The 14 Best Startup Books of All Time (2024)

"The Lean Startup" by Eric Ries is about how to build new startup businesses smarter, using lean and agile methods. It emphasizes launching a Minimum Viable Product, gathering customer feedback with scientific tests, and pivoting based on insights. This approach helps quickly develop valuable products that truly benefit customers.

Why should you read it? If you're banging your head against the wall trying to make your startup work, "The Lean Startup" can give you a much-needed plan for success. Eric Ries flips traditional business launch strategies upside down, arguing for a smarter, not harder, approach. It's all about building a minimal product, getting it out there fast, "failing fast," and then tweaking it based on real feedback. (Rather than perfecting something in a vacuum and hoping it flies.) Think of it like playing a video game where you get a bunch of lives to keep trying. 🎮

Zero to One is about the future of technology and a guide for startup business founders. Peter Thiel is a billionaire entrepreneur and investor that shares many unconventional ideas. He says entrepreneurs should avoid competition. Instead build a (legal) monopoly selling something completely new and incomparable.

Why should you read it? If you're trying to come up with an innovative new business idea, or if you're struggling to stay afloat in an overcrowded market, Peter Thiel's "Zero to One" may be your life jacket. Peter Thiel, the entrepreneur and investor behind major names like PayPal, Facebook and Palantir — challenges us to think about creating something so unique it goes from zero (nonexistent) to one (the first of its kind). This isn't about following trends; it's about setting them. This book urges you to look where others don't and think differently. 🏆

Steve Jobs is the official biography of the co-founder of Apple and Pixar. He had an intense passion to create revolutionary products like the iPhone, iPad, iPod, iTunes, and Macintosh computers. His personality was an unusual mix of Zen hippie and brash business visionary.

Why should you read it? If you've ever wondered how a man who only owned black turtlenecks became the icon of innovation, or how persuasive one needs to be to sell a phone without buttons, this is your golden ticket! Isaacson’s book isn’t just a biography; it’s a roller coaster ride through the ups and downs of a man who could sell sand in the desert. For anyone into business, startups, or leadership, this book is like sitting down for a chat with the obsessive entrepreneur who thought different. 🖥️🍏

Hooked is a guide for product designers, marketers, and entrepreneurs, showing them how to create digital products that are engaging, compelling, and habit-forming. Nir Eyal reveals how big tech companies like Google, Twitter and Facebook keep us coming back to their apps daily. His "Hooked Model" has 4 stages: trigger, action, variable reward, and investment.

Why should you read it? If you're dreaming of creating the next Instagram or just curious about why we can't put down our phones, then this book is your go-to guide. Nir Eyal takes the "habit loop" idea (made popular by books like Atomic Habits), then he spins it upside down, to reveal the secrets behind apps that are highly engaging and habit-forming. It's your blueprint to making anything - from your new app to your social media channel - as irresistible as that last slice of pizza. 🍕

The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber is a crucial read for entrepreneurs, explaining why 80% of small businesses fail and offering invaluable strategies for success. It teaches how to get your business to run without you, using systems and processes, that reduce your work and stress. It shows how to work ON your business, not just IN it.

Why should you read it? Decades after it was published, this book continues to be a much-recommended bestseller for entrepreneurs worldwide. Its evergreen popularity is proof of the timeless business wisdom packed inside. If you’ve ever questioned why running your “dream business” feels more like working a nightmare 80-hour-per-week job, then this book is what you need! It’s like having a business coach in your pocket, telling you exactly HOW to work smarter rather than harder. (Hint: by building systems in your business.)

The 4-Hour Workweek is about building a passive income business so we can escape the usual 40-hour workweek, and design our ideal lifestyle. Tim Ferris also shows how we can improve our productivity by following the 80/20 rule and a 'low information diet.'

Why should you read it? This book is practically the bible of the "digital nomad" movement, where some people figured out how to work from their laptop anywhere in the world. To most people it sounds like a complete fantasy: Imagine traveling the world, indulging your curiosity, all while your business runs itself. But Tim Ferriss shares many inspirational case studies of people who have done it successfully. It's kind of like finding out that unicorns are real—and they know how to code websites! This book has opened the eyes of countless people that a radically different, unconventional type of lifestyle is possible.

Shoe Dog is an inspiring story of entrepreneurship from Nike's founder Phil Knight. He started as a regular kid who loved running and built the largest sportswear brand ever. But there were many challenging times that Nike barely survived.

The Millionaire Fastlane is about getting wealthy and retiring in 10 years rather than 40 years. At first the title may sound unrealistic, but MJ DeMarco offers hard-earned business wisdom based on his success making millions of dollars after building a limousine booking website.

Why should you read it? Reading 'The Millionaire Fastlane' is like having an exhilarating chat over coffee with a funny friend who also happens to be your millionaire mentor. Half the time, you'll be cracking up; the other half, you'll be scribbling down money-making ideas. It's a compact blast of inspiration for anyone ready to speed up their entrepreneurial journey.

Start With Why says that great companies, organizations, and leaders are those who first understand their 'Why' - their purpose, cause, or reason for existing. Simon Sinek shows how leading companies like Apple inspire extraordinary loyalty with a strong focus on 'Why' they do what they do, not 'What' they sell, or 'How' they do things.

Elon Musk is a biography of the man who led Tesla, SpaceX and PayPal. Musk inspires many people with his futuristic plans for new technologies, and his seemingly unstoppable ability to overcome all obstacles. But his employees are often pushed to their limit, trying to reach impossible deadlines.

"Blue Ocean Strategy" by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne introduces a groundbreaking approach to strategic business planning, focusing on creating uncontested market spaces (Blue Oceans) rather than competing in overcrowded markets (Red Oceans).

Why should you read it? Imagine that instead of focusing on beating your competitors, you could create a whole new market space where you had none? It's an idea that is both liberating and compelling. Through numerous case studies, these authors show how it has been done in the past and how we may be able to create our own Blue Ocean. This book is a must read for anyone who wants to be an innovator and redefine their market so they can win.

"Made to Stick" by Chip and Dan Heath teaches how to explain your ideas and thoughts so they capture attention, persuade others, and stick in people's minds. Learn why some ideas become popular and others fail using their research-based SUCCESs framework, which outlines six key principles: Simple, Unexpected, Concrete, Credible, Emotions, and Stories.

Why should you read it? Curious why some ideas become popular while others flop? "Made to Stick" by Chip and Dan Heath cracks the code on what makes ideas unforgettable, by analyzing everything from hit marketing campaigns to political slogans, classic folktales, and even crazy conspiracy theories. Perfect for marketers, educators, entrepreneurs, or anyone eager to make their message as clingy as gum on a shoe in summer. 👟

"The Design of Everyday Things" by Don Norman explains the principles of good design and usability. The book outlines a process for creating products, services, and apps that are intuitive and user-friendly by taking into account human psychology. It also identifies common design mistakes that make products frustrating to use and offers solutions to avoid these pitfalls.

"Million Dollar Weekend" by Noah Kagan is a step-by-step guide for entrepreneurs on how to launch a business in just 48 hours. It focuses on overcoming fears of failure and rejection, offering practical methods for generating ideas, validating them, and quickly acquiring paying customers.

Why should you read it? You should read "Million Dollar Weekend" if you're serious about starting a business but find yourself stuck in the planning phase. Noah Kagan's approach is all about getting out of your own way, launching quickly, and learning from real-world feedback. The advice is straightforward, actionable, and designed to help you make tangible progress toward a successful business in a short time frame.