May 11, 2018

Dr Seuss once wrote in his book, “I Can Read with My Eyes Shut!”, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” Reading has in fact been proven to be the utmost powerful tool in our lives as they open the windows to the world by filling us with depths of diverse knowledge and igniting our imagination. Even Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg, two of the world’s wealthiest and most successful people have come forward to say that reading is integral to their success. With that, here are 5 books that every entrepreneur must read.

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

Think and Grow Rich was written in 1937 based off one of Hill’s earlier work, “The Law of Success”, and has since sold over 15 million copies worldwide. This classic book which focuses on personal development and self-improvement has been described as “life-changing” by many readers as it shares 13 key principles which include Desire, Faith, Persistence, Imagination and even The Sixth Sense. All these tenets make up the Philosophy of Achievement to become successful.

The Power of Broke by Daymond John

Prepare to feel empowered with this instant New York Times Best Selling book as Daymond John, founder of American hip hop brand, FUBU, narrates his humbling journey on how he started his successful fashion empire with just home-sewn clothes and $40 in his pocket. Through all the trials and tribulations, John finally shares the reasons why starting a business on a limited budget can unexpectedly be an entrepreneur’s greatest competitive advantage.

Start With Why by Simon Sinek

“Start With Why”, a best seller based on the subject of the third most watched TED talk of all time, was written with the objective of inspiring people to do things that inspire them. Sinek starts by raising a fundamental question: Why are some people and organisations more innovative, more influential, and more profitable than others? Why do some command greater loyalty from customers and employees alike? Even among the successful, why are so few able to repeat their success over and over again? The author goes on to explain that the answer to this is The Golden Circle, a representation of effective communication and organisational building which many established individuals such as Steve Jobs, Martin Luther King Jr and the Wright brothers have used as a foundation, to achieve their goals.

Moonshot! by John Sculley

The former CEO of leading companies such as Apple and Pepsi offers insightful advice on how to become more competitive in his latest book, “Moonshot!”. “Moonshot!” describes how modern technologies have permanently changed businesses altogether, and explains why entrepreneurs should use this as an advantage to create an experience that customers will love. Sculley also highlights that when it comes to building a business, one should never procrastinate and instead, act immediately—the best time is always now.

Rework by David Heinemeier Hansson and Jason Fried

Draw up a business plan, study the competition, seek investors and do plenty of market research… Does this all sound way too familiar? If you are sick and tired of the same old conventional business methods that everyone believes is necessary, “Rework” may be what you need. This thought-provoking business book is specially dedicated to those who dream of building a business on their own as it explores a new kind reality while providing a fresh set of ideas to show that one does not need to be a workaholic to achieve success quickly.