7 Must-Read Books for Entrepreneurs This Month
The more you get yourself updated with valuable information and vital skills relevant to your industry, the better you are positioned to break even in your business.
Despite that there are hundreds of resourceful books for entrepreneurs out there to get you up to speed. However, it’s easy to get confused about which exact book(s) you should read at a given time.
Here is a list of carefully selected books for entrepreneurs that will surely worth your read this September.
Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin
When you mention Benjamin Franklin, the picture that comes to mind is that of an American Statesman who was a political theorist, inventor, civic activist, and diplomat. Although much about his authorship didn’t come to limelight, Franklin was a successful newspaper editor and printer in his hometown where he authored many books.
The one that caught my interest is “The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin”, a book which wasn’t published until his death and was referred to as ‘the first book by an American, ever taken seriously by European readers’.
This probably is because “The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin” practically engages readers with the business of self-improvement. In the book, Franklin listed 13 virtues that contributed to his success. Many leaders and successful entrepreneurs have also taken to these virtues which are: temperance, order, silence, resolution, frugality, industry, sincerity, justice, moderation, cleanliness, chastity, tranquility, and humility.
If you want to become a more effective leader you can’t shy away from Franklin’s masterpiece.
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
The Author of this book was a Neurosurgeon and Writer. His book, “When Breath Becomes Air” is a memoir about his life and illness — he battled stage IV metastatic lung cancer.
Before writing “When Breath Becomes Air”, Paul Kalanithi was in residency in neurological surgery. As Kalanithi underwent cancer treatment, he shared his reflections on illness and medicine. He also began work on an autobiographical book of his experiences as a doctor and a patient facing a terminal illness.
The book’s idea is that the mind is the result of the brain doing its work awakes a curiosity in Paul for neuroscience. He decided to write down his thoughts on what makes life worthwhile in the face of death.
If you want to get a grasp of the purpose of life as it relates to your business, read this book.
The Lost Art of Closing: Winning the Ten Deals That Drives Sales by Anthony Iannarino
Anthony Iannarino didn’t set out to become a salesman, let alone a combined sales manager, speaker, coach, or writer of the most prominent blog about the art and science of great selling. He fell into his profession accidentally.
Over the years, Iannarino has pruned down everything he’s learned and tested into one convenient book that explains what all successful sellers, regardless of industry or organisation’s need.
The book provides a step-by-step building block for getting the correct mindset, then lays down principles and the essential sales skill needed to close a deal. At the end of each chapter, Anthony succinctly puts down the steps to follow.
He explained the concept of self-discipline, accountability, competitiveness, resourcefulness, storytelling and diagnosing as they relate to sales.
Once you learn Iannarino’s core strategies, picking up the specific tactics for your product and customers will be that much easier. Whether you sell to big companies, small companies, or individual consumers, this is the book you’ll repeatedly turn to, for proven strategies, tips that work and wisdom
The book lays down a framework laid that drives the path to sales success. It’s a must-read for those if you intend to hone your selling skills.
Rising strong by Brene Brown
“…I realised that this book is all about drilling deep into the most difficult and uncomfortable moments in our lives, getting honest, and holding ourselves accountable to move forward in the after. I wasn’t sure I wanted in on all of that. It seemed hard and dirty and messy and, well, uncomfortable.”-Anonymous
Brene Brown in ‘Rising Strong” tells readers about getting to the heart of the most painful and uncomfortable moments that can be experienced. She addressed how getting honest and bold in the face of failure can be.
She stressed that failure is very painful, however, the stories of struggle to success, we are so used to hearing “glaze right over the pain of failure so that they can spend more time talking about the glorious feeling of success.” and this has not help according to Brown. In the book, she suggested that what we need is “a critical mass of badasses willing to dare, fall, feel their way through tough emotion, and rise again.”
We need to stop “gold-plating grit,” she says. We need to start acknowledging the desperation, the shame, and the vulnerability that comes along with failure. No more glossing over pain. No more keeping it stuffed inside of a bottle. Pain and failure must be reckoned and rumbled with until we experience our own inner revolution; in which we come out as stronger, more wholehearted versions of ourselves.
This book is a good read if you want to learn from failure.
On writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
The book “On Writing” is segmented into five sections:
The first section labeled “C.V.”, shows how the author highlights events in his life that influenced his development as a writer. King states that the section is not an autobiography, but more a curriculum vitae, owing to the sporadic nature of his memories.
The second labeled “What Writing Is”, shows King urging the reader to take writing and his advice seriously. Comparing writing to telepathy, King briefly re-introduces himself and includes an example of literary description.
The third labeled “Toolbox”, which discusses English Language mechanics and the importance of vocabulary, grammar, and style in writing.
The fourth labeled “On Writing”, King details his advice to aspiring writers.
The fifth and final section, “On Living: A Postscript”, discusses the van accident in he had an accident and how it affected his life.
If you require a more compelling story for your content marketing then get this book.
22 Immutable laws of marketing by Al Reis and Jack Trout
Some say do not judge a book by its cover, but I would rather say don’t judge a book by its size — especially if it is tiny. 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing book contains insight and well-illustrated examples of how 22 principles can spell out success in marketing.
The first principle describes the law of leadership. It explains how being the first in the market is preferred to having a better product. I can easily remember the first man to walk on the moon or fly over the Atlantic Ocean than the second man who achieved the same feat.
This book is necessary If you want to internalise key marketing principles.
The Metronome Effect: The Journey to Predictable Profit by Shannon Susko
The Metronome Effect will guide you on your journey to a predictable profit. It will ensure the habituation of excellence is derived from your organisation. Every leader is empowered to set the metric beat to ensure the company is doing everything to grow its profit.
This book draws the wisdom of some of the best business minds of our time, as well as the author’s own experiences as a serial entrepreneur, to create a methodology that shows you a practical process on how to rhythmically integrate all the crucial parts of your business. Every leader has a metronome, find yours and discover the path to predictable profit.
The Metronome Effect is one of the books for entrepreneurs that gives you methods for bringing consistency to your progress if you’re a startup owner with big aspirations.