When it comes to running a small business, it seems that everyone has an opinion. When you’re searching for helpful advice and tips, it’s hard to know where to go for information that you can trust.
If you put in a search on Google, you’ll be flooded with different tips, books, and ideas. Some of them will be exactly what you’re looking for, but the problem is that they’re buried in resources that aren’t worth your time.
To make it easier to separate the good from the weak, we’ve put together a list of the 7 best books for small business owners to read. Whether you’re new to business or just want to keep on top of the latest trends, this selection of books has valuable wisdom and advice that is worth paying attention to.
Top 3 Picks:
The 7 best books for small business owners
After a lot of reading and research, the Business4Beginners team have picked these books as the 7 best books for small business owners.
Lost the buzz for your business?
Starting a business is exciting. Succeeding is rewarding. The bit between is hard, repetitive, and full of self-doubt.
The Lonely Middle Club (From Business4Beginners) helps you through it:
Get support and advice from other small business owners
Remove the self-doubt that’s holding your business back
Learn techniques and strategies to grow your business faster
Be inspired with our exclusive ‘swipe’ file and AI-powered tools
No pressure – work at YOUR pace, towards YOUR goals
—
Without further ado, let’s jump in.
1. The E-Myth Revisited
Check current stock levels, price, and reviews on Amazon
Voted the number one book by inc. 500 CEOs, The E-Myth Revisited dispels common myths about starting your own business that can get in the way of your own success.
Using over 40 years of experience, author Micheal E. Gerber delivers incredibly sharp insights in this book while walking you through the steps in the life of a business. From the first ideas and infancy, right through to an entrepreneurial franchise, Gerber delivers clear, direct knowledge that has stood the test of time.
The E-Myth was first published in 1986, becoming a phenomenal bestseller. This version of the book has been revisited and updated with even more knowledge and insights while retaining the timeless insights that every successful business owner needs to know.
Most importantly, this book teaches and stresses the distinction between working on your business and working in your business. As you read this book, this philosophy will change the way you look and approach your business for the better.
- HarperCollins
- Must try for a book lover
- Compact for travelling
2. Big Ideas… For Small Businesses
Check current stock levels, price, and reviews on Amazon
Big Ideas… For Small Businesses is the number one book that proves that running a successful business can work around your lifestyle.
This book is aimed to deconstruct the myth that successful businesses only come from back-breaking 15+ hour days, day in, day out. And that by working smarter with the principle applied in this book, you can actually achieve more success from fewer hours.
Big Ideas… For Small Businesses was written by John Lamerton, a self-proclaimed ‘lazy entrepreneur’ that gave up working 100+ hour weeks when his first child was born. Knowing that he wanted to spend more time with his family and the things that mattered to him, he set to work building an ambitious lifestyle business that would balance a successful business with his family life.
Now, John Lamerton shares his secret to success in Big Ideas… For Small Businesses. Inside the book, you’ll learn tips such as:
- Why the “Dragons” hate lifestyle businesses, and why you should love them;
- How almost anyone could become a millionaire in their lifetime, given just £200 a month;
- How to get clarity on your business strategy, and bring that into your daily routine;
- How to sell a dozen eggs for over £500;
- How to find, hire, (and fire!) your first employee;
- The five magic ingredients for success in almost any given field.
In addition, you’ll find a collection of stories, successes and failures from Lamerton as he set up his lifestyle business, including why he blames Richard Branson for his early failures and how he made over 100k from a single marketing campaign.
- Lamerton, John (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 226 Pages - 07/12/2017 (Publication Date) - Let's Tell Your Story Publishing (Publisher)
3. Starting & Running A Business All-in-One For Dummies
Check current stock levels, price, and reviews on Amazon
I’m sure you would have heard of the For Dummies books before, where they break down often complex subjects from every area possible into simple to understand language. There’s a reason these books are so popular.
The Starting & Running A Business All-in-One book combines a whopping 9 books into a single volume. It’s a complete overview of everything you need to know about running and starting a business, broken down into the usual, straight-talking, and simple language that you expect.
Inside this book, find advice on:
- Business planning and marketing;
- Managing staff and dealing with legal issues;
- Bookkeeping, accounting, and tax obligations;
- Finance options and how to secure the income you need;
- How to sell your product;
- And much more.
