Running a business is hard, and staying competitive means constantly learning, adapting, and thinking ahead. Fresh ideas matter when you’re dealing with rapid change and leading a growing team.
Reading the right books allows you to gain decades of knowledge in a single sitting. You can tap into experiences from top business leaders and quickly learn their hard-earned lessons.
With that in mind, here are ten of the best books every business owner should read for long-term success.
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Supremacy: AI, ChatGPT, and the Race that Will Change the World by Parmy Olson
Parmy Olson is a tech journalist for Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal, and Forbes.
Her book, Supremacy, talks about the high-stakes race between two AI giants – OpenAI and DeepMind. It includes insights from high-ranking sources and shows how AI is exploited.
Although it isn’t a traditional business book, Supremacy is highly relevant for business owners.
Today, businesses that ignore AI risk falling behind. It’s vital to learn how AI is being applied in different industries and where it’s headed in the next few years.
In 2024, Supremacy won the Financial Times and Schroders Business Book of the Year Award!
Build the Damn Thing by Kathryn Finney
Build the Damn Thing is an honest and humorous book that speaks directly to diverse entrepreneurs.
In Build the Damn Thing, Kathryn Finney discusses the gritty process of building a business. She shares what it takes to win in a system that’s designed for rich white men.
The book includes tips for finding investors, growing a team, and building wealth. You’ll learn how to pitch and negotiate with investors.
Not only that, but Build the Damn Thing improves your mindset, resilience, and self-awareness. It’s an invaluable book, especially for women and people of colour.
The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster by Michael Watkins
If you recently acquired a company or are stepping into a new managerial role, is a practical must-read. It breaks down how to approach the first few months in your new position using psychological strategies.
The book includes topics like 30, 60, and 90-day planning and stakeholder mapping. It also teaches you how to build alliances – very useful if you’re walking into a company with high expectations.
For business owners, The First 90 Days can help you hire or promote leaders for your organisation. It allows you to think strategically and avoid the most common pitfalls.
The Right Kind of Wrong: How The Best Teams Use Failure To Succeed by Amy Edmonson
Failing will always be a part of every business venture, which is why it’s important to know how to fail with grace.
The Right Kind of Wrong teaches you how avoiding failure can be troubling for your business. It can lead to missed opportunities and low productivity.
In this book, Amy Edmonson discusses how to make failure work for you by providing a framework of the three archetypes of failure. She focuses on skills that replace shame with personal growth.
You’ll discover that you can train yourself to manage the ups and downs of life. This book is a must-read for those who want to pursue smart risks and prevent unnecessary mistakes.
Unsurprisingly, The Right Kind of Wrong was awarded the Financial Times and Schroders Business Book of the Year in 2023!
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Atomic Habits is a book that reminds you how small behaviours can lead to long-term success. James Clear shows effective methods for building better habits through psychology and neuroscience.
For business owners, Atomic Habits teaches consistency. You’ll learn how to manage your time, lead your team, and see the bigger picture.
The book is filled with real-world examples and inspiring true stories that can help you stick to good habits. It’s an easy read and is perfect for those who want to overcome a lack of motivation.
Financial Intelligence: A Manager’s Guide to Knowing What the Numbers Really Mean by Karen Berman, Joe Knight, and John Case
Financial Intelligence is an essential book for business owners with no financial background. The authors do a good job of explaining income statements, cash flow, and balance sheets without making it feel complicated.
Financial Intelligence teaches more than the basics. It helps you think financially and includes practical tips every business leader should know.
Financial Intelligence >is an eye-opening read that can help you massage the numbers and drive your business. Not only that, it’s filled with entertaining stories from real-life companies you’ll definitely enjoy!
The Unicorn Within: How Companies Can Create Game-Changing Ventures at Startup Speed by Linda K. Yates
Stagnation is a common problem that established businesses deal with. As your business gets bigger, it becomes harder to implement changes due to red tape and employee resistance.
The Unicorn Within empowers larger companies to drive meaningful growth and start new ventures. It challenges your way of thinking and allows you to tap into new markets.
We like how The Unicorn Within includes scalable methods and processes that ensure your ventures thrive.
You should read this book if you want to learn how to identify high-potential ideas and get your executives on board. You’ll certainly discover how to compete with the fast-paced startup culture today.
Getting Along: How to Deal With Anyone (Even Difficult People) by Amy Gallo
No matter how strong your strategy is, you won’t become successful if you don’t know how to manage people. The reality is that leading your team takes more than just empathy. You have to consider each person’s personality.
Getting Along dives into the eight types of difficult people and offers targeted approaches for dealing with them. It can help you see behaviour patterns and respond in a professionally effective way.
This book is incredibly useful for business owners who want to minimise workplace conflict using communication tactics.
The Creative Act by Rick Rubin and Neil Strauss
Rick Rubin is a legendary music producer. However, his book offers more than just musical knowledge.
The Creative Act is all about creating anything, including products and business strategies. It focuses on building a space where ideas can emerge and urges you to listen to your instincts.
The book emphasises intentional ways to approach creativity, leadership, and purpose. It’s a reminder that you can create something unconventional by protecting your focus.
The Creative Act is a must-read for business owners who need a change of pace in terms of their creativity. Pick this book if you want to change your mindset and make way for original solutions.
Good to Great by Jim Collins
Good to Great is a study of how some companies survive for decades despite being mediocre at best.
In this book, Jim Collins analyses companies, including Coca-Cola and Intel, and compares them with ones that failed. He then identifies the differences that make certain companies successful.
Surprisingly, some of Collin’s findings go against what most of us practice in modern business culture.
So, if you’re planning on establishing a long-term business or you simply want to restructure your existing one, Good to Great is a book you should have!
Honorable Mentions
Aside from the ten on this list, you may also want to read these popular books in the business and personal development space.
- How to Win Friends and Influence People
- The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
- The 4-Hour Workweek
- Rich Dad Poor Dad
Each of these books offers timeless advice that can redefine your business success.
Conclusion
Running a business means you constantly have to learn and evolve. Fortunately, you can do this by investing in a book.
The publications we highlighted today aren’t just popular. They’re applied by business owners around the world because of their value. They can improve your financial understanding, teach you how to handle people, and use technology to your advantage.
If you liked this article, be sure to check out the top entrepreneurial podcasts for business enthusiasts.
