Yorick Reintjens » (Multi)Media

If your dream is to own a business, you should know that there are ways around going to business school. In fact, many of the world’s most successful CEOs have never been to college. However, this does not mean they are not knowledgeable about their industry and business in general. Reading books by successful professionals can indeed take the place of an MBA. Get familiar with the following books, many of which are quite well-known, before you start your own business.

Inspirational Books

Sometimes it is nice to just sit down with a book and read an uplifting true story, or browse a book full of witticisms that really make sense. Consider the following books to get some inspiration during your journey to starting a new business.

Bill & Dave: How Hewlett and Packard Built the World’s Greatest Company Read this inspiring book by Michael S. Malone to find out how the success of Hewlett-Packard was created by its owners.

New Ideas from Dead CEOs: Lasting Lessons from the Corner Office Todd G. Buchholz encourages readers to learn from some of the most successful CEOs from the past.
Career Renegade: How to Make a Great Living Doing What You Love Let attorney and entrepreneur Jonathan Fields offer some advice and inspiration when it comes to finally starting the business you have always wanted.
Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies Find out what some of the most successful companies did to outlast their competition, and let Jim Collins and Jerry I. Porras get you excited about applying similar concepts to your business.
Business as Unusual: The Triumph of Anita Roddick Find out about the trials and tribulations of Anita Roddick’s business, The Body Shop, and get inspired by her anecdotes and advice.
The Greatest Salesman in the World Let this book by Og Mandino inspire you to become the best salesperson possible, as his interesting quips and anecdotes offer lots of wisdom.
Think and Grow Rich In this book, Arthur Pell provides an update to the inspiring stories and advice given by original author Napoleon Hill.
The Law of Attraction Let Laurel Clark offers helpful ways to ensure that you stay positive and prioritize so that your business thrives.
The Magic of Believing If you like to think that simple belief can help make dreams come true, Claude M. Bristol teaches that you may be right.
Ben and Jerry’s: The Inside Scoop Whether you love ice cream, successful business ideas, or both, this book by Fred Lager will thrill you. Find out the inspiring journey of Ben & Jerry’s Homemade, Inc.
Real Power Business Lessons from the Tao Te Ching Allow James A. Autry to show you the power behind these poems, as they can often be applied to modern business despite their age.
The Art of War Few successful CEOs have skipped this ancient book by Sun Tzu. It is filled with information about Chinese military tactics, which are actually quite effective in the office, as well.
From Entrepreneur to Big Fish: 7 Principles to Wild Success Allow Lorin D. Beller to inspire you to get away from only thinking about the daily tasks that need to get done in your business, and start looking at the bigger picture.
Sweet Expectations Let Michele Hoskins take you on her journey of ups and downs of starting and maintaining a thriving business while being a single mother to three children.
Failing Forward: Turning Mistakes into Stepping Stones to Success Everyone makes mistakes, but few people realize just how important it is to do so daily since it indicates that you are trying and learning everyday. Check out this book by John C. Maxwell to get inspired by your next mistake.

Amusing Reads

If you feel like laughing with other entrepreneurs as you both reach for success, there are a few books you can pick up. Consider the books below if you want a laugh while learning a bit about someone else’s long journey to success.

Crazy Bosses If you have a boss you think is crazy, it might make you feel better to read this narrative about author Stanley Bing’s truly crazy bosses.
Typo: The Last American Typesetter or How I Made and Lost 4 Million Dollars If you feel like being amused at someone’s struggles to run their own business, check out this hilarious book by David Silverman.
The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur: The Tell-It-Like-It-Is Guide to Cleaning Up in Business, Even if You’re at the End of Your Roll This amusing book by Mike Michalowicz pares down the main rules of starting a successful business, and throws out some myths along the way.
If You Don’t Have Big Breasts, Put Ribbons on Your Pigtails: And Other Lessons I Learned from My Mom Have a laugh at Barbara Corcoran’s initial struggles, and be amazed at the businesswoman she managed to become today. This book is full of funny anecdotes and witticisms from her mother, all of which helped make Corcoran who she is today.
My So-Called Freelance Life Let freelancer Michelle Goodman use her amusing stories and fun wisdom to show you how to run your freelance career.

About Social Media

Most successful businesses these days have grasped the free resources provided by the Internet, including social media. Find out how to propel your business forward by using websites that you have probably already gotten familiar with in your free time.

