6. Traction by Gino Wickman. This book truly helps entrepreneurs change their perspectives, and pushes them to get over the many obstacles that a business will throw at them. Traction makes strengthening your business understandable and achievable with six digestible, to-the-point tips that apply to any industry. Wickman leads business leaders to a more open mind while, simultaneously, focusing them in on what’s truly important.
— Miles Jennings, Recruiter.com
7. The Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss. This book really helped me ask myself the question, “How can I best use my time for maximum output?” It goes against the traditional thinking that you’ve got to work more hours to produce more results. Instead, focus on working smarter, not necessarily harder. You’ll also think about areas of your business that need to outsourced, thus freeing up your life and helping you focus on your strengths.
— Alex Miller, PosiRank LLC
8. The Lean Startup by Eric Ries. This book changed my perception of building full products, which I believed was by creating features and then testing to see if people wanted the product. That’s very costly and offers no real lessons if they don’t use it. The Lean Startup forced me to challenge all of my assumptions, release versions of products before they’re ready (and feel a bit embarrassed by how bare the product is), and let users dictate the product. It was revolutionary.
9. Screw Business As Usual By Richard Branson. This book helped provide perspectives on how to think outside of the box, and to let go of many of the conventional ways that businesses and individuals function. Aside from a personal profit and gain, your business should also benefit society, communities, and the planet. You’ll notice that in doing so, your business will be fueled from multiple avenues of good.
— Hesam Meshkat, Guzu
10. Good to Great by Jim Collins. This book takes a scientific approach to what makes companies boom. Through analysis they create a model for this type of success; while it focuses on corporate businesses, the lessons apply to all organizations. The type of leadership, the culture you are able to create and the relentless focus necessary to be great, apply specifically to young startups getting the right people on the bus as they grow.
11. Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi. As young entrepreneurs we often take on many roles, willing our companies to greater heights with this belief that we must get it done on our own. Keith Ferrazzi’s Never Eat Alone teaches you otherwise, and reminds us that business is human. Therefore, we must work to nurture relationships and provide value to our network. I now always ask myself, “how can I provide value to others?”
— Zachary Burkes, Gatekeeper Innovation Inc.
12. Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. I’ve read hundreds of books on business; however, the one book that has had the greatest impact on my life is Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. This book single-handedly influenced me to step out and begin my career as an entrepreneur. Robert does an amazing job, showing his readers the different psychologies adapted by his father (Poor Dad) and mentor (Rich Dad). I highly recommend this book!
— Dustin Cucciarre, BryghtAds Inc.
13. Crossing the Chasm:Â Marketing and Selling High-Tech Products to Mainstream Customers by Geoffrey Moore. This book on market leadership, provides entrepreneurs with practical advice on marketing a high-tech product. It helps you realize that you usually can’t win by going broad, and the path to market leadership is systematically conquering important smaller markets, while building an ecosystem around your product. He even provides a checklist on how to do this. It’s a must-read.
— Costin Tuculescu, AnyMeeting
14. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. Atlas Shrugged is not a how-to business book, but rather a story of what it really takes to run a business on a personal level — relentlessness, passion, and determination. It is the tale of those who eat, sleep, and breathe for their cause, and who move mountains to make their visions come to life. If you read it and hate it, you don’t have what it takes to be an entrepreneur.