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Entrepreneurial books to read in 2011

by | Feb 15, 2011 | books for entrepreneurs

Instead of reading books sporadically and having about 3-5 books on the go at the same time I have decided to pick 13 books to read in 2011. For a complete list of books that I have read and recommend click here.

1) The 4-Hour Body by Timothy Ferriss

 I know you love your business and that you want to spend a lot of time on developing and improving your business consistently. However it´s very important to take care of yourself as well! If you don´t take good care of yourself you will not be physically able to perform in your business either. I have just finished reading “The 4-Hour Body” by Timothy Ferriss and really enjoyed the book.

http://www.fourhourbody.com/

2) Getting Real by 37signals
Getting real is the business, design, programming, and marketing philosophies of 37signals – a developer of web-based software used by over 1 million people and businesses in 70 countries. This online book came highly recommended by a programming friend. The great thing with “Getting Real” is that you can read it for free online! See link bellow. If you are into IT systems and want to learn more about how 37signals do things this book is for you. I also recommend their book Rework. 

http://gettingreal.37signals.com/

3) 80/20 Principle – The Secret to Success by Achieving More With Less by Richard Koch
Entrepreneurs always need to think of ways to improve their existing business system and lifestyle design and this book is meant to be perfect at doing precisely that. 

Click here to read more about the pareto principle.
 

4) Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey Moore

Author Geoffrey Moore makes the case that high-tech products require marketing strategies that differ from those in other industries. His chasm theory describes how high-tech products initially sell well, mainly to a technically literate customer base, but then hit a lull as marketing professionals try to cross the chasm to mainstream buyers. This pattern, says Moore, is unique to the high-tech industry. This book came highly recommended by many IT professionals I spoke to. 

5) Start With Why by Simon Sinek


http://www.startwithwhy.com/



6) Never Get a Real Job by Scott Gerber

“A twenty-something hustler, rainmaker, and bootstrapper who has survived and thrived despite never having held the proverbial “real” job, Scott Gerber is the ultimate “Generation Y-er.” He’s a self-taught serial entrepreneur who built several successful businesses without storied business connections, a business school background, executive training—or investment dollars. And in Never Get a “Real” Job, he shows you how he succeeded so you can overcome today’s chronic conditions of mass unemployment, underemployment, and dead-end 9-to-5s.”
http://www.nevergetarealjob.com/book/

7) The Monk and The Riddle by Randy Komisar
Do you want to go into business for the sole reason of making lots and lots of money? Or do would you like to change the world and create a company that changes the world? In any case this book will help you find out what kind of entrepreneur you are. 

8) Going Mental by Jakob Løvstad

If you think of coaching as getting a pat on the back and gentle advice, then Jakob’s methods are not for you. If results are what you’re after, this is what you’re looking for! NLP Coach and Pro Cagefighter Jakob – The Striking Viking – LA vstad helps both pro athletes and business people through his AllConfidence.com program.

9) Buffetology by Mary Buffett

Warren is looking for excellent business economics and competent management. He buys into a business only when it is selling at a price that makes business sense, given its intrinsic value. For a crash course in the book click here to read Lynn Ostrems book report.

10) Hacking Work by Bill Jensen and Josh Klein

“Hacking work is he act of getting what you need to do your best by exploiting loopholes and creating workarounds. It is taking the usual ways of doing things and bypassing them to produce improved results, for the company as for yourself.”

http://www.hackingwork.com/

11) Unstoppable Confidence by Kent Sayre
When you become an entrepreneur and choose to do things differently than most poeple you will get a lot of peoples oppinions on what you are dong. Common things I have been asked and told are; this will not work. How much does the company make? On top of most people doubting what you are doing you will have the stresses of actually making the company work well to deal with. Learning how to create focus and mental strength will be a great skill for you throughout your career.



12) 8 Minute Meditation by Victor Davich
The Reviews on this book were excellent on Amazon. I will be asking around for the best book on this subject and updating this section. Trust me you will or are thinking of your business most of the time and learning how to cut it out for a period of time is a healthy habit. Thinking about your business all the time is not good for you. Meditation is a way to create inner peace and focus that in the end will bring you closer to your goals faster. 

13) Competitive Strategy by Michael E. Porter

Michael Porter is Professor at the Institute of Strategy and Competitiveness at Harvard Business School and a recognised authority on competition and competitive strategy.  His book Competitive Strategy was first published in 1980 and quickly became required reading on many business studies and MBA programmes around the world.
The book was clearly written to be a text book as it provides a very structured and somewhat clinical description of the subject, rather than the more narrative approach preferred by authors targeting a broader audience.  Nevertheless, it is an important work that does have a place on the bookshelves of practitioners as well as academics.