Reading can have a profound impact on our health, happiness, and our business. But with so many books to choose from, what are the best business books of all time?
We analyzed hundreds of book recommendations from the top CEOs, Entrepreneurs, and leaders from the past decade. We then took those recommendations and compiled a list that's relevant in 2018.
So here they are, 101 of the best business books of all time!
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” ― Dr. Seuss
Best Business Books for Starting a Business:
1. The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
The Lean Startup is one of the absolute best business books when it comes to starting a business. It provides a scientific approach to creating and managing startups. It teaches how to accelerate growth of a startup, with a simple but sophisticated process that will help to avoid many of the pitfalls that many startups encounter that end up leading to their downfall. Eric Ries's ideas will change the way you approach managing and creating startups.
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2. So Good They Can't Ignore You by Cal Newport
In this book, Cal Newport advises those creating starting out. Many say that money follows those who pursue their passion. Newport argues that mastery of certain skills are important to open new doors and opportunities in your chosen field, independent of your passion, because of the benefit to your career. This dose of reality will help you to work hard and make yourself valuable in the marketplace.
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3. Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely
This book, written by one of the world’s top behavioral economists, breaks down the complexities of human behavior necessary to create a successful startup. His excellent scientific research backs up his bold claims, and explains many common behavioral phenomena.
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4. E Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber
This book should be required reading for all who are planning on creating their own startup. Gerber dispels common startup myths about starting a small business, and helps entrepreneurs take their ideas and plans from the abstract and ideal to the specific and realistic.
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5. Zero to One by Peter Thiel
In his book, Thiel, an entrepreneur and investor, takes a contrarian view that today is an age of technological stagnation. He teaches readers that they need to learn to think for themselves, and avoid competition in order to win big.
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6. The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz
Horowitz is a fascinating figure who shares his advice for running a startup, solving tough problems, and managing a growing company. His advice is extremely for all those who run startups, or who are considering creating a startup.
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7. Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss
In this book, Tim Ferriss shares productivity secrets from the more than 200 world-class performers that he has interviewed over the years on his popular podcast.
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8. Rise of the Youpreneur by Chris Ducker
Chris Ducker, an internationally acclaimed business mentor and bestselling author coined the term “Youpreneur” to describe the rise of the personal brand entrepreneur. Youpreneurs draw an engaged, loyal audience even as they pursue varying, changing interests. They play by their own rules, and they reap the benefits. In this book, Ducker shows how to develop the “Business of You” and build a future-proof business model in process.
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9. Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller
Donald Miller’s StoryBrand process is a proven solution to the struggle business leaders face when talking about their businesses. This revolutionary method for connecting with customers provides readers with the ultimate competitive advantage, revealing the secret for helping their customers understand the compelling benefits of using their products, ideas, or services. Whether you are the marketing director of a multibillion dollar company, the owner of a small business, a politician running for office, or the lead singer of a rock band, Building a StoryBrand will forever transform the way you talk about who you are, what you do, and the unique value you bring to your customers. It is one of the best business books for branding and messaging your business.
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10. Traction: How Any Startup Can Achieve Explosive Consumer Growth by Gabriel Weinberg and Justin Mares
Smart entrepreneurs know that the key to success isn’t the originality of your offering, the brilliance of your team, or how much money you raise. It’s how consistently you can grow and acquire new customers (or, for a free service, users). That’s called traction, and it makes everything else easier—fund-raising, hiring, press, partnerships, acquisitions. Talk is cheap, but traction is hard evidence that you’re on the right path. Weinberg and Mares know that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution; every startup faces unique challenges and will benefit from a blend of these nineteen traction channels. They offer a three-step framework (called Bullseye) to figure out which ones will work best for your business. But no matter how you apply them, the lessons and examples in Traction will help you create and sustain the growth your business desperately needs.
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11. Purple Cow, New Edition by Seth Godin
In 2002, Seth Godin asked a simple question that turned the business world upside down: What do Starbucks and JetBlue and Apple and Dutch Boy and Hard Candy have that other companies don't? How did they confound critics and achieve spectacular growth, leaving behind formerly tried-and-true brands? Purple Cow launched a movement to create products and services that are worth marketing in the first place. Now this expanded edition includes dozens of new examples from readers who've taken the message to heart. This masterpiece finds itself on nearly any best business book recommendation list.
