I have been in and around the publishing business my entire professional life. So I understand the potential impact of a great book.
In business, the right book at the right moment can tilt the playing field and give you a crucial advantage. These thirty-seven business books have personally made a huge difference for me. In fact, they’re the best I’ve ever read.
Big Picture
These are all books that have shifted how I think about business as such. They’ve had a direct impact on the success I’ve experienced so far.
- Thou Shall Prosper by Daniel Lapin
- Good to Great by Jim Collins
- The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz
- StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath
- Love Is the Killer App by Tim Sanders
Strategy
When we’re working in a business, it’s easy to forget about working on the business. But it’s essential to to focus on the business if we want to keep moving ahead and growing.
- The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber
- Business Secrets from the Bible by Rabbi Daniel Lapin
- Focus by Al Ries
- Insanely Simple by Ken Segall
- Virtual Freedom by Chris C. Ducker
Productivity
Personal and professional achievement are high values for me. That’s why I read a lot on the topic of productivity. These have been game-changers for me.
- Essentialism by Greg McKeown
- Getting Things Done by David Allen
- The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss
- Margin by Richard Swenson
- The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr
- The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
Leadership
As a corporate executive and now the leader of a rapidly growing small business, leadership is more than a concept; it’s my everyday experience. A few of these are not straight leadership books, but they’ve been very influential on my leadership.
- Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
- 5 Levels of Leadership by John Maxwell
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
- Drive by Daniel H. Pink
- How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
- Start with Why by Simon Sinek
- Visioneering by Andy Stanley
- The Power of a Positive No by William Ury
- Switch by Dan and Chip Heath
Marketing
Great products deserve great marketing. But the ground is always shifting. These books represent the core philosophy, strategy, and tactics for successful marketing in today’s environment.
- Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind by Al Ries and Jack Trout
- Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini
- The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
- Permission Marketing by Seth Godin
- Tribes by Seth Godin
- Raving Fans by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles
- Launch by Jeff Walker
- The Ultimate Sales Machine by Chet Holmes
Presentations
I’ve been professionally speaking for several years, but presentations are part of almost any job. Learning to do it well can be critical to our success. It’s been key for me. I’ve read many books in this category, but these have had the most impact on my approach to presentations.
- Secrets of Dynamic Communications by Ken Davis
- Slide:ology by Nancy Duarte
- Talk Like TED by Carmine Gallo
- You Are the Message by Roger Ailes
Some of these books are like roadmaps. Others are like toolkits. But they’ve all been instrumental in helping me achieve what I have so far.
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