Blog Schmog: The Truth About What Blogs Can (and Can’t) Do for Your Business Author Robert W. Bly discusses why he thinks blogs for businesses may be overrated.
Coolhunting: Chasing Down the Next Big Things Let Peter Gloor and Scott Cooper tell you how to become a trendsetter instead of waiting for trends to happen around you. Social networking on all the currently popular sites is brought up in this book.
Crush It!: Why Now is the Time to Cash in on Your Passion Internet marketing guru Gary Vaynerchuk will show you how to use social media for much more than just chatting with friends.
The New Community Rules: Marketing on the Social Web As you can guess from the title, author Tamar Weinberg discusses how to use various forms of social media to successfully market a new business online.
Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust Julien Smith and Chris Brogan show how you can use the Internet to connect with others and cultivate relationships so that your business can grow.
Social Networking: The Essence of Innovation Allow Jay Leibowitz to teach you how to improve your business with social networking and other secrets.
Facebook Marketing: Designing Your Next Marketing Campaign If you already spend time on Facebook, find out how to make your time more productive by marketing your business when you read this book by Justin R. Levy.
Social Media Marketing: An Hour a Day If you only have an extra hour or so a day and want to build your customer base, let Dave Evans show you how to put it to good use through social media.
Dirty Little Secrets of Buzz David Seaman can show you to use Facebook, MySpace, and other newer media outlets to market your business, rather than just sticking to the traditional methods.
Groundswell If you are not sure how to use social media to your advantage, let Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff show you how to get started.
Happy About Online Networking Let Liz Ryan show you how to get started using the Internet to network for free and build your business.
I’m on LinkedIn, Now What?? You might know enough about online networking to have joined LinkedIn, but you might not quite know what to do with it. Allow Jason Alba to lead you in the right direction.
The Savvy Gal’s Guide to Online Networking Despite the name of the book, and its alternative title of What Would Jane Austen Do?, people of both sexes can learn from Diane K. Danielson and Lindsey Pollak’s advice on blogging and online networking these days.

Books About Leadership

Being a good business owner requires leadership skills, especially if you have a large staff. Whether you already consider yourself a leader or want tips on becoming a great one, check out the following books that teach what the little-known aspects of a great leader are.

No Yelling: The Nine Secrets of Marine Corps Leadership You Must Know to Win in Business Wally Adamchik uses the experience of various Marines to teach readers the best way to become a strong, respected leader.
Your Management Sucks:Why You Have to Declare War on Yourself…and Your Business Check out Mark Stevens’ plan to help you become the best leader possible.
The Leader of the Future: New Visions, Strategies, and Practices for the Next Era This book is a compilation of essays by successful businesspeople regarding what leadership is, and what the qualities of most leaders are. It is edited by Frances Hesselbein, Marshall Goldsmith, and Richard Beckhard.
The Leadership Wisdom of Jesus Charles C. Manz, Ph.D, shows how some of the leadership qualities of Jesus could be applied to the modern business world with much success.
Lions Don’t Need to Roar Let D.A. Benton tell you why the best leaders are professional and personable, not rude or demanding.
What Got You Here Won’t Get You There Marshall Goldsmith shows readers how to engage and inspire others rather than nagging or bothering them, offering the chance to be a great leader.
The Discipline of Market Leaders Let Michael Treacy teach you how to lead not only in the general sense, but to become a leader in your target market.
First, Break All the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman will tell you what most leaders are doing wrong, and will point you in the right direction to become an extraordinary leader instead.
The Leadership Challenge Let Barry Z. Posner and James M. Kouzes offer tips for you to become the best leader possible.
The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership Let John C. Maxwell share various important rules regarding leadership with you in order to help shape you into the most effective leader possible.
The Leadership Experience Gregg Thompson and Ron Crossland use this book in their series to show readers how to stay at the top of their game as leaders of organizations.
The Leadership Moment: Nine True Stories of Triumph and Disaster and Their Lessons for Us All Let Michael Useem provide examples of leadership gone awry, as well as stories about leadership that is considered above average.
On Becoming a Leader Get a definition of true leadership from Warren Bennis, and learn how to become one of the great leaders that he thinks the world is missing.
Leadership is an Art CEO Max Depree discusses how to communicate well with others, use the strengths of employees, and more in this informative book.
Leading Change John P. Kotter tells readers how to take matters into their own hands to make a change and be an effective leader.

