven times through in a matter of 2-3 weeks or so. Just for the sake of solidifying the knowledge that I've gained and catching details I might have missed.
And the best thing; it never felt like an intrusion on my schedule, and I quite enjoyed having the ability to listen to this book since I'd had my eye on it for a while.
That said, I highly recommend Audible for the impatient reader, if you have trouble focusing, or if you simply love podcasts. Click here for a deal: Try Audible Premium Plus and Get Up to Two Free Audiobooks
How I Pick the Best Entrepreneur Books
With so much content out there to pick from, it may be a bit daunting or just plain difficult to decide on a book to start with. So here's my secret to picking the best entrepreneur books to read:
I found a little gold nugget laying around (figuratively speaking). It's called Blinkist.
Blinkist is this awesome app that has a ton of books from a ton of authors, all converted to audio and compressed down to their main points so you can consume multiple books in a day if you really wanted to. You can use it for free for a while, or if you get really into it, you can keep going for only a few bucks a month.
What I found great about Blinkist as I was listening to book after book on their app; is that it was enough to teach me really important principles from these books, but it also left me wanting more from them.
It was about that time that I decided to employ my dynamic duo; Blinkist and Audible. One to peak my interest and find the books I really want to dive into, and the other to download the full book in audio.
To get started with Blinkist, click here!
That's my method for finding the best entrepreneur books, but if you'd rather not go that route, I can make a few recommendations to lighten your load. Here you go!
5 Highly Rated Books for Entrepreneurs You Can Find on Amazon
If you want to build a successful business, you're not alone. Tons of ambitious people are popping up every day with similar goals, but there's always opportunity for you to stand out from the crowd.
With all the shiny objects floating around out there, people will try anything to make a quick buck and tend to forget the basics of entrepreneurial success. To create radically successful businesses in todays day and age, you've got to prepare. You've got to be organized. You've got to research.
Great Work Life informed us on the key benefits of audiobooks based on a survey they did of successful business leaders:
To be the legendary entrepreneur you strive to be, you've got to get into the entrepreneurial mindset. A great way to do that is to simply immerse yourself in the content that will help to facilitate the growth you're looking for. Finding business books and books for entrepreneurs may not be too difficult as there are many out there, but who doesn't love a good recommendation?
My suggestions are in part related to my own readings and also related to overwhelmingly positive feedback left online, but here are some great suggestions for books to get you started in your entrepreneurial journey:
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: 30th Anniversary Edition
- Author: Stephen Covey
- Best Deal: Audible
- Other Formats: Hardcover, paperback, Kindle
- Rating: 5 stars
- # of Reviews: 5153
This book is a great way to start off the list because it offers practical advice involving mindset and forming healthy habits that can drive massive growth in your entrepreneurial life.
By learning and following the seven habits presented in the book, you'll be putting yourself on the fast-track to success and giving yourself a competitive advantage.
Covey presents the 7 habits as:
Habit 1: Be Proactive
Being proactive according to Covey is all about taking charge our actions and being thoughtful in our decisions. Stop being reactive to the world around you, and recognize that you rave responsibility. You get to choose how you respond (even mentally) in a given circumstance, and how you choose to do that on a consistent basis may help to shape your mindset; for better or worse.
Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind
It's important that we know our destination if we're to be effective in our actions. Covey suggests that you can simply imagine your goals and allow your conscience to guide you through.
I personally think he had the right idea.
This concept ensures that if our decision making is done solely for the purpose of progressing towards our goal, that we will keep making progress.
Habit 3: Put First Things First
It seems so simple, but to be successful entrepreneurs Covey is suggesting that we need to learn to prioritize. From daily actions to minutely or hourly, we need to choose our tasks based off of priority.
As for some actionable advice, simply ask yourself; which of your tasks is most likely to make a noticeable impact towards your goal? This book offers a simple four-quadrant matrix by which you can decide which of your tasks are important, not important, urgent and not urgent to decide your next move.
