Books… they are one of the best sources of information. Whether you are an Audiobook person, a Kindle book person, a good old fashioned – smell the paper – paperback or hardcover person, there’s a book out there that can change everything for you.
Since I was 22 I’ve had a sign up on my wall saying “Read a book a week for the rest of your life”
Now sadly I can’t say I’ve been able to live up to that as much as I’d like, but I can tell you I have read a lot of book and I’m always interested in reading more and getting a list of recommended business books whenever I can.
In fact I find reading is one of the single most useful strategies I have for handling stress.
Whenever I feel overwhelmed, lost or stressed in my business I will go buy a new book and take a few hours to sit down and start reading.
The greatest thing about business books is they are a great Christmas gift for any serious entrepreneur and business owner.
Recently I reached out to some of my friends who are all leaders in various business fields and asked them what one business book they would recommend we add to our Christmas wishlist and why, here’s the result…
Recommended Business Books…
War of Art by Steven Pressfield
“Have you experienced a vision of the person you might become, the work you could accomplish, the person you were meant to be? Are you a writer who doesn’t write, a painter who doesn’t paint, an entrepreneur who never starts a venture? Then you know what ‘Resistance’ is. This book is about that. Read it.Pressfield gives you the kick in kaboos you need with this book, smashing every excuse you have before you have a chance to use it. Nicole and I read this book together on vacation and the conversations that transpired were as good as the book itself.”
– Omar Zenhom, Co-Founder The $100 MBA & Business Republic
The Millionaire Master Plan by Roger James Hamilton.
“This is a must read for anyone wanting to take their career or business to the next level. The book provides an easy to follow process and system that helps you identify where you’re at and what steps you need to take to reach that next level.”
– Michael Zipursky, Consulting Success
Selling the Invisible by Harry Beckwith
“Almost all marketing books are focused on products you can actually see and touch. This one is focused on service-based businesses — i.e. products that don’t exist until someone buys them (like a haircut).”
– Marisa Murgatroyd
Scientific Advertising by Claude Hopkins
“Considering it was written in 1923 it is still very relevant today. In fact, more so. In today’s internet world, entrepreneurs and business owners are constant bombarded with yet more social media hype and told they should “get out there, be seen and be social”. There is a whole slew of bad advice from so called guru’s who no business knowledge at all but have mastered the ability to copy & paste other peoples bad advice! Getting liked and having followers counts for nothing unless you can turn that into profit.
Business owners and Entrepreneurs who want to grow (or even just survive) need to advertise. You can’t do this using “free” social media.
If you are going to advertise, then you need to understand how to measure return on investment. You need to know how, where and when to advertise. Basically you need to know your numbers.
Claude’s book talk undiluted common sense. If he were alive today, he’d be on stage selling stuff at the back of the room and I’d be buying it!”
– Mike Seddon, Internet Jet Stream
The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday
“This is the book that we all should have been forced to read in high school.
Through dozens of well told stories, woven over a simple and elegant frameworks, Ryan helps you see that the people you respect and admire were all ‘normal’ and just like you.
Except for how they thought about obstacles, opposition and their job in this world.”
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The Hard Thing About The Hard Things by Ben Horowitz
“It’s for entrepreneurs or executives in a fast-paced entrepreneurial organizations. It’s a really honest book about starting a business and failing and making it. It’s filled with practical advice on tackling tricky situations – not with book answers – that entrepreneurs face everyday. Beyond that, it’s one of the most fun business books I have read in a long time.”
– Bhoomi Pathak
The 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris
“This book is the reason I have a business today. Without that book I’d still be a freelance press release writer. Lots of stuff in it I ignore (mostly the controversial stuff he put in to make waves), but I still recommend it strongly.”
– Michael Smart
The One Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan
“For busy people who are trying to do too much.”
– James Schramko, SuperFastBusiness
Blue Ocean Strategy by W Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne
“Very few books have fundamentally changed my business thinking. One was ‘Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make Competition Irrelevant’. If you’re in business and haven’t read it, make it a priority to do so. But more importantly, implement the ideas.”
– Rashid Kotwal, Revealed Resources
Libey on RFM Value by Donald Libey
“Short but sweet book, all about the 3 metrics you need to measure in your business.
A powerful powerful book especially if you already have customers. Helps you figure out which customers are likley to give you money.”
– Daryl Urbanski, Best Business Coach
Built To Sell by John R Warrillow
“This book will change the way you look at service based businesses. It is a must read if you ever plan to really scale a service business to a point that it can be truly valuable and saleable. It’s easy to read, uses examples and John just makes it super clear.”
– Carl Taylor, Author of Red Means Go!
The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E Gerber
“This book is for anyone that has or wants to start a business, as it will teach the fundamentals of how to operate a profitable enterprise. It inspired me to realise that “business is to add more life, not take it away”. I decided from the moment I placed the book down that I was going to run my business this way. It has also created a burning desire to help others to do the same.”
– Thomas Reid, Young Entrepreneur Society Australia
Web Copy That Sells by Maria Veloso
“This book is for business owners, marketing professionals, entrepreneurs and anyone else trying to sell their products or services online. This book will teach you how to write online copy that sells. You’ll learn how to write website copy, email campaigns, facebook ads and more. The original version helped me develop my copywriting skills for the web many years ago, and I still refer to it today.”
– Jesse Forrest, The Web Copywriter
Final Thoughts…
If you’re looking for business book recommendations, remember to ask your closest friends and networks who are successful in business.
Read as much as you can, and be sure to fill your Christmas wishlist with books to read and fuel your wealth of knowledge.
Carl is the Author of Red Means Go! and founder of Business Builders Academy. He invests in and runs a number of businesses, and regularly teaches business skills through online training and live speaking events.
