The 32 Best Books For Entrepreneurs (2024)

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Fuel your entrepreneurial fire and transform your life with these must-read books from visionary business leaders and successful innovators. Packed with actionable insights, these page-turners reveal the secrets to igniting your passion, becoming an industry trailblazer, and building a thriving small business.

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32 must-read entrepreneur books

1. The Power of Broke
2. Behold the Dreamers
3. The Virgin Way
4. Steve Jobs
5. Ogilvy on Advertising
6. How to Win Friends and Influence People
7. The Art of the Start
8. Start With Why
9. Rich Dad Poor Dad
10. Zero to One
11. Year of Yes
12. Beating the Odds
13. Female Innovators at Work
14. In the Company of Women
15. Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance
16. The Last Black Unicorn
17. Girl Code
18. David and Goliath
19. The 4-Hour Workweek
20. All Marketers Are Liars
21. Purple Cow
22. The Hard Thing About Hard Things
23. Rework
24. Trust Me, I’m Lying
25. The Lean Startup
26. The Startup Owner’s Manual
27. Crush It!
28. The Tipping Point
29. Good to Great
30. Getting to Yes
31. The Power of Visual Storytelling
32. Hooked

1. The Power of Broke

Author: Daymond John

Daymond John is an influential voice for founders who don’t have a ton of money to get their small business started. In his bestselling The Power of Broke, he discusses how being broke and on a tight budget can motivate you to achieve great things—as long as you’re hungry for success.

Key takeaways: 

• Financial constraints can fuel creativity because they force entrepreneurs to think outside the box.
• Instead of seeing a lack of resources as a setback, view it as a motivator to leverage what you do have.
• Hard work and perseverance can often outperform a hefty budget in the early stages of a business.

Goodreads rating: 3.9 out of 5 ⭐

2. Behold the Dreamers

Author: Imbolo Mbue

Behold the Dreamers inspires with its timeless plea for courage. Set during the 2008 financial crisis, this New York Times bestselling novel is told through the eyes of a young Cameroonian woman and shines a light on the immigrant experience with wit and compassion. 

The story feels more relevant than ever, as equality movements redefine what it means to be an immigrant living in the United States.

Key takeaways: 

• Success often requires the ability to adapt to new environments and circumstances.
• The pursuit of the American dream, despite the odds, underscores the importance of persistence and resilience in achieving personal and professional goals.
• The juxtaposition of two vastly different families offers insights into the value of empathy and understanding in navigating social and economic disparities.

Goodreads rating: 3.9 out of 5 ⭐

3. The Virgin Way

Author: Richard Branson

Richard Branson was just 16 years old when he dropped out of school and started working for himself. Nearly 50 years later, his Virgin Group is an international brand. This is the playbook for leadership, showing how family, fun, passion, and listening are key to creating a successful, worldwide team of employees.

Key takeaways:

• Passion and a positive attitude can drive innovation and attract people to your cause.
• Trusting your team and delegating effectively can lead to greater innovation and efficiency.
• Viewing failures as opportunities to learn and grow is vital for personal and business development.

Goodreads rating: 4.9 out of 5 ⭐

Read more: 7 Best Business Leadership Podcasts for Entrepreneurs

4. Steve Jobs

Author: Walter Isaacson

Anyone involved in business has heard at least a few stories about Apple founder Steve Jobs. 

Walter Isaacson’s riveting biography of the Silicon Valley icon will inspire you to build and create products that people want, to test the boundaries of innovation, and to become an entrepreneurial success with a business plan to change the world.

Key takeaways:

• Jobs’s focus on the smallest details in product design and user experience can inspire a commitment to excellence.
• A strong vision can transform industries.
• Building a career around passion is the key to success and happiness. 

Goodreads rating: 4.1 out of 5 ⭐

5. Ogilvy on Advertising

Author: David Ogilvy

Ogilvy on Advertising is a classic book for entrepreneurs written by David Ogilvy, a co-founder of Ogilvy & Mather who’s also known as the original Mad Man. 

Key takeaways:

• Create advertisements that encourage immediate action, such as clicking a link, signing up for a newsletter, or purchasing a product.
• Understand what motivates your customers and tailor your messages to these valuable insights.
• Spend time crafting powerful headlines that grab attention. 

Goodreads rating: 4.1 out of 5 ⭐

6. How to Win Friends and Influence People

Author: Dale Carnegie

Since 1936, How to Win Friends and Influence People has sold more than 15 million copies. This timeless Dale Carnegie bestseller is packed with actionable advice that has carried hundreds of thousands of successful people through their business and personal lives. It can teach you some new people skills and how to achieve maximum potential in a noisy and competitive age.

