20 Business Books Recommended by Entrepreneurs
We all need a pick-me-up every once in a while, whether it comes in the form of a compelling novel, a heartwarming self-help book, or a business book with a little inspiration. We collected some of the best business books according to our Forge members. Check out our list of the best business books below, complete with an opinion of why this book was chosen by each person!
- Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki
- “Growing up a terrible student, this book gave me hope I could build a business!” – Sam Hill of Big Lead Gen. Inc.
- Good to Great by Jim Collins
- “One quote I’ve never forgotten from it is, ‘To go from good to great means transcending the curse of competence.’ This has been a core value in my professional life for the past two decades years, and the mission, vision and goals of our company are really built on the foundation of that premise.” – Jennifer Solt of 24 Communications
- Weird in a World That’s Not by Jennifer Romolini
- “This book had a huge impact on me as a reminder that you can stay true to yourself and when you’re with a company that wants to change you, you’re in the wrong place.” Rebecca Dobrinski
- The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
- “I think it’s fascinating to consider why people, and organizations, act the way they act.” – Donnie Garvich of Two Ravens
- The Long Tail by Chris Anderson
- “It goes deep into the (at the time new) idea that by being true to your rabid fans, you can generate a stronger business over time. So instead of trying to sell the lowest common denominator product, target exactly who you want with what *they* want. Lots of good crunchy examples too.” – Scott Pierce of Two Ravens
- Exponential Organizations by Salim Ismail
- “This book demonstrates how any organization can streamline growth and accelerate it using technology and nine other core characteristics. Any business hoping to avoid becoming a slow, inefficient company should adopt what Ismail outlines in his research.” – Josh Rhodes of Big Lead Gen Inc.
- The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
- “It helped me think strategically about making foundations decisions about starting my business.” – Jacqueline Jones of One Degree MMM
- Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini
- “Great book on human behavior and how we make decisions. I reread it every other year or so because it’s that good.
– Perry Still of HNS Partners
- “Great book on human behavior and how we make decisions. I reread it every other year or so because it’s that good.
- What Should I Do With My Life? by Po Bronson
- “It helped me rethink my priorities and long term goals.” – Alex Grodner of Cambria Solutions
- A Sense of Something Greater: Zen and the Search for Balance in Silicon Valley by Les Kaye and Teresa Bouza
- “I enjoyed the book because the authors bring together interviews of and short pieces by people who work in the tech industry, offering advice on how to deal with the high stress, burnout, etc. that modern work produces. Even though it’s focused on Silicon Valley, the concepts apply anywhere.” – Kerry Smith of ecoTexual
- Zero to One by Peter Theil
- “This book is a must read for entrepreneurs. Peter push’s you to become a contrarian and shares many of his most thought provoking insights.” – Connor Hand of Big Lead Gen Inc.
- The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni
- “Lencioni breaks down the building blocks for an effective team. By writing the team in a fable it is very practical and very easy to apply to your own organization. You can easily read the entire book in a few hours and walk away with a clear understanding of the building blocks that need to be in place to create a team that will function cohesively. Implementing all of the building blocks is a much tougher process, but you finish the book with a framework of where you should be headed.” – Kim Lee of Forge
- A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink
- “It’s my recommended read for every new graduate or person trying to figure out what they want to do in life. Helped me understand work and career beyond the boundaries of academic majors and industry definitions.” Autumn Foster of Quire Consulting
- How Not to Be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking by Jordan Ellenberg
- “If you are looking for a primer on how misinterpreting data leads to bad decisions, look no further.” – Nathan McMinn of MNMX.io
- The Third Door by Alex Banayan
- “Not only is it full of advice form some of the world’s greatest business leaders. But the documentation of what Alex Banayan went through to make the book possible is absolutely amazing at the least. This book is a great example of the kind of relentlessness that is necessary to bring big dreams to reality.” – Stanley Stevenson of Stevenson Designs
- The Accidental Salesperson by Chris Lytle
- “It talks about how sales techniques are essential across all industries whether you are in marketing or a dentist.” – Russell Hooks of Happenins In The Ham
- Everybody Writes by Ann Handley
- “Social media has made us writers but the majority of us aren’t professional writers. Our words carry our marketing messages. Everybody Writes is a go-to guide for how to communicate well in writing in order to attract and retain customers.” – Donna Gilliland of MOSTraining
- Management by Peter Drucker
- “So much is changing in our world, and some things don’t change – focus on leading people, focus on doing the right things and not just doing things right. This book really helps cut through a lot of the noise you find in most business books.” – Austin Senseman of MNMX.io
- The $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau
- “When we were first starting out, my business partner, Krista Baker, and I were energized by The $100 Startup. It reinforced for us the notion that you already have what you need to change course and create what you want; you just have to take action.” – Kelli Eldridge of Race Quest Travel
- Radical Candor by Kim Scott
- “In the South, we are raised to not say anything at all if we don’t have anything nice to say. Walking on eggshells and talking around the truth restricts the ability to develop your team, and brutal honesty can do the same by making you out to be an asshole. I like Radical Candor because it clearly illustrates how personally caring for your team earns you the right to challenge them directly.” Trey Noland of Trek EC