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12. What If It Does Work Out? by Susie Moore
Do you have a hobby or passion that has nothing to do with your nine-to-five job? Do you craft vintage jewelry, make handmade furniture, or offer expert negotiating advice to family and friends in your spare time? Then you, too, could join the 1/3 of Americans who turn their talents into a lucrative side hustle. In What If It Does Work Out? life coach and professional side-hustler Susie Moore offers expert tips and guidance to help you earn an extra source of income by doing something you love. In her energetic and encouraging style, she guides you through all of the planning stages and potential obstacles, showing how to overcome any hesitation or fear, create multiple revenue streams, and more. Susie also presents inspiring stories from fellow side hustle successes, including the founders of Spanx and MindBodyGreen. Recommended by Entrepreneur magazine as a book "entrepreneurs must read to dominate their industry," What If It Does Work Out? features all you need to take the practical steps toward living the life of your dreams.
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13. Startup Opportunities by Sean Wise and Brad Feld
Startup Opportunities is the go-to guide for anyone with a great business idea. Whether it's your first business or your fifth, realistic assessment from the outset can save you a lot of time and money; why pour your heart and soul into a venture that is doomed to fail? Instead, position yourself to win from the very beginning. In this book, accomplished venture capitalists share their insight on startups and entrepreneurs: who will fail, who will succeed and why, and what you should do to give your business the very best shot at becoming a global success story. You'll learn how to evaluate your business with a critical eye, and how early customer development can be key in turning a good idea into a great opportunity. If you're serious about building a business that lasts, this book provides invaluable guidance that you really cannot miss.
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14. The Entrepreneur Mind by Kevin D. Johnson
In this riveting book written for new and veteran entrepreneurs, Johnson identifies one hundred key lessons that every entrepreneur must learn in seven areas: Strategy, Education, People, Finance, Marketing and Sales, Leadership, and Motivation. Lessons include how to think big, who makes the best business partners, what captivates investors, when to abandon a business idea, where to avoid opening a business bank account, and why too much formal education can hinder your entrepreneurial growth.
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15. A More Beautiful Question by Warren Berger
In his book, Berger shows the most creative, successful people tend to be expert questioners. They’ve mastered the art of inquiry, raising questions no one else is asking--and finding powerful answers. The author takes us inside red-hot businesses like Google, Netflix, IDEO, and Airbnb to show how questioning is baked into their organizational DNA. He also shares inspiring stories of artists, teachers, entrepreneurs, basement tinkerers, and social activists who changed their lives and the world around them--by starting with a "beautiful question."
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Best Business Books for Motivation:
16. Strengths Finder 2.0 by Tom Rath
This motivational book encourages us to focus less on our flaws and weaknesses and more time on what we do well in order to boost morale and performance. The book includes a strengths assessment, and description of how to use these strengths. This book is great for those looking to determine a career, or to find a better professional niche.
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17. The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss
This book shares many tricks and techniques for efficiency in professional and personal life, in order to have a more effective life. Ferriss is known as a “life hacker”, and his strategies are sure to give your efficiency and productivity a major boost. The 4-Hour Workweek is one of the most popular and best business books when it comes to reshaping how you think about business.
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18. Mindset by Carol Dweck
Dweck, a Stanford University psychologist, claims that the key to success in our personal and professional lives is the belief that we can succeed. Her book describes the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset; those with the former believe that talents and abilities are fixed, while the latter believe that learning and improvement are possible. Creating the growth mindset in ourselves will lead to a life of success and achievement.
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19. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
Covey’s classic book helps to empower and motivate aspiring individuals to develop the habits needed to become effective and successful people and leaders. Putting these habits and tips into practice will help you to achieve your long-range personal and professional goals. A must read for all and easily listed as one of the best business books of all time!
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20. Choose Yourself by James Altucher
This book encourages all to not settle and abandon long-term goals, but to strive to reach these goals. And the book doesn’t say that quitting your day job and starting your own business is the only way to fulfill the goal of the book of “choosing yourself”, there are many different methods that Altucher outlines to provide success and achievement.
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21. The Fire Starter Sessions by Danielle LaPorte
This book is a collection of essays that is meant to cause a deep introspection, helping individuals to overcome the fear of confronting both habits and beliefs that have been holding them back. LaPorte urges readers to be responsible for their own identity, that in business others may want to shape you based on what they want, but that this success and identity should be created on our own terms.
