No matter how experienced you are as a businessman or entrepreneur, one can always benefit from the advice from someone who has already walked a similar journey. Maybe you need a little inspiration or guidance to better manage your business and bring it to new heights. So we’ve compiled 20 must read books for digital entrepreneurs to learn from.
BENEFITS OF READING: WHY YOU SHOULD READ EVERY DAY
Even for the most gifted marketers, it is not enough to rely on natural intuition or talent. People have been in your shoes before and at least one of them has come up with a better solution than you can study.
So it’s not an exaggeration to say that reading is essential if you want to be successful not just in business but also in the decisions you make in life. Reading books will help expose you to new ideas and modes of thinking that you can use to spark your creative thought.
Studies have also shown that mental stimulation through digesting the messages of books or any content can slow or possibly even prevent Alzheimer’s and Dementia since you are keeping your brain active and engaged.
Just like any other muscle in the body, the brain does require exercise to keep it strong. So either use it or lose it.
In addition, knowledge has always been power. Everything you read fills your head with new bits of information that you never know when it might come in handy. The more you have, the better-equipped can be to tackle any challenges you face.
Lastly, books can also serve as another form of free entertainment. No matter how stressed you can be at work or in your personal relationships. It all seems to just slip away when you lose yourself in a great story. And it can give you the chance to rest your mind. So let’s take a step back from the distractions of technology and let’s start cracking open a book.
20 BEST ENTREPRENEUR BOOKS OF ALL TIME
If you are anyone who is running a business or marketing a brand, here are some of the best marketers and best business leaders who think differently when it comes to understanding the purpose of your idea and deciding how to sell them to your customers.
1. Think and Grow Rich
The Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon, Hill, is one of the best books to read to become an entrepreneur. It is also well known as the Grandfather of all motivational literature as the author draws stories, citing millionaires such as Henry Ford, Andrew Carnegie and even Thomas Edison in order to illustrate the principles he put forth.
Hill’s book also applies timeless wisdom for any readers who are just starting out or are currently pursuing their passion and are in need of motivation to grit the difficult path to one’s success. Hill provokes the readers to ask questions about their current situation such as: How engaged or happy they are when they go to and return home from work each day?
Are you making a difference with your job? And are you even appreciating your own work?
The book provides very powerful lessons especially about finding one’s definite purpose and how success and happiness are connected to working on that purpose.
If you haven’t read Think and Grow Rich yet, we do suggest that you’d do so as soon as possible especially if you are unsure of what to do next in your career, business or life. It might just be what you need.
2. The Richest Man in Babylon
The Richest Man in Babylon is a book written by George S. Clason. It is a timeless classic that holds the key to everything that you would want to accomplish. You can think about it as a secret to one’s financial success guide.
It includes the subjects of thrift, financial planning, and personal wealth. And you don’t need to worry, the language is easy to understand and you can even find fascinating and informative insights as you read on.
Also, there are numerous parables that countless readers have hailed and said that helped them with their journey. One of such is the 7 Simple Rules of Money:
- Start Thy Purse To Fatten: Save Money.
- Control Thy Expenditures: Don’t Spend More Than You Need.
- Make Thy Gold Multiply: Invest Wisely.
- Guard Thy Treasures From Loss: Avoid Investments That Sound Too Good To Be True.
- Make A Profitable Investment: Own Your Home.
- Ensure A Future Income: Protect Yourself With Life Insurance.
- Improve Your Ability To Earn: Strive To Become Wiser And More Knowledgeable.
There are plenty more insights that you can find in the book. And we guarantee that after this one, you will have a thorough guide on how to handle your personal financial problems for a lifetime.
3. Rich Dad, Poor Dad
The Rich Dad, Poor Dad was written by Robert T. Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter. It is a book portraying Robert’s story of growing up with two dads – where one was his real father (the poor dad) and the other was the father of his best friend (the rich dad).
The book destroys the norm thinking that we need to have a high income in order to be rich. It explains the difference between working for money and having your money grow for you. Overall, the book’s concept is about growing beyond making money as one’s end-goal but rather to think of it as a tool to create wealth.
The authors want you to not trade your time for money, as the smartest way to go through life should be about making your money work for you. Alas, once you finish this book. You may find yourself not knowing what to do next but this book isn’t really about giving you a set of steps to follow.
