1. Guy Kawasaki. Startup. 11 master classes from ex-evangelist Apple and the most daring venture capitalist of Silicon Valley
Who can better share thoughts with the audience than one of the first Apple employees, known for his inexhaustible energy and ability to find benefits in almost any risky situation. The book is considered mandatory for those who are going to start a business. An undeniable advantage of the publication is its segmentation into original master classes, each of which provides an answer to certain problems in starting a business. The structure of “Startup” does not leave the reader in the theoretical valley. Each lesson is followed by a chapter with practical exercises, where you can implement the information you have just received.
2. Bill Gates. Business at the speed of thought
The book has been translated into 25 languages and is published in 60 countries. All 23 chapters of the work somehow lead the reader to the same idea: modern business rules do not allow delays and only high speed of reaction will allow you to succeed. Without the competent use of advanced technology, even the brightest initiative will remain a set of ideas without implementation. In addition to revealing the aspects of modern business, the author shares his thoughts about the society in which it is much easier to realize your potential: which political and state system is needed for this purpose, which ideals to pursue and which to abandon.
3. Henry Ford. My life, my achievements.
As shows the first three winners in this rating – only a person who has really reached certain heights in his business is able to convey to the mass reader of soap in accessible language. As for the book by Henry Ford – it has gained popularity among readers in almost all countries, not due to the correct PR, but only through useful content. Despite the fact that the book is rather an autobiographical work, the information contained in it provides answers to questions about history, economics, and more importantly, for us, the right philosophy of production. If possible, read “My life, my achievements” in the original. Many complain about the strange and not always appropriate localization of the Russian-language edition.
4. Robert Kiyosaki. Rich Dad, poor Dad
It so happens that a person perceives information much more qualitatively if it is submitted in a comparative form. Robert Kiyosaki had a truly unique experience: he could observe the behavior of two fathers at the same time, embodying two types of modern worldview. This book is not a practical treatise on business techniques and tricks. Rather, it is an emotional story of one person’s life, who has made a choice and has overcome all the difficulties he faced after his choice.
5. Richard Branson. Nude Business
The author of the book founded his business already at the age of 18 and became a billionaire in one generation. After reading this book, you will understand the difference between the writings of a theorist who opened a stall with shawarma and a man who thoroughly studied the philosophy of business. But the biggest advantage of “Naked Business” is its honesty. The book consists of seven sections: “People, Brand, Implementation of Business Ideas, Ability to learn from your mistakes and failures, Innovation, Entrepreneurs and Leadership, Social Responsibility.
According to most people, the most useful and interesting chapter is “Ability to learn from your mistakes and failures”, as few business authors are capable of such comprehensive self-criticism.
6. Peter Teal. From Zero to One
Widely known entrepreneur and investor of the most popular Internet projects (PayPal, Facebook, LinkedIn, Yelp) Peter Thiel, pleases the reader with a non-standard approach to business ideas. The author believes that despite the defiant brightness and shine of modern gadgets and household products, we live in an era of technological stagnation, because after a certain period of time all the equipment becomes monotonous. The differences concern only design solutions and a few functions that can not make the product revolutionary. And the market needs something really new. Not copying already existing products with a minimum level of customization, and it is the creation of a unique product to which no one has not yet thought. It is around this idea that is fundamental to “Zero to One”. The author shows how unknown startups have achieved world recognition and shows what needs to be done to get to their level. Naturally, there is no magic form of success in the book, but the knowledge offered in the publication helps to understand how to properly strive for this success.
7. Igor Mann. Marketing without budget. 50 working tools.
The practical guide offers the reader 50 effective marketing tools to help you promote your business with minimal financial investment. Each of these tools is described in a meticulous and structured way. After reading, it seems that despite the expensive cost of the book, its true value is much higher.
8. Napoleon Hill. Think and be rich!
It is said that thousands of people who have read this book were able to use their abilities rationally and get rich. The first impression of the book is quite crumpled. The author promotes the idea that the thought is material (which is not new at all, and besides it is doubtful). But as you dive deeper into the work, you start to see more subtle and useful data that can really help a novice entrepreneur in his business.
9. George Clason. The richest man in Babylon
Easy to perceive and fast to read book. The main idea is that without success in money matters it is impossible to get on with your life. This material position is supported by a good syllable logical actions of the character. What is interesting, all the ideas in the book are described in the form of parables and stories from the lives of the inhabitants of Babylon. And despite the fact that the work gives very simple advice, they work almost perfectly in any society and in any era.
10. Carl Sewell, Paul Brown Customers for life
The author of this book has found a simple truth for himself: the whole business depends on how the customers treat you. And the attitude of clients depends directly on your actions. No company rebranding and brighter product packaging will make your business stable and profitable. Only the ability to communicate. And a lot of techniques and methods of interaction with customers and is implemented in this two hundred page practical manual.
