In these books, those who take the first steps at the forefront of their startups will be able to find not only inspiring stories, but also a good number of tips and advice to make the right decisions.
There are many entrepreneurs who openly recount those moments when they had to go to books when they were in the position of facing a new challenge with their startup and did not have the slightest idea of where to start. As in many other areas, the books that exist around business and the entrepreneurial universe can be very useful for those who want to start a business, not only to gather even more enthusiasm and motivation, but also to learn how others managed and to learn both from their failures and their successes.
Beyond the countless resources that can be found on the internet, it is recommended that every entrepreneur has a library to go to when they have doubts about what decision to make or how to deal with a change. There you can find a multitude of tools that can be applied in those moments when you lack inspiration, when you have doubts about how to lead the team or how to reinvent yourself to always have new challenges to achieve. With these five books you will be able to lay a solid foundation on which to build your future as an entrepreneur.
1. ‘The E Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It’, by Michael E. Gerber
“If your business depends on you, you don’t have a business, you have a job. And it’s the worst job in the world because you work for a lunatic!” That’s how forceful (and ironic) Michael E. Gerber is in this book. And no wonder, because no matter how obvious this idea may seem,
2. ‘Talent is never enough’, by John C. Maxwell
While it is true that talent is an extremely important point, it is not everything. For a startup to work, it takes perseverance, effort, enthusiasm and a lot, a lot of sacrifice. And in case we had any doubts, John C. Maxwell is here to remind all those entrepreneurs who have overlooked it. To do this, in this book he shows 13 characteristics that should be enhanced by anyone who is encouraged to undertake to make the most of their potential, and thus achieve all the goals they set for themselves.
3. ‘Focus: Deep Work – Rules for Success Focused on a Dispersed World’, by Cal Newport
In a world with so many distractions, so changing, it is difficult to focus on long-term projects and goals. Aware of the turbulent environment that surrounds us, Cal Newport points out how to try to adapt to this reality, to the countless ‘inputs’ we receive in the form of notifications on the smartphone, in order to build a solid startup with a prosperous future. In addition, in case the idea that John C. Maxwell raises in his book was not clear, Newport comes to stress it and points out: “if you do not produce, you will not prosper, no matter how skilled or talented you are”. What’s more, in this work there is also room for the most creative jobs, which do not usually have a place in business books.
4. ‘Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity’, by David Allen
This is one of the books that has had the greatest impact in the Silicon Valley environment, where the headquarters of the world’s leading technology companies are located. And no wonder. In its pages, Allen points out certain
In the same way, in ‘Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity’, David Allen advises entrepreneurs to review, at least once a week, their list of priorities (known as a ‘weekly review’), so that they can focus all their efforts on what is most important during the following week.
5. ‘Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos, and Luck — Why Some Thrive Despite Them All’, by Jim Collins
According to the advice of many entrepreneurs, a book by Jim Collins can never be missing from the library. And of all its titles, we have opted for this one because many of the companies it refers to no longer exist, which undoubtedly gives much more value to the lessons that are in its pages. In this book by Collins we will find essential advice such as: “when you combine excellence with innovation, you multiply the value of your creativity”. Like this one, its pages are loaded with lessons on how to survive in a highly competitive world in which you will have to give your best to thrive.
What it is about, at the end of the day, is to be nourished with all the knowledge that is treasured by those who, in one way or another, have lived through the resurgence of large companies and know how the people who made it possible managed them. Its lessons will be of enormous value to those who dare to undertake, in order to have more certainty in an environment of complete uncertainty.
If you have been left wanting more recommendations, you can read our articles on entrepreneurship.