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22. Your Best Year Ever by Michael Hyatt
In “Your Best Year Ever”, Hyatt draws on his experience from his illustrious career to give advice and tips on goal setting, personal growth, and achievement, both on the personal and professional levels. This book is an expansion of Hyatt’s course “5 days to Your Best Year Ever”. Hyatt’s book will help all who look to be more effective in goal setting and accomplishment. It's one of the best business books and personal development books written.
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23. Earning It by Joann Lublin
Joann Lublin was one of the first female reporters at the Wall Street Journal. In her book, Lublin interviews and tells the story of more than 50 female trailblazers who made their mark on the world on their way to top. Motivational for all those looking to improve in the business world.
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24. Grit by Angela Duckworth
In her widely acclaimed book, Duckworth claims success is the result of passion and persistence, not talent and luck. It claims that this success determinant can best be described as “grit”. It helps to explain success, and how individuals can achieve it.
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25. Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard by Chip Heath and Dan Heath
In a compelling, story-driven narrative, the Heaths bring together decades of counterintuitive research in psychology, sociology, and other fields to shed new light on how we can effect transformative change. Switch shows that successful changes follow a pattern, a pattern you can use to make the changes that matter to you, whether your interest is in changing the world or changing your waistline. This book will be motivational to all.
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26. The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod
What if you could wake up tomorrow and any—or every—area of your life was beginning to transform? What would you change? The Miracle Morning is already transforming the lives of tens of thousands of people around the world by showing them how to wake up each day with more energy, motivation, and focus to take your life to the next level. It’s been right here in front of us all along, but this book has finally brought it to life. This book spells out six practices for a more successful and motivated life.
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27. The Power of Broke by Daymond John
Drawing his own experiences as an entrepreneur and branding consultant, peeks behind-the scenes from the set of Shark Tank, and stories of dozens of other entrepreneurs who have hustled their way to wealth, John shows how we can all leverage the power of broke to phenomenal success. When your back is up against the wall, your bank account is empty, and creativity and passion are the only resources you can afford, success is your only option. Here you’ll learn how to tap into that Power of Broke to scrape, hustle, and dream your way to the top.
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28. Smarter Faster Better by Charles Duhigg
In Smarter Faster Better, Duhigg applies a relentless curiosity, deep reporting, and rich storytelling to explain how we can improve at the things we do. It’s a groundbreaking exploration of the science of productivity, one that can help anyone learn to succeed with less stress and struggle, and to get more done without sacrificing what we care about most—to become smarter, faster, and better at everything we do.
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29. The Motivation Myth by Jeff Haden
Haden shows us how to reframe our thinking about the relationship of motivation to success. He meets us at our level--at the beginning of any big goal we have for our lives, a little anxious and unsure about our way forward, a little burned by self-help books and strategies that have failed us in the past—and offers practical advice that anyone can use to stop stalling and start working on those dreams. Success isn't for the uniquely qualified; it's possible for any person who understands the true nature of motivation.
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Best Biographical and Historical Books:
30. Shoe Dog by Phil Knight
This book is one of Bill Gates's favorites, it is the story of how Phil Knight built his startup company into the global brand that Nike is today. If you are wanting to make your own business successful, or planning on creating your own startup, this story of the man behind the swoosh is a must read. Shoe Dog has a candid, natural feel, and is sure to inspire you in your quest for business success!
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31. Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi
Ferrazzi, a Yale and Harvard Business School grad and one of Crain’s 40 under 40, shares his rags to riches story with the strategies that he used to network with successful and influential people. He attributes much of his professional success to the success that he has had in creating and maintaining personal relationships.
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32. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
This late Apple cofounder and CEO changed the world. His biography helps to tell the story of how he became such an icon of leadership and success in the business world. Jobs’s determination and grit is evident throughout his life story, and lessons from his life can be applied to all upcoming businesses.
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33. The Power Broker by Robert Caro
“The Power Broker” is a Robert Caro’s biography of the New York urban planner Robert Moses. Known by many as the “master builder”, Moses’s story shows the importance of understanding how powerful people work. His work as urban planner changed the way that New York is structured to this day.