11. Jim Collins: Good to Great
Jim Collins is the author of Good to Great, an economist and entrepreneur best known as an author and researcher in the field of business leadership. He is a doctoral professor at the Colorado County School of Business in Boulder, Colorado. He is known for his research and books on companies that have made the transition from “good to great.”
“From Good to Great” was published in 2001 and is based on research that Colins and his team conducted over a five-year period examining companies that have made the transition from “good to great.” The book presents the results of the study and offers insights and recommendations for how companies can make that transition.
“Good to Great” explores the topic of how companies can achieve and maintain a high level of success on a long-term basis. The idea behind the book is that successful companies differ not only in their financial results, but also in certain characteristics and principles that allow them to achieve that success. The book offers a series of tips and tools you can use to turn your company from “good” to “great.”
“Good to Great” contains many key points and ideas, including:
- “The Legendary Leader”: the book explains that successful companies have a leader who can attract and retain talented employees and motivate them to achieve great results.
- “Professional Cohesion”: the book argues that successful companies have a team that works as one and achieves mutual understanding and consistency in decisions.
- “Platform for Further Growth”: the book explains that successful companies have a system or platform that allows them to grow and develop further.
“Good to Great” book by Jim Collins is recommended reading for executives and business leaders who want to improve their company’s results. This book can also be useful for entrepreneurs looking for a recipe for success and investors who want to understand how to identify companies with higher growth potential.
12. Chan Kim: blue ocean strategy
“Blue Ocean Strategy” is a book written by W. Chan Kim and René Mauborgne, professors at the INSEAD business school in France. The book, first published in 2005, presents a new approach to strategy that aims to create a new market space and eliminate competition.
The authors argue that traditional competitive strategies aimed at defeating competitors in existing markets often lead to fierce competition and commoditization. In contrast, the blue ocean strategy encourages companies to create new market spaces where there is little or no competition. This can be accomplished by identifying untapped market opportunities and creating unique value propositions for customers.
The book presents a bluecoat strategy implementation framework called the Four Actions Scheme. This scheme consists of four steps:
- eliminating factors on which the industry has long competed,
- reducing other factors that the industry considered important,
- raising and creating new factors that the industry has never offered,
- aligning the company’s entire business system with the new strategy.
The book also presents the Strategic Canvas tool, which is a visual representation of a company’s current strategy and the factors on which it competes. This tool can be used to identify areas in which a company can create new market space.
The book is widely acclaimed for its practical approach and the many real-world examples used to illustrate the concepts. It has become a bestseller and has been translated into more than 40 languages. Many businesses, entrepreneurs, and academics have used concepts from the book to create new products, services, and entire industries.
Overall, “Blue Ocean Strategy” is a unique approach to strategy that encourages companies to create new market spaces and make competition irrelevant. The book provides a framework and tools for implementing this approach and reinforces it with real-world examples.
13. Richard Koch: The 80/20 Principle
The 80/20 Principle, written by Richard Koch, explores the concept of the Pareto Principle, named after economist Vilfredo Pareto, which states that 80% of the effects are derived from 20% of the causes. In the book, Koch examines the various ways in which this principle can be applied to personal and professional life.
One of the strengths of the book is that it provides a wide range of examples and case studies of how the 80/20 principle can be used in various industries, such as finance and marketing. This helps illustrate the potential applications of the principle and makes it easier for readers to understand.
Koch also gives practical tips and strategies on how to apply the principle to your life, such as identifying and focusing on the 20% most important activities and cutting out the unnecessary 80%. This can be very helpful for people looking to increase their productivity and efficiency.
The book is also well organized and easy to read, making it accessible to a wide audience.
However, some critics have argued that the book oversimplifies the Pareto principle and that it is not as universal as Koch suggests. Some have also noted that the 80/20 ratio is not fixed and can change depending on the situation.
Overall, “The 80/20 Principle” is a well-written and informative book that provides a good introduction to the Pareto Principle and its potential applications. It can be a useful tool for those seeking to improve their productivity and efficiency.
How to highlight important information from business books
Here are some tips for extracting the most important information from business books:
- Start with a quick read of the book to get an idea of the main themes and arguments.
- Look for key points and useful ideas, such as specific strategies or tactics you can apply to your business.
- Take notes as you read, paying attention to the most important and relevant information.
- Identify key concepts and themes that recur throughout the book, as these are likely to be the most important ideas.
- If there are case studies in the book, pay attention to them, they can be very helpful.
- After reading the book, review your notes and think about how you can apply the information you learned to your business or professional life.
- Review the author’s references and quotes to gain more knowledge on a particular topic.
Remember that the most important information will depend on your specific goals and interests, so prioritize what is most relevant to you.