Top 16 Books For Small Business Updated 04 /2024

You don't have to have an MBA to run a successful business, but it's important to learn about important best practices and how to stay alive. The good news is that there are a lot of great books out there that can help you learn how to run a small business.

Some of these books are business bibles that have been around for a long time, while others are solution-focused guides that can help you. Keep reading to learn about the best small business books that can help you avoid problems and find new ways to make money.

Best Overall: The E-Myth Revisited

He wrote the book The E-Myth, which Amazon has called a "underground bestseller." You might have heard of or read that book. The E-Myth was a step-by-step account of how to start a business. Gerber then wrote a new book called "The E-Myth Revisited."

Before you start your first small business, take this class. If you want to be an entrepreneur, you need some skills and a lot of hard work. "E-myth" is short for "entrepreneurial myth." Gerber says that's not true, and he lays out three roles that each new business owner should take on if he wants to be a winner. Gerber also shows how long a business usually lasts, from when it starts to when it's fully established and makes money.

Before you start reading, get a copy of the book. It's short and easy to read. It comes in paperback, on Kindle, and as an audio CD.

Best for Problem-Solving: Traction

You should read "Traction" if you're a small business owner and you need to figure out how to deal with big problems, like frustration, losing control of your business, and becoming burned out. Wickman asks, "Do you run your business, or does your business run you?"

Entrepreneurial Operating System: This is what the book says to do when you're frustrated or burned out. Wickman says there are three ways to use the EOS. You and your business will get back on track with this book. It's full of tools and techniques that will help you do that, but it's more about strategy than how to do everything.

Also, "Traction" is a simple book to read. It talks about solutions in simple terms. You don't have to have an MBA to understand and master Wickman's ideas. You can buy "Traction" in hardcover and paperback as well as on the Kindle and in an MP3 audio version.

Best for Beginners: Conquer the Chaos

It's hard, and then there are even more hard things. People who work on a project called "Traction" deal with the big, mind-boggling obstacles. People who wrote "Conquer the Chaos" try to think of each day as a new problem.

There is only one person who can do everything right as the owner of your business: you! Were you always putting out fires? Conquer the Chaos has some resolutions that you might want to make, and you can read about them. "The E-Myth Revisited" is a good book for entrepreneurs who are just starting out, but this one is more about how to think. But it also gives some help with how to do things.

People who write the book, Mask and Martineau, think that when small business owners get too far down the road, a lot of unnecessary damage has already been done and it's more difficult to turn things around. Conquer the Chaos is available in hardcover, on Kindle, and as an audiobook. It can also be read aloud.

Best on Time Management: Deep Work

So Good They Can't Ignore You is written by the same person who wrote this book. It talks about chaos, and it can help you get 90 minutes of work done in every hour. "Deep Work" tells you how to get more done and do it more quickly. It gives examples of how some well-known people have done this.

Some of the words in the title could be "distracted." Newport gives some tried-and-true ways to avoid the distractions that come with running a small business, so you can focus on the things that will make your business succeed. The advice is organized into four rules and comes with a "training program."

There are hardcover, paperback, Kindle, and CD versions of "Deep Work." It came out in 2016.

Best Leadership Advice: Start With Why

"Start With Why." To get people to help your business grow, Sinek says you can do one of two things. He says that you can either manipulate them or you can inspire them, but both are possible.

Sinek says that the key is to figure out why you started your business in the first place, and that the inspirational approach is the best. Keeping in mind them and focusing on them should make you think of new ways to think that are more creative and innovative, and it should also make others think of new ways to think. Remember why you want to do it instead of what you want to do. Sinek says there are three ways to do this.

If you want to read "Start With Why," you can get it in hardcover or paperback or on Kindle, as an audiobook, or on CDs.

Best for Marketing: Influence

Sales are all about convincing people that they don't just want what you have to offer, they need it. Dr. Robert Cialdini doesn't always give you advice on how to boost your business' sales. In this book, you'll learn about what makes people tick, why they say "yes" instead of "no," and how to use that information to your advantage.

As far as I can tell, "influence" goes even further than that. Cialdini talks about more than just how to get people to do what you want them to do. If you want to make smart business decisions, you need to be careful not to let yourself be manipulated. He also gives some solid advice on how not to do that. That's not what he did, either. The book is based on 35 years of research that the author has done on his own.

There are paperback and Kindle editions of the book, as well as an audiobook, an MP3 CD, and an MP3 player app.

See also: The Best Books on Social Media Marketing

Best Autobiography: Shoe Dog

Who doesn't want to know how the other person did it, especially if the other person has done something close to legendary? If you want to learn how to be a good person and make a lot of money, read "Shoe Dog." It's by Nike co-founder Phil Knight.

One of the things this book isn't is just a picture of Nike's growth from when Knight started with 50 borrowed dollars to where it is now. It also shows how the company has changed over time. If you're interested, it also talks about Knight's personal journey through the process. It also shares some moving and remarkable insights. It gives an inside look at how the company has grown and has been called "riveting."

"Shoe Dog" came out in 2016. That was the first time Knight talked about this. The man has always been a bit of an unknown. Neither now, nor ever. Hardcover, paperback and Kindle editions of "Shoe Dog" are available. You can also get an audiobook of the book and CDs.

Best Research: Built to Last

There was a six-year study done by Stanford University's Graduate School of Business. Collins and Porras have put the findings in one book that will keep you turning the pages. A book like "Shoe Dog" can be educational and inspirational, but this list of 18 well-known and very successful businesses should make you want to reach for the stars.

To answer the big question: "Why?" To become so successful, what did these companies do that was different? Collins and Porras don't say things that are too simple or obvious. They show how these businesses have grown over time, from when they first opened their doors to now. If you want to follow in the footsteps of these big businesses and make your own money, look no further.

If you want to read "Built to Last," you can get it in hardcover, paperback, Kindle, and CD format.

Best on Work-Life Balance: 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

This one has been around since 1990, but it's worth mentioning again because its advice is timeless and there's now a 25th-anniversary edition of it out there.

As a small business owner, many people have trouble juggling the demands of their businesses and their personal lives, especially when their businesses are still in the start-up phase.

He shows how to get rid of that demon and find balance, so you can do well in both areas. A lot of attention is paid to starting a business and how to deal with the scary questions that come up in the early stages. She should start with the end in mind.

Seven Habits of Highly Effective People is available in hardcover, paperback and Kindle format. You can also get the book as an MP3 CD.

Final Verdict

If you want to run a successful business, you should get advice from someone who doesn't hold back any of the facts. "The E-Myth Revisited" (view on Amazon) doesn't sugarcoat the sometimes unpleasant realities of owning a small business. It will, however, help you get ready for the road ahead of you. When you're done, pair it with "Built to Last" (amazon.com) for some good vibes, but also to figure out what traits successful businesses have.

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