280 My 10 Best Business Books for Entrepreneurs - a podcast by Michael Veazey

"Leaders are Readers."



                                             Anon.



Best Business Books for Entrepreneurs

Reading the right business books has been a crucial - and pleasurable  - part of my development as an entrepreneur. From top business strategy books to books on investment in the early noughties, through the inevitable Rich Dad, Poor Dad and the much-admired Tim Ferriss (I'm a huge fan myself), I've covered a LOT of reading over the years, from the best-rated business books to the under-known hidden gems.



Here, in approx. order of priority for me, but sorted a little by category as well, are my top 10 best business books of the last 10 years.



By the way, the following links are Amazon Affiliate links and by my calculation, if you buy one of the business books mentioned below, Amazon will give me the price of about a 1/7 of a cup of coffee (at average London prices). This ain't gonna make me rich. It's 99% about sharing these resources with you! I just thought I ought to be grown up and make the effort to use my Amazon Affiliates account.



By the way, you will never lose out by paying affiliate commissions; they are always paid the merchant (in this case Amazon).

PRODUCTIVITY

Tim Ferriss: The 4-Hour Work Week: Escape the 9-5, Live Anywhere and Join the New Rich**

Several mini top business books in one...

Productivity

How to clarify goals

Internet business (e-commerce) basic startup strategy

This is so often the business book that inspired people I meet in masterminds or via mentoring to start their own venture. A beautifully crafted modern classic. Tim's wry observation, humour and quest for usable truths shine through after more than a decade.

Mindset and Entrepreneurial journey

Steven Covey: 7 Habits of Highly Effective People*

Clarifying roles, goals, productivity and time management.

An classic business advice book (and life advice),  which has stood the test of time.

I still use the Eisenhower Matrix which he introduced me to: basically the 2 by 2 matrix of quadrants:











Urgent tasks

non urgent tasks





Important/high impact tasks

Cat. I (crises)

Cat. II (business building)





Low-impact tasks

Cat. III



(reactive)

Cat. IV (time wasting)







Dan Kennedy: No BS Time management for entrepreneurs

Tales from the front line from a veteran direct marketer who Brought pre-internet wisdom to the internet abound in this one of the business books worth reading if you are really short of time and need help.

Very straight down the middle - eg “tame the phone” - and extremely practical. Unlike many books on time management - which take too much time to understand, let alone implement (that's some kind of paradox) - this is immensely practical. I have a well-thumbed, well highlighted print version that knocks around my desk. Every so often, I re-read it and it's like a session with a drill-sergeant business coach. Highly effective.



Amazon - Conceptual level

Brad Stone: The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon

What drives Jeff Bezos, what drives Amazon. Given that, as far as I know, the only way to predict the future is to extrapolate from the past, this is one of those business books that you simply MUST read if you sell on Amazon. Period.

Understanding the first 2 decades of Amazon history should help you understand where it might go in the next few years. If nothing else, it will show you how Jeff Bezos's mind works and how deep his customer obsession goes.

Further episodes of Amazing FBA Amazon and ECommerce Podcast, for Amazon Private Label Sellers, Shopify, Magento or Woocommerce business owners, and other e-commerce sellers and digital entrepreneurs.

Further podcasts by Michael Veazey

Website of Michael Veazey