Warren Buffett spends up to six hours daily with his nose buried in books while other billionaires are busy yacht-hopping. Why would he do this when he probably has all the money anyone would wish for? The Oracle of Omaha credits his success not to fancy degrees or high-powered connections, but to devouring numerous pages of business wisdom every day.
While many entrepreneurs are chasing the next shiny object or scrolling through endless social media feeds, the successful ones are often quietly building empires—one page at a time. You can try this tactic to push towards business success, too. Devote a little bit of your time to reading regularly and see how you can gain inspiration. Some of the best business books can fuel you with new ideas on everything from leadership development to finances to negotiation techniques.
Learning From the Best—How Books Shape Business Leaders
Running a business isn’t just about making money. It’s about staying ahead of the curve, spotting opportunities and making smart moves before your competition. Continuous learning can separate the “okay” entrepreneurs from the successful ones, and it’s easy to get started with a few powerful business growth books.
Here’s what makes reading such a powerful tool for growth:
- It’s like having coffee with a genius mentor (minus the awkward small talk).
- Get insight from authors who spent years or even decades testing, failing and figuring out what works in business.
- Business growth books give you concentrated wisdom from people who’ve been there, done that and built the empire to prove it.
- Reading can help you stay informed about trends in your industry.
- You can gain diverse perspectives and new ideas.
- It might help you stay focused on your business goals.
- You can expand your vocabulary and communication skills
- It costs way less than attending fancy seminars or hiring consultants.
- You can do it anywhere, anytime—even in your pajamas.
Want proof? Just look at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates. These guys could spend their time doing literally anything, but they choose to read like crazy. Buffett, in fact, reads over 500 pages every day. Or look at Mark Cuban, who credits reading for giving him an edge when he started his first business.
You don’t need special connections or a fat wallet to access this knowledge, either. While your competitors are scrolling through TikTok, you could be soaking up game-changing insights from the brightest minds in business. From personal development books to financial planning books, there’s something to help you improve on your weak areas and hone in on your strengths to make your business even stronger. Reading might just be your next secret weapon for building a successful business or exactly what you need when it comes to startup growth resources.
Related: 9 Problem-Solving Books Every Entrepreneur Should Read
Six Books That Inspire Growth—From Business Strategy to Financial Planning
If you’re ready to fill your brain with useful knowledge, here are six business books that’ll teach you key insights and powerful skills. From planning like a pro and leadership development to making money and business strategy, these books are worth reading:
1. Lead From the Future: How to Turn Visionary Thinking Into Breakthrough Growth
If you ever wished for a crystal ball for your business, Lead From the Future: How to Turn Visionary Thinking Into Breakthrough Growth, by Mark W. Johnson and Josh Suskewicz, teaches you the next best thing—how to think ten steps ahead and make decisions that’ll pay off big time down the road. In this book, Johnson and Suskewicz write about how leaders can take their businesses to the next level by using what they call “future-back” thinking.
Their process involves identifying and filling projected shortfalls, reinventing core business functions, developing breakthrough marketing strategies and creating a new vision overall.
This was named as a Gold Medal Winner for Best Leadership Book in the 2021 Axiom Business Book Awards and named one of the “Top Ten Technology Books Of 2020” by Forbes.
2. One Step Ahead: Mastering the Art and Science of Negotiation
If you think you’re good at getting what you want, One Step Ahead: Mastering the Art and Science of Negotiation by David Sally might make you even better. It mixes psychology with real-world tactics to help you nail those crucial conversations and close better deals. “Negotiating is easy when you’re one step ahead. The hard part is actually getting that head start,” David Sally writes. One of the most important factors to negotiating successfully is being tough, according to him.
Sally explains the four different types of negotiators, how to identify them, and what you’ll need to work with them. He writes about how you can get the most out of your personality traits and develop effective negotiation techniques. The book’s tips can help you whether you’re negotiating with a 5-year-old to eat their veggies or a 50-year-old over a seven-figure deal.
Kirkus Reviews mentions the book as a “deep, thoughtful master class” on negotiation.
3. Die With Zero: Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life
Don’t let the dramatic title fool you. Die With Zero: Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life by Bill Perkins isn’t just about money—it’s about making the most of what you’ve got when it matters. It’s perfect for anyone who wants to work smarter, not harder. This book can help business owners stop worrying about the future so much and start living in the now. Bill Perkins explains his book by expanding on the classic Aesop fable of the ant and the grasshopper.
The ant works hard all summer to save food for the winter. The grasshopper doesn’t. Winter comes along and you know the rest. “There’s a time for work and a time for play,” Perkins writes. “Great moral. But when does the ant ever get to play?” In his book, Perkins offers nine rules to help you from being an ant who doesn’t play.
Along with accolades from people ranging from stars to entrepreneurs, the book is deemed “intriguing” by the New York Times.
