As a small business owner, you’re busy operating your business and think that you don't have as much time as you’d like to read books. You’ll read the latest business books that everyone is talking about. And it’s more about you not wanting to feel left out because you’re not among the in-group who always read the latest business books.
I don’t mean to burst your bubble, but a bestselling book is not necessarily a great book, though it could be. It could have reached bestseller status because it had a great promotion engine behind it. Think about that for another minute. There are some business books that small business owners have never read but should. This is based on the many books I've read over the years.
And not having as much time as you’d like to read books? You find time to do the things that are important to you. Look at Elon Musk, Mark Cuban, Warren Buffett, and Bill Gates. At one point they had a small business. Do a search on Google and you’ll find countless articles about how books helped them to achieve success. Musk, Cuban, Buffett, and Gates have read many great books that are off the beaten path – that would never make it on any bestseller’s list. And they profited from the books because of the ideas they got.
The books are not listed in order of importance. Please do not be put off that the books are written by men. They're good books that you'll learn from. I'll write a blog post featuring women authors.
These are 17 book recommendations that I have for small business owners. More than likely you’ve never even heard of most of them, but they’re worth the read.
17 Books That Small Business Owners Never Read
1. The Thinker's Guide for Students on How to Study & Learn a Discipline: Using Critical Thinking Concepts & Tools
: I know you’re thinking that you’re not a student so why should you read this book. With the rapid change happening around us, for any small business to thrive, the owner needs to be able to generate idea after idea. And the right books will help you to do this. You need to be able to absorb the information in these books to benefit from them.
Additionally, your business operates in an industry. Do you know the history of the industry? What progress has been made? What are the foundational ideas? Do you know where the industry is going so you can plan for the impending changes? After you’ve read and devoured the contents of The Thinker's Guide for Students on How to Study & Learn a Discipline, you’ll learn effective learning strategies and you’ll be able to think more critically. This helps you to become a better problem solver and decision maker.
2. The Lifetime Learner’s Guide to Reading and Learning
: The author Gary Hoover and Patrick Spain started what is now known as D&B Hoovers. It’s an information research firm where you get detailed research information on companies. Hoover also started a bookstore chain, which he sold to Barnes & Noble. Gary Hoover has great instinct and has honed the ability over the years based on the books he read.
He has always been a learner and have read countless books. But he has a special way of reading books that he reveals in The Lifetime Learner’s Guide to Reading and Learning. You need a way to quickly grab the essential information you need to apply ideas that will make your business better. You’ll learn how to do this from reading this book.
3. Watership Down
: This is the best leadership book that I have ever read. It validates the belief that great leaders are made. Watership Down by Richard Adams demonstrates leadership in action. When you read the book, you’ll know what great leadership is. The Hero’s Journey is evident in the book: The rabbits get the call to go on a journey, leaving the only home they know. The book is also about the unlikely leader. There are times you’ll be placed in an uncomfortable position and you must act. (Review)
4. Kon-Tiki: Across the Pacific in a Raft
: Kon Tiki by Thor Heyerdahl is a project management book that wasn’t meant to be that. The process that Thor Heyerdahl used for his expedition, teaches you how to manage a large-scale project. The book chronicles the amazing journey from Peru to the Pacific Islands that Heyerdahl and his team embarked on a balsa wood raft. The expedition wasn’t smooth sailing all the time, but they were excited because they had successfully made it to the Pacific Islands. The journey to success is filled with many obstacles along the way. Other important aspects of the book are how to sell your ideas to others so they will believe in and support your project, as well as having the right team in place. (Review)
5. The 3 Gaps
: I learned about this book at a conference I attended in Dallas in Summer 2016. The author, Hyrum Smith gave a talk and I was very impressed. The book is great and has fantastic ideas you can use in your small business. But the one thing that I’d like you to do after reading The 3 Gaps is to write your personal constitution and then write one for your business. If you have staff, let them help with the process. When you have a personal constitution, you create boundaries and you know what lines you won’t cross. (Review)
6. Start With Why
: This book by Simon Sinek is one of the best books that I’ve read. You have a reason why you started your business in the first place. It’s the reason you get up in the morning to do the things you love. “WHY is a belief, HOWs are the actions you take to achieve your belief. And WHATs are the results of the actions – products, services, marketing, PR, culture and so on. When all three are in harmony, you become an authentic brand.” This book is worth the read and you’ll get ideas on how to make critical changes on how to present your business. (Review)
7. The Rise of Silas Lapham
: This book is a must read for entrepreneurs, especially those who are just starting out. Set in Boston before and after the American Civil War, the book chronicles the journey of Silas Lapham, his rise to success, the choices and mistakes he made along the way, and his subsequent demise. Even though he loses everything and has to start over in his late fifties, Lapham is still a success because he acts with integrity. Success is never just about the financials. The Rise of Silas Lapham can be considered a guidebook filled with many lessons for the entrepreneur. (Review)
8. Sam Walton: Made in America
: I’m not a big fan of Wal-Mart, but I recommend that you give Sam Walton: Made in America a read. You’ll not agree with all of his philosophies (I don’t), but if you own a business, or planning to start one, you’ll find information that you can immediately apply. There are many nuggets of brilliance that are scattered throughout the book. (Review)
9. How to Build an Empire on an Orange Crate
: I love a good rags-to-riches story to discover how people attain personal and professional success against the odds. That’s what How to Build an Empire on an Orange Crate by Ed Mirvish is about. It’s an autobiography of Honest Ed Mirvish’s life, you’ll learn important business and life lessons.
