The Best Business Books of All Time for Entrepreneurs

The Best Business Books of All Time for Entrepreneurs Looking to Grow Big

Today, I’m going to share the definitive list of the best business books of all time.

Because no matter where you are or where you want to be, the right book will help you get there faster, easier, and with fewer detours than you can on your own. The right books allow you to distill decades of hard-won wisdom in a matter of days.

Whatever problem you’re facing in your life and business right now…whether you want to make your first million…work fewer hours…or learn how to effectively lead a team of high-performers…

Someone else has already done all of the hard work for you and given you a step-by-step playbook for replicating their results. But it’s your job to uncover and apply their wisdom to your life. So today, I want to share the 35+ best business books of all time for entrepreneurs looking to grow big in 2020. If you will read and apply the lessons contained in these books, I promise that this year will be the most fulfilling and profitable year of your life.

The Best Business Books for Entrepreneurs 

1. Relentless by Tim S. Grover

Relentless is a raw, no-nonsense guide to mastering mental grit and 10x’ing your life straight from the master of mental grit himself, Tim Grover. The man who trained some of the greatest athletes of all time like…Michael Jordan, Dwyane Wade, Charles Barkley, Kobe Bryant. Relentless covers powerful insights regarding leadership, how to achieve greater mental and physical strength, how to be, well… relentless in the pursuit of your goals and join the top 1% of performers in your industry. No matter who you are or where you want to go, this is one of those life changing books that will help you get to the next level.

2. Man Up by Bedros Keuillian

If you’re feeling unmotivated, apathetic, or just need a good ‘ol fashioned kick in the butt to get you moving toward your goals, you need this no-nonsense guide from , Bedros Keuillian. Man Up will teach you how to eradicate the excuses that have been holding you back for years…(Hu)man up in your life and business…and achieve success at the highest levels imaginable. It’s raw, practical, in-your-face, and exactly what you need to go from where you are to where you want to be.

3. Unstoppable by Craig Ballantyne

If you’re struggling with anxiety, feeling overwhelmed by your life and business, and struggling to make your life “work”…to have the time for family, business, and self without losing your sanity…this book is a life-saver (and I’m not just saying that because Craig wrote it!) Unstoppable is the quintessential guide on beating entrepreneurial anxiety for good and building a bulletproof life that allows you to perform at the highest levels every single day.  If you’re ready to kick stress and overwhelm to the curb for good, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of this book.

4. The Perfect Week Formula by Craig Ballantyne

Why is it that some entrepreneurs are able to achieve sustainable success and performance…making millions…leading a super star team…and finishing their days by 2 pm, while other entrepreneurs struggle for years?Because the smartest entrepreneurs have a proven system for success and they implement it every day. The Perfect Week Formula is that system. A step-by-step guide to accomplish more by 9 am than you used to all day…and to working 10-20 fewer hours than your competitors…all while making more profits with less stress. If you want this year to be the year where you make your first million while cutting your work week in half…this book will show you how to do it.

5. Mastering The Rockefeller Habits by Verne Harnish

Some of the greatest secrets of success aren’t all that secret…They’re the same things prolific entrepreneurs and companies have been doing for years. In Mastering the Rockefeller Habits (or Scaling Up) author Verne Harnish details the invaluable leadership and management principles that were used by “the world’s richest man,” John D. Rockefeller.

But Harnish shares more than just rah-rah motivational content; he gives you step-by-step action plans and applicable strategies to craft your vision, build world-class systems, and create a business that runs itself.

6. The Ultimate Sales Machine by Chet Holmes

When you learn to develop effective systems to generate leads, make sales, and build a high-performing team…you’ve cracked the code to success in your business. And in The Ultimate Sales Machine, Chet Holmes dives deep into the process of developing those systems and routines to create lasting productivity and continual growth in your business…regardless of your industry or the economy. This no-fluff guide will do more than just motivate you; it provides actionable strategies that will help you add 10-20% to your bottom line month after month for years to come.

7. 4-Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss

Written by one of the most eclectic polymaths of all time, Tim Ferriss, this timeless classic is considered by many to be one of the best business books of all time.Don’t let the hyperbolic title fool you. The 4-Hour Work Week will teach you step-by-step how to break free from the golden handcuffs of success and leverage automation, delegation, and elimination to rapidly increase your income while working less. If you want more free time, more money, and more freedom to pursue your passions and do what you love…do yourself a favor and pick up a copy.

8. Ready, Fire, Aim by Michael Masterson

In Ready, Fire, Aim, Michael Masterson (aka Mark Ford–the original Founder of Early to Rise) details the practical steps you need to take to put your business on the fast track to success. From his comprehensive strategies on the “Four Stages” of entrepreneurial growth to working on your own terms to building a high-performance team…this book is one of the best resources you’ll ever find to help you hit the next level in your entrepreneurial journey and achieve the financial freedom you’ve always desired.

