Best business books: If a person is interested in entering the world of business and wants to know about books that are a must-read before starting a business, then this is the right place for them. Business is said to be a mixture of science and art. It is so because there are some principles, rules, methods and techniques that a person should be aware of before diving into a business. So, it is a sort of science. But the thing is that there is no particular formula for success. What works for one business might not work for another. This is where a person’s skills and talent come to play and what counts is how he or she adapts to the situation and makes the best of it. So, there is an art to business as well. Thus, it can be said that business, not being an exact science, is a mixture of art and science.
Regarding the learning of the ropes of the business world, there are several ways to do that. Some people take a crash course, some get admission to a business school, some take online classes and some people just wing it. It is not necessary that a person with a business degree from a reputed college will go on to become a successful business person. Sometimes, a person with no formal education can have a better business acumen than those studying MBA in colleges.
The best and most cost-effective way to gain knowledge about the business world is by reading books. Books can give a person valuable insight into the business world and also teach them about the do’s and don’ts that they have to keep in mind while starting a business. Through books, a person also learns from the experiences and mistakes of others.
There is nothing certain when it comes to business and entrepreneurship. Before diving in, one must be prepared and below is the list of 10 best business books one must read to make themselves aware of the cut-throat world of business:
Top 10 Books To Read Before Starting A Business in 2020:
1. Will It Fly?
Will It Fly? – How to Know if Your New Business Idea Has Wings … Before You Take the Leap
Everyone who is about to start a new business will have doubts in his or her mind as to whether their idea is good? Whether it is feasible? Is there something that is being overlooked? Does it have wings? Can this idea fly?
Author Thomas K. Knight has done a brilliant job in laying out a comprehensive checklist that will help the reader to see whether his or her idea has any potential to be successful or not. Knight, drawing from his own experiences, has made a 44-point checklist to help the readers and the people who want to be entrepreneurs. A person can evaluate or test his idea against this checklist.
1,979 rupees is the price at which the book is available on Amazon.
2. The Lean Startup
The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses
If a person is looking to go into a technology-related or software business, then this is the right book for them. Having been translated into more than 30 languages, the book also finds a mention in The New York Times Bestsellers List. In this book, author Eric Ries focuses more on the nuts and bolts that make the clock work instead of focusing on the clock. According to him, it is the boring stuff that is the most important. The book contains knowledge on nimble management, on how to increase work efficiency and on rapid prototyping.
The cost of this book on Amazon is 422 rupees.
3. Lucky or Smart?
Lucky or Smart? Fifty Pages for the First-Time Entrepreneur
The author of this book is Bo Peabody who became a multi-millionaire when he was just 27 years old. He founded 5 companies in different industries. In this book, he talks about luck and intelligence and their correlation. He says that it is a mixture of intelligence and luck that leads a person to success. According to him, one person needs to put himself or herself in situations where they can get lucky. He also explains how to capitalize on that luck and maximize it. One notable observation from the book is that one has to be smart enough to know and recognize when he or she is getting lucky.
1,104 rupees is what a person needs to buy this book from Amazon.
4. The $100 Startup
One major requirement that needs to be fulfilled if one wants to get into a business is money. But the question is, how much money? In this book, Chris Guillebeau says that one should make use of their creative thinking and leverage their hobbies, interests or talents to build a successful business. He explains how to efficiently run a business on a low budget. Guillebeau has, in the book, taken 50 case studies where people started a business with a very little amount of money. He examined these case studies to highlights the main factors in each case that made the business successful. If a person is of a lifestyle of adventure and wants to engage in a business that will not cost much and will also allow the person to live his life to the fullest, this is the right book for them.
The book is available for purchase on Amazon for a price of 197 rupees.
5. Simple Numbers, Straight Talk, Big Profits!
The author, Greg Crabtree, has used his experience as an accountant to write this book. Business is a numbers game. One just can’t avoid them. According to Crabtree, instead of being scared by numbers, a person should make friends out of them, take them on your side. The author mainly focuses on the financial side of the business and on how to handle money in such a way that it maximizes the profits of the company. Topics like the productivity of labour, human resources, taxes, revenue etc are discussed in detail in the book.
The book can be bought for 1,172 rupees from Amazon.
6. Rework
This book is a very unconventional take on the business world. The authors of the book are Jason Fried and David Heinemeier, the founders of 37 Signals. In the book, the authors ask the readers to throw all the conventional knowledge and wisdom of business out the window. According to them, all that a person needs to do to achieve success is to have a goal, the passion and determination to chase it. Combine that with the techniques in the book, and we have a perfect recipe for success.
A person can buy the book from Amazon for 455 rupees.
7. The Founder’s Dilemmas
The Founder’s Dilemmas: Anticipating and Avoiding the Pitfalls That Can Sink a Startup
This book by Noam Wasserman talks about the early questions that might come to a person’s mind while they are deciding what type of business to get involved in. Do I need more partners? How to raise money for the company? What to look for in a person during recruitment? The answers to these questions and the decisions made by a person accordingly can make or break a business. The book helps as a guide to help a person navigate through the difficult path in the beginning.
One can buy the book for 893 rupees on Amazon.
8. The 80 Minute MB
The 80 Minute MB: Everything You’ll Never Learn at Business School
Many people want to go to a high profile business school to learn about that world and to develop business acumen. But not everyone can afford that kind of education. The author of the book Richard Reeves solves this problem by providing this book to the people who do not have the time or money to go to a business school. This bestseller book talks about topics like creative thinking, inspirations and dynamic approaches.
The book is available on Amazon for 199 rupees.
9. The Power of Your Subconscious Mind
Written by Joseph Murphy, this book was published for the first time in 1963. It is one of the most well-acclaimed self-help books which helps a person to look inside and evaluate himself. This spiritual book teaches a person to learn about his or her fears and learns how to overcome them.
The book will cost a person 99 rupees on Amazon.
10. How I Braved Anu Aunty… Million Dollar Company
How I Braved Anu Aunty & Co-Founded a Million Dollar Company
The author of the book, Varun Agarwal, is an entrepreneur, a photographer and a filmmaker. In the book, he talks about his own life story. He talks about how he got a certain Anu aunty off his back, started to focus on his life and how he was able to fulfill his dream of becoming a successful entrepreneur. It’s definitely one of the best business books.
On Amazon, the book comes for 154 rupees.
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FAQs Regarding Best Business Books:
1. What is the book ‘Rework’ about?
Answer: The book ‘Rework’ is about taking an unconventional approach as to how to start a business. It does away with the traditional knowledge and sets new rules and techniques as to how to become successful.
2. Where can one find the book ‘The $100 Startup’?
Answer: The book ‘The $100 Startup’ is available on Amazon and one can buy it for a price of 197 rupees.
3. What is the price of the book ‘Lucky or Smart? Fifty Pages for the First-Time Entrepreneur’?
Answer: A person can buy the book ‘Lucky or Smart? Fifty Pages for the First-Time Entrepreneur’ for 1,104 rupees.
Answer: Greg Crabtree is the author of the book ‘Simple Numbers, Straight Talk, Big Profits!’.
Final Words:
The thing that is most important one must know the business world before he or she decides to start their own business. Not doing research is a reckless move. One should learn from the experiences and mistakes of others. The best business books listed above are great options for a person who wants to familiarise himself or herself with the business world. These books are also useful for people who need guidance as to how to start a business. A person learns different aspects of the business from these books like decision-making, creative thinking, money management etc. If someone is looking to acquaint himself with the world of business, these are the books they should read.
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