Being an Entrepreneur got tougher in the past couple of years. Even though the main stream media might push the notion that no one reads anymore, access to information has never been closer or more convenient. Nearly all of the tools that a business requires can be acquired online.
One of the best resources for business owners is Calibre downloads. Calibre is an online ebook management systems. Even though “knowledge is power” might sound like a cliché, the notion has more than a few historical examples to be proven true.
The current business environment requires a level of sophistication that mandates a certain level of studying. Entrepreneurs need to do their homework to be successful, and here are some of the books that potential Bill Gates’ need to read to turn their business ventures into successful ventures.
1. An Inquiry into the Nature and the Causes of the Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith
The title might not have made it past a modern publishing company, but this is where capitalism began. This is the free market economy Bible long before any other corporate baron or grandstanding politician grabbed onto the term and tried to adopt it as his or her own.
The book was first published in 1776, which seems appropriate because it remains as significant in the United States as the Declaration of Independence. Smith wrote his masterpiece for the educated class, but his sophistication does not lessen the significance of his vision.
Just as understanding the lessons of the Founding Fathers is important to being an informed citizen, understanding the principles behind free market capitalism is vital to a successful business. It is difficult to speak a language without knowing the basic rules.
2. See You at the Top By Zig Ziglar
The name might sound like it belongs to a cartoon character or to a circus act, but the master of sales is still going strong even at the age of 84. Ziglar is a master of interpreting language and voice inflection to turn a conversation into a successful sales conversion. Even though Ziglar wrote his first book more than 30 years before, its lessons remain as important and vital as even.
3. The Harvard Business Review of Entrepreneurship
Some of the best case studies from the business school that builds it curriculum on case studies. This is the raw data businesses need for success.
4. Emotional Branding by Marc Gobe
Humans are not rational creatures. Here are ways to tie human emotion to profits. It is far easier to create demand through an emotional response than it is to reinvent the wheel.
5. The Zen of Social Media Marketing by Shama Kabani
She lays out some of great ways to promote a business and achieve inner peace. This book might even finally explain why people like Twitter.
These are five of the most important books to consider reading before starting a business. Even though the lessons in these books will serve any business owner well they are hardly the only books that can help inspire. What are some books that inspired you or other business leaders?