It’s everything you need to build your business from the ground up, with factual steps and guidance on every obstacle you might encounter along the way.
- Barrow, Colin (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 696 Pages - 12/02/2016 (Publication Date) - For Dummies (Publisher)
4. The Lean Startup
Check current stock levels, price, and reviews on Amazon
Author Eric Ries begins The Lean Startup with a simple concept that most new businesses fail, but these failures are preventable.
In this book, Ries talks through some of the common reasons why businesses fail and how you can avoid the traps to run a successful business. Now, this book is changing the way that companies are built and products are launched around the world.
The Lean Startup first teaches you how to learn what your customers really want. Then, it will test your vision, developing the skills you need to constantly adapt and adjust plans when it’s needed to turn potential disasters into your successes.
Philip Delves Broughton of The Financial Times says: “every so often a business book comes along that changes how we think about innovation and entrepreneurship. The Lean Startup has the chops to join this exalted company”.
We couldn’t agree more.
- The Lean Startup: The Million Copy Bestseller Driving Entrepreneurs to Success
- Product type: ABIS BOOK
- Brand: Portfolio Penguin
5. Self Made
Check current stock levels, price, and reviews on Amazon
Self Made is a go-to guide for every entrepreneur to have at their disposal.
Written by The Apprentice runner-up, Bianca Miller and serial entrepreneur, Byron Cole, this book provides a comprehensive toolkit for anyone that wants to create a successful business.
It combines straightforward advice that you can apply right now, insights on how to avoid common mistakes, and exclusive interviews with well-known entrepreneurs for real-life examples of this advice in action.
Covering every stage of creating your own business, from start-up to exit, Self Made is the book of practical advice you’ve been searching for to transform the way you run your business.
Overall this book offers truly unique advice that you can’t get anywhere else.
- Miller-Cole, Bianca (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 288 Pages - 10/05/2017 (Publication Date) - John Murray Learning (Publisher)
6. The 1-Page Marketing Plan
Check current stock levels, price, and reviews on Amazon
Marketing plans are essential for every business. This book will transform the way you think and approach marketing plans, giving you the tools to create achievable plans that will grow your business without the stress.
Written by entrepreneur, business coach and consultant Allan Dib, this book shares his proven strategies and cutting edge tactics that helped him build one of Australia’s fastest-growing businesses.
Inside this book, you’ll discover how to write marketing plans that will:
- Get new customers, clients, or patients and how to make more profit from existing ones;
- Close sales without being pushy, needy, or obnoxious while turning the tables and having prospects begging you to take their money;
- Annihilate competitors and make yourself the only logical choice.
The 1-Page Marketing Plan does exactly what the title promises. It simplifies your marketing into a quick and easy 1-page plan you can actually follow and use to grow your business.
- Binding : Paperback
- Pages : 228
- Publisher : Page Two Books, Inc.
7. Jump Start Your Business Brain
Check current stock levels, price, and reviews on Amazon
Jump Start Your Business Brain is the data-proven book designed to make your business measurably more effective.
Written by one of America’s top experts on business growth, Doug Hall presents all of the information in this book in a unique and creative way that will get you thinking about your business and ideas in a whole new light. It’s a fun and exciting way to see new ideas, while also seeing the method behind the madness that created them.
It’s this book that got Doug Hall dubbed as America’s number one product idea man from Inc. Magazine. But don’t be put off by the unconventional way that Hall presents his ideas in this book.
Every single tip and ideas in this book is backed by scientific research. It’s not speculation, it’s proven by the statistical analysis of the success and failure of more than 4,000 new products and services, and more than 6,000 innovation teams.
Fun, exciting and backed by science, Jump Start Your Business Brain presents a completely unique read to small business owners.
- Hall, Doug (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 320 Pages - 04/01/2005 (Publication Date) - Clerisy Press (Publisher)
Hungry for more?
At Business4Beginners, we’re always here to give you the extra advice and tips to transform your business.
Whether you need help with accounting, legal information, running an online business, or are just in the market for a few new ideas, we’ve got you covered.
Just click the links above or take a look around our site to get the information you need.