How-To Books

Sometimes you just need a list of tips to peruse, or a book of simple guidelines to follow. Consider the following books when you want to learn how to improve your business without having to take several classes.

Rules for Renegades Successful entrepreneur Christine Comaford discusses how she got to the top of every industry she tried her hand at, and how you can, too.
Awesomely Simple: Essential Business Strategies for Turning Ideas into Action John Spence identifies six main ways to run your business the best way possible.
Escape from Cubicle Nation: From Corporate Prisoner to Thriving Entrepreneur Just as the title promises, Pamela Slim offers tips and tricks to get out of a tiny cubicle and start your own business with successful results.
The 80/20 Principle If you have ever wished for more hours in the day so you can get more done, check out this book. Author Richard Koch teaches how to become productive than ever.
Eveolution: The Eight Truths of Marketing to Women Most companies would love to appeal to women since they typically do most of the household shopping, which is why Faith Popcorn offers tons of tips on selling to females.
Leap!: 101 Ways to Grow Your Business Let Stephanie Chandler guide you in growing your business from start to finish with her various tips.
The Martha Rules: Ten Essentials for Achieving Success as You Start, Grow, or Manage a Business If you admire Martha Stewart’s success in various fields, let this book reveal tips to become an entrepreneur yourself.
Ziglar on Selling Let salesman Zig Ziglar offer some tips on becoming the best salesperson possible so that you can market your business and sell your product or service well.
10-10-10 Use Suzy Welch’s technique for determining what really matters in life. You can apply these simple steps to your business, your family life, and even college.
Lower Your Taxes – Big Time! Everyone loves saving money, and since most profitable businesses often end up owing during tax season, their owners could benefit from reading these tips by Sandy Botkin.
Getting Started in Consulting Allow Alan Weiss to offer helpful tips for getting your consulting business off the ground the right way.
Your Idea, Inc.”12 Steps to Building a Million Dollar Business – Starting Today! Sandy Abrams points out that an MBA is not necessary in order to achieve success, and provides some tips for getting started as soon as possible.
No More Cold Calling Joanne S. Black teaches readers how to sell in their business without having to resort to the tactic that most people hate – cold calling.
Inspired Marketing Let Joe Vitale show you how to get rid of the old, clichéd marketing tactics and use fresh ideas to sell your product or service.
The 4-Hour Workweek Tim Ferris can show you how to effectively outsource your work so that you only have to check in about four hours each week, as your company will basically be running itself.

Learn Little-Known Facts

Whether you are interested in seeing myths dispelled or truly want to learn some new secrets that few other people know, some books can help you out. Check out the list of books below to get the skinny on various little-known techniques

B-A-M! Bust a Myth: Delivering Customer Service in a Self-Service World If you want to find out the truth behind various myths regarding customer service so that yours can improve, check out the advice offered by authors Barry Moltz and contributor Mary Jane Grinstead.
The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What To Do About It Let Michael Gerber dispel myths and rumors you may have heard about business, and offer inspiration on starting and maintaining your own company.
All Marketers Are Liars Seth Godin discusses how to market without flat out lying, as there is a difference between stories that are not authentic and ones that are just what people choose to believe.
Internet Riches: The Simple Money-Making Secrets of Online Millionaires Scott Fox provides readers with little-known tips on making more than a living online, as well as web marketing strategies, legal advice, and more.
How to Attract Money Let Robert E. Griswold teach you how to use your creative abilities to achieve success in business.
Buzzmarketing Most business owners want to get people talking about their company, but they have no idea how to get started. Let Mark Hughes teach you how to create excitement about your business.
One Year to an Organized Work Life Regina Leeds can point you in the direction of a routine that is more organized and easy to work with than ever, which is something that eludes many business owners.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Steven R. Covey can help you change your entire perspective on life so that you can become the effective businessperson you have always wanted to be. Get ready for a lifestyle change, since this book encourages it rather than just throwing out tips.
How to Sell When Nobody’s Buying If your business is going to make it through this rough economic time period, you need to find out the little-known ways of selling to a nearly impossible market. This book by Dave Lakhani provides tips that most business owners need to know but probably don’t.
Topgrading Let Bradford D. Smart, Ph.D, fill you in on a secret: Your company’s success often rides on your employees. Get to know how the finest companies have risen to the top simply by finding and keeping the best employees they could get.
The Power of Full Engagement Let Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz help you scrounge up more energy in your life than you thought you had. This book teaches that searching for extra energy is a lot more productive than trying to find extra time.

