With summer heat draining the strength of the unwary, it's not a bad idea to have a book handy for when you dip into a coffee shop to sip on something cool, or take a few days for yourself in order to spend some time at the beach. After all, you need to take advantage of those quiet moments to reflect, grow and learn when they appear. The books below are good starting points, carrying a wealth of knowledge or perspective that will aid you or your business.
A. Pivot: The Only Move That Matters Is Your Next One by Jenny Blake
It doesn't matter what stage you are in your business or career, you should be thinking ahead to your next move. Pivot: The Only Move That Matters Is Your Next One, by Jenny Blake, helps you figure out what your biggest strengths are and helps you plan a course for how to follow those rather than getting bogged down in your weaknesses. Any business owner knows that being agile and ready for the next challenge is key. Pivot helps get you there. - Sean Ogle, Location Rebel
A. The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business, by Charles Duhigg
Many business and personal development coaches talk about the importance of habit, but Charles Duhigg really drills down and gives a complete explanation of this principle in The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business. Many times, we're not even aware of some of our most deeply ingrained habits. Habits are crucial for all aspects of life, and they can mean the difference between success and failure in business. - Shawn Porat, Scorely
A. Little Bets: How Breakthrough Ideas Emerge from Small Discoveries, by Peter Sims
Since it's a summer reading list, I'm recommending a shorter, inspirational and easy-to-read book: Little Bets: How Breakthrough Ideas Emerge from Small Discoveries by Peter Sims. We actually give this to all our new employees. It captures the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship in a story-based book that is easy to read. There are so many practical, real world examples from the book. You'll finish refreshed and inspire! - Mitch Gordon, Go Overseas
A. Scaling Up: How a Few Companies Make It...and Why the Rest Don't (Rockefeller Habits 2.0), by Verne Harnish
Scaling Up: How a Few Companies Make It ... and Why the Rest Don't (Rockefeller Habits 2.0), by Verne Harnish needs to be studied like the bible for entrepreneurs. It breaks down the formula for success in any startup to Fortune 500. We are often distracted by the shining object. The book helped me focus on what's important and what the big guys are doing to help them grow to their level of success. If an entrepreneur wants to become a real business person, this book is a must study. - Richard Fong, Bliss Drive
A. The Power of Broke, by Daymond John
The complete title of this book is The Power of Broke: How Empty Pockets, a Tight Budget and a Hunger for Success Can Become Your Greatest Competitive Advantage, and this really says it all. Daymond John, famous for his appearances on "Shark Tank," had humble beginnings and built a huge fashion empire. This book describes how to leverage apparent weaknesses, such as lack of money, and turn them into assets. - Kalin Kassabov, ProTexting
A. Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike, by Phil Knight
Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike, by Phil Knight, founder of Nike, shares the inside story of the creation of Nike. In his memoir, he shares candid details on how he transformed the company from a small startup to one of the world's most iconic and profitable companies in the world. - Ben Lang, Spoke
A. Disrupted: My Misadventure in the Start-Up Bubble, by Dan Lyons
I recently read Disrupted: My Misadventure in the Start-Up Bubble, by Dan Lyons, and I really enjoyed it. The author is a professional writer who works with technology and marketing, and in this book he tells readers about his experience working for a super successful start-up, Hubspot. There is a lot of great insight in this book and I learned and related to a lot of valuable lessons given by the author. - Zev Herman, Superior Lighting
A. Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World, by Cal Newport
Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World, by Cal Newport, offers a unique perspective about the value of focus. Instead of getting stuck with social media and small tasks, Professor Newport makes a valuable case that going truly in depth on a project is the best way to maximize value. It's informed both how I approach my work and how I manage our team. His advice will help you stop targeting small wins. It's time to focus on the big stuff. - Aaron Schwartz, Modify Watches
A. Confessions Of An Advertising Man, by David Ogilvy
David Ogilvy first published Confessions of an Advertising Man in 1963, and the book is still a great read for entrepreneurs 50-plus years later. Not only does the book contain some marketing truisms that can be applied to your business, but Ogilvy also outlines the approach to his business — which led to the creation of one of the most successful ad agencies ever. - Brett Farmiloe, Markitors
A. Mastering Civility: A Manifesto for the Workplace, by Christine Porath
Underestimate the consequences of hostility and passive aggressiveness in the office, and you'll have trouble moving your business from point A to B. Place value on healthy, respectful, and mature relationships between coworkers and peers, and you'll find your venture move from dream to reality. Christine Porath's lessons in Mastering Civility: A Manifesto for the Workplace will not just improve your business; they will better your relationships with all. - Adam Mendler, Custom Tobacco
A. Self-Employed: 50 Signs You Might Be an Entrepreneur, by John Rampton and Joel Comm
Written by John Rampton and Joel Comm, Self-Employed: 50 Signs That You Might Be an Entrepreneur has great insights and is written in a digestible way that makes it perfect for summer reading at the beach or the pool. It has a lot of great personal stories and tips to encourage your entrepreneurial spirit. - Zach Binder, Ranklab
A. Traction: How Any Startup Can Achieve Explosive Customer Growth, by Gabriel Weinberg and Justin Mares
Traction: How Any Startup Can Achieve Explosive Customer Growth, by Gabriel Weinberg and Justin Mares, does a tremendous job at breaking down all of the top marketing channels through the lens of first-time founders looking for the best way to gain traction. They use real-life examples to help you design tests and find the marketing channels that will lead to the most growth. - Christopher Swenor, East Coast Product
A. Content Machine: Use Content Marketing to Build a 7-Figure Business with Zero Advertising, by Dan Norris
Content Machine: Use Content Marketing to Build a 7-Figure Business with Zero Advertising by Dan Norris will help you take your website to the next level. Whether you run a brick-and-mortar business or a blog, everyone will be able to find useful tips on how to create useful content that converts into leads. - Syed Balkhi, OptinMonster
A. Double Double: How to Double Your Revenue and Profit in 3 Years or Less, by Cameron Herold
I've been enjoying reading the book Double Double: How to Double Your Revenue and Profit in 3 Years or Less, by Cameron Herold. It's inspired me to start planning for the next steps of my business growth, and given me a lot of ideas on how to best accomplish what I want. - Rachel Beider, Massage Greenpoint, Massage Williamsburg
A. Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting Out of the Box, by The Arbinger's Institute
I recently finished reading The Arbinger Institute's powerful and relatable read, Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting Out of the Box. This instant classic was published in 2000, but somehow managed to avoid my reading glasses until this year. Better late than never, as they say! Seriously, this story of a business person's transformation stirred in me a renewed desire to be a better leader. - Robby Berthume, Bull & Beard
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These answers are provided by the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world's most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.