“The man who does not read books has no advantage over the man who can’t read them.” – Mark Twain
Success in business and entrepreneurship is not easy. Did you know the average CEO reads 60 books a year? Why do leading executives read so much? Because they know that the key to success is constant learning.
Here are five books every entrepreneur should read.
If you don’t know where you are going, you will never get there. More importantly, Sinek points out, if you don’t know why you are going there, you probably will give up before you get there.
Start With Why is a great book to challenge yourself to think deeply about why you are pursuing the goals you have chosen. Sinek’s Golden Circle, that you should start with determining your why and then the how and what will follow, is a simple but powerful concept all business leaders should study and understand. This should be the starting point for all entrepreneurs.
Too many people believe that great success requires extraordinary effort and talent to accomplish. That is not true, and this belief prevents many from realizing their potential. The Compound Effect completely dispels that myth.
Darren Hardy, publisher of Success Magazine, sets forth the simple principle that everyday decisions will either take you to the life and business you desire or to disaster by default. Our actions compound over time and create the life we live in and the business we run. Small, positive actions repeated daily over a long period of time create exponential growth. Small, negative actions done consistently over time lead to failure. Hardy’s easy-to-use, step-by-step system allows you to multiply your success, chart your progress, and achieve the results you seek. If you’re serious about living an extraordinary life or building an impactful organization, use the power of The Compound Effect to create the success you want.
What does it take to make a great business? That was the question that Jim Collins set out to answer with his book, Good to Great. Collins led a research team of 21 people and spent five years to ascertain what it takes to make the leap from an average company with average results to an outstanding company with outstanding results consistently and over long timeframes. Data was accumulated by looking at revenues, stock value, and through intensive interviews with employees and executives of the companies.
Every entrepreneur should study Collins findings, such as Level 5 Leadership, the right persons on the bus, the Hedgehog Concept and the Flywheel and the Doom Loop. Good to Great is a treasure for entrepreneurs looking to dramatically improve their company.
What can an entrepreneur learn from a former FBI hostage negotiator? It might seem that the world of bank robbers, gang leaders and terrorists have nothing to do with the business world, but you would be wrong. In perhaps one of the best books on negotiation, Chris Voss, a former FBI hostage negotiator, has put together an entertaining read filled with real life stories from his days at the FBI to illustrate powerful tools you can use to improve your negotiating skills. It is a must read for every entrepreneur.
If you are completely confused and do not know how to market and grow your business, read the Pumpkin Plan. Mike Michalowicz, a successful entrepreneur, came across the inspiration for this book after reading an article about a local farmer who had dedicated his life to growing giant pumpkins. He realized the same process could apply to growing a business. He tested the Pumpkin Plan on his own company and transformed it into a multimillion-dollar industry leader.
This passage from the book (p. 43) expresses the essences of the Plan: “Don’t waste your time planting seeds that may or may not work out. Plant the seed that you know has the very best chance of making it, and then focus your attention, money, time and other resources on that tight niche until all of your entrepreneurial dreams come true.”
Neve Webb
At Neve Webb, we love working with people who are working to build and protect their businesses. For any issues related to business law or if you have books you think we should read and recommend, contact the attorneys at Neve Webb
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