Business Startups for Women

When it comes to owning businesses, women are still in the minority. Fortunately, today’s ambitious females have lots of role models who can teach them how to get ahead despite being a minority in this field. If enough women read the following books, female business owners will likely not be quite so rare anymore.

75. The Sassy Ladies’ Toolkit for Start-Up Businesses Let several successful ladies offer tips for starting a new business without getting burnt out or bored in the beginning. The authors are three professionals themselves: Michelle Girasole, Miriam Perry, and Wendy Hanson.
The Mommy Manifesto: How to Use Our Powers to Think Big, Break Limitations and Achieve Success Kim Lavine shows ambitious women how to start a business without shirking their mom duties along the way.
The Mom Inventors Handbook Let Tamara Monosoff tell you how to bring your ideas to life through your own company.
Sell Yourself Without Selling Your Soul Susan Harrow explains how you can communicate your brand and your message to others while making a difference and making money with your business. It is a great guide to making it in the business world as a woman.
How She Does It Let Margaret Heffernan give you the facts on woman-run businesses, allowing you to get inspired and positive about your chances in the business world.
Bags to Riches: 7 Success Secrets for Women in Business Considering that men and women often think and operate quite differently, there is a real need for a book like this, in which Linda Hollander offers great advice for creating a successful woman-owned company.
Make a Name for Yourself: Eight Steps Every Woman Needs to Create a Personal Brand Strategy for Success As the title suggests, author Robin Fisher Roffer throws out several secrets that could help any determined woman start her own business.
Secrets of Millionaire Moms This is another gem by entrepreneur Tamara Monosoff, who founded Mom Inventors, Inc. from her home years ago.
Ladies Who Launch If you want some good reasons to skip business school, and want some inspiration along the way, check out this book by Victoria Colligan.
The Girl’s Guide to Starting Your Own Business Just as the title hints, Caitlin Friedman offers the best ways to get your new business off the ground if you’re a woman.
What Men Don’t Tell Women About Business Let Christopher V. Flett let you in on some secrets that men have been withholding from businesswomen for years.
Secrets of Six-Figure Women Don’t let being a female stand in the way of earning as much as men do. Take the advice of Barbara Stanny to make what you deserve.
Nice Girls DO Get the Sale Allow Elinor Stutz to show some of the best ways to sell so that your business is as profitable as can be.
The Power of Focus for Women Fran Hewitt offers success stories and little-known tips for getting to the top as a female business owner.
Birthing the Elephant Bruce Freeman and Karen Arbarbanel offer tips for women who want to start their own business without letting common issues get in their way.

Connecting with Other People

It is common knowledge that the majority of businesses require contact with both customers and employees. If you want to keep both groups happy, check out the following books to find out how to relate to people as best as possible.

Buddha 9 to 5: The Eightfold Path to Enlightening Your Workplace and Improving Your Bottom Line Let Nancy Spears inspire you with ways to connect the best way possible with your employees and potential customers.
The Networking Survival Guide: Practical Advice to Help You Gain Confidence, Approach People, and Get the Success You Want Diane Darling can show you how to connect with other people and communicate better than ever.
How to Win Friends and Influence People This is a classic by Dale Carnegie that you might have already read. If you haven’t, it is a great way to become well-liked by people, which can be enormously helpful in business.
The Magic of Rapport Let Jerry Richardson tell you how to communicate with others in such a way that they can be persuaded to do what you want.
Attracting Perfect Customers Stacey Hall teaches how to not only attract customers, but the ones you want most, which will undoubtedly make running your business much more pleasant than usual.
Who’s Got Your Back Keith Ferrazzi offers ways to clearly communicate with others, and create and maintain great relationships that help your business thrive.
The Power of Nice Authors Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval demonstrate that you do not have to be mean, ruthless, or unpleasant to others to get to the top in business.
The Power of a Positive No Let William Ury show you why saying no is not always a bad thing, and how it can actually strengthen relationships and businesses in the end.
Letitia Baldrige’s New Complete Guide to Executive Manners If you are ever unsure how to react in certain social situations that you encounter, be sure to check out this guide to get an idea about the proper etiquette.
Get Them on Your Side Let Samuel B. Bacharach teach you how to decipher what others want, and make sure they quickly become your ally.
Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High Kerry Patterson reveals ways for you to never enter an important meeting without being prepared to negotiate first.

This article was written by MastersDegree.com and its original source is here.

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