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101 Best Business Books... And Many More to Come
Maybe you have some of these questions rolling around in your head…
- How can I gain an edge over the competition?
- Exactly what do I need to do to turbocharge my career?
- I’m a budding entrepreneur, how do I grow my business skills?
- I’m a busy executive, how do I level up?
- I wanna know how great leaders inspire?
- How do I create radically successful businesses?
- Can I create uncontested market space?
- Should I break all the rules?
- Is Steve Jobs someone to emulate?
- Is it possible to have a personal life and financial success?
- How do business leaders grow rich?
- Are there business books entrepreneurs must read?
- Is there 1 business book that towers over the rest?
Then this collection of the best business books ever printed is perfect for you. I’ve scoured Amazon, bookshelves of other successful people, conferences, forums, and my own bookshelf to find these books.
These outstanding works will help you navigate the muddy waters of business life. Whether you want to master sales, digital marketing, leadership, or just about any other topic, you’ll find everything here. As a business leader and an author of many highly-rated books myself, I know the value of an exceptionally good business read.
For me, Why Stuff Sucks® began with the printed word. From that foundation, a company and a new paradigm was born. Realizing the suck in business life had a purpose and was actually a prerequisite for sustained and meaningful success. You can take these other bestselling business books wherever you go and in whatever format works best for you (audio, ebook, print).
Before we jump into the list of 101 books, check out the video above on why I started writing the Why Stuff Sucks® series of books.
Why Stuff Sucks® Business Books
1. Why Leadership Sucks® Volume 1 by Miles Anthony Smith
Formats: eBook, Audiobook, Paperback
Leadership sucks for sure, but it can be extremely rewarding and fulfilling in the midst of the challenges. What is about relationship management that’s so tough? Some consider it a calling to lead people; we need more of those to take up the mantle of leadership and lead with grace, class, integrity, and wisdom.
Why does it suck?
Because it requires near constant selfless service. Servant leadership is uncomfortable, humbling, painful, and counterintuitive at times. Yet, it’s the only kind of leadership that can bring lasting results, true happiness, and fulfillment. And if we don’t learn how to recharge our batteries, we will burn out, no matter how “called” we feel to the role.
In volume one of this series, I break down why servant leadership is the only way to go. It’s an easy read that’s laid out in 4 simple sections. It will arm you with the fundamentals that you need to become an effective servant leader.
2. Why Leadership Sucks® Volume 2 by Miles Anthony Smith
Formats: eBook, Audiobook, Paperback
In volume two of my series on leadership, I discuss the pain and pitfalls of being a servant leader. I cover more practical strategies, some of my business adventures, good habits, and a surprising truth that will round out your skills as a servant leader.
3. Why Career Advice Sucks® by Miles Anthony Smith
Formats: eBook, Audiobook, Paperback
- Struggling to find a job with good pay/benefits + doesn’t wholly crush your soul?
- Know how to discover more profitable job opportunities?
- What industries are the best to focus on?
Then Why Career Advice Sucks® is the book for you. In it, we talk about why college may or may not be profitable for your unique situation, some atypical career paths that pay more than you’d think, and how technology is roiling the landscape, creating as many opportunities as it destroys.
I’ll also teach you how to find the “right fit” career path and why staying longer at a job is less secure than hopping from job to job (flip-flop from what it used to be). Don’t worry; there is hope to be found in the job-seeking trenches, and I’m here to guide your journey with actionable advice.
4. Why Forgiveness Sucks® by Christopher Paul Elliott
Formats: eBook, Audiobook, Paperback
In this life-changing book, Christopher dives deep into his abused childhood and how the experience helped him uncover his authentic self. Elliott did so by removing all the fear-based beliefs from his troubled past. In this powerful book, he lays out four simple steps to deal with the negative experiences from your past and improve your self-management.
That way, you can begin to lead a more prosperous, fuller, happier life. And this isn’t just relevant for personal growth but has massive implications in our business relationships.
Chris was able to find forgiveness for his late abusive father. In doing so, he was not only able to find peace, but he stopped allowing his anger to control his life and working relationships. He’s now an amazingly loving father, husband, boss, and co-worker.