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34. The Kings of Big Spring by Bryan Mealer
This book spans from the 1890’s to 1980’s in order to tell the story of the Mealer family and their quest to achieve the American dream. He takes the reader on a journey through poverty and riches, religion and faith, and brings to pass his predecessors’ stories that could otherwise have been forgotten. A fascinating take on the American dream in a family light!
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35. 3 Kings by Zack O’Malley Greenburg
This book tells the story of the rise of the hip hop industry by focusing on the lives of three of its biggest stars, Diddy, Dr. Dre, and Jay-Z. Greenburg details the cultural movement that created these multimillionaires and the rise of hip hop.
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36. The Smartest Guys in the Room by Peter Elkind and Bethany McLean
This book features great reporting and a lot of drama as it details the rise and fall of Enron. This book has also been made into a Netflix special.
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37. Titan by Ron Chernow
This biographical work covers the life and work of John D. Rockefeller, known as the “Jekyll-and-Hyde” of American capitalism. His fascinating contrast between ruthless business magnate while also being a major philanthropist makes this one a must read for those looking to succeed in the business world.
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38. Wild Ride by Adam Lahinsky
Lahinsky details the story of Travis Kalanick and the founding of Uber. The crazy explosion of Uber, with its subsequent plunge into controversy help to show why Kalanick is one of the most polarizing figures in the Silicon Valley.
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39. Barbarians at the Gate by Bryan Burrough and John Helyar
This book has been called one of the finest and compelling accounts of what happened to corporate America and Wall Street in the 1980’s. It tells the story of the fall of RJR Nabisco, and serves as a warning against greed and double-dealings.
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40. Den of Thieves by James B. Stewart
This classic bestseller details the greatest insider-trading ring in financial history, profiling the players who almost walked away with billions of dollars through business, crime, and manipulation.
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41. Business Adventures by John Brooks
The favorite book of Bill Gates (and one of the favorites of Warren Buffett), Business Adventures is a compilation of Brooks’ longform New Yorker articles, which, among others, include profiles of Xerox, Ford, and General Electric.
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42. Elon Musk by Ashley Vance
Elon Musk is one of the world’s most innovative and interesting entrepreneurs. This book gives readers an exclusive look into Musk’s companies, SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity, and a look into this brilliant creative mind.
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43. Jeff Bezos and The Age of Amazon by Brad Stone
This biography of the world’s richest man is the fascinating tale of how Amazon started out as an online bookstore, and then grew into the powerhouse that we know today as Amazon. Jeff Bezos’ large risks and successes forever changed the retail industry and online shopping.
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44. King of Capital by David Carey and John E. Morris
This book goes well with Barbarians at the Gate, it tells the story of how Blackstone and other private equity firms transformed into disciplined and risk-conscious investors while banks were pushing the economy to the brink of disaster. This book shows the rise, fall, and bounce back of Steve Schwarzman and Blackstone.
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45. Benjamin Franklin by Walter Isaacson
It may seem that this founding father may have lived too long ago to be relevant in today’s world. Wrong! Franklin is one of the most interesting and intelligent figures in American History for a reason; this writer, inventor, scientist, diplomat, and businessman did things differently, and we can all learn something from his example.
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46. The Essays of Warren Buffett by Warren Buffett (Edited by Lawrence A. Cunningham)
This book compiles Buffett’s annual shareholder letters with his thoughts on investing. With his great experience and immense success throughout his professional career, the insights contained in these essays are sure to give a unique take on investing and business in general.
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47. Creativity Inc. by Ed Catmull and Amy Wallace
This book tells the story of Pixar and it’s founder, Ed Catmull. Everyone can learn something from the story of how this studio behind many of the most popular family friendly movies of all time came to dominate the whole industry of animation. This book teaches all sorts of lessons about business and management.
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48. Disrupted by Dan Lyons
This is an account of what happened when Lyons, a seasoned journalist from an established new magazine takes a job a software marketing startup. He chronicles his time at Hubspot where he encountered all types of people, from investors, venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, and other leaders.
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49. Chaos Monkeys by Antonio Garcia Martinez
This book is a hilarious and upbeat account of what life is like inside the tech bubble in Silicon Valley. Martinez is a former Twitter advisor, a Facebook product manager and startup founder who has done some crazy things himself in his time in the tech world!
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Best Business Books for Growth and Development:
50. Getting Things Done by David Allen
This book is meant to help to increase individual productivity and output. Allen teaches basics of time management in both personal and professional settings. His organizational system will help you to free up mental space for big-picture goals and success. A must read for all those who are starting their careers or those who are relatively new to their career. It is awesome listed as one of the best business books and personal organization books ever written.
