Whether you’re just starting out or have an established business, there’s always room for improvement. And that’s where these books can help. Here are some of the books every entrepreneur should read:
1. The Rules of Management
The Rules of Management is a classic book on leadership. It’s all about how you can be a great leader, manager and employee. The author, Richard Templar, has written many other books about managing people and it’s worth checking them out if you’re looking for more guidance on this topic.
The book focuses on:
- How to manage yourself as an individual
- How to manage your team (including employees)
- How to be a good leader
2. The One Minute Manager
Written by Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson, The One Minute Manager focuses on three techniques an effective manager must leverage; they include one minute goals, one minute praisings, and one minute reprimands.
Despite the one minute timing, these techniques have long-lasting benefits.
3. 1776
1776 is a historical fiction novel by David McCullough. The book tells the story of how George Washington and other Founding Fathers planned America’s independence from Great Britain in 1776. It is a great read for entrepreneurs, especially those who want to learn more about our country’s history and founding fathers.
Use this as a founder to widen your thinking.
4. The Art of War
The Art of War is a book about military strategy and tactics, written by Sun Tzu around 400 BC. It’s the oldest known work on military theory and has been studied since its creation.
The Art of War is not just about winning battles, but also how to win wars. It contains lessons in leadership, intelligence gathering and deception that are still relevant today when it comes to running your business or launching an idea into the marketplace (and beyond).
5. The Four Agreements
The Four Agreements is a book that was written by Don Miguel Ruiz, a Toltec teacher. The book can be read in one sitting, but it’s also an excellent resource to reference as you work on your business or build your personal life.
The first agreement is “don’t take anything personally.” This means not taking criticism personally or being too sensitive when someone says something negative about you or your business—they may just be having a bad day! It’s important to remember that everything happens for a reason, even if they don’t seem like they do at first glance.
The second agreement is “don’t make assumptions.” When someone makes an assumption about something that could have been done differently (e.g., trying to sell them on something), ask questions instead of assuming conclusions based off previous experiences with similar situations (e.g., “You don’t want this product?”). This will help reassure them that their feelings aren’t invalidated and give them confidence in making decisions without wasting unnecessary time discussing things further than necessary with strangers who won’t care enough about what happened between now and tomorrow morning anyway…
6. Think and Grow Rich
Think and Grow Rich is a book about business success. It was written in 1937 by Napoleon Hill, and it’s still relevant today. The book is not about money, but rather how to achieve success in life—in business or otherwise. It’s also important to note that this isn’t just another self-help book on personal development; Think and Grow Rich is an actual guide for growing your business from start-up to running a successful company with employees who love what they do daily.
In Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon recommends that you identify what kind of person you want to be before starting anything new: “A man must have some definite purpose in his mind before he can go into action.” Once you’ve decided what type of person would make the best leader for yourself (or anyone else), then everything will fall into place naturally .
7. The Four Steps to the Epiphany: A Guide for Creating Growth, Innovation, Profits and Purpose is a great book for entrepreneurs who want to innovate and be innovative in their businesses. It teaches you how to make decisions as an entrepreneur by using the Four Steps: 1) Discover; 2) Define; 3) Design; 4) Build. This will help you create a framework for success that doesn’t just apply at work but also in life outside of work as well!
8. The New Leader’s Handbook: What Leaders Should Know About Leading & Leading Others is another great resource for those looking for advice on how best to manage their teams or teams within them (i.e., how do I lead my team without being overbearing?). The author gives practical tips on creating an effective culture where everyone feels empowered but still gets results from each other — making sure everyone has what they need while giving praise where it’s due!
Conclusion
If you’re an entrepreneur or a founder, these books can help you grow your business. They are all intended for entrepreneurs and founders to make their businesses successful. As I mentioned earlier, this is not an exhaustive list of all the must-read books out there in the world today; but hopefully, we have given you some good starting points for your next read!
