5 business books every business owner needs to read
30th March, 2016
We live in an exciting time. Businesses are not only challenged, but surrounded by technology that is ever changing. Business owners are able to research issues and topics on many forums, as well as gain inspiration and advice.
Different beliefs, opinions and cultures can often be beneficial and help me as well as many of the clients I meet regularly.
With products such as MYOB Essentials, now giving back valuable time to business owners by being so efficient and always up to date, new and experienced business owners are able to better utilise their time and enhance their businesses on a variety of levels.
Another way to help innovation, growth and to dream big is by gathering information and inspiration by reading books. Over the years I have been recommended books by clients, who have taken the opportunity to dream big and achieve a high level of success.
These five business books are a must for all business owners – I have read and reread them many times. While they are all very different, I have gained inspiration from them all on one level or another.
1. Who Says Elephants Can’t Dance? – by Louis V Gerstner
This book is about CEO Lou Gerstner of IBM. IBM posted its most profitable year in 1990, but due to the computer sector rapidly changing, by 1993 they were on their way to posting a $16 billion loss. Lou Gerstner was brought in to run the company and change the way people acted and behaved.
I found this book inspirational when I transitioned from a sole operator to taking on seven staff ranging from casual and part time to full time.
This book gives you an insight into how to be a leader and motivate staff with a vision. It gives guidance for pushing the boundaries towards achieving goals together.
2. Crush It! – by Gary Vaynerchuk
Here, we learn how Gary Vaynerchuk turned his hobby into a successful business. Using branding and business techniques, he used social media as a platform from which to launch himself. Gary shows how to use social media, passion, transparency and reactionary business to his advantage, and happily shares this with his readers.
This book offers the reader some very clever ideas and inspires the reader to set higher goals and achieve them.
Many of our clients come to us with little or no social media knowledge. We recommend this book as it is accessible to people at all levels of understanding on the topic. Gary explains how times have changed, and to be competitive, you need to be out there.
3. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People – by Stephen R Covey
This book is about solving personal and professional problems by using principle-centred approaches. It is about living with fairness, integrity, service and human dignity.
While this book has been around for a long time, I have enjoyed reading it many times. Sometimes we all need to slow down for a moment and remember our values before putting them into practice.
This book offers wisdom on many levels. While mainly read to gain inspiration for my own business, it has helped me personally, too. Covey’s views are empowering and foster the belief that dreams are attainable with the willingness to grow and change and to see things from a different angle.
4. The Power of your Subconscious Mind – by Dr Joseph Murphy
This book combines wisdom and scientific research to explain the influence your subconscious mind has over everything you do. Dr Murphy explains simple and practical ways that you can turn your mind into a powerful tool.
This book helped give me the confidence to not only improve my everyday living standard, but to build the confidence to believe that I could take my business to a higher level.
Every now and then I reread this book and feel energised and able to refocus clearly. I feel that it feeds the soul and gives me the strength, knowledge and assurance to enhance not only work relationships, but friendships and close relationships within my family.
I highly recommend this book to business owners who perhaps feel they are in a slump, and business owners who feel they are ready to take the next step in growing their company.
5. Double Double – by Cameron Herold
This book is a guide to making the most out of life as an entrepreneur. It is based on the foundation of fast growth and explains it in three easy-to-understand steps: planning for fast growth, building a company for fast growth and leading for fast growth.
This book is an excellent way to plan moving forward at a fast pace. I found this book very helpful when interviewing to employ new staff. I wanted staff that were willing to learn, were committed to making a career in the financial field, and were adaptable to change at a fast pace as the laws and guidelines for bookkeepers are ever-changing. I also wanted to achieve a more balanced home/work life and found that by bringing staff in that were willing, I was able to teach them to take on new jobs while maintaining a high standard. I wanted staff that shared my work ethics and found this book pushed me toward that goal without getting tied down to one particular cause.