Best Business Books: Must Read For Starting A Business

Business is a wide field and it is quite simple to know what it means. It is basically the exchange of any goods or services in return for the proper payment. People think that business is just about money but actually even the ancient practice of the barter system was business. Business isn’t just some theory but rather a way of life and it isn’t so easy to maintain it. In the olden days, people didn’t care much about strategies and analytics.

In today’s world, the field of business has been turned into a science and it can easily be broken down into a number of rules which if followed correctly, can make someone a world leader in business. Business is not just about selling but it is also based on maintaining your position in the world of business. You need to beat competition fair and square while expanding your own business throughout. You must always be informed about your own business as well as the current developments in the field of business.

Now, being involved can get you a lot of knowledge of the business world but that’s just not enough. What you can do is, you can be a part of the communities started by businessmen which might sometimes take up a whole lot of your time, so another alternative can be reading best books for starting a business. As we all know, that books have all types of knowledge to give out and sometimes before diving into new, reading some books on the topic can be pretty helpful.

Although it is considered that in a practical approach, a person can learn a lot more than a book but sometimes a book can put forward certain information that might remain missing in practical experience. Also, books that are based on business ideas and strategies may give you a lot more than you expect from them. So here is a list of business books to help you out in starting a new business or running your current one with the right strategies.

15 Best Business Books Of All Time:

#1. Deep Work

This book is written by Cal Newport.

Published: 2016

Deep Work; Must read business books

This book deserves to be on the top of the list and I don’t think there are any words possible to define it completely. This is one of the greatest books out there for you if you wish to start a new business and the author is an absolute legend. This isn’t the only book he has written but it is the best out of all his books for anyone who wishes to start his new business and needs some inspiration.

This is somewhat the greatest wall street journal and the author tries to tell the reader that the best skill you can have is to learn a fast way of being unique in today’s world. Another skill that he firmly believes in the skill of focusing on what you need to do at the moment without giving in to the distractions. He thinks that a person who possesses both of these skills is one who will absolutely be pretty close to success.

Newport knows how to put forward the most complicated information to his readers and helps them in getting promising results. So if I were you, I wouldn’t doubt his advice at all. He provides certain experiments to the reader that help us in strengthening our attention span so that we get rid of our distractions. Try reading this book if you need the best information out there to concentrate on your goal without distractions.

#2. Good to Great

This book is written by Jim Collins.

Published: 2001

Good to Great

The author is an expert in the field of business as a researcher and he projects a lot of his experiences and views through the help of this book. He discusses how some companies are able to achieve their desired success while others aren’t. This is a topic that is asked a lot in the business world and a very small amount of people are ever able to answer it.

This book doesn’t concentrate much on startups and rather on the management of the businesses. This book was written quite a while ago yet a lot of its case studies are valid in our times as well, making it a timeless classic. The fascinating ideas of the author were revolutionary and hence they have made way to the minds of a huge number of people connected to the business world.

Collins discusses how good companies manage their resources to convert them into great companies that are eventually respected by everyone around them. This book has been a major bestseller and it is obviously because of the ideas put forward by the author. I recommend reading this book for learning the right management tactics for your business and how to make it grow.

#3. Tools of Titans

This book is written by Tim Ferris.

Published: 2016

Tools of Titans

By the medium of this book, the author has tried to refine and impart the greatest lessons he has learned over the years from the leading businessman from all types of backgrounds. He has interviewed a significant amount of people from the business background which makes him one of the most knowledgeable authors on the topic.

Ferris has understood certain habits and strategies from these people that he has put forward with the help of this book which promotes the right approach to business. Also, Ferris has tried to make this book pretty easy to read and understand which has brought it the right publicity over the years. Any reader can take out the best outcome from this book without taking much stress.

The author is the star of a podcast show as well on which he interviews a lot of well-known personalities so he is quite credible due to that. He captures the simplest form of the information needed by anyone to create a powerful business that well gets you to the top. I recommend reading this book due to the author’s reputation in the business world as well as his writing style because you will absolutely learn something or the other from him.

#4. Company of one

This book is written by Paul Jarvis.

Published: 2019

Company of one

The author is a solopreneur and he tries to put forward his approach while trying to succeed at a business that is self-funded. He doesn’t really believe or talk about ways in which you can gather funding from different organizations and start a business that quickly reaches a significant height. He rather talks about how you can start a business funded by you and might last for a long time.

Paul Jarvis wouldn’t help you in achieving a business that gives you billions of dollars-worth of revenue. He instead helps you understand the need and requirements of a single person business that will remain stable throughout. It is something that is worth reading and his ideas have actually changed the lives of a lot of people all around the world.

He tries to help the reader understand that you mustn’t aim for acquiring a huge organization and rather build a specific work environment that can be flexible to you while not having to answer to anyone else. Jarvis helps in teaching us the right strategies to build a business with the right interests instead of following wild ambitions and stressing yourself out. Check this book out for growing a healthy single-person business that lasts.

#5. Outliers

This book is written by Malcolm Gladwell.

Published: 2008

Outliers

Over the years you must have heard a lot about the ten thousand hour rule for perfection which states that you need ten thousand hours to practice a craft in order to be good at it. That particular rule was an idea of Gladwell himself and this is the exact book that he portrayed it with. Now I think you have your complete attention on this because this was a topic that has been going on for quite a while.

The way that the author has put forward his views has revolutionized the field of business. He tries to convey in his words his secret for becoming a high achiever. He thinks that we pay too little of our attention to the people who are already successful and their backgrounds. He thinks that if we get to know more about it then we will learn some of the most important things that we should know to motivate ourselves positively.

Gladwell has a powerful writing style and he has written this book in a way that will be appreciated by everyone who tries it out. The author tries to uncover and put out the secrets of success used by most of the professionals out there. This is one of the most helpful books according to me if you are trying to set up a new business idea and wish to be successful. So please check it out.

#6. The Power of Broke

This book is written by Daymond John.

Published: 2016

The Power of Broke

Daymond John comes from a humble background and he didn’t have as many privileges as most of us have while our growing phase but he has become a self-made man through the process. He had nothing when he started and now he is a well-known personality that people are inspired by. So in order to help others achieve what he did, he has written this book and tells his humble story through it.

He teaches the reader how he can start a business even with a tight budget, empty pockets, and an actual hunger for greatness and success. He helps us in understand how we can use our relationships, resources, and tools as leverage at our disposal to get the success our business needs. The title itself tells us a lot about the author’s thoughts and I think they are pure gold.

The author has lived the things he is discussing in this book so he says that it is good to have a start where you are broke as it makes you much conscious of your resources. It even makes you much more innovative and helps you with motivation as well. He even tells us how he put up financial constraints for himself over the years to achieve his goals. Try reading this book for a fresher and a much more first-hand perspective on the business world.

#7. Crushing it

This book is written by Gary Vaynerchuk.

Published: 2018

Crushing it

In this book, Vaynerchuk discusses how the greatest businessmen influence people and grow their business gradually and how you can make use of similar techniques to achieve what you want as well. A lot of people confuse it with his initial book but just to clarify, this isn’t the same one. This one comes with much different and better tactics that you can use in growing your business along with your influence.

He hasn’t just put forward his own experience, rather the experience of a lot of other influencers and businessmen who have gained a certain position with time. He not only discusses all this but he also puts forward his own perspective regarding the same. He doesn’t use just that old conventional advice and methods that have worked for some and failed other, he talks about revolutionary and new ideas.

He puts forward the current tactics to establish a name for your organization using the success stories of the leaders right now. He talks about using the right publicity platforms that are existing all around the world including the emerging ones to get the customers that you need. Check out this book for a lot more information that will just blow your mind.

#8. Smarter, Faster, Better

This book is written by Charles Duhigg.

Published: 2016

Smarter, Faster, Better

This book is based on the science of productivity and the author is a well-known expert in the field. He talks about how responsibilities and opportunities are interrelated and he tries to put in some of his personal experiences into this book. Duhigg has done a lot of research into this book as he went through some struggles himself with productivity.

He tried to give out a lot of his research in this book which will actually help the reader out. He tries to talk about the motivational power of our choices. He tries to tell us that it might happen that we go through more stress when we have more decisions to make but our motivation would still be great. While, if we are left with fewer alternatives to choose from, our motivation decreases. This means that if while running a business, we have a choice of setting a goal for ourselves then we might be positively motivated but if not, then it might be harder for us to focus.

The author wants us to become Smarter, Faster, and better than what we are now. He tries to explain how a lot of factors are important for being productive and how you need to use them in your business as well as day-to-day life. He explains how the focus and the right team affect your performance and what traits do you need in one to help increase your productivity. This book has a lot more concepts than I’ve discussed here, so checking it out might be greatly helpful for maintaining your business.

#9. The Lean Startup

This book is written by Eric Ries.

Published: 2011

The Lean Startup

The author is a businessman himself and his ideas have helped in shaping up a lot of startups and has set up the minds of a lot of startup founders. The Lean Startup is basically a technique that you can implement to get your desired business running. The lean approach of building a particular business idea is something that is safe as well as it will help you out greatly.

He basically tries to teach us to control our expenses on our business idea and hold off until we gain some amount of surety in the given field. The author tries to put forward his views and wants the reader to invest in something only when it’s necessary instead of going all out. He shows a way to establish a sustainable business without taking too much risk.

The author helps us validate our business idea through this book. He helps us understand that we need to prove that our concept is practical or not and we need to find out the potential customers that we need to attract. He tries to teach us how we can mold our idea into a stable business organization through which we can generate revenue. Try reading this book to make sure you make the right use of his business idea as he will help you establish one without spending much on it.

#10. Start with Why

This book is written by Simon Sinek.

Published: 2009

Start with Why

The title of this book itself is a pretty interesting one and it really grabs your attention quite efficiently. The question that it starts with asking is that why is a certain organization getting a better profit margin while influencing people and are much more innovative than most organizations out there. It tries to put forward the fact that the people with the heaviest influence behave and convey their beliefs in the same way.

The people who have actually won a lot in life don’t behave as losers and that is what this book tries to show. This particular idea was named “the Golden Circle” by him and he promotes the usage of it quite a lot. This book by Sinek is one that has either been loved too much by the readers or people who didn’t like it at all, there is no middle ground.

Simon has put in a lot of motivational points which will definitely lead you somewhere pleasant if you take them in the right way. This book can be a once in a lifetime opportunity for the people who wish to take its contents constructively and get rid of the things holding back while the ones who reject the ideas of the author might end up missing out a great deal. So I recommend checking out this book if you need to learn more about the right approach.

#11. Grinding it out

This book is written by Ray Kroc.

Published: 1977

Grinding it out

The author has been a very important personality in the world of business and I totally get why it is so. His books have always been a source of motivation and the way he presents his views is absolutely commendable. There might be some personal issues with your judgment of Kroc but he is one of the very few people who have influenced our lifestyle to an extent.

We all know that Kroc is the founder of McDonald’s and he is one of the most unconventional people we have ever seen in the field of business. It is quite simple to understand that this book has some of his revolutionary ideas around the time when he founded McDonald’s. This book contains the story of the starting of McDonald’s which has changed the future of the food industry forever.

Ray Kroc was 52 when he started his very first franchise of McDonald’s and it has been working to be one of the best food chains created ever since. The ideas portrayed in this book are really inspiring, and the way Kroc highlights certain details is what gets people on the floor. His great ideas are presented in this book so checking it out is a very good idea if you wish to be as huge as him someday. 

#12. Think and Grow Rich

This book was written by Napoleon Hill.

Published: 1937

Think and Grow Rich

Principles of success are entirely universal, which is why there isn’t much difference as you check for it from person to person. The author has done a lot of research on the topic and interviewed a lot of rich and successful people and then he finally came up with this book that has been off the charts since it was released. The book will help you out with the right business motivation you need to grow rich using some simple principles.

The author mentions that the very first step in the way of accomplishing your dream is to have a burning desire of getting it done. The stronger your desire, the more would be your probability of achieving your goal. Another thing that the author wants us to understand is that we need to make an equal sacrifice to get what we want. This means that your dream would need a sacrifice to be achieved. If you don’t put in the right amount of hours in your business then it won’t grow as much as you need it to.

If we talk about this in terms of money, then you might need some type of payment in order to get the amount of money you want. It can be your time, efforts, sleep, or anything else that is important to you. The author also discusses how setting goals according to a specific time frame is a really beneficial technique in the long run. If you set a success goal for your business which is meant for a particular time period then you might be able to achieve it with the right motivation. There are a lot more things that the author has tried to put forward in this book, and I think you should check it out for reaching the financial goal that you desire.

#13. So Good They Can’t Ignore You

This book is written by Cal Newport.

Published: 2012

So Good They Can’t Ignore You

This is the second book in this list that is written by Cal Newport which would give you a certain idea of the credibility of this author in the field. This book is obviously the right one here due to the fact that it talks about certain important topics that most people don’t even talk about. It is one of those books that actually help us realize that the advice we get from most people for following our passion is wrong.

People don’t even think twice before giving that advice to anyone they come across but in actuality, it destroys a lot of people rather than helping it grow. Some people take it and believe in it truly, and when they fail they start blaming themselves and might even go into depression. The author says that you can only find your real passion by putting an effort and learning the skill at the most.

When you develop a skill, it becomes interesting as you wish to show it off, so it eventually turns into your passion. Now when you use this particular passion then your chances of succeeding increase as you actually love what you are doing. This is why the author asks us to concentrate on your skills rather than passion when it comes to real work. Check this book out for an informative time and learn how to develop the right skill set for your business.

#14. The Hard Thing About Hard Things

This book is written by Ben Horowitz.

Published: 2014

The Hard Thing About Hard Things: best books for starting a business

This book is more suitable for the people who are looking into startups and wish to know the right steps to succeed. Ben Horowitz takes his own experience into account to teach people a lot of important things by the medium of this book. It is a look into his own life as an inspiration to get up and get going and we know his credibility due to his position at this point in time.

By the medium of this book, Horowitz tells us to build a product that is 10 times better than the ones available in the market, if you wish to start a technology-based business. He tries to perfect perfection as he goes on with his life and that’s what he expects from his readers. He talks about his own personal struggles to help the reader understand how to hold on.

He teaches the major quality of leadership as the book proceeds and he tries to put forward the right tactics to be used as a leader. He tells us about his own hardships and his struggles as a CEO in keeping himself on top. It’s always just one struggle after another in his life which is something that would make the reader sympathize as well as learn from the mistakes made by Horowitz. Try reading this book to advance yourself as a businessman or achieve something great in life.

#15. Never Split the Difference

This book is written by Chris Voss and Tahl Raz.

Published: 2016

Never Split the Difference

It is the last book on the list but you must not underestimate the content it possesses. The authors have put forward some powerful views with the help of this book that might totally help you get ahead with your business the right way. As we all know, negotiating is a very important aspect when you are in the business world, and it is exactly what the authors talk about.

The authors try to teach their readers, the right way of negotiating. He gives out certain analogies to help you understand the way you must take negotiating. Imagine that you have to negotiate with a couple of kidnappers, if it goes wrong then someone or even you might lose your life. This is the exact pressure that the authors want the readers to understand that they are under.

When you are under this kind of pressure, you know that you have to make the right negotiations and you end up making a vital profit for yourself. This is something that the authors have spent a lot of time understanding it themselves and thus it is easier for them to explain it to their readers. The book puts forward even a lot of measures that can make sure we follow this approach, so read this one to gain knowledge about this important aspect of the business world.

I hope this list of best books for starting a business was helpful for you and your business and you might find a lot of important insights in them to run your business. I’ve checked most of them out myself and they have been really informational along the way. If the content was helpful, please leave a like on the post or drop a comment below.

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