But rather, this is about starting out a fire in your heart that’ll circulate throughout your other organs. And all that’s left is for one to take that inspiration, that fuel, and act on it and never let the fear paralyze you.
4. Awaken the Giant Within
“Remember the true power of making decisions,” an excerpt from the book by Tony Robbins, Awaken the Giant Within.
Success doesn’t come easy. It is a difficult competition but not to others but about oneself. To have the success that you want, you need to start mastering your emotions, body, relationships, belief, and finance. This means you need control of your life in order to capture your dreams.
The very core of this book will not be about just the contents and printed words on the pages but rather the journey that’ll take you within yourself. You are what determines your success. Or your failure. All that you need to succeed is within you but are you willing to put in the effort?
The book is intended to be a step-by-step guide designed to increase your quality of life and the satisfaction that you can get from it.
The chapter will begin with an established 3 Stage to Reach Success and those will be about raising your standards, changing the beliefs that limit you, modifying the strategies that are important to reach your goals. Lastly, the book will strive to and train you to make good and real decisions.
5. Lean Startup
The Lean Startup by Eric Rie is one of the most influential and best books for startup entrepreneurs. And it stands for good reason.
The book offers a definitive guide with an easy-to-digest content that won’t bore you or leave you confused after every paragraph about managing your resources and how not to overspend on a startup or rather on staying “lean”.
While the book does move our idea of entrepreneurship on firmer ground. It is less about mythical struggles and insights that can’t be taught but rather about sharing a system or an approach that can be learned.
Although some might say it’s contents are ambitious, it is doing nothing but change how one approaches successful business management and the challenges of being an entrepreneur in the modern world.
In conclusion, Ries is essentially teaching the readers on how to avoid making the same type of failures he had almost experienced and direct you to a path that’ll help you avoid investing too much resources into developing a product that nobody actually wants.
6. Millionaire Success Habit
“It doesn’t matter where you’re coming from. It only matters where you want to go,” mentioned by Dean Graziosi, the author of The Millionaire Success Habits. It is one of the best books for entrepreneurs out there that teaches it’s readers how to incorporate the right habits into one’s daily routine.
The truth is habits are very difficult to change, it takes time, and the right motivation and mindset to improve them. However, with Dean’s book, the message comes through loud and clear and that is: “Everyone has problems so stop worrying about your challenges and get to work”.
Also, it answers the question: Do millionaires have different habits from others? The answer is yes! But it is not as dramatic as one would think.
Most millionaires make small but extremely significant shifts in their habits that yields big results when practiced and applied over time. Millionaires cut through the noises and complexity of life and draw a straight line between where they are now and where they want to be in the future.
7. The Millionaires Mind
The Millionaire Mind by Thomas J. Stanley, Ph.D. is one of the best entrepreneur books of all time. Reader’s with an entrepreneurial mind will devour this book because it provides a clear roadmap that depicts how millionaires found their niches.
Through his book, Tom successfully and concisely revealed to the world a most unexpected picture of America’s Successful entrepreneurs and businessmen. It provided a thoughtful and insightful look into the psychology, attitude, and beliefs that made these people successful.
The key questions that were answered in the book was about work and life balance: Was it possible to have an enjoyable, balanced life and still become a millionaire?
Tom replied that while money can’t buy happiness, millionaires are more aware of this truth than others might think. Tom mentions that the majority of millionaires prefer to spend time with their family and friends and if they aren’t doing this, they are mostly involved in community activities.
The author closes this thought saying that millionaires are a cheap date but they are not miserly personalities.
8. The Millionaire Messenger
The Millionaire Messenger by Brendon Burchard is a must read books for digital entrepreneurs. It is about a world-renowned expert who teaches everyday people how to share their story and wisdom to the market and build a lucrative business by doing so.
The message rings clear that: Your life’s story and experience have greater importance and market value than you could possibly imagine. And there are people out there who will be interested in hearing knowledge and that there are experts who would be willing to pay for it.
In summary, the Millionaire Messenger is based on three arguments.
- Your knowledge and experience have market value.
- You can help others succeed.
- You can be paid to make a very comfortable living by sharing your insights.
We live in an era of unprecedented entrepreneurship. And information has become essential in the development of a new and flourishing industry.
