Six thought leaders have shared their recommendations for must-read business books for entrepreneurs. These books offer invaluable insights into leadership, innovation, and strategic thinking. From timeless classics to contemporary bestsellers, each book provides unique perspectives that can inspire and inform your entrepreneurial journey. Discover why these thought leaders believe these books are essential reading and how they can equip you with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in the competitive business market.
Focus on Validated Learning and Iterative Development
“The One Thing” by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan completely changed how I approach productivity and decision-making. In real estate, and really in any business, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer number of tasks, goals, and opportunities coming at you every day. This book drills down on the idea that focusing on one key priority the thing that will make everything else easier or even unnecessary can transform your business.
When I started my business, there was much to do: marketing, lead generation, hiring, and building systems. It felt like everything was equally urgent. But once I applied the principles from “The One Thing,” I started seeing real momentum. Instead of spreading my energy too thin, I identified the single most important action that would drive growth and made sure that got my full attention.
I recommend it because it’s simple but incredibly powerful. If you feel stuck or stretched too thin, this book helps you cut through the noise and focus on what actually moves the needle. It’s ideal for any entrepreneur looking to scale or improve efficiency.
Justin Landis, Founder, The Justin Landis Group
Use Vulnerabilities as Strengths
I believe every entrepreneur should read “Dare to Lead,” along with Brené Brown’s other work. Brené’s insight into leadership is essential to motivating teams, staying curious, and asking the right questions. Having this foundation will save entrepreneurs a lot of churn and burnout as they grow their businesses. Many problems can be prevented or solved by using vulnerabilities as strengths, building trust, understanding values, and releasing control. In embracing Brené’s work, I saw a shift in my business from always clawing at profitability to celebrating fluid growth.
Christy Cole, Co-Founder, Lilt Collaborative
Embrace Iterative Progress and Flexibility
“The Lean Startup” by Eric Ries emphasizes the importance of validated learning, iterative product development, and adapting strategies based on real customer feedback. I consider it an essential read as it encourages entrepreneurs to develop a minimum viable product (MVP) and quickly test their assumptions in the market before making significant financial commitments. This approach helps to reduce risk and prevent costly mistakes associated with creating products that don’t meet customer needs.
Furthermore, it highlights the importance of measuring progress through actionable metrics rather than vanity metrics. By adopting the lean methodology, entrepreneurs can build more agile businesses that quickly respond to market dynamics and customer preferences.
This book also fosters a mindset of continuous improvement and experimentation, which is crucial for any startup aiming to succeed in a rapidly changing business environment. It is both practical and actionable, and is firmly rooted in real-world experience.
Matthew Ramirez, Founder, Rephrasely
Adaptability and Creativity in Negotiation
One business book that every entrepreneur should read is “The Art of Negotiation: How to Improvise Agreement in a Chaotic World” by Michael Wheeler. Negotiation is a fundamental skill for entrepreneurs, whether they’re securing funding, closing deals, or managing partnerships. This book goes beyond traditional, rigid negotiation strategies and instead focuses on adaptability, creativity, and real-time problem-solving.
Wheeler argues that negotiation isn’t just about winning or losing–it’s about improvisation and flexibility in unpredictable situations. Entrepreneurs constantly face evolving challenges, and this book equips them with the mindset to navigate high-stakes conversations with confidence.
What makes this book particularly valuable is its emphasis on negotiation as a dynamic process, rather than a scripted exchange. It offers practical insights drawn from real-world negotiations, making it an essential read for anyone looking to enhance their deal-making abilities in today’s fast-moving business environment.
James Edge, CEO, Beyond The States
Master Long-Term Financial Thinking
One book I highly recommend is “The Psychology of Money” by Morgan Housel. Unlike traditional finance books, it delves into how emotions, habits, and mindset shape financial decisions–something every entrepreneur needs to master, and I did too.
I love this book because it shifts the focus from numbers to behavior. It taught me that financial success isn’t just about strategy; it’s about understanding risk, patience, and long-term thinking. This perspective has been invaluable in making better business and investment decisions at Write Right.
For any entrepreneur going through the ups and downs of business, this book provides timeless wisdom on managing money, uncertainty, and growth.
Kritika Kanodia, CEO, Write Right
Ask the Right Questions for Reliable Feedback
“The Mom Test” by Rob Fitzpatrick is an absolute essential.
As an entrepreneur, particularly as a first-time self-starter, you have a high bias towards your product and also a lot of enthusiasm for your idea. Among the people you talk to, there will also be friends and potential beta customers, who all have very individual interests in how to tailor your product to their specific needs.
All of these factors coming together mean you will potentially receive unusable feedback regarding how to improve your product.
You need to have a system to receive reliable feedback.
The Mom Test is essentially that: a practical guide on how to talk to customers and learn if your business is a good idea, how to improve it, and so on. It’s easy to read and immediately applicable.
No matter the stage, knowing how to ask the right questions is worth gold for founders.
Andreas Rüegger, Lead Business Development at zevvy
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