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51. The Right (and Wrong) Stuff by Carter Cast
In this book, Carter Cast shares his findings after years of research on career development. He focuses on factors that lead some employees to improve and rise to the top, while others fall apart and regress. He focuses on 5 career archetypes, complete with strengths and weaknesses of each, that can help you identify which you most line up with, and use his tips to your benefit.
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52. Rise and Grind by Daymond John
“Shark Tank” star and renowned entrepreneur Daymond John draws from his own career and success, as well as the success of others, to deliver his book “Rise and Grind”. John sets out to delineate the best practices, habits, and patterns for consistent success, whether you are leading the company or not.
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53. Great at Work by Morten Hansen
In his book, Hansen summarizes his findings on how you can “work smarter and not harder”. He shares seven key principles that will help managers and employees to fulfill this goal to “work smarter”. As one of the world’s top 50 most influential management thinkers, it is safe to say that this book will change the way you think about efficiency.
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54. Crushing It by Gary Vaynerchuk
One of the world’s most popular entrepreneurial personalities, Gary Vaynerchuk uses his energy and bold and outspoken style to share from his wide range of knowledge from his agency and from interviews he has done on his podcast in order to grow and develop your business and your influence.
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55. Super Connector by Scott Gerber and Ryan Paugh
Gerber and Paugh are the CEO and COO respectively of CommunityCo. In their book, they offer an intensive and effective approach to professional networking, sure to revamp your own approach as you seek to grow and develop yourself personally, or as a company in general. They share examples from a wide range of successful people as they detail this approach, called “Vision-Executing-Profiting”.
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56. Option B by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant
Sheryl Sandberg’s heart-wrenching Option B tells the story of what it means to “lean in”. This phrase is taken from the moment when Sandberg recounts the words of the rabbi who presided over her husband’s funeral who said to “lean in to the suck”. Not your typical business book, but definitely a great read!
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57. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
This classic and timeless bestseller will change the way that you think about influence and many other important aspects of society. Carnegie’s book is one that will help you to greatly improve your productivity. His strategies aren’t just applicable to business, they are applicable to help you grow and develop in your life in general.
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58. Tribe of Mentors by Timothy Ferriss
This incredible business book is the result of everything that Tim Ferriss has worked on over the last decade. He gives advice from the wide range of people who have been on his podcast over the years, people who have been influential mentions to Tim. This 600+ page book will be sure to help you through the advice of these many mentors.
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59. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
Outliers is credited with popularizing the research that led to formulating the 10,000 Hour Rule for achieving mastery in any subject through deliberate practice. Gladwell’s book seeks to answer the simple question “What makes high-achievers different?”. Gladwell also discusses the components for finding or creating meaningful work.
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60. Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success In a Distracted World by Cal Newport
In Deep Work, author and professor Cal Newport flips the narrative on impact in a connected age. Instead of arguing distraction is bad, he instead celebrates the power of its opposite. Dividing this book into two parts, he first makes the case that in almost any profession, cultivating a deep work ethic will produce massive benefits. He then presents a rigorous training regimen, presented as a series of four "rules," for transforming your mind and habits to support this skill. Newport’s book is an indispensable guide to anyone seeking focused success in a distracted world.
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61. MONEY Master the Game by Tony Robbins
Based on extensive research and interviews with some of the most legendary investors at work today, Tony Robbins has created a 7-step blueprint for securing financial freedom. With advice about taking control of your financial decisions, to setting up a savings and investing plan, to destroying myths about what it takes to save and invest, to setting up a “lifetime income plan,” the book brims with advice and practices for making the financial game not only winnable—but providing financial freedom for the rest of your life.
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62. Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work by Chip Heath and Dan Heath
Chip and Dan Heath share from their understanding of how people do business and live their personal lives, with the goal of helping us to make better decisions in our own life. The Heaths break down many biases and flaws we have in our decision-making process so that we can perfect our own decision-making process.
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63. The 10X Rule: The Only Difference Between Success and Failure by Grant Cardone
In this riveting book written for new and veteran entrepreneurs, Johnson identifies one hundred key lessons that every entrepreneur must learn in seven areas: Strategy, Education, People, Finance, Marketing and Sales, Leadership, and Motivation. Lessons include how to think big, who makes the best business partners, what captivates investors, when to abandon a business idea, where to avoid opening a business bank account, and why too much formal education can hinder your entrepreneurial growth.