Additionally, I live in Toronto, so I got to see Mirvish living out his mission when he was alive. He was a solid businessman. He thought it was important to give back to the community that supported him. At Christmastime, you could see the long line of people waiting for a free turkey. He also diversified and operated in different industries. (Review)
10. Non-Obvious
: I have always been interested in learning how to spot trends and wanted to find a formula to do so. I read about Non-Obvious: How to Think Different, Curate Ideas & Predict the Future by Rohit Bhargava in an article and was intrigued by the subtitle. I decided to buy the book. So many people talk about curation, and most of them don't know how to do it properly.
I love this book because it teaches you to dig below the surface, because some of the best things are non-obvious. And there are steps you can use to identify trends in the short-term. I love the many examples in the book on how to use the trends that the author identifies. There is a new version of the book every year to alert you of possible trends. (Review)
11. Little Bets
: In Little Bets by Peter Sims, the author draws on a lot of research for taking consistent, small actions, instead of waiting for perfect timing or a well-laid out plan. Imagine how your business would grow and blossom if each week you did one percent more than the week before? What would happen if you tried things before waiting for the perfect moment? The book supports the idea of failing fast and learning from the failure. There are two types of innovators and you will learn the six-step approach. (Review)
12. Strangers on a Train
: I loved this book, but it was distressing to read. We want to do the right thing, but we often do what others tell us to do — good or bad. It is difficult to do the right thing when someone is pressuring you to do otherwise. You need to have a support group of mentors, sponsors and role models that you can talk to. This will help you to make better choices in life. This is a murder mystery that makes you think seriously about the people you allow into your life. Alfred Hitchcock also made this book into a film. (Review)
13. Gilgamesh
: I’ve read Gilgamesh about three times and I enjoyed it every time. Although this book was written a long time ago, the themes are still relevant today. People are always searching for the fountain of youth, and people will always abuse power. In the book you’ll learn how not to lead. This is a fast-paced book that the reader will enjoy and learn from.
14. Devotion of Suspect X
: This is a Japanese detective story. I’ve said it countless times that reading a detective story or mystery is a great way to hone your problem-solving skills – and this book delivers. It takes problem solving to a new level. I missed one vital clue that threw me off completely. You have to read very carefully to figure out this case. If you want to become better at problem solving this book will help you.
15. The Coroner’s Lunch
: I was rooting for Dr. Siri, the main character, because I love the underdog. Imagine being placed in a job that you are not qualified for. But you weren’t placed there because your superior believes that you could grow into the position and do an excellent job. You are being set up to fail. You decide to teach them a lesson, and therefore, rise to the occasion. You invest the time to learn the new job, and you succeed. The Coroner’s Lunch is also a murder mystery. The book is important for a small business owner because you’ll learn how to operate with integrity and treat your employees fairly.
16. The Big Leap
: Do you feel as if you’re not accomplishing your goals? Are you living up to your true potential? Are you playing it safe by making small hops? The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks can help you! The book will introduce you to four main zones that anyone of us operates in: Incompetence, Competence, Excellence and Genius. But we should strive to operate in our Zone of Genius all the time. You started your business for a reason, shouldn’t you operate in your genius zone so that you can give your customers and clients the best you have to offer. (Review)
17. The Witch-Doctor’s Apprentice
: When I heard the title of this book, I had to read it. With globalization, the world is your stage. As Shakespeare wrote in As You Like It, “All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players.” To be a player though, you need to understand different cultures and how to show up for business. The Witch-Doctor’s Apprentice teaches you how to interact with people from Bolivia, Peru, and Colombia. (Review)
Final Thoughts on Books That Small Business Owners Never Read but Should
Out of curiosity was I accurate in saying that these are books that small business owners never read but should? How many of the 17 books have you read? If you haven't read any don't feel bad. That's where I come in. I read a lot of books off the beaten path and publish my thoughts about them.
Books off the beaten path are often the ones that will allow you to take your business to the next level when you apply the ideas embedded in their pages. How do you plan to read the 17 books that small business owners should read?
Since you've read this far, you'll love the Learning to Read Again Tips sheet, find out how. This will help you to maximize what you get from every piece of content you read.
This article contains Amazon affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and buy any of the books from Amazon, the company will pay me a small commission.