Follow the author's lead, judge by impact, or get more in depth with a more structured strategy, but by all means; prioritize your actions.
Habit 4: Think Win/Win
Now we get into the relationship building side of things.
How can we be effective in our relationships with people? One way is to ensure that when we engage with others especially in business, that we learn to create "win-win" scenarios so that our engagements are mutually beneficial. Great entrepreneurs learn not only how to sell, but also how to make the agreement appear beneficial to both parties. This not only shows common courtesy and that you have more than your own interest at heart, but it's also a major key to human influence.
Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood
The other moves on to touch on another important aspect of relationship building; which is listening.
And I'm not just talking about the simple, listen and nod until they're done talking. But true, empathetic listening. Taking everything in and really digesting everything so you can understand their perspective before you draw conclusions.
Before we offer solutions, we must be willing to understand the problems.
Habit 6: Synergize
Synergy in this book is all about taking the first five habits that we learned and being able to employ them in a given scenario. To really take a situation, listen to the other person and be thoughtful in your responses.
Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw
And finally we get to the last of our habits, which is simply to practice. Put all your other learned habits to use and continue to become a better entrepreneur by putting them to use.
Final Notes
As business books go, this one is a great way to start off and really work on yourself from the foundation on up. If you're thinking this might be the place to start, click here to find it on Amazon and Audible.
One of the next business books in our lineup is a great source of really actionable advice that you can use to build your successful startup from scratch.
Starting a Business QuickStart Guide
- Author: Ken Colwell
- Best Deal: Audible
- Other Formats: Hardcover, paperback, Kindle, spiral bound
- Rating: 4.5 stars
- # of Reviews: 2520
Next up on our list of business books is one by Ken Colwell. This book brings us even more value, going over everything from conceptualizing the business and how to identify opportunities amongst ideas, to laying the groundwork and the importance of a business plan, everything that aspiring entrepreneurs need to know to build a lean startup that will be successful.
The author broke the book into five main parts:
Part 1 - Thinking Like An Entrepreneur
The initial three chapters of this book attempt to tackle the very first steps in starting a small business.
The first of which being your business concept. It's important in order for you to start a successful small business, that you understand how to tell a business idea apart from an opportunity. Not only how to tell them apart, but also how to evaluate your options to find the opportunity with the most highest chances of success.
From there, Colwell touches on fears faced by today's entrepreneurs as they make their first steps to starting up a real, profitable business; and other mental aspects of the journey.
Like other good books for entrepreneurs, Colwell approaches the prospect of starting a business from multiple angles so that the reader has a well rounded sense of what it means to start a business from both a financial and a mental standpoint.
Part 2 - Getting Started
When we break into part two, the author starts touching on topics like legal entities, important first steps, and the products or services you sell.
Next, the book starts to go over the importance of how to present your product as a solution to your target audience and even how to price it to keep the balance between industry standards and meeting your own goals.
Matching business goals with potential needs while keeping your price point affordable is the best way to influence people in a way that will make them want to buy your products or services and generate positive feedback and advertising for your business.
Part 3 - Your Value Proposition
Value proposition is a huge part of what Colwell teaches in the book to really dial in the offer for maximum success. He goes over identifying and researching your target market and how you can approach your marketing strategy to be as effective as you can be.
Chapter 7 touches on competition and how you interact with your direct and indirect competitors in your industry. Chapter 8 takes us into the importance of your value proposition to the success of your business.
Ken makes a special point to explain the value in your product. It's important that you understand and are able to articulate the value that your product brings to the table, because it may have a notable impact on the success of the business. Failing to explain exactly what value your product brings to the consumer will have a negative impact on your business, but successful entrepreneurs know how to present a value proposition that not only proves worth, but does so in a way that is relatable to the consumer.
Part 4 - Your Business Model
Part 4 of the book encompasses chapters 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13. It's here that Colwell dives headfirst into the concept of business structure and how to use it to streamline your business.