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Best Business Books Around Business Theory and Philosophy:
64. The Black Swan by Nassim Taleb
Nassim Taleb addresses a common problem in business, the myth of taking prediction models for certainty or fact. People love these “certainties” and the comfort that they provide. But no model is infallible, as market crashes show. Taleb reveals the impact of the highly improbable and its impact on business in general. This book will change the way you think about the world.
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65. The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
This book talks about the science of habit, and how young professionals can set themselves up for a successful, happy, and healthy life. Duhigg talks about how small behavior adjustments and the creation of good habits can create a lasting and powerful impact over time. This is one of the best business books in terms of helping one achieve real, lasting change. A must read for young professionals!
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66. Give and Take by Adam Grant
There is a common perception in business culture that backstabbing, lying and cheating is the only way to professional growth and success. Adam Grant argues that this is not the case: research indicates that those who create the most value for others and help others are the ones who end up most successful and on the top of their fields.
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67. How Will You Measure Your Life? By Clayton Christensen
This book discusses reasons that some people who start off privileged and successful end up in failure and collapse while others flourish. This philosophical business book will get you to think about what leads to success and what leads to failure in life.
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68. Crossing the Unknown Sea by David Whyte
Whyte, a British poet who now lives in the U.S., discusses how work is a “pilgrimage of identity” and how we should approach our careers and professions. He says that work is “an opportunity for discovering and shaping, the place where the self meets the world”. A refreshing new take on the place of work in our lives.
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69. When by Daniel H. Pink
This fascinating book deals with time and how it affects our lives. When should you quit your job? When should you get married? These and many other questions are responded to by Daniel Pink through statistics, research, and stories.
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70. The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
In this fascinating book, Gladwell outlines the importance of small things that make a huge difference. He uses data and reporting to show how and why people distribute ideas, and helps to show why things go viral, such as social media. Thinking more about how society works will help you to help you to grow your company and come out with the next big thing.
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71. Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
This philosophical book explores the pursuit of happiness, and how this can achieved in a context of both the professional and the personal. Csikszentmihalyi subtitles his book “the psychology of optimal experience” - he claims that happiness is a product of a life lived at its frontiers. This book will certainly change the way you look at both happiness and the search for it.
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72. When to Jump by Mike Lewis
Mike Lewis’s story is a fascinating one. He took a lucrative job out of college, but his heart just wasn’t in his work. So he decided to go against societal norms and followed his dream of becoming a professional squash player. In this book he seeks to inspire others to follow their dreams instead of being trapped in a job that makes them unhappy.
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73. The Origins of Happiness by Andrew E. Clark, Sarah Flèche, Richard Layard, Nattavudh Powdthavee, and George Ward
This book, written by a team of renowned social scientists, addresses what affects well-being, based on extensive research from people around the globe. It also raises questions about governmental policies around the globe, saying that human well-being should be the number one priority.
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74. Brotopia by Emily Chang
Chang’s book draws on interviews from tech’s top women, such as Facebook's COO Sheryl Sandberg, YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki, and former Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer in order to show how the promise of Silicon Valley is real, but often only for men. She shows how Silicon Valley needs to change in order to start treating women as equals. An interesting perspective on gender imbalance at the top levels in business.
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75. Thinking in Bets by Annie Duke
Duke, a poker star who has won the World Series of Poker, draws on her time playing professional poker for her book “Thinking in Bets”. The book is a practical guide to risk assessment and emotional control, two very important topics in business.
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76. The Truth Machine by Michael J. Casey and Paul Vigna
This book, by the same authors as “The Age of Cryptocurrency”, explores (as the cover states) “the blockchain and the future of everything”. The book discusses the blockchain and its potential for disruption in the future, and is the top new release in financial engineering on Amazon. The technological shift detailed in this book affects everyone, so this book is a must read in order to stay on top in changing times.
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77. Skin in the Game by Nassim Taleb
The author of “Black Swan” as listed above, Taleb focuses in this book on risk assessment, drawing on famous examples from everyone from Hammurabi to Donald Trump. Taleb’s views are provocative, but are sure to give you a fresh look on a common business issue.