9. The Power of Habits
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg is a great and a must read book for digital entrepreneurs. While it is no secret that changing a habit is hard work, Charles explains the science behind the habits that we;ve formed.
He enables the readers to get a good idea of why humans exhibit the behaviors that we do. And he’ll dive in and discuss what it’s gonna take to change a habit that keeps on holding us back.
The read will include diagrams and images that portrays how humans become stuck doing the things we do. But this isn’t about extinguishing bad habits but changing them.
If you want to improve your self-behavior, the Power of Habit will stand out from other self-help and improvement books.
10. The Law of Success
If you have read the Think and Grow Rich Book book by Napoleon, Hill. Then, you’d be excited to find that Hill has more books to help you create a road map to your success.
Before the Think and Grow Rich book, Napoleon Hill wrote a series of 16 lessons which he called the The Law of Success. It was designed to teach the principles of successful living to students, starting from the high school level.
While the contents are pretty long, it’s worth every page. It is the complete and unabridged method that Hill wrote to help others harness the forces of their mind which most people tend to waste. “You Can Do It if You Believe You Can!” is the message of this book. So It’s time to stop wondering what it’s like to be rich and start knowing with this full-course on the fundamentals of success.
11. See You At The Top
See You At The Top is a book written by Zig Ziglar.. It is a powerful and must read book for digital entrepreneurs. This book has served countless generations and guided them to achieve personal success.
The book contains wide lessons and insights taken from educational institutes, corporations, government agencies, and sales organizations.
According to Zig, there are no shortcuts to success. In order to reach the top, you need to climb six steps.
- Self-Image
- Your relationship with others
- Goals
- Attitude
- Work
- Desire
In summary, your mind acts what you feed it. So if you want to reach your goal, you must see the reaching in your mind and maximize your talents and potential that lie dormant within you.
12. The E-Myth Revisited
The E-Myth Revisited is written by Michael Gerber. It is recommended and is one of the best books for startup entrepreneurs. The book revolves around three main fatal mistakes business owners make when starting a business:
- How most small business owners in their business rather than on their business.
- People are exceptionally good because they are insatiable when it comes to learning more.
- Understanding the technical side of a business does not mean you understand a business that does technical work. Knowledge is nothing without application.
The E-Myth Revisited was written by Michael who believes that anybody who goes into a business is actually three-people-in-one: The Entrepreneur, The Manager, and The Technician.
The Entrepreneur looks towards the future and fuels one’s creative personality to create probabilities out possibilities. The Manager is the one who craves order where planning takes place to create the change. And the Technician is the doer who loves to tinker and get things done.
If you want to get started on your business, formulate the right mindset for success with this fun and thought-provoking read.
13. The 4-Hour Work Week
The 4-Hour Workweek written by Timothy Ferriss is a must read book for digital entrepreneurs. It is the step-by-step blueprint to free yourself from the chains of a 9-5 corporate job to create a business that’ll fund your lifestyle and live like a millionaire without actually having to be one.
The book revolves around three concepts:
- To be effective, not efficient.
- To validate all of your business ideas.
- Charge a premium to make your life easier.
First, this means that instead of focusing on doing as much as you can, focus on doing a few things that’ll lead to your biggest progress.
Second, any idea is a great idea. The only bad one is not to pursue them. If you have the urge to act on something, do it. Because honestly, nobody is gonna care about it more than you.
However, this doesn’t suggest that you drop everything to pursue it but learn to test the idea and pre-sell it. And see the changes that you need to apply to improve it. Think of it like a side-hustle until it becomes your main hussle.
Lastly, charge a premium. If you are set for production and your idea or product has been validated. You either want to be the high-quality guy or the cheapest guy around.
The thought around this is that people are willing to pay a premium to experience less complaints, returns and angry phone calls. So charge a premium and deliver high quality as well.
14. All Marketers Tell Stories
All Marketers Tell Stories is written by Seth Godin. It proposes the idea that marketers are in fact not liars but rather, storytellers. But there is a liar though but it’s not the marketers but the consumers themselves.
The consumers lie to themselves everyday. Whether it be about what they wear, where they live and vote. People choose to believe the stories that marketers tell because it’s what they want to be real or true about themselves.
If you want to harness the point of view of a marketer and a consumer, this book will make you understand what it feels like on the outside looking in and realize the truth about yourself as a consumer.
