As an entrepreneur, you need to read books to build a budding business. Think about all the successful businessmen, what do you think contributed to the success of their business? Of course, reading books is one of them.
Books help in changing one’s mindset and make him or her think differently from others. You can become super-productive by engaging in reading amazing successful books.
Get Up to $100,000 Student Loan for Your Master in US or Canada - Apply before 31 December 2024 to get as low as 9.99% interest rate
For those looking forward to starting a blog, building a business, advancing in career development, learning new skills for your business, books are amazing ways to up your game and improve your business. You could forfeit a cheap dinner, just to purchase a life-changing book that will help in your business and career advancement.
There are so many of such books, but we have put ten of them together, in order to keep you on the right business track. Here we go.
10 Best Books to Build Your Business
- Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines and Habits of Billionaires, Icons and World Class Performers by Tim Ferris
The book is all about the biggest life lessons learned from top billionaires from all walks of life. It comprises about 650 pages and looks into everything the author has learned from his interview on not less than 200 of the world top performers in academia, sports, business, and other industry. Investing in this book is one of the best investments you could venture into this year.
- Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport
This book focuses on ‘focus’. It talks about one’s ability to focus on a demanding assignment without having to get distracted. If you master the skill of focus, you will be able to process ambiguous information and deliver positive result using a limited time frame. As a business-minded individual, you must not allow wrong opportunities take away your focus because they may not allow you to achieve meaningful dreams. With this book, Deep Work, you are guaranteed a success when you focus on the right issues.
- The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses by Eric Ries
This book focuses on how you can build and launch new products before heavily investing into the ideas. A startup is any business built by an entrepreneur who is willing to discover hidden and successful paths for building a sustainable business. The Lean Startup helps startups to identify a business idea and successfully manage it using some innovative approach and tools, while accelerating towards validation.
- So Good They Can’t Ignore You: Why Skills Surpass Passion in the Quest for Work You Love by Cal Newport
So Good They Can’t Ignore You is a book that talks says that ‘following one’s passion’ is a wrong advice to those who want to build their dreams. The writer was of the opinion that you do not follow your passion, rather, your passion is discovered after you must have put a lot of effort into developing strong skills. Then, you will turn to love the skills because you are truly great at them. Your natural talent and refined skills are the real determinants of the career path you should follow or the type of business idea you should build upon. It is when you work on these that your passion will emerge.
- Money Master the Game: Simple Steps to Financial Freedom by Tony Robbins
Tony Robbins is known for his international speaking skills. He has held major live events in different countries of the world over the past decades. He believes that to be successful in business has to do more with psychology than skills, experience or like traits. According to him, business is 80% psychology and 20% mechanics.
Putting this into practice, Robbins gave examples on how we can improve our lives through more effective money management. For the book to become a masterpiece, 50 top financial experts were interviewed, coupled with the personal experience of the author as the owner of a multibillion dollar business.
- How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
How to Win Friends and Influence People is a business leadership book. Though an old book that is close to a century, the book teaches on how one can effectively work with people, while becoming a better leader and connector. There are time-tested and proven strategies mentioned in the book which can guide your ability to effectively manage relationships and build friendships. Simply put, the book is more like a guide on how to relate with people and get them agree with your way of reasoning.
- Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not by Robert T. Kiyosaki
This is book is a book on financial mindset. It revolutionizes the way people view personal finances. If you want to master your personal finance, this book is a great tool to keep you on the right track. Kiyosaki did not mince words in explaining how you should let your money work for you instead of spending the major part of your life working for money. To become a rich person, buy things that generate income. That is the core message of this book.
- Startup Opportunities: Know When to Quit Your Day Job by Sean Wise and Brad Feld
The authors of this Startup Opportunities believe in not quitting your day job to start your own business without first having to validate the idea behind the business. That is not just all, your income from the new business must be sustained, grown and already flowing before thinking of quitting your job. Your conviction must be strong enough and your idea validated. Keep building your business, ensuring that your customers are happy and satisfied (and keep coming back for more).
The reason you do not quit your regular income job is that you will need a revenue from it to survive. It is unwise to risk everything at the beginning of building your business because there is a tendency for it to crumble before standing firm.
Startup Opportunities also provides practical advice on the type of business that are likely to succeed and those that may not. It also helps you with realistic guide on how to evaluate your business idea.
- Running Lean: Iterate from Plan A to a Plan that Works by Ash Maurya
Running Lean also preaches on the validation of business idea before going into the business as an entrepreneur. The book talks about the most likely success of your business, based on the reaction of your early audience. It emphasis on the effect of collecting feedback from your clients.
- The Barefoot Executive: The Ultimate Guide for Being Your Own Boss and Achieving Financial Freedom by Carrie Wilkerson
The book is a model to new business owners on how to plan, start and operate a small business. The Barefoot Executive motivates you on following your dream.
The author talks about his personal experience and takes you through the process of starting up your own business and the necessary plan to sustain the business.
Factors that Contribute to the Success of Your Business
Several reasons contribute to owning a business by people, of which some of them include – being your own boss, work with people of your choice, be in charge of your own time and do what you are passionate about. Sometimes, it is not easy.
To launch a successful business, you do not just jump into any business that appeals to you without careful consideration. We have painstakingly selected the following five key contributors to running a successful business
- You must have an innovative business idea
To have an appealing business idea, you must be attentive to current and popular trends. You may not need a totally different idea, but you can improve on an existing idea to build yours. So, out of an existing business, create an improved, compelling product or service to stand out. Remember to consider the market because it is the major determinant of the success of your business. In a competitive industry, something must set you apart.
- You need the right talent
Starting a business requires that you assemble and surround yourself with people that have the right talent for the business. These people are the backbone of the company and must share in the vision of the business. You may not have all the talents at once, but ensure you keep building your team who possess the right experience and are willing to push hard and achieve success with you.
- You must be hard working
You must be willing to put in extra hours and efforts to build your business. It is not enough to have passion, you need the energy and skills to bring your dreams to fruition. If possible, work with other businesses and get some knowledge of how things are being run. Then, pump that energy into your own business.
- You need to build a personal network
There is a popular saying that your network determines your net worth. You need to get connected with likeminded entrepreneurs who would contribute to your knowledge. When you have questions or need advice, your network will be right there to give you all you need. You could join some professional bodies that would contribute to your making a wise business decision. While your network grows, your resources are also growing.
- You must make sales
Sales is an evidence that your business is growing. Sales prove the viability of your business, as well as injects finance into the business. Prioritize sales from the start of the business. In addition, sales give your business a competitive advantage, which is an evidence that your business idea is great.
As an entrepreneur who wants to start-up a business, you must get yourself prepared on the step-by-step approach to running and sustaining the business. You do not just wake up and start a business, a careful analysis is required before the start-up process. you will need to solidify your foundation before building upon it. Read good books is of great advantage to you because you’ve got to learn a lot of things from those who have walked that path.
