These are the top 7 books that influenced the current state of mind as NeedThat is being built out. This list is curated more for those that have launched or just having launched a business. If you’re looking for recommendations on books to get started on your business journey, check out Top 7 books to read to start your business.
- E-Myth Revisited – Michael E. Gerber
- Sell Like Crazy – Sabri Suby
- One Million Followers – Brendan Kane
- Living in the Light – Shakti Gawain
- The Soulful Art of Persuasion – Jason Harris
- The Obstacle is the Way – Ryan Holiday
- Business Model Generation – Alexander Osterwalder & Yves
E-Myth Revisited
E-Myth Revisited has been around for several decades but still relevant in todays. This is the top-recommended book if you’re looking to start a business or side hustle. The book provides a great overview of the different pillars of the person and people that make up a business.
Gerber references McDonald’s as the perfect business model for anyone to replicate. Most people will see McDonald’s like an old antiquated business but they’re still a billion strong. I’m still guilty of choosing to eat McDonald’s for any road trip I’m taking. He helps break down the reasons why it works and continues to work to this day. Bookmark ‘Founder’ the movie, available on Netflix, as your next flick to watch.
E-myth is available here on Amazon.
Sell Like Crazy
I was originally skeptical about getting this book as it was heavily in my face via ads, but Sabri’s team knows his audience. Coming from a longstanding background in sales, I didn’t I needed another book telling me how to sell.
Sabri Suby does dive into the a lot of psychological and strategic marketing with graphs, charts, and plenty of examples to reference off of, allowing his readers to understand concepts a lot more easily.
Book is available here on Amazon
One Million Followers
While most popular business books reference old case studies and businesses, it’s not as relatable in today’s time. What you learn about companies such as Oracle, IBM, and Google, you won’t necessarily be able to apply to your everyday life. Brendan references modern-day tools such as Google Trends and other marketing tools, most of which old companies are still learning to adapt to this day.
One Million Followers is current enough where Brendan references businesses that are current such as 9gag, a popular content site with over 100 million combined followers on all of their channels. There’s unspoken magic with 9gag as I am a frequent user of their platform. Unfortunately, I won’t be posting a picture of a potato at the end of this post.
Book is available here on Amazon
Living in the Light
Recommended by dear friend Omar Khateeb, his mentor recommended it to him and now asked me to read it. While the title itself already sounds like one who enjoys the art of zen, yoga, and the like, this book brings a really good perspective on listening to your intuition. This is something that I found to be in tune already based on my perspective of life after having gone through a traumatic car accident. With several surgeries, procedures, and continuous gastrointestinal issues – health is always top of mind. Living in the Light will shed some light on finding new paths and everyone’s journey will be different. Find it now on Amazon.
The Soulful Art of Persuasion
Jason Harris, a longstanding advertising and marketing guru. While isn’t the best term to describe him, he is the epitome of what a guru should stand for in its truest term, none of modern ‘e-com gurus’ who will teach you how to be rich in 6 easy steps. Jason has understood marketing on an instinctive level before he went through puberty and now runs one of the most successful advertising agencies in the world.
This book encompasses both personal growth and business success through wholesome means and what it truly means to be influential. Snag a copy here.
Business Model Generation Visionaries Challengers
This book is dense, heavy, and filled with research and analytics, almost like your college textbook. If you’re wanting to take your business to the next level, in a more systematic business approach you should adopt it. The information they cover ranges from various models such as mobile apps, razors, tech and much more. You can pick up a copy on Amazon here.
In Conclusion, TLDR
Each book here is one that I’ve read here in 2020, and it’s continued to shape the vision of NeedThat. Starting out, you’ll read popular books such as the 4-hour workweek, Think and Growth Rich, How to Make Friends, and Influence People, but as you’ve been in business for several years, the above list is what will help guide you on your journey. Leave a comment below for your favorite books that have helped you along the way!
