It’s no surprise that successful entrepreneurs are lifelong learners, although most will tell you that their continued learning bears little resemblance to traditional education experiences. Instead of sitting in a classroom or lecture hall, a combination of various forms of perpetual learning, or learning through experience, can be the most meaningful.
Stacklist released a list of their best books of the year for 2016 for entrepreneurs, and in addition to being a great source of entertainment, literature can provide a way to continue learning and discovering new ideas.
Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS Shoes, has famously said that when he decided to move onto a 200-square foot sailboat, he kept only the necessities, which included books. “Books are different from other possessions—they’re more like friends,” he said.
Whether you’re a new entrepreneur looking for advice about how to start your first business, or a seasoned vet looking for new inspiration, these ten selections from Stacklist’s longer list will certainly get you thinking, learning, and moving forward.
1. The Art of Startup Fundraising by Alejandro Cremades
2. Payoff: The Hidden Logic that Shapes Our Motivations by Dan Ariely
3. Chaos Monkeys: Obscene Fortune and Random Failure in Silicon Valley by Antonio Garcia Martinez
4. Small Data: The Tiny Clues That Uncover Huge Trends by Martin Lindstrom
5. Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday
6. Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport
7. Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days by Jake Knapp, John Zeratsky, and Braden Kowitz
8. You Can’t be Everywhere: A Common Sense Approach to Digital Marketing For Any Business by Marie Wiese
9. Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers by Tim Ferriss
10. The Inevitable: Understanding the 12 Technological Forces that Will Shape Our Future by Kevin Kelly
If you’re skeptical of books for entrepreneurs because you think that can be an echo chamber of the same stories and names, or just cliché advice meant to stroke ones ego, know that these selections steer clear of all these things. Their selection process put quality first, so go ahead and grab a few of these titles for yourself or as a holiday gift for an entrepreneur in your life.
Bonus points for buying from an independent bookseller or from the author’s website directly.
Brian is a staff writer at The American Genius who lives in Brooklyn, New York. He is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, and majored in American Culture Studies and Writing. Originally from California, Brian has a podcast, "Revolves Around Me," and enjoys public transportation, bicycles, the beach.
Pingback: Never stop evolving – Top 10 brand new books for young undertakers – Mag
Pingback: How to ruthlessly use data like a boss without becoming inhuman - The American Genius
Pingback: 13 books every front end developer should read - The American Genius
Pingback: Seven books every aspiring startup founder should read - The American Genius