Home Resources Five Must-Read Books for Entrepreneurial Minds Today

Five Must-Read Books for Entrepreneurial Minds Today

By
Robert Stretch
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Art of the Start
Rob Stretch recommends Guy Kawasaki's Art of the Start as one of five books to read during your next vacation or spring break.

Now that you’re probably about to start thinking about your plans for vacation or spring break, it might be time to find some literature to occupy your time. Sometimes it can be hard to stop the daily routine of checking your favorite industry blogs and magazines but it’s always nice to relax to a great book.

In this post, I will give a short review of five of the best business- and entrepreneurship-related books for strapping young minds to read. Pick one up today and enjoy.


1. The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferris
This book is the Holy Grail of entrepreneurial thought in the new millennium. Tim Ferris is the poster child of the new rich. I will warn you that this book may come off as a scam; it might seem too good to be true. But sift through the first few chapters and you will start finding a plethora of resources.

Tim boils being successful down to a simple equation: D-E-A-L. In other words, Define, Eliminate, Automate, and Liberate. The book is geared towards those trying to negotiate time off their jobs and those trying to start their own businesses. This is the must-read book for entrepreneurs today. Also, check out Tim’s blog.

2. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
Imagine that you just died and you’re viewing your own funeral as a ghost. Who’s there? What are people saying about you? This is just one of the exercises Covey presents to illustrate how you are perceived.

Covey will introduce you to a “paradigm shift” in the way you think. The bulk of the book centers around how to improve time management and how to develop positive thinking. I recommend this book as an empowering read for any young entrepreneur.

3. The Art of the Start by Guy Kawasaki
If you’re anything like me, then you’ve probably read a thousand “How-to-start-a-business” books. But I’m almost positive that none were as witty or enjoyable as Guy Kawasaki’s.

With his history in venture capital funding, a great chunk of the book is focused on financing your business. But he focuses on a variety of other topics also including: positioning, pitching, partnering, and branding. I find this book very entertaining and I think you will too.

4. The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber
Gerber focuses on the E-myth (entrepreneurial myth) that owners will always succeed if they like what they’re doing and they put in enough capital. He breaks business management down into three types of people: technicians (the doers), managers (the planners), and entrepreneurs (the visionaries).

He also uses the turn-key revolution and the franchise business model to describe how to take your business to the next level.

5. How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
Published in 1937, Carnegie’s tome is a bit more old-school than the others on the list. But this is the classic book when it comes to all things personal relationship.

If you’re looking to read a self-help book you’ve found it. And don’t let its age deter you. Carnegie offers a host of real-world examples for each chapter and while they may seem old, they all still apply today. Some of his tips include always remembering names, remembering birthdays, becoming genuinely interested in the lives of those around you, and always smiling. Everybody has coworkers at all, whether a manager or employee, should read this book.

Rob Stretch is a marketing major from the University of Missouri. Apart from school, he is a blogger and search engine marketer for VA Mortgage Center.com.

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9 COMMENTS

  2. These are some great books, Rob! If there is one thing I wish I did more of to improve my knowledge-base, it would be reading these books and others like them. Man, I miss having time to read. Until May!

  4. Five great books. I have read four of them, and read E-Myth, How to Win Friends, The Art of the Start, and Seven habits at least twice. Excellent choices. Will now read the Four Hour Work Week.

    Thanks for a definitive reading list.

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