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78. We the Corporations by Adam Winkler
Winkler, who is a professor of constitutional law at UCLA, traces the history of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision in 2010. He explains the complexities of the U.S. judicial system, and in particular the nuances of the corporate rights movements and what it means for everyone.
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79. Too Big to Fail by Andrew Ross Sorkin
This book is a real-life thriller with a detailed account of the economic crisis that changed the entire financial world. If you like this type of story with ego, greed, fear, money and the like, this is the book for you.
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80. The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham
Benjamin Graham was the greatest investment advisor of the twentieth century, and his advice and philosophy of value investing has definitely withstood the test of time. This book is one of Warren Buffett’s favorites.
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81. Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
Daniel Kahneman is a renowned psychologist who conducts a deep analysis of the two cognitive systems that shape the judgements and decisions that we make in our everyday lives. His ideas will help you think about how you think.
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82. Never Split the Difference by Christopher Voss and Tahl Raz
Chris Voss is an FBI hostage negotiator who has been up close and personal with all types of criminals, including kidnappers, bank robbers, and terrorists. In this book he teaches negotiation tactics that can be used even if your life depends on it.
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83. Essentialism by Greg McKeown
The Way of the Essentialist isn’t about getting more done in less time. It’s about getting only the right things done. It is not a time management strategy, or a productivity technique. It is a systematic discipline for discerning what is absolutely essential, then eliminating everything that is not, so you can make the highest possible contribution towards the things that really matter. Essentialism is not one more thing – it’s a whole new way of doing everything. This book is a must-read for any leader, manager, or individual who wants to do less, but better, and declutter and organize his/her own life.
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84. Rework by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson
Many businesses and entrepreneurs are perpetually stuck in the same old same old. With its straightforward language and easy-is-better approach, Rework is the perfect playbook for anyone who’s ever dreamed of doing it on their own. Hardcore entrepreneurs, small-business owners, people stuck in day jobs they hate, victims of "downsizing," and artists who don’t want to starve anymore will all find valuable guidance in these pages. Rework makes our best business book's list as it helps new business leaders to think about their business and team in a completely new light.
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85. Hooked by Nir Eyal
Hooked is based on Eyal’s years of research, consulting, and practical experience. He wrote the book he wished had been available to him as a startup founder—not abstract theory, but a how-to guide for building better products. Hooked is written for product managers, designers, marketers, start-up founders, and anyone who seeks to understand how products influence our behavior.
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86. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini
Influence, the classic book on persuasion, explains the psychology of why people say "yes"—and how to apply these understandings. Dr. Robert Cialdini is the seminal expert in the rapidly expanding field of influence and persuasion. His thirty-five years of rigorous, evidence-based research along with a three-year program of study on what moves people to change behavior has resulted in this highly acclaimed book. Perfect for people in all walks of life, the principles of Influence will move you toward profound personal change and act as a driving force for your success.
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Best Business Books for Leadership and Management:
87. Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg
Sandberg addresses women and leadership in this book through a business perspective. She offers guidance to both women and men looking to promote women’s career success. Although she focuses on women, Sandberg’s advice is relevant to help all leaders to succeed and improve.
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88. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
Napoleon Hill was a good friend with Andrew Carnegie, who at one time was the world’s richest man. Hill reflects on the ideas and lessons he learned from Carnegie about leadership and interpersonal skills. Widely recognized as one of the best business books ever written, this book has advice that is widely applicable and will help all to build meaningful relationships and leadership skills.
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89. Quiet by Susan Cain
This book challenges a common business notion that only extroverted leaders can be successful in business and climb the corporate ladder. Cain defends introverts, claiming that it is not necessary to be loud, outgoing, and aggressive in order to be successful. A must read for natural introverts who want to grow their careers and leadership skills.
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90. Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader by Herminia Ibarra
In this book, Ibarra identifies the early stages of your career as the time to define and develop your personal definition of leadership. Ibarra shows that there are many different ways to lead, the most important is merely to find a strategy that works for you and your personality. This book will motivate you to become a better leader in any work environment and earned its place on our list of 101 of the best business.
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91. The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle
In his book, Daniel Coyle shares his findings from studying several top teams, such as the Navy SEALs and Pixar, and made the conclusion that group performance is determined by safety, shared risk, and purpose. He currently works with the Cleveland Indians and is in charge of culture and player development. Coyle’s findings are applicable to all leaders looking to vastly improve their team’s performance.
