What Business Books Should I Read?
Here’s a curated list of the best business books that offer profound insights, strategies, and wisdom from experts. Whether you are a beginner, a seasoned entrepreneur, or looking to run a small business, this list has something valuable for you. These books have shaped business history and provide timeless lessons for readers.
Reading great business books is one of the most cost-effective ways to become savvy in the business world. As business book editors, we have read extensively and distilled the top choices to help you navigate the business landscape successfully.
Top 10 Business Books of All Time
1. “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie
2. “This Is Marketing” by Seth Godin
3. “Deep Work” by Cal Newport
4. “The Innovator’s Dilemma” by Clayton M. Christensen
5. “First, Break All The Rules” by Marcus Buckingham
6. “Positioning” by Al Ries and Jack Trout
7. “The Hard Thing About Hard Things” by Ben Horowitz
8. “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” by Robert Cialdini
9. “Good to Great” by Jim Collins
10. “Built to Last” by Jim Collins and Jerry I. Porras
Detailed Reviews:
**How to Win Friends and Influence People**
Dale Carnegie’s classic provides timeless advice on connecting with people. It emphasizes the importance of interpersonal skills in winning friends and influencing others in an authentic way.
**This Is Marketing**
Seth Godin focuses on a modern approach to marketing, shifting from pushing messages to attracting like-minded individuals. This book is essential for understanding contemporary marketing dynamics.
**Deep Work**
Cal Newport’s “Deep Work” teaches the art of focused work in a distracted world. It offers strategies to enhance productivity by focusing on critical tasks without multitasking.
**The Innovator’s Dilemma**
Clayton M. Christensen explores how disruptive technologies can make established firms fail and offers a guide on how to pivot and adapt to new market realities.
**First Break All the Rules**
Marcus Buckingham’s book, based on extensive Gallup research, reveals what the world’s greatest managers do differently and how breaking conventional rules can lead to success.
**Positioning**
Al Ries and Jack Trout’s book is a landmark in marketing, explaining how to position your brand in the mind of your customer. It’s filled with real-world cases and practical advice.
**The Hard Thing About Hard Things**
Ben Horowitz provides gritty advice on facing the toughest challenges in building and running startups. It covers strategic insights on leadership, firing employees, and maintaining a CEO mindset.
**Influence**
Robert Cialdini’s book dives into the psychology of persuasion, outlining six principles that help in understanding and leveraging influence to grow both personally and professionally.
**Good to Great**
Jim Collins examines why some companies make the leap to greatness and others don’t. He identifies key discipline-based principles that distinguish thriving companies.
**Built to Last**
Jim Collins and Jerry I. Porras identify the habits of visionary companies that have thrived over the years through a comparative study of 18 successful firms and their counterparts.
Best Business Books for Beginners
1. “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Steven Covey
2. “Getting Things Done” by David Allen
3. “The 4-Hour Workweek” by Timothy Ferriss
4. “The New One Minute Manager” by Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson
5. “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill
6. “Made to Stick” by Chip and Dan Heath
7. “The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing” by Al Ries and Jack Trout
8. “Rework” by Jason Fried
9. “Dare to Lead” by Bréne Brown
10. “The Psychology of Selling” by Brian Tracy
Detailed Reviews:
**The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People**
Steven Covey’s book is a foundational self-improvement guide that emphasizes the importance of effective habits in personal and professional success.
**Getting Things Done**
David Allen’s productivity classic provides a comprehensive system for stress-free productivity, emphasizing the importance of organizing tasks and staying relaxed.
**The 4-Hour Workweek**
Timothy Ferriss challenges the conventional work setup and offers strategies for designing a lifestyle with less work and more freedom.
**The New One Minute Manager**
Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson’s book uses a simple parable to teach effective management principles that are relevant and practical.
**Think and Grow Rich**
Napoleon Hill’s seminal work on success and mindset continues to be a profound resource for achieving financial and personal goals.
**Made to Stick**
Chip and Dan Heath explore what makes ideas stick, providing techniques to create and share compelling messages that resonate and spread.
**The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing**
Al Ries and Jack Trout’s book outlines essential marketing principles that every businessperson should understand to create impactful advertising.
