6 Books To Help Build A Business You Can Bank On

Here are six books to provide inspiration, practical advice, and tools to stay on the entrepreneurial path.

Originally Published May 18, 2015

There are many great books out in the market today, some old, some new. Here are six that provide inspiration, practical advice, and tools needed to stay on the entrepreneurial path.

The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building A Business When There Are No Easy Answers by Ben Horowitz

Ben Horowitz, co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz and one of Silicon Valley’s most respected and experienced entrepreneurs, offers essential advice on building and running a startup. While many people talk about how great it is to start a business, very few are honest about how difficult it is to run one. Horowitz shares the insights he’s gained developing, managing, selling, buying, investing in, and supervising technology companies. A lifelong rap fan, he amplifies business lessons with lyrics from his favorite songs, telling it straight about everything from firing friends to poaching competitors and cultivating a CEO mentality.

Think And Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

This motivational personal development and self-help book was inspired by a suggestion from steel magnate Andre Carnegie and based on his formula for making money. It outlines the 13 proven steps to success from years of research of men who achieved great wealth. The steps listed in the book are: 1. Desire; 2. Faith; 3. Autosuggestion; 4. Specialized Knowledge; 5. Imagination; 6. Organized Planning; 7. Decision ;8. Persistence; 9. Power of the Master Mind; 10. The Mystery of Sex Transmutation; 11. The Subconscious Mind; 12. The Brain; and 13. The Sixth Sense. Think And Grow Rich has been used by millions of business leaders around the world to create a concrete plan for success.

Outwitting The Devil: The Secret To Freedom and Success by Napoleon Hill

Napoleon Hill digs deep to reveal how fear, procrastination, anger, and jealousy prevent us from realizing our personal goals. This one-time controversial book was written in 1938 following the publication of his classic bestseller, Think and Grow Rich. Hill believed that fear is the tool of a man-made devil. Self-confident faith is both the man-made weapon which defeats this devil and the man-made tool which builds a triumphant life. What’s more, Hill felt faith was the force of the universe that stands behind a man who does not believe in failure and defeat as being anything but temporary experiences.

Influence: The Power of Persuasion by Robert Cialdin

This book provides clear step-by-step examples of behaviors that you can put to use daily to increase your influence. It explains the psychology of why people say “yes”—and how to apply these understandings. Cialdini has over 35 years of rigorous, evidence-based research along with a 3-year program of study on what moves people to change behavior which has resulted in this highly acclaimed book. Influence breaks down the six universal principles—reciprocity, commitment/consistency, social proof, authority, liking, and scarcity–and how to use them to become a skilled persuader.

Rework by Jason Fried

With its straightforward language and easy-is-better approach, Rework is the perfect playbook for anyone who’s ever dreamed of doing it on their own. This book will show you how to be more productive, how to get exposure without breaking the bank, and other counter-intuitive ideas.

Crossing The Chasm: Marketing And Selling Disruptive Products To Mainstream Customers by Geoffrey Moore

This has become the bible for bringing cutting-edge products to progressively larger markets. This revised and updated edition provides new insights into the realities of high-tech marketing, with special emphasis on the digital world. The challenge for innovators and marketers is to narrow this chasm, knowing when to sacrifice for the advantage of being first until they know that the technology actually offers improvements in productivity. The editionoffers examples of successes and failures and new strategies for marketing in the digital world.