15. How to Win Friends and Influence People
How To Win Friends and Influence people by Dale Carnegie discusses techniques in handling people and maintaining a good relationship with them. The book includes a definitive guide on the six ways to make people like you, the twelve ways to win people to your way of thinking, and the nine ways to change people without arousing resentment.
The book revolves around the idea that when dealing with people, we are not dealing with creatures of logic. We are dealing with creatures of emotions who are bristling with prejudices and are motivated by pride and vanity. And the only way to influence others is to talk about what they want and show them how to get them.
In addition, Dale also gives pointers how criticism can be dangerous as it puts any person on the defensive. It also wound’s a person’s pride and injures their sense of importance which can lead them to resent you.
In conclusion, anyone can criticize, condemn and complain but it takes character and self-control to be understanding and forgiving. If you want to improve your ability to get another person’s point of view, we suggest this book to learn how to get along with others.
16. 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership
According to John C. Maxwell in his book the Laws Of Leadership. There are 21 irrefutable laws that every leader should hold on to.
These laws are centered on helping people become better for themselves and their organization. And they can also be used as the universal foundation for every area of your life. These rules may be learnt but it needs to be practiced on a daily basis.
In his book, Maxwell truly entertains us with the most uncommon yet historical examples that everyone can relate to. If you want to learn the many facets of leadership mainly respect, experience, emotional strength, discipline, timing and momentum. We recommend this interesting read.
17. Good to Great by Jim Collins
“Good is the greatest enemy of Great,” this is how, Jim Collins, the author sets the tine of the riveting journey of the Good To Great book. Going from good to great is difficult and it rarely happens for others but Jim shares his framework of getting to that spot.
- Process
- Phases
- Flywheel
These three main components are about setting yourself up for greatness. And this involves working with the right people who understand the brutal facts and have a set of core values to deal with them.
Reading the Good to Great book is just you waiting for a transformation to happen. So learn how to be motivated with core concepts that’ll lead you to eventual success with the finding provided by Jim Collins.
18. The Art of War by Sun Tzu
As relevant now as when it was written, The Art of War by Sun Tzu is a must read book for digital entrepreneurs. How so?
Sun Tzu’s classic is a fascinating mix of poetic and pragmatic work and it has rightly become one of the world’s most influential books on military strategy.
But how can this help entrepreneurs? Think of it this way, entrepreneurs are strategists. And the best strategy has always been the one that delivers victory without fighting.
Under the guidance of Sun Tzu, learn how necessary it is to understand your enemies -their plans, dispositions, strengths and weaknesses. And only then will one be able to create an effective plan to topple them.
19. The Alchemist
The Alchemist by Paolo Choelho is a fable about following your dreams. It is an enchanting novel filled with a writing style that awakens powerful emotions for the readers. It has an interesting content that has deep characters, plot twists, and inspiring wisdom that you just can’t miss.
While fiction might seem like giving ideas about escaping reality. But The Alchemist is the opposite. It allows us to understand reality a bit deeper. By offering profound content that just sits on the borderline of miraculous and truth. Whether you are young, old, or a teenager, the novel definitely deserves a spot on your bookshelf.
20. Crush It
Crush It is a book written by Gary Vaynerchuk and it is a must read book for digital entrepreneurs. The book conveys strategies on how to use the power of the internet to turn your real interests into a real business.
If you have a hobby that you want to work on, or an obsession that just keeps you up at night. Gary’s book will inspire you to take action and make a living by doing what you love.
You can expect a lot of direct messages from Gary in this book. It will be mainly about how to succeed in business and life. And for him it is about:
- Loving Your Family
- Working Super Hard
- Living Your Passion
In its essence, the book will dig deep on what you’re really passionate about and amplify that passion using the best channels for it. Remember, storytelling is the most underrated skill in business. So along with the advice he shares on creating valuable content and where to share them. You’ll definitely want to hear this man’s ideas on monetizing your interests.
NEVER STOP LEARNING
The most successful entrepreneurs never stop learning and neither should you. Reading a book takes time so take it slow, read when you have the time. However, it would be good to finish at least one book a month.
Reading books will revitalize and improve your entire outlook on businesses. And learning more will help to alleviate any fears and worries that you’ll have in the early stages of starting a business or continuing a current business.
Start by going through some or all of these must read resources and let us know what you think.
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