Reading.
Maybe it's something you love. Maybe it's something you hate.
Either way, reading has been scientifically proven to make you smarter, help you concentrate, and reduce stress. Instead of letting your Kindle gather dust, why not resolve to read a book this month?
In honor of Books Every Entrepreneur Should Read, our unique book database, I asked the Grasshopper team to share their favorite books for small business owners and entrepreneurs. Their diverse picks are inspiring, insightful, and helpful.
Don't wait to pick up these books. Dive in!
1.Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
What's more dangerous, a gun or a swimming pool? What do schoolteachers and sumo wrestlers have in common. In Freakonomics, Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner explore the economics of every day things, bringing forth a fascinating and unconventional perspective on the modern world. This is a fun book to read, entertaining you while teaching you about data and statistics.
The most interesting thing to me about Freakonomics wasn’t that 'conventional wisdom” is not always accurate. It was that looking at the same data differently or at different data altogether can lead to unique insights – which is crucial for every small business.
- Len Bruskiewitz, Director of Partnerships
2. The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman
How did your door knob come to be?_ The Design of Everyday Things_ explores the history of our most beloved objects and appliances, while explaining what makes some soar and others flop. Don Norman outlines a few rules for good designs-- visibility, exploitation of natural relationships, and intelligent use of constraints-- which can help small business owners and others better understand the business of our everyday lives.
You'll never look at doors the same way again after reading his book. I love how his examples from over 20 years ago are every bit as relevant today as they were then.
- Darren Rosebrugh, Product Manager
3. The Thank You Economy by Gary Vaynerchuk
It’s easy for entrepreneurs to get overwhelmed by social media’s influence. How will you be able to reach all your customers on a personal level? Gary Vaynerchuk shows you how in this book. Read The Thank You Economy to learn how to leverage your social media channels to grow valuable, personal relationships with your customers. By the time you’ve finished you’ll know how to optimize the customer experience.
The Thank You Economy is a great reminder that times are changing and so should your business. Customers have a bigger voice than ever thanks to social media and marketing is less about how huge you budget and more about building strong customer relationships.
- Allison Canty, Customer Engagement Manager
4. Rework by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson
Read Rework if you’re in need of a good rewiring. The is a quick and easy read brought to you by those behind 37signals, and is great way to look at the approach of starting a company. Don’t get overwhelmed. Instead, read this book and come out motivated and refreshed, armed with the tools you’ll need along the way and a playbook complete with a feeling of community.
Rework is an easy-to-read book about doing business your way, helping you re-think what it even means to do business.
- Emma Siemasko, Content Marketing Specialist
5. Mastering The Rockefeller Habits by Verne Harnish
Rockefeller may have been building Standard Oil Company 100 years ago, but there's lots to learn from the famous business mogul and philanthropist. In this book, Verne Harnish details eight practical actions you can take to strengthen your internal culture. Examples from the best-run firms on the planets abound. Plus, there's an extra chapter on how to get banks to finance your business.
This book is a road map, filled with tools for the reader to use at their own discretion, that outlines a clear journey to a success trajectory. I’d recommend this book to any entrepreneur - it makes you think and forces you to break down your weaknesses and turn them into your strengths.
- Stacy Kadesch, Office Manager
6. Good to Greatby Jim Collins
In the world of business there is always room for improvement. In this book, Jim Collins takes a look at twenty-eight companies that have gone from good to great and even better and the steps they’ve taken to do so. This book will prove that companies don’t have to be “born great” but with strategic steps they can make it to the top just the same.
A must read for any entrepreneur or business person, from learning about getting the right people on the bus to discipline and everything in between. A real study of how great companies are built.
- David Hauser, Co-founder and CTO
7. Crossing The Chasm by Geoffrey A. Moore
To successfully market to your customers you must close the gap between your business and its market. Geoffrey Moore shows you how to do just that in _Crossing The Chasm. _By the time you’re finished you’ll have gained a newfound confidence in your knowledge of high tech marketing and how to use it to reach your customers.
Crossing the Chasm is a great marketing strategy book and does an excellent job of explaining the dynamics of early stage technology markets. I loved the clarity of this description along with how the book lays out the keys to successfully selling technology products in markets with complex sales cycles. Even though this is an older book it is a must read for anyone marketing or selling technology products.
- Mike Morris, Vice President of Customer Acquisition and Retention
8. The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande
Every entrepreneur wants to be successful. Turns out, there’s no way to do this without a team. The Checklist Manifesto details how to organize and empower teams so they can be way more awesome. As a surgeon, Atul Guwande knows a great deal about procedure and the various outcomes—he uses anecdotes from various industries to illustrate how a checklists can help organize and improve teams.
Atul Gawande shares how a simple checklist can be a powerful tool to organize, gain efficiency, and even make life safer. I found his stories and examples to be quite eye opening. The author proves that all industries and jobs can benefit from incorporating a checklist, even roles that require complex tasks. I enjoyed this book a lot and definitely walked away with a new perspective.
- Jenn Joos, Director of People & Culture
9. Buzzmarketing by Mark Hughes
Mark Hughes turned around Half.com’s business when he convinced Halfway, Oregon to change their name to Half.com! Pick up this book to learn about the real value of buzz marketing and how whether you’re an enterprise or start-up, buzz can be the foundation of your marketing. Complete with lists of dos and don’t as well as examples of how many companies use buzz to their benefit, this book will keep you entertained and leave you buzzing with ideas.
The book is great to get you thinking outside the box about making a name for your company. I know that sounds cliche, and not all of us can try to rename an entire town after our company like Half.com did back in the day. However, it speaks to the larger point that getting noticed requires you to do something awesome that makes other people stop and stare.
- Taylor Aldredge, Ambassador of Buzz
These are our only some of our favorites. What are your favorite business books? What has inspired you? Please share!