Having a winning product is only half the battle of owning a business. Now you have to figure out how to get eyeballs on it, and not just any eyeballs. You need to reach your target audience effectively if you really want to make the most of your marketing dollars and run a streamlined sales operation.
Outsourcing, marketing, and sales channels are key points discussed in chapter 10.
Chapters 11-13 Cover the process of structuring your business and your process for distributing products to customers. Effective distribution and marketing are one of the most important parts of growing your business from a small startup and turning it into a successful enterprise.
Part 5 - Writing Your Business Plan
The final part of book deals with putting all of your goals and ideas together into plan that you can take action on. It's one thing to have an idea, it's another thing altogether to realize your entrepreneurial dreams.
Ken gives you a breakdown of how to write your business plan in a way that's easy for the beginner businessperson to understand while still putting forth a successful business proposition.
Final Notes
If you are looking for an incredibly detailed business book that touches on all aspects of the startup journey, this is a pretty solid choice. Interested in the book? Find it on amazon > Starting a Business QuickStart Guide
The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses
- Author: Eric Ries
- Best Deal: Audible
- Other Formats: Kindle, hardcover, paperback
- Rating: 4.5 stars
- # of Reviews: 8889
The Lean Startup is all about making your startup business successful by catering to the needs of the customer and not on the initial product launch. Author Eric Ries has written a business book that flies in the face of what common tech giants like the late Steve Jobs and other big business moguls believe is the way to do business.
Escape Commonplace Assumptions
Each chapter of the book details steps to take to draw in customers rather than focusing on the hard sale. Instead, the argument is about proving what you can offer to customers to make them want to buy your product and continue doing business with you. The book spends a lot of time teaching startup entrepreneurs how to stop wasting money and how to reach their core audience on a tight budget.
Understand the 5 Whys
Another focus that Reis describes as critical to a startup being successful is understanding the 5 whys. These help form the core of your business goals and give you the means to attain success with the product you are trying to launch. This method has helped millions research their target market and work to find the answers to a question that consumers actually have, rather than wasting large amounts of money and resources launching a product that doesn't solve a problem or that no one wants.
Reis explains that the core of any successful product launch you have to solve a problem that people face in everyday life. In other words, it's about fulfilling a need of the consumer before you focus on making the product bigger and better.
Create and Build
Part of any successful startup is making the tough decisions, such as where to spend your money. Eric argues in his book the best way to successfully launch a product is to identify the problem you're trying to solve using the 5 whys and building a product that solves it. This means that a large of your time and budget is spent on research and ideation rather than marketing a failed product.
By building a product that solves one issue, you can launch without a ton of expense and gradually build from there. Reis believes that iterating on a successful product and revising as you go is the best way to create a lasting impact and through continuous innovation you can retain customers and grow your small business into something truly successful.
Final Thoughts
If you're looking for a book that teaches you how to avoid the common traps and pitfalls of a typical small business and hit the ground running with a successful product launch, then this one is a great option. If you'd like to find out more or pick up a copy for yourself, you can find it on Amazon > The Lean Startup
The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich (Expanded and Updated)
- Author: Timothy Ferriss
- Best Deal: Audible
- Other Formats: Kindle, hardcover, paperback, audio CD
- Rating: 4.5 stars
- # of Reviews: 15418
Tim Ferris, author of The 4 Hour Workweek is an accomplished entrepreneur and self help author that has derived a method of enjoying life in the present without slaving away 80 hours a week until retirement. In his book he covers many "life hacks" and other tips and secrets that successful people know and use to live their best lives without working long hours.
The Tim Ferriss Method
The book is derived from Timothy's life experiences as well as a series of lectures that he gave about lifestyle development. According to Ferriss, he developed his method for the 4 hour work week after working himself to exhaustion at his job and taking a sabbatical. During his time off, Ferriss travelled across Europe, during which time he found a way to work less and live life more.
The first thing that Tim learned, which he passes on in his book is that we spend a lot of time not getting productive work done due to distractions and wasted energy on menial tasks that aren't vital to the completion of work.
