We love sharing roundup posts that include powerful tips and resources that have been shared right here on EntrepreneurOnFire: the best advice from today’s most successful and inspiring entrepreneurs.
Top 10 Business books you haven’t heard of yet (plus 3 of my favorites)
Of course, reading an entire book takes time, and so when we do a roundup of 10, or maybe even 15 of the top business books recommended by today’s top entrepreneurs, we know it might be a while before you’re able to get through that list.
Read business books in 15 minutes or less
That’s why I’m switching it up today and instead sharing a list of business books that you probably haven’t heard of yet and that you can read in 15 minutes or less.
WHAT?! I know – pretty cool, right?… 15 minutes or less!
How is that even possible?
I asked myself the same exact question, especially because it takes me an average of about 3 months to get through a book (so embarrassing, but oh-so-true).
It’s possible because of a platform I recently discovered called Blinkist, where you can find just about any non-fiction book out there, and get all the most important points served up to you in just 10 pages.
You can even get your first 3 days for free if you want to head over and check it out (this is not an affiliate link, simply a really cool resource for people who want to read more, but don’t always feel like they have a ton of time!)
So what do you say – are you ready to check out the Top 10 Business books that Blinkist says you probably haven’t heard of yet?
I’ve included a link to each of these reads on Blinkist in the book title below, along with an link to the book on Amazon just in case you want to check them out in more detail (and the Amazon links are affiliate links, just so you know).
Let’s dive in, and then I’m also going to share 3 more books that are my personal favorites right now!
Top 10 Business books you haven’t heard of yet
1. The Soul of a New Machine
The Soul of a New Machine was written by Tracy Kidder and is a Pulitzer Prize-winning book from 1981 about the computer industry making the transition to “minicomputers” – minicomputer meaning approximately small enough to fit in a freight-elevator – ha!
The book shares the story of one team who was working on building one of these minicomputers and the “start-up spirit” that evolved.
The industry has, of course, come far since 1981, but it’s kind of cool to see that some things remain unchanged.
> Want the whole thing? Grab this book on Amazon! <
2. The Introverted Leader
In today’s extroverted business world, people often associate great leadership with those who are outspoken and comfortable in the spotlight.
Using examples from the many great introverted leaders, like Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, Jennifer Kahnweiler explores how introverts can turn their quiet strength into great leadership.
> Want the whole thing? Grab this book on Amazon! <
3. Pour Your Heart Into It
Pour You Heart Into It was written by the CEO of Starbucks, Howard Schultz, in 1999 and details the incredible rise of a little coffee shop on the Seattle waterfront into a multi-billion dollar business.
In 2007 Schultz won the FIRST award for Responsible Capitalism.
> Want the whole thing? Grab this book on Amazon! <
4. Power
Written by Jeffrey Pfeffer, a professor of organizational behavior at Stanford University, Power explores the different factors that help people advance on the career ladder into positions of power.
They’re not typical things, like performance and likeability, but instead, more unexpected things, like being visible and being able to exude an appearance of power and prestige.
> Want the whole thing? Grab this book on Amazon! <
5. Lincoln on Leadership
He won the American Civil War, ended slavery, and still today remains one of the most admired US Presidents of all time. What leadership techniques and strategies did Lincoln use that made him such a great leader?
In Lincoln on Leadership Donald T. Phillips explores what these facets were and how they might be applied in today’s world of business.
> Want the whole thing? Grab this book on Amazon! <
6. How the Mighty Fall
How the Mighty Fall is sometimes overshadowed by Jim Collins’ better-known books, but it’s just as intriguing.
Looking at the development of the Fortune 50 list over time, this book uncovers that even great companies tend to fall – eventually.
It’s filled with solid research to help us understand how this happens, and also how signs of decline might be spotted early on and corrected.
> Want the whole thing? Grab this book on Amazon! <
7. Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard
Switch isn’t traditionally thought of as a business book, but the lessons shared around personal change by Chip & Dan Heath are practically parallel to change that is attempted in organizations.
The book depicts change by likening it to a rider trying to get a stubborn elephant to traverse along a path.
> Want the whole thing? Grab this book on Amazon! <
8. Risk Savvy: How to Make Good Decisions
Running a business is all about making smart decisions. Trouble is, there’s so much data available for every single decision that business owners are sometimes swamped by it.
In Risk Savvy Gerd Gigerenzer argues that when faced with uncertainty, we often make better decisions by using basic rules based on limited information.
> Want the whole thing? Grab this book on Amazon! <
9. You Only Have to Be Right Once: The Unprecedented Rise of the Instant Tech Billionaires
A new breed of entrepreneurs has arisen in the new millenium: young kids who have no fear, exhibit progressive leadership and make ridiculous amounts of money in the process.
By examining the success of people like Elon Musk (Tesla) and Alex Karp (Tumblr), Randall Lane explains how they achieved their quick wins.
> Want the whole thing? Grab this book on Amazon! <
10. Lead with a Story: A Guide to Crafting Business Narratives that Captivate, Convince, and Inspire
Storytelling is an increasingly common leadership tool used by massive companies like Nike, yet it’s difficult for many business owners to figure out how to use it themselves.
Stories engage and captivate audiences way beyond the typical bullet point list, and in Lead with a Story Paul Smith shows how you can harness the power of storytelling in your own company.
> Want the whole thing? Grab this book on Amazon! <
3 More of my personal favorites
Since my Top 2 aren’t on Blinkist, I’ve included links below to each of these reads on Amazon.
1. DotCom Secrets
DotCom Secrets lays out the truth (and gives you a straight-forward guide) for how to scale your business online.
Russell Brunson blew me away with pages upon pages of pure gold: this book is literally a shortcut straight to the processes, campaigns and scripts – all drawn out for you – that will help you finally understand how to scale your business.
2. Invisible Selling Machine
Let’s keep this party going! Ryan Deiss dives straight in to how to automate your sales process so you can start making money online – literally while you sleep.
If you’re into marketing automation, customer lifecycle, telling great stories, engaging your audience, and of course, growing your online business, then you’re in for a treat!
3. Essentialism
I didn’t read this book 3 times just for the fun of it – I read it 3 times because it’s THAT GOOD. Greg McKeown NAILS it in this book on productivity.
If you ever feel like you’re working really hard but not seeing results – or like you’re really busy all the time but you can’t quite understand why nothing is getting done – then get ready to start saying no to everything that is non-essential in your life.
> Check out Essentialism on Blinkist! <
Systems, scaling, automation & productivity
My 3 personal favorites kind of point to me obsessing over systems, scaling, automation & productivity… and that’s because I AM obsessing over these things.
Remember when I shared with you in this bonus episode of Kate’s Take that I had AH-HA moment about what I’m BEST at, and how I was really going to take some time out to see how I could be leveraging that to best serve our business, and you?
Once you find out what that thing is that you’re BEST at, it’s time to double down, which is exactly what I’ve done over the past couple of months.
I mentioned earlier that I average about 3 months per book, but the 3 I’ve listed above – I read each of those books in less than 1 week.
When you’re passionate about something, and you intimately understand how it can positively effect your business and how you provide value to your audience, the sky becomes the limit.
So wether you head over to Amazon and grab one of the books recommended above, or you check it out on the Blinkist platform, OR you realize there is a book out there not mentioned above that will definitely serve you and what you’re BEST at / focusing on right now, I hope you’ll take some time out to enjoy a business book today.
