11 Essential Business Books For Entrepreneurs in 2024

Reading is one of the most powerful tools in an entrepreneur’s arsenal. From developing leadership skills to mastering innovation and resilience, books can provide critical insights for navigating the challenges of building a business. This curated list brings together timeless classics and modern must-reads that offer actionable advice, inspiring stories, and strategic frameworks to help you and your business succeed.
Whether you’re scaling or starting up your business, these books provide valuable lessons on everything from building systems to fostering creativity and leading with purpose.

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

• Amazon Rating: 4.7 stars with over 33,000 ratings
• Goodreads Rating: 4.2 stars with over 1 million ratings
• Year Published: 1936, with updated version in 2022
• Useful for: Professionals who want to improve their interpersonal and communication skills.

“How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie is a timeless guide to building meaningful connections and influencing others. Carnegie’s principles focus on understanding human behavior, resolving conflicts, and becoming a more effective communicator—skills essential for anyone in business. 

Scott Keyes, the co-founder of Scott’s Cheap Flights, said “Few books that were written nearly a century ago are still as true and eloquent today as they were then, but Dale Carnegie’s work is certainly one of them.”

The Lean Startup by Eric Ries

• Amazon Rating: 4.5 stars with over 16,000 reviews
• Goodreads Rating: 4.1 stars with over 338,000 reviews
• Year Published: 2011
• Useful for: Founders looking to rapidly test and validate business ideas through experimentation and customer feedback.

“The Lean Startup” by Eric Ries introduces a methodology that encourages entrepreneurs to build, measure, and learn quickly by testing their assumptions with real customers. This approach helps businesses avoid waste and iterate faster, leading to more successful outcomes.

A Goodread reviewer said, “I found The Lean Startup not only great for advice, techniques and analogous stories to help reinforce the approach, but it is an inspirational book that dares you to challenge everything and rationalize with customer validation that your vision is viable and scalable.”

Atomic Habits by James Clear

• Amazon Rating: 4.8 stars with over 133,000 reviews
• Goodreads Rating: 4.3 stars with over 981,000 reviews
• Year Published: 2018
• Useful for: Anyone looking to improve personal productivity and implement long-lasting behavior changes.

“Atomic Habits” by James Clear provides a step-by-step guide to building good habits and breaking bad ones by focusing on the power of small, consistent actions. Clear’s framework helps entrepreneurs optimize their time and energy to create meaningful progress in both their personal and professional lives.

“This book changed the way I thought about setting goals,” said Shante Frazier, CEO of WellCapped. “Instead of simply setting a goal, I now set habits that will help me achieve that goal.”

The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber

• Amazon Rating: 4.6 stars with over 12,000 reviews
• Goodreads Rating: 4.1 stars with over 88,000 reviews
• Year Published: 2004
• Useful for: Small business owners looking to create scalable systems and prevent burnout from handling all aspects of their business.

“The E-Myth Revisited” by Michael E. Gerber dispels the myth that technical expertise alone leads to business success. Gerber emphasizes the importance of creating systems that allow businesses to grow without being entirely dependent on the owner, helping entrepreneurs work on their business rather than in it.

An Amazon reviewer said that the book changed his life and commented, “If you have, or are planning to start, a small business, this really is a fantastic book, and should be mandatory reading.”

Shoe Dog by Phil Knight

• Amazon Rating: 4.7 stars with over 60,000 reviews
• Goodreads Rating: 4.5 stars with over 317,000 reviews
• Year Published: 2016
• Useful for: Leaders and aspiring entrepreneurs seeking insight into the perseverance and challenges of building an iconic global brand.

“Shoe Dog” by Phil Knight is the memoir of Nike’s co-founder, offering a candid look at the journey from starting a small shoe company to turning it into one of the most recognizable brands in the world. Knight shares the struggles, mistakes, and triumphs along the way, making it an inspiring read for anyone facing entrepreneurial challenges.

Bill Gates even named it as one of his top books of 2016. “There are no tips or checklists,” said Gates. “Instead, Knight accomplishes something better. He tells his story as honestly as he can. It’s an amazing tale. It’s real.”

Dare to Lead by Brené Brown

• Amazon Rating: 4.7 stars with over 21,000 ratings
• Goodreads Rating: 4.2 stars with over 112,000 ratings
• Year Published: 2018
• Useful for: Leaders focused on fostering empathy, courage, and trust in the workplace to drive meaningful change.