Key takeaways:

• Take genuine interest in others, remember their names, and listen actively. 
• People enjoy talking about their own experiences and interests. Encourage this in your interactions, as it strengthens connections and provides insights into their needs.
• Instead of directly contradicting someone, begin by agreeing on common ground and lead the conversation from there. 

Goodreads rating: 4.2 out of 5 ⭐

7. The Art of the Start

Author: Guy Kawasaki

Guy Kawasaki was one of the first marketers for Apple, where he cultivated the ability to put ideas into action. From raising money and hiring the right people to defining your position and building a brand to creating hype and fostering a community, this business book will guide you through the journey of starting a small business.

Key takeaways:

• Start a business not just to make money, but to make meaning. 
• Focus on bootstrapping your business rather than seeking external funding right away.
• When presenting your business to potential investors, customers, or partners, do it with genuine enthusiasm.

Goodreads rating: 3.8 out of 5 ⭐

8. Start With Why

Author: Simon Sinek

Start With Why takes you inside the minds of business leaders who’ve had the greatest influence on the world. Simon Sinek explores how they think, act, and communicate. Pulling from real-life experiences, he brings together a clear playbook for what it takes to lead and inspire. If you want to inspire others, or learn how to find a mentor who inspires you, this book will show you how.

Key takeaways:

• Clearly articulate why your company exists and why it matters. 
• Use your “why” to inspire and attract customers, employees, and stakeholders who believe what you believe. 
• Ensure that what you offer is a direct reflection of your core beliefs.

Goodreads rating: 4.1 out of 5 ⭐

9. Rich Dad Poor Dad 

Author: Robert T. Kiyosaki 

Rich Dad Poor Dad tells Robert Kiyosaki’s story of growing up with two dads: his biological father and his fathers’ best friend—his “rich dad.” Kiyosaki shares how both men shaped his thoughts about money and investing. He also explores the myth of earning a high income to become rich and shows how you can use money to work for you, rather than constantly working for money.

Key takeaways:

• Continuously educate yourself about financial matters such as investing, real estate, and managing assets versus liabilities.
• Focus on creating sources of passive income that provide cash flow without requiring constant active work.
• Understand the difference between risky and calculated risks. Aim to make informed decisions that have potential for high returns.

Goodreads rating: 4.1 out of 5 ⭐

10. Zero to One

Author: Peter Thiel

Peter Thiel, co-founder of PayPal, explores how to build a better future in his bestselling book, Zero to One. Thiel presents a positive look into the future of America’s tech world and offers a new way of thinking about innovation—learning how to ask the right questions that lead you to discover value in the most unexpected places.

Key takeaways:

• Strive to create something new and valuable rather than just improving on existing solutions.
• Consider your business’s long-term potential. What will the market look like in 10 years, and how will your company shape it?
• Begin in a small, niche market that you can dominate and expand from there.

Goodreads rating: 4.1 out of 5 ⭐

11. Year of Yes 

Author: Shonda Rhimes

Leading Hollywood producer Shonda Rhimes, best known for her hit series Grey’s Anatomy ,Scandal,, and Bridgerton, lets readers in on her personal industry experiences in Year of Yes. 

Rhimes shares her journey from a shy and nervous introvert who turned down endless opportunities to a confident public speaker and authoritative figure who said yes to everything that came her way. This book is for those who want to bust out of their shells and bring their voices into the world.

Key takeaways:

• Embracing discomfort can lead to personal growth and unexpected opportunities.
• Finding a balance between work, personal life, and self-care is crucial for long-term success and happiness.
• The act of saying “yes” can unlock potential you never knew you had, leading to new avenues of success.

Goodreads rating: 4.0 out of 5 ⭐

12. Beating the Odds

Author: Eddie Brown

Philanthropist and business magnate Eddie Brown walks you through how he built and maintained Brown Capital Management through hard times like 9/11 and the 2008 recession.

In his autobiography, Beating the Odds, Brown offers a fascinating look at being born in the rural South to a 13-year-old mother who died shortly after his birth. Brown tells how, despite endless hardships, he created his own life path—graduating college, joining the Army, and becoming an engineer at IBM—and eventually built his billion-dollar company.

Key takeaways:

• Transform personal and socioeconomic challenges into opportunities for growth and success.
• Understanding and applying financial intelligence can be a game-changer in personal and professional life.
• Success is not just about personal gain but also about how you can contribute to the community and help others succeed.

Goodreads rating: 3.9 out of 5 ⭐

13. Female Innovators at Work

Author: Danielle Newnham

Female Innovators At Work is a must-read for all current and aspiring leaders of women-owned businesses. 

Danielle Newnham’s book is full of inspiring interviews and case studies from female CEOs, founders, and inventors from various different areas of tech, as they share their experiences, challenges, and lessons learned on their journeys through entrepreneurship.

Key takeaways:

• Embracing diversity in the workplace can lead to more innovative solutions and products.
• Build and leverage a network of mentors and supporters for career development and overcoming obstacles.

Goodreads rating: 4 out of 5 ⭐

Read more: How to Become an Entrepreneur: 7 Steps You Need to Take on the Road to Entrepreneurship

14. In the Company of Women

Author: Grace Bonney

In the Company of Women shares and highlights inspiring advice and life stories from women entrepreneurs across various industries, careers, backgrounds, races, and places, showing how visibility is the key to success for women leaders today. 

If you want to gain new perspectives and soak up some inspiration, this is one of the best books for entrepreneurs.

Key takeaways:

• Celebrate women’s diverse paths and find strength in their unique journeys.
• Foster a supportive community among women to find collective success and empowerment.
• Authenticity and staying true to one’s values are foundational to building a meaningful and successful career or business.

Goodreads rating: 4.1 out of 5 ⭐

Related:18 Best Podcasts By Women Entrepreneurs 

15. Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance

Author: Angela Duckworth

Many of us know persistence and effort are key to success. Those who “make it” aren’t always the ones with the best ideas or resources. They’re the ones who work and improve every day—no matter what. 

This is what Grit is about. In this New York Times bestseller, Angela Duckworth teaches business owners how to cultivate the grit they’ll need to run a successful business, as well as how to inspire it in the people around them.

Key takeaways:

• Grit outperforms talent.
• Setting and sticking to long-term goals is essential for achieving significant accomplishments.
• A continuous learning mindset and embracing challenges are key to developing grit. 

Goodreads rating: 4.8 out of 5 ⭐

16. The Last Black Unicorn 

Author: Tiffany Haddish

In this autobiography, actress and comedian Tiffany Haddish shares her rags-to-riches story. The Last Black Unicorn is a powerful and personal tale of how you can come from nothing and make it to the top by following your dreams and being true to who you are. 

If you want to have a good laugh and a dose of inspiration, this is your must-read book of the year.

Key takeaways: 

• Find strength in your story.
• Use humor to connect with others, navigate challenges, and build resilience. 
• Authenticity and staying true to yourself attracts success. 

Goodreads rating: 3.8 out of 5 ⭐

Read more: 5 Key Traits of a Successful Entrepreneur

17. Girl Code

Author: Cara Alwill Leyba

When women show up for and support each other, amazing things happen. In this powerful book for female entrepreneurs, Cara Alwill Leyba shares the secrets to building confidence and empowering other women. 

Girl Code helps you connect with why you do what you do in your life and business, handle burnout, practice self care, and find out what success means to you.

Key takeaways: 

• Choose collaboration over competition. 
• Cultivate a strong sense of self-belief to overcome obstacles.
• Empowering other women can create a positive feedback loop that elevates everyone involved.

Goodreads rating: 3.9 out of 5 ⭐

18. David and Goliath

Author: Malcolm Gladwell

Each of Malcolm Gladwell’s books are riveting. In David and Goliath, Gladwell examines how we think about challenges and disadvantages, while offering a look at what it means to be discriminated against, lose a parent, attend a mediocre school, or suffer from any number of life setbacks. 

Learn about the success of the Impressionists, the history of the full-court press, and why you should avoid elite colleges like Harvard and Brown.

Key takeaways:

• Embrace your disadvantages.
• Have confidence in yourself, take risks, and believe in something greater than yourself.
• Consider unconventional perspectives to gain an edge.

Goodreads rating: 3.9 out of 5 ⭐

19. The 4-Hour Workweek

Author: Timothy Ferriss

In this book, Timothy Ferriss describes how he went from working 80 hours a week and earning $40,000 a year to earning $40,000 a month working only four hours a week.

Key takeaways:

• Delegate non-core tasks so you can focus on core business activities.
• Set specific times for checking and responding to emails, such as once in the morning and once in the afternoon. 
• Develop a simple version of your product that meets the core needs of your target audience and launch it to a small segment. 

Goodreads rating: 3.9 out of 5 ⭐

20. All Marketers Are Liars

Author: Seth Godin

Great marketers don’t talk about features or benefits: they tell stories. In All Marketers Are Liars, Seth Godin shines some new light on this industry, discussing how marketers think and create stores—as well as lies and frauds—that have an impact on the lives of many, for better or for worse. His book will also teach you how to build a brand and craft your story.

Key takeaways:

• Develop a brand story that resonates emotionally with your audience. 
• Ensure your marketing messages are consistent across all channels. 
• Identify a specific niche or segment that can most benefit from your offering, and tailor your marketing efforts to this group.

Goodreads rating: 3.8 out of 5 ⭐

21. Purple Cow

Author: Seth Godin

Purple Cow, another book by Seth Godin, showcases one of the key principles of marketing strategy: be remarkable. Godin discusses how the old way of building a business—making safe, average products then advertising them on TV—is long gone. Instead, he argues here, you need to stop advertising, start innovating, and build remarkable products.

Key takeaways:

• Instead of investing heavily in just marketing an average product, focus resources on developing a product that is so different and useful that customers want to talk about it.
• Launch your product to innovators and early adopters first. 
• Regularly assess how your product stands out in the market.

Goodreads rating: 3.7 out of 5 ⭐

22. The Hard Thing About Hard Things

Author: Ben Horowitz

Does the name Horowitz seem familiar? Ben Horowitz is half of Andreessen Horowitz, one of the most respected VCs in Silicon Valley. Here, Horowitz offers essential advice on founding and running an online business, as well as practical wisdom for navigating the many challenges business schools don’t cover.

Key takeaways:

• When faced with tough decisions, break down the problems into smaller, manageable parts. 
• Invest time in building a management team that you can rely on during tough times. 
• Keep communication open and honest with your team, especially during challenges. 

Goodreads rating: 4.2 out of 5 ⭐

23. Rework

Authors: Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson

In Rework, Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson convincingly show that most of what we regard as obstacles—hiring staff, dealing with paperwork, decision making, time management, renting an office—are simply excuses to not get started. With its direct language and simple-is-better technique, Rework is the best playbook for anyone who’s dreamed of running a successful business of their own.

Key takeaways:

• Simplify your offerings and cut unnecessary features that don’t add value to your product. 
• Minimize the number of meetings you take. When meetings are absolutely necessary, keep them short and to the point with clear agendas.
• Instead of obsessing over what your competitors are doing, focus on improving your own products and services.

Goodreads rating: 3.9 out of 5 ⭐

24. Trust Me, I’m Lying

Author: Ryan Holiday

Do you want to know how the media really works? Ryan Holiday claims to know. As a media manipulator, he uses blogging to control and distort the news, as much as any one person can. Trust Me, I’m Lying shows you how he does it. But be careful—the information provided here is dangerous.

Key takeaways:

• Identify how media can be leveraged to benefit your brand, whether through generating buzz or controversy that captures attention. 
• Produce content that is emotionally engaging and easy to share. 
• Keep a close watch on what is being said about your brand online. 

Goodreads rating: 3.8 out of 5 ⭐

25. The Lean Startup

Author: Eric Ries

Rather than spend dozens of hours creating an exhaustive business plan, The Lean Startup offers companies of all sizes a new way to test their vision, adjust, and adapt—fast. Eric Ries provides a scientific approach to creating a successful startup—whether founded in a Fortune 100 boardroom or a garage, like Amazon—in a time when small businesses need to innovate to thrive.

Key takeaways:

• Use continuous deployment to get your product updates to users as quickly as possible. 
• Regularly test your product assumptions with real market data. Use techniques like A/B testing to see what works and what doesn’t.
• Focus on building a minimal viable product (MVP), measure how it performs in the market, and learn from the results. 

Goodreads rating: 4.1 out of 5 ⭐

26. The Startup Owner’s Manual

Authors: Steve Blank and Bob Dorf

The Startup Owner’s Manual is a 608-page, step-by-step guide on how to take a business idea and turn it into a successful startup. If you like charts, graphs, diagrams, and unlocking the secrets to building a successful, scalable company, this is the business book for you.

Key takeaways:

• Actively engage with potential customers to understand their needs and validate your business assumptions. 
• Create detailed profiles of your ideal customers. Use these profiles to tailor your marketing efforts and product development.
• Constantly seek feedback from your initial users and focus intensely on creating a seamless user experience. 

Goodreads rating: 4.1 out of 5 ⭐

27. Crush It!

Author: Gary Vaynerchuk

Gary Vaynerchuk discovered the possibilities of sales through the internet earlier than many. In Crush It!, you’ll learn his actionable advice for turning your web presence into a personal brand—just like Vaynerchuk did when he grew his family’s wine business from a $4 million venture to a $60 million one.

Key takeaways:

• Build a strong personal brand by consistently sharing your passion and expertise with your audience.
• Use social media platforms effectively to build relationships with your audience, share valuable content, and promote your business.
• Identify multiple streams of income that align with your interests and strengths to monetize your passion.

Goodreads rating: 3.8 out of 5 ⭐

28. The Tipping Point

Author: Malcolm Gladwell

The Tipping Point is Malcolm Gladwell’s seminal book about how small changes can prompt big ones. In this bestseller, Gladwell explores and explains the “tipping point phenomenon,” which changed how people throughout the world think about selling products and sharing ideas. You’ve heard about it. Now it’s time to read it.

Key takeaways:

• Identify and engage key influencers who can act as “connectors,” “mavens,” or “salesmen” for your product.
• Enhance the “stickiness” of your message by making sure it’s memorable and compels people to take action. 
• Understand the social contexts and environments that can influence people’s behavior toward your product.

Goodreads rating: 4 out of 5 ⭐

29. Good to Great

Author: Jim Collins

In Good to Great, Jim Collins profiles major companies such as Intel, Coca-Cola, and Merck to discover how they took quantum leaps ahead of their competitors. To find out what makes a company great, Collins and his 21-person research team read and coded 6,000 articles, produced more than 2,000 pages of interview transcripts, and created 384 megabytes of computer data over the course of five years. Their findings are presented in this intriguing business book.

Key takeaways:

• Develop a blend of personal humility and professional will. Focus on what’s best for the company rather than personal glory.
• Identify what you can be the best at, what drives your economic engine, and what you are deeply passionate about. 
• Foster a culture where discipline in people, thought, and actions governs your approach to business. 

Goodreads rating: 4.1 out of 5 ⭐

30. Getting to Yes

Author: Roger Fisher and William Ury

Getting to Yes is based on the work of the Harvard Negotiation project, a group that deals with all levels of negotiation and conflict resolution. This book has been published continuously for 30 years, teaching business owners a step-by-step strategy for coming to mutual agreements in every sort of conflict. Not many business books can claim the same.

Key takeaways:

• In negotiations, focus on understanding the underlying interests behind positions. 
• Look for ways to expand the pie rather than just dividing it.
• When disagreements arise, base the resolution on objective criteria rather than subjective opinions. 

Goodreads rating: 3.9 out of 5 ⭐

31. The Power of Visual Storytelling

Author: Ekaterina Walter and Jessica Gioglio

The Power of Visual Storytelling is a one-of-a-kind guide to developing powerful marketing programs using visual storytelling. In this book, you’ll learn how to grow your business and strengthen your brand by leveraging photos, videos, infographics, presentations, and other rich media.

Key takeaways:

• Use tools like Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube to share compelling visual stories about your products or services.
• Develop infographics that summarize complex information in an easily digestible format.
• Maintain visual consistency across all platforms to reinforce brand recognition.

Goodreads rating: 3.6 out of 5 ⭐

32. Hooked

Author: Nir Eyal

Looking for a product to sell and open to trying anything? Consult Nir Eyal’s Hook Model, a four-step process to build customer habits and learn how to create products that people can’t put down.

Key takeaways:

• Integrate features into your products that encourage regular usage, such as variable rewards or user investment, which increase the likelihood of forming user habits.
• Identify external triggers (like notifications or emails) and internal triggers (like emotions or routines) that can prompt users to engage with your product.
• Continually test and refine the triggers and rewards in your product to see what best drives user engagement and habit formation.

Goodreads rating: 4.1 out of 5 ⭐

What are the best entrepreneur books you’re reading?

When it comes to business books, you may find some topics more interesting or practical than others. Regardless, these classic books can educate you with all the practical tools you’ll need, inspire you with success stories, and teach important lessons through the failures of the biggest entrepreneurs from yesterday and today. Armed with these tips, you can set off on your own entrepreneurial journey and build a profitable business.

If you want to learn more about entrepreneurship, check out these top business podcasts to explore more tips, tricks, challenges, and lessons.

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