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Books for Startup Founders & Entrepreneurs
25
items I recommend these practical, insightful book for startup founders & entrepreneurs spanning business and product strategy, recruiting, leadership, sales, marketing, and scaling. there are hundreds of business and entrepreneurial books out there so...
Sections
6
business strategy
growth & scale
product marketing & management
team building & management
sales, marketing, negotiation
entrepreneurial journeys
business strategy
I recommend this in the early ideation phase as it will shape how you think about building breakthroughs and evaluating markets
Zero to One by Peter Thiel
I recommend this classic as a foundation to why incumbents get disrupted and how to compete. if you like it, consider reading the sequel too
The Innovator's Dilemma by Clayton Christensen
if you are interested in profiles on building enduring companies and examples this is a solid one I'd recommend
Good to Great by Jim Collins
I read this recently, it's a great framework and set of lessons from analyzing startup successes and failures
Pattern Breakers by Mike Maples
growth & scale
I recommend this as a frequent reference book that covers many different aspects of scaling and growing beyond product market fit
High Growth Handbook by Elad Gil
VC deals, terms explained. I recommend this before any fundraising round to get acquainted with the key deals, terms, process
Venture Deals by Brad Feld
read this if you're thinking about your operating tempo. great lessons on leading for hypergrowth by the former CEO of snowflake
Amp It Up by Frank Slootman
this is a great practical resource for scaling startups that I refer to, by the co-founder of Okta, helps navigate common challenges and pitfalls
Zero to IPO by Frederic Kerrest
product marketing & management
we use these core product marketing frameworks often. I recommend this if you're interested in nailing product positioning, messaging
Obviously Awesome by April Dunford
I recommend this as a solid reference as you think through pricing and monetization strategy
Monetizing Innovation by Madhavan Ramanujam
this is a classic that I recommend as you think through how to approach marketing from disruptive innovation to the mainstream
Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey Moore
this covers the standard Jobs to Be Done framework for product management that will help you add rigor and structure to your PM process and decisions
Competing Against Luck by Clayton Christensen
team building & management
I recommend this as a masterclass on leadership through process excellence, lessons from sports applied to business
The Score Takes Care of Itself by Bill Walsh
I recommend this systematic hiring framework which can help you scale hiring more systematically and effectively
Who by Geoff Smart
operational classic that will give you a good framework and operating system for running the company
High Output Management by Andy Grove
I recommend this to founders, new managers because it helps frame what effectiveness looks like and covers core productivity/management principles
The Effective Executive by Peter Drucker
I recommend this as a field guide for first time managers, Julie is candid about her own mistakes and pitfalls which makes it relatable
The Making of a Manager by Julie Zhou
this book covers common teamwork pitfalls and will help you think through team building, I recommend this as a quick practical read
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team - Patrick Lencioni
sales, marketing, negotiation
I recommend this for anyone looking to understand excellence in enterprise sales leadership and what to look for
The Qualified Sales Leader by John McMahon
learn how to scale B2B sales by the former HubSpot SVP of Sales, this helps model early sales hiring and taking a data-driven approach
The Sales Acceleration Formula by Mark Roberge
I recommend this one for its case studies and examples in business and geopolitics on negotiating and resolving conflicts
Negotiating the Impossible by Deepak Malhotra
I suggest this book as a great practical book on negotiating and resolving conflicts that is useful in many different scenarios
Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss
entrepreneurial journeys
I recommend this as a timeless and inspirational entrepreneurial classic about Nike founding story
Shoe Dog by Phil Knight
I recommend this entrepreneurial classic on the history and story behind Walmart's founding
Sam Walton: Made In America
honest realities, lessons, and bitter truths about the startup journey
The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz