8 Essential Entrepreneur Books You Must Read

Best Entrepreneur Books

1. Positioning: The Battle For Your Mind by Al Ries
2. Insanely Simple: The Obsession That Drives Apple’s Success by Ken Segall
3. Zero To One by Peter Thiel
4. Crossing The Chasm by Geoffrey A. Moore
5. Art Of The Start 2.0 by Guy Kawasaki
6. Work The System by Sam Carpenter
7. The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss
8. Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story by Arnold Schwarzenegger

1. Positioning: The Battle For Your Mind by Al Reis

Positioning is a concept that has been coined by Ries and Trout in the late 1970s. Today, Positioning has become one of the most commonly used marketing terms.

Like all other books by Trout and Ries, Positioning is straight-forward, common-sensical and easy to read. The book is full of real market example of positioning attempts that succeeded and failed.

2. Insanely Simple: The Obsession That Drives Apple’s Success by Ken Segall

Insanely Simple keeps you involved till the very end. It is not just a book about an idea gone successful but a tale full of emotions and drama. With a bit of wit in his tone, Segall has beautifully described the journey of success in the easiest of ways which can be understood by a layman.

As described by the author, Jobs not only got what he wanted by establishing his own standards but he invented a model of simplicity inside the organization. He made these simple values the ultimate culture of the organization.

3. Zero To One by Peter Thiel

Zero to One is a refreshing intellectual deep dive into the motives behind entrepreneurship.

It’s full of unique, practical insights, and discusses success in terms of human nature and culture. Along with business strategy, Thiel outlines how successful innovation shapes society and shares an intriguing vision.

4. Crossing The Chasm by Geoffrey A. Moore

This book was required reading for emerging technology companies in the early 1990’s.

Amazing the relevance of Moore”s more than 20 years on. Refreshed examples provide helpful context to put the principles to work today and frame actionable insight.

5. Art Of The Start 2.0 by Guy Kawasaki

Not only is it very comprehensive in telling you what is required to do a start up in terms of legals, marketing, funding, partnering, how to set up a vision, etc, etc. Everything in this book is from entrepreneur experience.

You get to learn from a guy who has been in every position, from the employee perspective to the person in the garage trying to start a company. Then on how you do the marketing for your product and demo it to a potential investor.

You get insight from end to end. More than that, there are also a lot of useful references.

6. Work The System by Sam Carpenter

Sam Carpenter has brought all the main principles that will lead to success in your work and life together in one book.

Some books will change your mind but this book will change your life if you apply what it teaches.

7. The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss

(As featured in 5 Books That Will Help You Start a Business and Replace Your Day Job)

A very well-known book for budding entrepreneurs, The 4-Hour Workweek is an absolute must read if you want to learn how to have “full time” pay on a part time schedule.

It has so many potential uses. The author used it to travel the world and streamline his businesses to require as little hands-on time as possible.

Timothy Ferriss is a famous entrepreneur and as such is a must read book for all budding entrepreneurs out there.

8. Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story by Arnold Schwarzenegger

Total Recall by Arnold Schwarzenegger is a great source of inspiration.

How an Austrian farmboy managed to get from nothing to becoming a millionaire before aged 30 (and before his movies, and bodybuilding didn’t pay much either) is truly remarkable.

He is a famous entrepreneur icon across the worlds.