Who said that your summer reading list has to only be romance novels that you devour while lounging on the beach? Sprinkle in some of my favorite “boss” books to amplify your summer reading. Learn from other business owners the struggles and adversities they faced while starting their companies. You’ll also discover new strategies and business plans you can implement into your own business, taking it to new heights that you couldn’t have imagined before.
I’ve curated some of the best business books for you to peruse. Whether you’re taking time off and traveling for the summer or simply looking for new books to read, add these books to your to-be-read pile.
1. Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months by Melinda Emerson
For those who are struggling to start or reinvent their own small business since the start of the pandemic, my upcoming book is for you. It is launching on September 14th and it shows you the steps you need to take each month to implement my revolutionary business system. You’ll be able to start your dream online business in no time at all with my step-by-step guide. You can pre-order now so that you are one of the first to read!
Nugget of Wisdom: Overcome the challenges that businesses are facing in today’s world with practical strategies you can use today.
2. No Bullsh*t Leadership by Chris Hirst
What I love about Chris Hirst’s book is it gives you a set of leadership tools that helps you learn how to lead a variety of different people in various scenarios. This book has direct and simple approaches that show people how to get stuff done with effective leadership. After reading this book, you’ll have a clear understanding of how to confidently make decisions and create teams within your organization that help your business skyrocket.
Nugget of Wisdom: Any person can be a leader, you don’t need an expensive degree or fancy title to effectively lead and manage a group of people.
3. In the Company of Women: Inspiration and Advice from over 100 Makers, Artists, and Entrepreneurs by Grace Booney
This book is wonderful for summer reading or for keeping on your desk when you want to read a short anecdote to motivate you. It features interviews from over 100 diverse women where they talk about how they overcame diversity, embraced their creativity, and succeeded as an entrepreneur. Read quick snippets from media titans and tattoo artists to ceramicists and architects. This book is a source of inspiration for every person who is currently running or wants to start a business, regardless of gender.
Nugget of Wisdom: Learn from other women what can happen when you pursue your passions and dreams.
4. #GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso
Sophia Amoruso went from dumpster diving to being the founder of Nasty Gal, one of the fastest-growing retailers in the world. Her book talks about how she got started with her company by selling vintage clothes on eBay. She’s never been a typical CEO and has written her book to show other women like her that you can seek a unique path to success even when the road is paved with those telling you that you can’t.
Nugget of Wisdom: Being successful isn’t about where you got your degree or how many friends you had in high school. Learn how to follow your gut and trust your instincts.
5. The E Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber
I love how Gerber takes myths about starting your own small business and demystifies them. His book goes over the various steps that you’ll encounter in your business, starting from its infancy all the way through to the mature entrepreneurial perspective. You’ll be able to apply his insights to any type of business regardless of whether it’s a franchise.
Nugget of Wisdom: Learn how to grow your business in an assured and productive way.
6. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini
To learn more about marketing and how to get people to buy your products, check out Cialdini’s book. This book doesn’t lay out tips and steps to follow to increase your business’s sales. Instead, it focuses on learning what makes people tick. For example, you need to learn why people say “yes” instead of “no,” using that knowledge to your advantage.
Nugget of Wisdom: Read about how not to be manipulated yourself, so you don’t get sucked into making poor business decisions.
7. 50 Billion Dollar Boss: African American Women Sharing Stories of Success in Entrepreneurship and Leadership by Kathey Porter
50 Billion Dollar Boss is centered around the mindset that there’s no blueprint for African-American women entrepreneurs to follow in order to achieve business success. In her book, she profiles businesswomen of color that took matters into their own hands and created their own blueprint. There are tons of wonderful leadership tips that you can use to grow your own business.
Nugget of Wisdom: Don’t skip over the “boss tips” at the end of each chapter. Learn how to grow and sustain your business.
8. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen Covey
This book may have been around since the 90s, but it’s rife with timeless advice that you can apply in current scenarios. As a small business owner, it can be difficult to straddle the demands of your personal life and enterprises, especially when it’s just starting out. Learn how to achieve balance so you can thrive in both areas of your life, not just one.
Nugget of Wisdom: Start your business with the end in mind as you learn how to navigate the early days of starting your company.
9. Boss Life: Surviving My Own Small Business by Paul Downs
There are so many business books out there that talk about how easy it was to do business and how it took little effort for someone to launch another company. If you’re tired of reading about that, then this book is for you. Paul Downs shares his personal journey about starting his own custom furniture business and doesn’t hold back from what he shares. There are plenty of lessons to be learned in this honest and engaging book.
Nugget of Wisdom: Running a business doesn’t have to be glamorous, and that’s okay. It’s easier to relate to entrepreneurs who aren’t afraid to show their human side and admit their mistakes.
10. I am That Girl by Alexis Jones
If you feel lost in the crowd and are struggling to find out what your passion is, this book shows you how to take ownership of your life and purpose. Alexis Jones helps girls and women around the world speak their truth and dream big. She shows you how to stop listening to the voice inside of your head that says you’re not good enough and not to let other people draw boundaries around your life. The life you want to live is there for you to take
Nugget of Wisdom: Learn how to live fearlessly and leave the world in a better place than you found it.
Add These Books to Your Summer Reading List
Whether you’re in the beginning stages of starting your business or have been at it for many years and need a spark of inspiration, check out one or more of these books. They’re full of real-life stories that’ll inspire you, giving you the tools and strategies you need to elevate your business and take it to the next level.
Do you have any other business, leadership, or entrepreneurial books you like? Drop a comment below with your favorites.
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