Starting a business isn’t for the faint of heart. It demands hard work, discipline, time management skills, project management expertise, and above all, the determination to succeed—even when defeat seems inevitable.
The good news? You don’t have to start your business blind. When it comes to entrepreneurship, thousands of others just like you have started, failed, succeeded, and experienced everything in between!
Best Books On Starting A Business
If you’re looking to start a business, reading about how to do so can be crucial. Here are nine outstanding books on starting a business, packed with knowledge you’ll want to absorb.
1- “The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future” by Chris Guillebeau
Think you need an MBA, a fleet of employees, or an iron-clad business plan for your venture to succeed? Let author Chris Guillebeau dispel these myths.
Guillebeau, who has never held a traditional job, relies instead on transforming his ideas into various passive income streams. And he’s not alone. In The $100 Startup, you’ll also meet 50 unique case studies of individuals who have taken $100 or less and turned their passion into a thriving micro-business.
This book provides perfect motivation for anyone who thinks they lack what it takes or simply wants to escape the 9-to-5 “cube-atory” and give their life direction.
2- “The 4-Hour Workweek” by Timothy Ferriss
While most people avoided online businesses after the dot-com crash in the early 2000s, author Timothy Ferriss was developing something different: a fully automated supplements business that required roughly four hours of his attention each week. In The 4 Hour Workweek, Ferriss shows you exactly how he did it and how you can too.
Beyond his successful business strategy, Ferriss delivers a bigger message: It’s far more important to do what’s meaningful to you than to fill a seat from nine to five. Each section is packed with excellent case studies, useful content, and advice for maximizing your output.
This book couldn’t be more highly recommended for aspiring entrepreneurs. If you want to learn how to stop working harder and start working smarter, this is the book you need.
3- “Principles: Life and Work” by Ray Dalio
How does someone go from being broke to building a $150 billion hedge fund firm?
Principles summarizes over 40 years of entrepreneurship from Bridgewater Associates founder Ray Dalio. In this book, Dalio shares what he’s learned throughout his remarkable career and teaches you his five-step process to achieve what you want from life.
Dalio has appeared on the Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world as well as the Bloomberg Markets list of the 50 most influential people.
This book is essential for anyone trying to understand the fundamental building blocks of their life and what to do with them.
4- “Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action” by Simon Sinek
From one of the most-viewed TED Talks of all time, author Simon Sinek expands upon his message to businesses that “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.”
If you’ve ever wondered why some people and organizations are more innovative, influential, and profitable than others, this is your book. In Start With Why, Sinek explains his “Golden Circle” concept where you first define your “why” followed by the “how” and “what” on the outer rings.
Through numerous examples, Sinek demonstrates that the most successful businesses were built around great people who inspired others. This book is a captivating read for anyone seeking a leadership role.
5- “Crushing It! How Great Entrepreneurs Build Their Business and Influence – and How You Can, Too” by Gary Vaynerchuk
Before becoming a New York Times bestselling author, Gary Vaynerchuk took his family wine business and grew it from $3 million to $60 million in just five years. Since then, he has become one of the most talked-about and successful motivators in digital media.
In Crushing It, Vaynerchuk emphasizes that working around your passion makes life more fulfilling. You’ll learn about the experiences of dozens of influencers and entrepreneurs who are leveraging social media platforms to maximize their personal brand potential.
If you reject the predictability of a corporate path in favor of pursuing your dreams, this is your guide to building your own path to professional and financial success.
6- “The 1-Page Marketing Plan: Get New Customers, Make More Money, And Stand Out From The Crowd” by Allan Dib
Don’t deceive yourself into thinking “if you build it, they will come.” In his book The 1-Page Marketing Plan, serial entrepreneur Allan Dib teaches you that marketing is the biggest leverage point in any business. Getting just 10 percent better at marketing can have an exponential or multiplying effect on your bottom line.
Rather than mimicking what big-name companies do, Dib focuses on the strategies and mindsets that create successful marketing. Believe it or not, this is accomplished by drawing just nine squares on a single piece of paper and answering these questions:
- Who is your target market, what will you say to them, and how will you reach them?
- How will you capture, nurture, convert leads into customers?
- How will you deliver a great experience, increase customer lifetime value, and get referrals to continually come your way?
This book is essential for anyone developing a marketing plan. It’s simple, fast, and proven effective.
7- “Rework” by Jason Fried and David Hansson
Prepare for one of the most blunt, unconventional business books on the market today. From the founders of software company 37signals, Rework presents a different approach that explores the new reality of workplace culture and doing business.
Entrepreneurs will find comfort in Fried and Heinemeier Hansson’s “easy is better” approach. With their brutally honest tone and style, the authors will challenge everything you know about business today.
- Don’t have a business plan? Don’t worry; you don’t need one.
- Do you get any value out of meetings? Forget about them!
- Is your company not growing? Who cares—why not keep it small and focused.
The message is clear throughout: Times have changed and the old ways don’t work. To thrive today, both personally and professionally, we need to rethink how we do things.
8- “The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It” by Michael Gerber
One of the worst things you can do when starting a business is becoming enslaved to it. If you want to save yourself from working night and day, check out The E-Myth Revisited.
Author Michael Gerber examines all aspects of preparing your business to succeed beyond just your initial idea. You’ll learn about the struggle between the inner technician, manager, and entrepreneur. In many cases, it’s not what you don’t know that can harm your business but rather the time and energy you waste defending what you think you know.
With over 5 million copies sold, whether you’re thinking about starting a small business or have been running one for years, this book is a must-read.
9- “Built to Sell: Creating a Business That Can Thrive Without You” by John Warrillow
Drawing from his experience starting and selling four companies, author John Warrillow demonstrates how the biggest mistake entrepreneurs make is building a business that relies solely on them.
Built to Sell is a fictional yet relatable story of Alex Stapleton and his marketing company. Alex wants to sell his business but can’t, so he enlists his friend Ted’s guidance to understand what he’s been doing wrong.
More entrepreneurs would benefit from considering their exit strategy from day one. Whether you want to sell or not, it forces you to put the right people and mechanisms in place for an overall more valuable and productive business. This book is highly recommended for anyone who wants to do the same.
Final Thoughts: Best Books On Starting A Business
No matter what type of business you’re looking to start, reading about and learning from business owners who came before you can be invaluable. Our guide to the best books on starting a business should help you discover the knowledge you need. Make your business a success from the very beginning!