Unlike other business books, this book focuses on lifestyle adjustments which make the work we do easier and more productive by eliminating the mundane and the time consuming things we do each day as part of our jobs. While it is not a business book, it does contribute to the effective management of time and increased productivity.
Streamlining Your Work
One of the first things that Tim talks about is the value of virtual assistants to handle daily tasks that take up a lot of our time. By eliminating time consuming tasks that aren't necessarily productive, it makes that work that we do perform that much more productive.
Tim talks at length about the value of the work we do over the time we spend working. In this sense, the whole goal of the 4 hour work week is to only spend 4 hours each week working, but for those 4 hours to be as meaningful as possible. Things like checking your email once a day and taking frequent time off to travel and recharge are at the core of what he teaches in his book
Finding Ways to Make Life Easier
Another part of Ferriss' message is about finding ways to live a more wealthy and adventurous life without having to be a millionaire. To do this he shares secrets to using technology like telecommuting and work from home strategies to make it possible to travel all over the world. He also talks about maximizing the work you do so that you only have to work in short bursts.
In this version of the book he includes even more technology secrets to get the most out of life and ways to adapt your lifestyle to even the most unpredictable circumstances. He also shares his success stories and the stories of others to help you find inspiration and make the changes you need to better your life.
Final Thoughts
If you're looking to get more out of life and make the most out of the work you do each day, then Tim Ferriss' book has some excellent tips. You can find it on Amazon > The 4 Hour Workweek
The Best of Dale Carnegie (Set of 5 Books)
- Author: Dale Carnegie
- Best Deal: Amazon
- Other Formats: Paperback
- Rating: 4.5 stars
- # of Reviews: 978
Dale Carnegie is a world renowned self help author who has written some of most influential books of our time such as "How to Win Friends and Influence People" and "The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking". He has helped everyone from small businesses to tech titans to learn the difficult skill of public speaking and use it to grow their businesses, grow rich and improve their life.
Public Speaking and Business
One of the things that Carnegie is best known for is teaching people how to connect with others and form relationships that matter, both in their personal and professional lives. The way he does this throughout several of the books in this collection is focusing on public speaking that is impactful and influences people. Whether it's to make new friends and improve your social life, or to effectively market a product, knowing how to communicate with people is an important part of being and entrepreneur.
An effective executive has the ability to shine in high stakes situations by communicating their message to the intended audience the right way. It doesn't matter if it's the customer you're trying to sell to, or potential investors you're trying to impress with your startup, great public speaking skills can make you an influential salesman.
Enjoyment and Business
Another topic that Carnegie focuses on is how to improve yourself and the enjoyment you get out of your life and your job. By improving your self care you can improve your people skills and become the great leader your business needs.
In two of the books in the collection, the author discusses how to eliminate worry from day to day life and get more enjoyment out of the things we do. Even work activities can become more enjoyable and in turn more productive if we change the way we do things and focus on ourselves.
Self Confidence and Business
Lastly, in this series of Carnegie's books, the author deals with improving self confidence and the impact it can have on our lives and our success. Not only is confidence one of the keys to happiness, it is also plays a vital role in how other people see us and whether or not they are willing to work with us, buy our products, or trust us to deliver them goods and services. Every effective executive has to have lots of self confidence.
Self confidence is at the root of almost everything we do and Carnegie helps explore that and tell us how we can use our self confidence to influence people and enrich our lives.
Conclusion
There you have it small business owners, our top 5 entrepreneurship books on Amazon. We've chosen these books based on a range of criteria and because they covered a wide variety of topics from how to quickstart your business, to building a lean startup and getting the most out of your business plan, to the self help tips to make you a better worker and entrepreneur. We hope you'll find some or all of these books helpful in your quest to run a successful business.
Here's another list of our picks to save you some time:
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: 30th Anniversary Edition
- Starting a Business QuickStart Guide
- The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses
- The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich (Expanded and Updated)
- The Best of Dale Carnegie (Set of 5 Books)
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