6 Essential Books for Entrepreneurs

There are many challenges to being an entrepreneur, but one of the most exciting (and time-consuming) is that to stay on top of your game, you’re always in a state of self-improvement. It may be easy to walk into a bookstore and head to the business section or click on the bestseller tab on Amazon, but some of the most valuable lessons for entrepreneurs can be found, yes, in business books, but also in books you may not even have thought to open.  Take a look: 

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

 

 

Elizabeth Gilbert may have garnered worldwide fame from the explosion of Eat Pray Love fandom- I mean, come on, having Julia Roberts play you in a movie is a solid way to put yourself on the map- but it’s Big Magic that will inspire entrepreneurs and give some much-needed opportunity for introspection when it comes to creativity, fear, and holding yourself back.  

ESSENTIAL QUOTE: “You can measure your worth by your dedication to your path, not by your successes and failures.” 

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho 

This fable meets fairytale is essential reading for life as much as it is for business.  It’s a book that reaches down into your soul and reshapes the way you look at life, opportunities, and your self-discovery journey. Through the eyes of Santiago as he embarks on a journey across the world to find treasure, readers will reflect on the power of dreams and the way in which we pursue them. 

ESSENTIAL QUOTE: “People are capable, at any time in their lives, of doing what they dream of.”   

The Innovator’s Dilemma by Clayton M. Christensen

When it first published, The Innovator’s Dilemma quickly became something of a handbook for CEOs looking to reinvent their businesses.  Focusing on “disruptive technology”, The Innovator’s Dilemma is a wake-up call to anyone coasting on the way things have always been done.  

ESSENTIAL QUOTE: “Three classes of factors affect what an organization can and cannot do: its resources, its processes, and its values.” 

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff

Sometimes it’s a darn good idea to get back to basics.  Most people have read this story, but I dare you to read it again while wearing your entrepreneurial cap.  Yes, it’s for children and it’s about a small mouse, but take a deep breath and look at all there is to unpack in this book.  Cause and effect, anticipating needs, customer service.  Sometimes things are only complicated because we make them complicated.  

 

 

ESSENTIAL QUOTE: “If you give a mouse a cookie, he’s going to ask for a glass of milk.” 

Creating Magic: 10 Common Sense Leadership Strategies from Life at Disney by Lee Cockerell

Cockerell ran Walt Disney World Resort Operations for over a decade and in that time, he learned that outstanding leadership is the secret to creating magic.  As you read this you may say “well, sure, obviously”, because you think you know what outstanding leadership looks like.  But do you?  Read this book and find out.  

ESSENTIAL QUOTE: “’We’ve always done it that way’ could mean you’ve been doing it wrong all along.”

We Should All Be Millionaires by Rachel Rodgers

We all know the UGH statistic: only 10% of the world’s millionaire are women.  Of course, we here at eWN are doing our best to change that! (#1MW1M) And Rachel Rodgers is trying to change that too.  She breaks down why aiming to earn 100K per year is not enough and why more money is not selfish or greedy, but in fact a revolutionary act that brings economy into balance and creates a better world for all. 

ESSENTIAL QUOTE: “We are the saviors we’ve been waiting for.”