Business books are pretty much my standard reading fare these days. Honestly, I barely read more than one fiction book a month, but am going through nearly 4-5 books on entrepreneurship, easily.

One of the key reasons is that my word for this year is GROW.

Grow our work life balance.

Grow our business.

Grow my knowledge.

Grow the more “concrete” business-y things, like our email list, pageviews, and visibility.

Yes, growth is what I’m focusing on.

And reading is how I grow.

If, like me, you’re ready to grow your business, experience a better blend of your entrepreneurial and personal lives, infuse more intention into your actions or simply, your knowledge in a particular field, you’re going to love these books.

Every single one of them is brimming with actionable, inspiring {yet NOT fluffy!}, make-it-happen words to fuel you up.

You’ll enjoy the anecdotes they share, the stories they tell and the lessons they’ll leave you with, long after you’re done reading them.

Must-Read Business Books for Entrepreneurs Who Want to Grow

1. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

Ever wonder why Bill Gates is well, Bill Gates? Or why, for that matter, some people seem to have all the “luck” in the world?

Outliers is what will help you understand that there is more to high-achievers and successful people than merely who they are.

You need to look deeper and understand where they’re from, how many hours they practiced to get to their expert status, who they met along their journey, what were the socio-economic conditions at the time, and more.

The book is highly motivating, encouraging and will pretty much change the way you map out your own journey.

My 3 takeaways for business growth:

“Ten thousand hours is the magic number of greatness”

“…we’ve seen that extraordinary achievement is less about talent than it is about opportunity.”

“…if you work hard enough and assert yourself, and use your mind and imagination, you can shape the world to your desires.”

2. Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg

Honestly, I ignored this book for a long time, thinking it to be yet another book written by someone who just *had* to write a book. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

THIS book, while written for working women, is in my opinion mandatory reading for every entrepreneur, man or woman. Really.

Sheryl Sandberg had me nodding, exclaiming, underlining vigorously and virtually high-fiving her all throughout.

Lean In digs deep into the how and why of women holding themselves back at work, but in a way that is easy-to-understand, relate to and accept.

Most importantly, the book inspires change.

A change in mindset. A change in attitude. A change in self-acceptance. All of which lead to growth.

While I’ve underlined pretty much the entire book, I’ve chosen {with great difficulty and plenty of changing my mind;)} my top 3 takeaways for you.

My 3 takeaways for growth:

“Owning one’s success is key to achieving more success”

“Trying to do it all and expecting that it all can be done right is a recipe for disappointment.”

“The best way to make room for both life and career is to make choices deliberately

3. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini

Whether you’re a professional copywriter, like yours truly or not, if you are an online entrepreneur, you need to have this book in your arsenal to grow your influence.

This is not a new book but the principles in it are evergreen and will help you craft content that your customers will want to read.

Influence will help you understand why people say “yes” and more importantly, how YOU can apply these psychological principles blended well with your integrity and authenticity.

I learnt a LOT and it certainly can’t be condensed into 3 takeaways but for the sake of showcasing how vital this book is if you want to craft any form of marketing … here you go.

My key takeaways:

“…it is important to understand that in most circumstances, consistency is considered valued and adaptive.”

“We will use the actions of others to decide on proper behavior for ourselves, especially when we view those others as similar to ourselves.”

“The idea of potential loss plays a large role in human decision making.”

4. Thrive by Arianna Huffington

So, this one too was a real surprise and a pleasant one too.

I’ve long admired Arianna Huffington for being a real powerhouse and my impression of her was one of those always charged up, always on the go businesswomen, but this book showed me that while she is highly motivated and passionate, she is also committed to self-care and savoring life.

Thrive is the book that will be guiding my growth in my personal life– slowing down, connecting with who I really am, disconnecting from tech often and not struggling with “hurry sickness” and “time famine”.

If you need to be more intentional about your time management, self-care and well-being, this is the book you need.

My key takeaways:

“Our hyperconnectedness is the snake lurking in our digital Garden of Eden.”

“Learning to be vulnerable without shame and accepting our emotions without judgment becomes much easier when we realize that we are more than our emotions, our thoughts, our fears, and our personalities.

“A purpose of life is to expand the boundaries of our love, to widen the circle of our concern, to open up rather than shut down, and to expand rather than contract.”

5. Will the Real You Please Stand Up by Kim Garst

So this is this book that I started reading on my Kindle while we were on a short break last weekend.

It is SO good and it resonated with me on so many levels that I had to share it on Instagram.

In this day and age where we’re all talking about “positioning” and “messaging”, Kim Garst is urging business owners, big or small, to be “real”.

Not just encouragement, Kim offers case studies and actionable tips that you can implement to be more YOU when interacting socially with your audience.

Something you know I feel real strongly about.

My key takeaways:

“If your intent is to build a strong brand, your authenticity and integrity are critical to your success.”

“More than the symbols of the brand, the brand is made up of all the feelings and emotions associated             with that brand that customers have.”

“Remember, everything you say, post and do is a reflection of your brand identity.”

6. Quiet Power Strategy by Tara Gentile

Oh.my.gosh.

Yes.

That was my reaction once I finished reading Quiet Power Strategy on my Kindle. It blew my mind with it’s depth, it’s clarity and the fire that it left burning in my soul.

Yes, a book can do that. But am not surprised. I’ve followed {and respected} Tara long enough to know that she not only delivers, she delivers a masterstroke. Always.

In a world where everyone is telling you everything you “should” be doing, Tara tells you to create your own strategy.

Her book will be guiding my way as we grow this business, our own way.

My key takeaways:

“There are very few “musts” in the world of business. When you decide what you want to create and how you want to connect with others to provide that value, you make proactive decisions that are uniquely yours.

“Your Quiet Power Strategy is your personal approach to what works.”

“Discomfort will come from discovering what it is about you and your business that really works and pushing that to the nth degree. Disease will come from feeling like you’re constantly teetering on the edge of a cliff. On the other side of discomfort, there’s growth. On the other side of disease is a long, fast fall.”

So, which one of these 6 must-read business books will YOU be digging into and nourishing your self with? Do you have one that you feel like I do about these 6? Share with me!

Disclosure: NONE of these books were sent to me for review. I’ve bought every.single.one.of.them and don’t regret my purchase one bit, as you can clearly see. 😉 The post does have affiliate links which means that if you buy one using a link on this site, I will make a little latte money while you don’t pay anything extra. Feel good fuzzies free