“Dare to Lead” by Brené Brown emphasizes the importance of vulnerability, courage, and empathy in leadership. Brown outlines how these traits help leaders build trust and drive innovation within their teams, making it essential for entrepreneurs who aim to create positive, inclusive business environments.

In their review of the book, Leaders Magazine said, “Her book provides actionable insights for building trust, fostering resilience, and encouraging open communication within teams. It’s an essential read for anyone leading in today’s complex and uncertain environment.”

Zero to One by Peter Thiel

• Amazon Rating: 4.5 stars with over 37,000 ratings
• Goodreads Rating: 4.2 stars with over 363,000 ratings
• Year Published: 2014
• Useful for: Innovators striving to create groundbreaking businesses that reshape industries.

“Zero to One” by Peter Thiel challenges entrepreneurs to think beyond incremental progress and strive for groundbreaking innovation. Thiel’s book encourages startups to aim for creating something entirely new, transforming industries, and building monopolies rather than competing in crowded markets.

Derek Thompson, a staff writer at The Atlantic, said it may be the best business book he’s ever read. “Peter Thiel’s new book, Zero to One, shines like a laser beam,” said Thompson. “It’s a lucid and profound articulation of capitalism and success in the 21st century economy.”

Start with Why by Simon Sinek

• Amazon Rating: 4.6 stars with over 37,000 ratings
• Goodreads Rating: 4.1 stars with over 236,000 ratings
• Year Published: 2011
• Useful for: Leaders and teams aiming to inspire others by building purpose-driven businesses.

“Start with Why” by Simon Sinek explores how great leaders inspire action by focusing on their purpose, or their “why.” Sinek argues that businesses that clearly communicate their core mission and values can build stronger, more loyal customer bases and create a lasting impact.

An Amazon reviewer claims it’s the “greatest book ever published in the last 10 years.” He also said “This book is revolutionary. All the top business schools should reevaluate their curriculum based on this book!”. 

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck

• Amazon Rating: 4.6 stars with over 21,000 reviews
• Goodreads Rating: 4.1 stars with over 158,000 reviews
• Year Published: 2006
• Useful for: Individuals and teams who want to develop a growth mindset to overcome challenges and achieve long-term success.

“Mindset: The New Psychology of Success” by Carol S. Dweck explains the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. Dweck argues that adopting a growth mindset—believing that abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort and learning—can significantly impact success in business and life.

A user on Reddit, who recommends re-reading the book every couple of years, shared their opinion of the book and said “She pioneered the idea [of growth mindset], and did the research to back it, that many self-help gurus today sell: people who see selves as able to change/grow are happier, achieve more and have better relationships. People who think identity is fixed get frustrated by tasks and life, achieve less, [and] burn out.”

The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz

• Amazon Rating: 4.6 stars with over 14,000 reviews
• Goodreads Rating: 4.2 stars with over 97,000 reviews
• Year Published: 2014
• Useful for: Startup founders facing tough decisions and seeking practical advice on navigating crises and growth challenges.

“The Hard Thing About Hard Things” by Ben Horowitz provides a raw and honest look at the challenges of running a startup. Drawing from his experience as a founder and venture capitalist, Horowitz offers practical advice for navigating crises, making tough decisions, and dealing with the hardships that come with entrepreneurship.

The book made the Financial Times best business books list in 2014. “It is the real-world anecdotes that produce the most telling lessons in books such as these, and Horowitz comes up with some of the best,” said Richard Waters, an editor of the publication. “If you wondered how stress-inducing it is to run a start-up, it’s all here – right down to agonizing about whether excessive use of the f-word should be kept as part of a new company’s culture (the cursing stayed).”

The $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau

• Amazon Rating: 4.5 stars with over 7,000 ratings
• Goodreads Rating: 3.9 stars with over 67,000 ratings
• Year Published: 2012
• Useful for: Aspiring entrepreneurs looking to launch a business with minimal resources and maximize creative, lean startup strategies.

“The $100 Startup” by Chris Guillebeau showcases inspiring stories of entrepreneurs who started their businesses with minimal resources and achieved success. Guillebeau offers practical advice on turning passion into profit, emphasizing that with a small investment, creativity, and a strong work ethic, anyone can launch a business and grow it sustainably.

An Amazon reviewer, who found the book helpful and refreshing, said “If you have a vague idea and are looking to quit your job and start anew, but really have no idea where to start or what to consider, the book provides a very good primer. You’ll have all sorts of checklists and guidelines to consider, and all sorts of information you likely hadn’t even considered.”