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92. Principles by Ray Dalio
Ray Dalio grew Bridgewater Associates into the world’s biggest hedge fund through his revolutionary techniques. He talks about his two major techniques, which are radical transparency and organizational dissent. He teaches companies to thrive on conflict, and helps to make decisions, approach challenges, and build strong teams as a leader.
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93. Venture Deals by Brad Feld and Jason Mendelson
This book deals with what leaders and Term Sheet readers deal with on a daily basis; term sheet, players, negotiations, legalities, and more. It is a comprehensive guidebook to understanding venture capital funding.
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94. Good to Great by Jim Collins
In his book, Collins outlines the characteristics of the world’s top leaders and business performers, and explores how they were able to leave their competitors in the dust. Good to Great is recommended as one of the best business books as it helps to reveal the keys that can help companies achieve lasting success and greatness.
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95. First, Break All the Rules by Marcus Buckingham Coffman
This bestseller presents findings after the study of more than 80,000 managers in the pursuit of learning and identifying the secret of what separates the great leaders from the others. A must-read for those looking to improve their leadership skills.
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96. The Effective Executive by Peter F. Drucker
The measure of the executive, Peter F. Drucker reminds us, is the ability to "get the right things done." This usually involves doing what other people have overlooked as well as avoiding what is unproductive. Intelligence, imagination, and knowledge may all be wasted in an executive job without the acquired habits of mind that mold them into results. In his book, Drucker offers fresh insights into old and seemingly obvious business situations.
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97. Entreleadership by Dave Ramsey
From New York Times bestselling author and nationally syndicated talk radio host Dave Ramsey comes the secret to how he grew a multimillion dollar company from a card table in his living room. Your company is only as strong as your leaders. Ramsey shows readers how to inspire a team and get the most out of everyone in order to grow your business to where you want it to go. When it comes to leadership in business, this is one of the best business books around!
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98. Start with Why by Simon Sinek
In studying the leaders who've had the greatest influence in the world, Simon Sinek discovered that they all think, act, and communicate in the exact same way-and it's the complete opposite of what everyone else does. People like Martin Luther King Jr., Steve Jobs, and the Wright Brothers might have little in common, but they all started with why. Drawing on a wide range of real-life stories, Sinek weaves together a clear vision of what it truly takes to lead and inspire.
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99. The Personal MBA by Josh Kaufman
Getting an MBA is an expensive choice-one almost impossible to justify regardless of the state of the economy. Even the elite schools like Harvard and Wharton offer outdated, assembly-line programs that teach you more about PowerPoint presentations and unnecessary financial models than what it takes to run a real business. You can get better results (and save hundreds of thousands of dollars) by skipping business school altogether. True leaders aren't made by business schools - they make themselves, seeking out the knowledge, skills, and experience they need to succeed. Read this book and you will learn the principles it takes most business professionals a lifetime of trial and error to master. This is one of the best business books for personal improvement and development.
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100. Virtuous Leadership by Alexandre Havard
Drawing on the lives of some of the greatest political, intellectual and religious leaders of modern times, and the author's personal experience, Virtuous Leadership demonstrates that leadership and virtue are not only compatible, they are actually synonymous. Virtuous Leadership defines each of the classical human virtues most essential to leadership - magnanimity, humility, prudence, courage, self-control and justice. It demonstrates how these virtues promote personal transformation and the attainment of self-fulfillment. It also considers the Christian supernatural virtues of faith, hope and charity without which no study of leadership can be complete. The aim of Virtuous Leadership is ultimately practical. It is meant to be your guidebook in the quest for excellence.
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101. The 4 Disciplines of Execution: Achieving Your Wildly Important Goals by Chris McChesney, Sean Covey, and Jim Huling
The 4 Disciplines of Execution are not theory. It is a proven set of practices that have been tested and refined by hundreds of organizations and thousands of teams over many years. When a company or an individual adheres to these disciplines, they achieve superb results—regardless of the goal. The 4 Disciplines of Execution represent a new way of thinking and working that is essential to thriving in today’s competitive climate. The 4 Disciplines of Execution is one book that no business leader can afford to miss.
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There you have it!
101 of the best business books every written. There are undoubtedly thousands of others that could have been listed. Please share your favorite business books in the comments below!