Ten Summer Reads For Entrepreneurs

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Ten Summer Reads For Entrepreneurs

[quote style=”boxed”]”…pick out your vacation spot, pack a few books from our summer reading list, and head out on your first entrepreneurship vacay.”[/quote]

My daughter will start Kindergarten this fall. She hasn’t been to daycare before, so she’s attending a month-long summer kindergarten readiness course and she brought home her first library book this week about one of her favorite topics: lemonade.

That got me thinking about the good old summer reading list teachers would sometimes assign to encourage students to continue learning during the summer. With the official start of summer right around the corner, I’ve put together the IdeaMensch Summer Reading List for you to keep your entrepreneurial cogs rolling throughout the sunny summer months. Read our recent feature post about Insanely Simple Secrets for Winning Startup Ideas, pick out your vacation spot, pack a few books from our summer reading list, and head out on your first entrepreneurship vacay.

I’m giving you a top 10 list – 12 weeks in the summer minus two to relax gives you approximately 10 weeks of summer to tackle 10 books. I was surprised that no book was recommended twice in the latest interviews. Let us know how many books you read and what you get out of them. Let the countdown begin!

10. “Thinking Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman
Henk Jan Bijmolt, CEO of Suggestme, recommends “Thinking Fast and Slow” because “it is all about the process and pitfalls of thinking and will undoubtedly result in you making better decisions!”

9. “The E-Myth Revisited” by Michael E. Gerber
“For entrepreneurs, “The E-Myth Revisited” is a must read,” says Joshua Siler, Founder and CTO of HiringThing, a Saas provider that helps companies post jobs online, manage applicants and hire great employees. “It’s been around for awhile, but sheds light on why so many small business fail to grow beyond a certain limit.”

8. “The Black Swan” by Nicholas N. Taleb
“The Black Swan” is a life changing book,” says Siddharth Batra, Co-founder of Mine. “Nicholas N. Taleb presents a contrarian viewpoint towards life changing events and our inability to predict or be prepared for them in all walks of life.”

7. “The Soul of Money” by Lynne Twist
Co-Active Coach, David Frank Gomes, recommends “The Soul of Money” “because it teaches a great truth; that giving and receiving are equal.”

6. “Getting things Done” by David Allen
“Everyone knows the saying ‘time is money’ so it stands to reason that the more productive we are the more money we’ll be able to earn,” says Adriaan Smit, Inventor of WavyWand. “Getting things Done” gives some good advice on how to sort through your ‘to-do’ list and prioritize the tasks that need to get done. Even in a non-business setting it is always good to learn a few tips and guidelines to being more productive.”

5. “The Universal Traveler” by Don Koberg
Aly Khalifa, Founder of Gamil Design, recommends “The Universal Traveler” because “it explains how the design process is a journey of discrete steps – each of which needs a singular focus. It turns out that entrepreneurship is this type of journey too.”

4. “Atlas Shrugged” by Ayn Rand
“Atlas Shrugged” is “a book that reminds us why we are entrepreneurs, creators and will keep you motivated to do more” suggests Carmen Ciricillo, Creator of Construction Comedy.

3. “Made to Stick” by Chip & Dan Heath
Kent Houston, Founder and CEO of Patch Planters, recommends “Made to Stick” and says, “The SUCCESS model because it demonstrates to people how to communicate effectively. If your communication uses some or all of the following key qualities you will have a winning message; simplicity, unexpectedness, concreteness, credibility, emotional, stories.”

2. “Ctrl Alt Delete” by Mitch Joel and “The Power of Unpopular” by Erika Napoletano
Founder of The Savvy Copywriter, Kimberly Crossland, says her recommended book “changes like the wind” and chose to highlight “Ctrl Alt Delete” and “The Power of Unpopular”. Both books outline the future of business, the importance of having a brand, and how to give your company the kick in the butt it needs to grow ethically and effectively.

1. Steve Jobs
Last but not least, Cynthia Kellogg, Co-founder of Gift Gather, says Steve Jobs’ biography “will inspire you, if you haven’t read it. I was hesitant at first because Steve Jobs was a notorious ass-hole, but the book tackles it head on and the story is just incredible. He set out to change the world, and he didn’t let anything get in his way.”