**Rework**
Jason Fried’s insightful book challenges traditional business practices and advocates for simplicity and efficiency in business operations.
**Dare to Lead**
Bréne Brown’s guide to modern leadership emphasizes vulnerability and authenticity as strengths in building meaningful connections and effective teams.
**The Psychology of Selling**
Brian Tracy’s classic offers practical techniques for enhancing sales performance, covering the psychological aspects of the selling process.
Best Management Books
1. “Start With Why” by Simon Sinek
2. “Blue Ocean Strategy” by W. Chan Kim and Renée A. Mauborgne
3. “Essentialism” by Greg McKeown
4. “Blink” by Malcolm Gladwell
5. “Leaders Eat Last” by Simon Sinek
6. “Upstream” by Dan Heath
7. “Never Split the Difference” by Chris Voss
8. “The Power of Habit” by Charles Duhigg
9. “Lean In” by Sheryl Sandberg
10. “Hooked” by Nir Eyal
Detailed Reviews:
**Start With Why**
Simon Sinek emphasizes understanding your “why” to inspire and lead others effectively. This foundational concept revolves around finding and communicating a central purpose.
**Blue Ocean Strategy**
W. Chan Kim and Renée A. Mauborgne present a strategy for creating market space free from competition by innovating and pursuing unique opportunities.
**Essentialism**
Greg McKeown’s book advocates for focusing on what truly matters by eliminating non-essential tasks, akin to a productivity method for paring down to the essentials.
**Blink**
Malcolm Gladwell explores decision-making processes, emphasizing the importance of instinct and split-second conclusions.
**Leaders Eat Last**
Simon Sinek discusses the importance of leadership that prioritizes people and fosters environments where teams can thrive.
**Upstream**
Dan Heath encourages proactive problem-solving by addressing issues before they escalate, eliminating recurring problems, and saving time and resources.
**Never Split the Difference**
Chris Voss, a former FBI negotiator, teaches valuable negotiation tactics that can be applied in professional and personal dealings to achieve better outcomes.
**The Power of Habit**
Charles Duhigg explains how habits form and how they can be changed, providing insights into personal and organizational behavior management.
**Lean In**
Sheryl Sandberg encourages women to pursue leadership roles and overcome barriers in the workplace, reflecting on her experiences at Facebook and Google.
**Hooked**
Nir Eyal provides a framework for creating products that form lasting habits, beneficial for managers overseeing product development.
Best Entrepreneur Books and Startup Books
1. “The Art of the Start 2.0” by Guy Kawasaki
2. “The E-Myth Revisited” by Michael Gerber
3. “Zero to One” by Peter Thiel and Blake Masters
4. “Escape From Cubicle Nation” by Pamela Slim
5. “The Plan-As-You-Go Business Plan” by Tim Berry
6. “The Lean Startup” by Eric Ries
7. “The $100 Startup” by Chris Guillebeau
8. “Grit” by Angela Duckworth
9. “Start Your Own Business” by Rieva Lesonsky
10. “The Thank You Economy” by Gary Vaynerchuk
Detailed Reviews:
**The Art of the Start 2.0**
Guy Kawasaki offers pragmatic advice for startups, covering innovation, recruiting, fundraising, and branding.
**The E-Myth Revisited**
Michael Gerber explores common pitfalls faced by small businesses and emphasizes creating processes to share your passion effectively.
**Zero to One**
Peter Thiel and Blake Masters discuss innovation as a survival gateway, advising startups to think independently and avoid conformist cultures.
**Escape From Cubicle Nation**
Pamela Slim offers guidance on transitioning from corporate jobs to entrepreneurship, including tips on team building and breaking free from corporate constraints.
**The Plan-As-You-Go Business Plan**
Tim Berry simplifies the business planning process with practical tips to quickly create adaptable plans that foster growth.
**The Lean Startup**
Eric Ries provides a scientific approach to building startups, emphasizing the importance of testing visions and adapting quickly.
**The $100 Startup**
Chris Guillebeau shows how to start a business with minimal capital by connecting personal skills with market demands and optimizing pricing strategies.
**Grit**
Angela Duckworth emphasizes perseverance and passion as key elements for entrepreneurial success, backed by research and real-life examples.