If you’re struggling to forgive someone in your life or want to know all of the implications of unforgiveness, this is an essential read.
Management Books
No business can succeed without top-notch management. If you’re eager to add to your people management skill set, these books are the best of the best.
5. On Becoming a Leader by Warren G. Bennis
6. The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene
7. When Genius Failed by Roger Lowenstein
8. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
9. Dare to Lead By Brené Brown
10. The First-Time Manager by Jim McCormick, Loren B. Belker, Gary S. Topchik
Strategy Books
A winning strategy can mean the difference between success and failure in business. These books will help you stay one step ahead of the competition.
11. Good Strategy Bad Strategy by Richard Rumelt
12. Playing to Win by A.G. Lafley and Roger L. Martin
13. Competitive Strategy by Michael E. Porter
14. Your Next Five Moves by Patrick Bet-David and Greg Dinkin
15. Built to Last by Jim Collins and Jerry I. Porras
16. Winning on Purpose by Fred Reichheld
Best Startup Books
If you’re just getting started with your business, you need as much reliable information as you can get. These books will help you keep your startup on track.
17. The Startup Owner’s Manual by Steve Blank and Bob Dorf
18. The $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau
19. Traction by Gabriel Weinberg
20. Hooked by Nir Eyal
21. The Art of the Start by Guy Kawasaki
Technology Books
In our digital age, business and technology are forever married. If your company is a bit lacking in the tech department, one of these books is a great idea.
22. Facts and Fallacies of Software Engineering by Robert Glass and Paul Becker
23. Software Estimation by Steve McConnell
24. Practices of an Agile Developer by Venkat Subramaniam and Andy Hunt
25. The Inmates Are Running the Asylum by Alan Cooper
26. Extreme Fundamentals of Technology by Bob Dukish
Best Digital Marketing Books
Are you still struggling to understand the complexities of digital marketing? Then you need to check out these books to get up-to-date. They provide succinct and reliable info for improving your digital marketing campaigns to generate more quality visits, leads, and sales.
27. Digital Marketing For Dummies by Ryan Deiss
28. Permission Marketing by Seth Godin
29. The New Rules of Marketing and PR by David Meerman Scott
30. Epic Content Marketing by Joe Pulizzi
31. Youtility by Jay Baer
Discover Our Why Stuff Sucks® Book Series
Self-Improvement Books
If you need a self-help book, these are for you. We’re all a work in progress, which is why we need continuous improvement all the time.
32. Why Forgiveness Sucks® by Christopher Paul Elliott
33. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
34. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
35. Daring Greatly by Brené Brown
36. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson
Customer Service Books
Is the customer always right? What must we do better than our competitors to delight our customers and keep them from jumping ship? Check out these books to find out the answer to that question for good.
37. Uncommon Service by Frances Frei
38. The Nordstrom Way to Customer Experience Excellence by Robert Spector
39. The Amazement Revolution by Shep Hyken
40. Hug Your Haters by Jay Baer
41. The Thank You Economy by Gary Vaynerchuk
Best Business Biographies
If you want to get to the top, you need to learn from the best. These fantastic business biographies will help you do just that (as well as avoid some crippling mistakes.)
42. Elon Musk by Ashlee Vance
43. A Bad Case of Capitalism by Shiraz Balolia
44. The Ride of a Lifetime by Robert Iger
45. Vanderbilt by Anderson Cooper
46. The Chief by David Nasaw
Leadership Books
A company can’t truly take off without excellent leadership in place. Once you read these great books, you’ll be a star servant leader.
47. Why Leadership Sucks® Volume 1 by Miles Anthony Smith
48. Why Leadership Sucks® Volume 2 by Miles Anthony Smith
49. Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink
50. Start with Why by Simon Sinek
51. Traction by Gino Wickman
Entrepreneurship Books
Tired of working the same old 9-5 job? Then it’s time to pull yourself up by your bootstraps and start your own business.
Or maybe you’re already in business for yourself and are looking to expand. These excellent books will show aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners the way.
52. Sexy Money by Genevieve Rackham
53. Profit First by Mike Michalowicz
54. Twelve and a Half by Gary Vaynerchuk
55. The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber
56. Measure What Matters by John Doerr
Career Books
Having a job and a career are two very different things. If you’re ready to quit your job and wonder if there is a more fulfilling and purposeful career, you should be reaching for these.