4. Fix This Next: Make the Vital Change That Will Level Up Your Business
Going through a myriad of business problems? Fix This Next: Make the Vital Change That Will Level Up Your Business by Mike Michalowicz could help you figure out which one to tackle first. It will help you pinpoint exactly what’s holding you back and advice on how to tackle it. “Most entrepreneurs busy their days dealing with the apparent issues,” Mike Michalowicz writes in the book. “We aren’t sure which one to focus on first, so we go for the low-hanging fruit.”
Sometimes, those low-hanging fruit issues stem from one larger issue that is being ignored. Michalowicz has developed a process focused on identifying your business’s needs and working up from there.
The book was named one of the best books on how to run a small business by Small Business Trends.
5. Weird: The Power of Being an Outsider in an Insider World
Being different isn’t always bad, especially in business. Weird: The Power of Being an Outsider in an Insider World by Olga Khazan shows you how standing out can help you win big in your market. In researching the book, Khazan spoke to people who were different in one way or another and dealt with personal issues because of it. But even those people were able to “pinpoint certain skills they honed, strengths they cultivated or lessons they learned.”
She points out how your weirdness can become your superpower. This book is one of the best personal development books you can read to help you conquer unfamiliar territories.
Publisher’s Weekly calls the book a “winning demonstration of the value of difference.”
6. Create the Future + The Innovation Handbook: Tactics for Disruptive Thinking
Create the Future + The Innovation Handbook: Tactics for Disruptive Thinking by Jeremy Gutsche is a performance mindset guide that gives you both the inspiration and the actual tools to make it happen. In the book, Gutsche has information to help create a better future for your company and how to do it with a plan to believe in.
It’s a two-for-one deal. It’s paired with The Innovation Handbook, a revised version of Gutsche’s book, Exploiting Chaos. Think of it as a two-part book—Part 1 teaches you how to create a future framework and Part 2 breaks down ways to innovate. It’s a great business book if you want to become an industry changemaker.
These business books are in no particular order. Pick the ones that speak to your current challenges. Just grab one and start reading. Success in whatever you do might be just a few chapters away.This book has been featured in The Economist, Forbes, Fast Company, INC and Entrepreneur.
Quick Tip: Do you have someone you particularly admire in the world of business? See what books they recommend and start creating your own entrepreneur reading list tailored to you and your pursuits.
Related: 10 New Business Books to Add to Your Summer Reading List
Turning Insights Into Action—Applying Lessons From Business Books
Do you want to actually use what you’re reading, instead of just collecting dust-covered books on your shelf? Next time you read the latest business strategy books, use these tips to make the most of what you’ve learned. Here’s how to turn those pages into profits.
Make Those Ideas Stick
Take notes like you’re back in school. Grab a notebook or use your phone—whatever works. Write down key insights. Then, try them out in your business. Test one idea at a time, see what works and toss what doesn’t.
The good thing about reading books is that you’ll always come across different ways of achieving the same goals. Even if an idea fails, you can always find a different perspective from other authors.
Get Social With Your Reading
Join a business book club―it’s like a mastermind group without the hefty price tag. When you chat about what you’re reading with other best books on leadership, you’ll catch things you missed and pick up new ideas.
Plus, it can keep you accountable for finishing a book once you pick it up. You’ll also always have recommendations at your disposal, saving you the hassle of trying to find the perfect read.
Make It a Habit That Lasts
You’re most likely busy, but reading one chapter before bed or during your morning coffee is totally doable. Stack it with something you already do daily, like reading right after checking your email or before your first meeting.
While you’re at it, don’t just read—do something with what you learn. For example, write down one thing you’ll try in your business that week after each chapter. It could be a new marketing trick, a different way to talk to your team or a fresh approach to solving problems. Reading without action is just entertainment. But reading with purpose could help you build a better business.
Time to Turn Those Pages Into Progress
Reading business books isn’t just another task to check off your to-do list—it’s a powerful way to help you get ahead in many aspects of your life. The most successful business owners don’t just read books for the sake of reading; they apply the lessons they’ve learned.
To ensure those pages you read translate to real-world progress, try the following:
- Pick one book from the list above. Don’t try to tackle them all at once.
- Set aside 20 minutes each day (yes, you can spare 20 minutes).
- Take notes on stuff you can use right now in your business.
- Try out one new idea each week. The small changes add up quickly.
Start Reading Business Books to Drive Your Success Now
The business leaders we mentioned earlier didn’t get where they are by watching Netflix. They got there by constantly learning and growing. Business books could help shift your mindset to become more focused and productive.
With that in mind, try this challenge. Choose your next read today. Not tomorrow, not next week. While your competition is busy scrolling social media, you could be picking up the new strategies you need to outthink and outperform them.
Your next big business breakthrough might be sitting on a bookshelf right now. Make reading part of your growth strategy and revisit it often.
This article originally appeared in the May/June 2020 issue of SUCCESS magazine.
Photo by ZoranOrcik/Shutterstock.com
