If you’ve recently started a business, or you’re thinking about becoming an entrepreneur, you may feel overwhelmed by your long checklist. You need an HR structure, a marketing plan, a plan for employee morale, and, of course, a strategy to win despite your competitors.
Whether you’re a serial entrepreneur or a fresh business owner, there is much to learn from subject matter experts. Consider reading these books for starting a business and invigorating it.
1. From GED To Harvard Then Inc. 500
In this read, Jane Wolfe & Scott Wolfe detail their journey from earning their GEDs and building the fastest growing business in New Orleans. At the young age of 17 and 19, Jane and Scott began their business dreams and bought a run-down market.
Throughout the years, and the destruction from hurricane Katrina, the Wolf’s reemerged to support their community and build Melba’s PoBoys. The Wolfe’s have founded multiple companies in their careers, generating millions of dollars in revenue.
Why Read It: If you’re looking to learn about persevering through difficulty and creating unlikely opportunities in business, is From GED To Harvard Then Inc. 500 is for you.
2. The Authority Advantage
In The Authority Advantage, you’ll discover how you can use your personal branding to gain authority-status and earn more followers. Adam Witty and Rusty Shelton have decades of experience working with entrepreneurs to grow their brand and business by sharing their business and media insights.
In this read, you’ll learn how to create a following, engage with your audience base, and grow your business and name recognition. With practical steps on leveraging owned, earned, and rented media, you will emerge empowered with next steps to help you and your business shine in a competitive marketplace.
Why Read It: The Authority Advantage will help business leaders expand their following and increase their brand recognition. Read Witty and Shelton’s book to attract influential clients, customers, and followers to your side.
3. The Power of Remote
Cynthia Watson, Executive Chair, and Shane Spraggs, CEO, share their experience in building and managing remote teams at Virtira. Create a successful remote work environment with their comprehensive roadmap.
The Power of Remote can help you lower costs and boost productivity in your business.
Why Read It: This book is ideal for you if you’re considering a “remote-first” business model, or if you’re looking for guidance on transitioning to remote.
4. Beyond the Superhero
Jason Randall reveals how to free yourself from unrealistic expectations and pressure as an executive leader. If you’re spearheading your business, you need a handbook to help you find an alternate path to success — where both you and your business can thrive.
In Beyond the Superhero, you’ll find both a memoir and a roadmap to support your business initiatives and become the leader you want to be.
Why Read It: Whether you have decades or experience, or it’s your first time in leadership, there’s always room to improve as a leader. If you’re looking to relieve the pressure of leadership while gain practical insights, Beyond the Superhero is worth a read.
5. How Teams Triumph
A business is much more than offering a product or service for a profit. Your team, workflow, and employee communication all affect how successful your business will be — and whether you retain your employees. Team dynamics can become stumbling blocks for your company as silos grow and dysfunction creeps in.
Clinton M. Padgett offers a proven framework to ensure your team works together to achieve goals. Padgett creates positive work environments to motivate employees by improving team dynamics.
Why Read It: If you’re looking for advice on how to structure your teams and create a positive company culture that breeds success, you’ll benefit from How Teams Triumph.
6. Competing With Giants
As a small startup, you may wonder if you can ever compete with industry giants. Phuong Tran shares the story of her family-owned business that her parents built up to become the forefront beverage company in Vietnam. Phuong Tran shares how a family-owned business built itself into a coveted industry giant. After walking away from a $2.5 billion offer from Coca – Cola, Phuong Tran wrote Competing With Giants to help others follow suit.
Why Read It: Find the insight and encouragement you need in this underdog story of success. If you want a pick-me-up with practical application, give Competing With Giants a read.