**Start Your Own Business**
Rieva Lesonsky and the Entrepreneur staff provide a comprehensive guide for freelancers to navigate the initial stages of business ownership, with practical tips for the first three years.
**The Thank You Economy**
Gary Vaynerchuk offers a customer-first strategy, emphasizing the importance of personal engagement and practical advice for building a business.
Best Books on How to Run a Small Business
1. “Built to Sell” by John Warrillow
2. “J.K. Lasser’s Small Business Taxes” by Barbara Weltman
3. “Simple Numbers 2.0” by Greg Crabtree
4. “Fix This Next” by Mike Michalowicz
5. “Legal Forms for Starting & Running a Small Business” by Fred S. Steingold
6. “Rich Dad Poor Dad” by Robert T. Kiyosaki
7. “Profit First” by Mike Michalowicz
8. “Atomic Habits” by James Clear
Detailed Reviews:
**Built to Sell**
John Warrillow provides strategies for building a business that operates independently, allowing owners to work on it, not in it.
**J.K. Lasser’s Small Business Taxes**
Barbara Weltman’s guide is essential for understanding small business taxes, focusing on maximizing profits by managing tax liabilities effectively.
**Simple Numbers 2.0**
Greg Crabtree offers data-driven strategies to find hidden opportunities and maximize ROI through smart scaling.
**Fix This Next**
Mike Michalowicz introduces a methodology for identifying and addressing the most pressing issues in your business to stimulate growth.
**Legal Forms for Starting & Running a Small Business**
Fred S. Steingold provides crucial forms and agreements, complete with detailed instructions, to help manage legal aspects of your business.
**Rich Dad Poor Dad**
Robert T. Kiyosaki contrasts different approaches to money, work, and financial literacy, emphasizing the importance of building assets.
**Profit First**
Mike Michalowicz advocates for a profit-first mindset to ensure business profitability by prioritizing owner compensation.
**Atomic Habits**
James Clear provides actionable strategies for forming good habits and breaking bad ones, crucial for personal and professional growth.
Best Business Biographies
1. “Shark Tales” by Barbara Corcoran and Bruce Littlefield
2. “The Everything Store” by Brad Stone
3. “Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future” by Ashlee Vance
4. “Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography” by Walter Isaacson
5. “Empire State of Mind” by Zack O’Malley Greenburg
6. “Business the Bill Gates Way” by Des Dearlove
7. “Shoe Dog” by Phil Knight
8. “Warren Buffett on Business” by Warren Buffett
9. “Losing My Virginity” by Richard Branson
10. “Grinding It Out” by Ray Kroc
Detailed Reviews:
**Shark Tales**
Barbara Corcoran shares her journey from borrowing $1,000 to building a billion-dollar real estate business, providing practical advice along the way.
**The Everything Store**
Brad Stone recounts Jeff Bezos’ vision and the growth of Amazon, emphasizing the company’s customer-centric approach.
**Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future**
Ashlee Vance’s biography of Elon Musk offers deep insights into the entrepreneur’s innovative endeavors and complex personality.
**Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography**
Walter Isaacson’s biography reveals Steve Jobs’ obsessions, flaws, and genius through extensive interviews, providing a nuanced view of the tech icon.
**Empire State of Mind**
Zack O’Malley Greenburg chronicles Jay-Z’s rise from a rapper to a business mogul, offering insights on his entrepreneurial journey.
**Business the Bill Gates Way**
Des Dearlove highlights ten strategies of Bill Gates, focusing on practical lessons drawn from his career and business philosophy.
**Shoe Dog**
Phil Knight narrates the inspirational story of Nike’s creation, starting with a $50 loan and building an iconic brand.
**Warren Buffett on Business**
Warren Buffett’s guide integrates his management principles rooted in patience, perseverance, and value-investing.
**Losing My Virginity**
Richard Branson’s autobiography chronicles his adventurous approach to business and the lessons learned throughout his career.
**Grinding It Out**
Ray Kroc’s story of transforming McDonald’s into a global franchise empire, emphasizing the timeless nature of his journey.
By diving into these books, you’ll gain invaluable knowledge and insights that can help you navigate the complexities of the business world, whether you are an aspiring entrepreneur, an emerging manager, or a seasoned business leader.