57. Why Career Advice Sucks® by Miles Anthony Smith
58. StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath
59. The Successful Speaker by Grant Baldwin
60. Rise by Patty Azzarello
61. 60 Seconds and You’re Hired! by Robin Ryan
Discover Our Why Stuff Sucks® Book Series
Best Productivity Books
Having trouble finishing all your work during the busy day? Are you constantly down on yourself for not getting everything you planned done. Then taking a quick peek at Amazon will do you a ton of good.
62. Getting Things Done by David Allen
63. The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss
64. Atomic Habits by James Clear
65. The Effective Executive by Peter F. Drucker
66. Deep Work by Cal Newport
Best Books on Success
Ah success, it’s what we all fight for every single today. If you are stuck trying to get to the next level, these can give you some fresh ideas.
67. Focal Point by Brian Tracy
68. Purple Cow, New Edition by Seth Godin
69. The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwarz
70. The One Minute Manager by Kenneth H. Blanchard and Spencer Johnson
71. The Monk and the Riddle by Randy Komisar
Books on Emotional Intelligence (EI/EQ)
Strong EQ is invaluable for anyone in business, and it starts with self-awareness. Being able to control your emotions while recognizing them in others is a powerful tool, and these books will teach you how.
72. Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman
73. Primal Leadership by Daniel Goleman
74. Emotional Intelligence For Dummies by Steven J. Stein
75. Emotional Intelligence for Sales Success by Colleen Stanley
76. Becoming a Resonant Leader by Annie McKee, Richard E. Boyatzis, and Fran Johnston
Best Digital Transformation Books
In today’s age, companies won’t get anywhere without proper digital transformation. These books will equip you with the tools you need to stay on the cutting-edge of technology, which now touches everything in our business and personal lives.
77. See Sooner, Act Faster by George S. Day and Paul J. H. Schoemaker
78. Digital Transformation by Thomas M. Siebel
79. Why Digital Transformations Fail by Tony Saldanha
80. The Technology Fallacy by Gerald C. Kane, Anh Nguyen Phillips, Jonathan R. Copulsky, and Garth R. Andrus
81. Leading Digital by George Westerman
Best Finance Books
Do you want to learn more about day trading, flipping houses, or the inner workings of Wall Street finance? Then these books are sure to blow your financial mind.
82. The Intelligent Investor Rev Ed. by Benjamin Graham
83. The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel
84. How to Day Trade for a Living by Andrew Aziz
85. Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat by David M. Greene
86. Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T. Harv Eker
Sales Books
It’s hard to find success if you don’t know how to influence people in some way. That’s why you need these tried and true sales books by your side, one’s even by an international hostage negotiator.
87. Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss
88. The Challenger Sale by Matthew Dixon
89. Fanatical Prospecting by Jeb Blount
90. The Little Red Book of Selling by Jeffrey Gitomer
91. To Sell Is Human by Daniel H. Pink
Discover Our Why Stuff Sucks® Book Series
Business Books for Women
Are you a woman eager to climb the ladder in the business world? These books are a must read!
92. We Should All Be Millionaires by Rachel Rodgers
93. My Life in Full by Indra Nooyi
94. Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg
95. Machiavelli for Women by Stacey Vanek Smith
96. How Women Rise by Sally Helgesen
Best Consulting Books
Becoming a consultant is a great career step for seasoned professionals. If you want to make the jump or improve your existing consulting skills, don’t ignore these.
97. The McKinsey Way by Ethan M. Rasiel
98. The Trusted Advisor by David H. Maister, Charles H. Green, and Robert M. Galford
99. Case Interview Secrets by Victor Cheng
100. The Pyramid Principle by Barbara Minto
101. Flawless Consulting by Peter Block
The Wrap-Up on Top Business Books
Books provide us with knowledge, and knowledge is power, but power is only activated by putting knowledge into practice and rehearsing it over and over until we become proficient in that area. In the competitive world of business, we need to grow in this as much as we can.
These books will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to kill it in your industry and rise above the competition. Also, don’t forget to check out the books in my Why Stuff Sucks® series.