9. The Go-Giver by John David Mann & Bob Burg

It’s easy to surrender to the idea that success is all about being a go-getter. The more you hustle, the more profitable you’ll be, right? Well, not according to John Man and Bob Burg, authors of The Go-Giver. Instead, they dive into a different approach for success: giving. Mann and Burg share their insight through a story about Joe, the very definition of a go-getter who’s desperate to close a sale at the end of a disappointing quarter. When he seeks advice, he learns that adding value to others and putting their interests before his own can lead to success in a way he never expected.

10. Influence  by Robert Cialdini

Dr. Robert B. Cialdini spent 35 years doing intensive, evidence-based research, followed by three years of field study on what persuades people to change their behavior. Influence is the powerful compilation of his studies, describing the psychology of why people say yes and how you can apply these principles to your business. Cialdini’s work expounds upon six principles of influence you can use for good, and he also explains how to avoid becoming duped by those who use these powers of influence dishonestly. If you want to increase your influence…to unlock the ability to sell, motivate, lead, and inspire others with ease…this book will help you do it.

11. Getting Everything You Can Out of All You’ve Got by Jay Abraham

Creating new opportunities to build wealth isn’t easy, but it can be simple when you learn to spot overlooked opportunities.Jay Abraham focuses on how you can capitalize on these ideas with a fresh perspective and in turn, expand your influence, income, and success. He shares real-life examples of others who have used these same principles, like one clever entrepreneur who turned the concept of the ballpoint pen into roll-on deodorant. Getting Everything You Can Out of All You’ve Got will teach strategies you can use to creatively out-smart competition and see massive success.

12. Creativity, Inc.by Ed Catmull

Ed Catmull, the co-founder of Pixar Animation Studios, reveals the benefits of focusing on creativity in business in this captivating guide for leaders. Creativity, Inc. is one of the top business books for a reason; it serves as a handbook for anyone hoping to achieve originality and build a creative culture in their company.Catmull also spills the techniques that have made Pixar into the massively successful corporation it is today with an instruction like, “The cost of preventing errors is often far greater than the cost of fixing them.” This is a must-read for any entrepreneur…especially if you feel like your business is in a slump and needs a fresh new perspective.

13. Principlesby Ray Dalio 

Ray Dalio, Founder of Bridgewater, one of the single most successful hedge funds in history, consolidated nearly 50 years of entrepreneurial experience into what many are calling “The Bible for Business.”

Principles is a compilation of the most critical lessons investor Ray Dalio has learned in his life. He built the culture of his company, Bridgewater Associates, on the foundation of “idea meritocracy,” which Dalio describes as an environment that encourages contributions and creativity by all team members. Principles details how to effectively communicate, make decisions, and build strength within a company. And is one of the best business (and personal development) books ever written.

14. The Dipby Seth Godin

You’ve heard it or felt it: “if you quit, you fail.” Winners don’t quit…right? Wrong. One of the secrets of being a “winner” is knowing when it’s the right choice to quit, and then quitting quickly.In his best-selling book The Dip, author and entrepreneur Seth Godin helps you discover exactly “when you should hold ’em and when you should fold ’em”. This is one of the best business books you’ll ever read and it will give you precise systems and strategies for navigating the challenges of entrepreneurial life.

15. Zero to Oneby Peter Thiel

Peter Thiel co-founded PayPal and Palantir and invested in hundreds of startups like SpaceX and Facebook. And throughout his massive success, one of the most compelling patterns he’s noticed in his career is that the most successful companies don’t copy others; they create something entirely new. Instead of asking what has been done that could be done better, successful companies determine what nobody has built yet, and then they build it. Sure, it’s easy to make a carbon copy of someone else’s business, but Thiel describes how to achieve greatness by doing what has never been done and doing it better than anybody else could.

16. The Millionaire Fastlaneby MJ DeMarco

You were probably taught from a young age to go to college, then land a great job with a great 401k and penny-pinch until you retire or die. Does that life plan sound familiar?

If you’re sick of staying in the financial “Slowlane,” you need MJ Demarco’s no-nonsense guide on how to achieve rapid financial growth before it’s too late to enjoy it. The Millionaire Fastlane will teach you how to get into the financial “fast lane” and hit your first 7-figures faster than you ever thought possible.

17. Shoe Dogby Phil Knight

You’d recognize Nike’s swoosh if you spotted it anywhere in the world, but how much do you know about Phil Knight, Nike’s founder and CEO?

Chances are you haven’t heard much about this mysterious businessman, but it’s time to learn. From selling shoes out of his trunk in the 60s to massive setbacks, successes, the constant struggle that accompanies growth…Shoe Dog, arguably the best business book ever written, takes you behind the scenes and shows you what it really takes to build a “legacy” business.

18. Titanby Ron Chernow

Titan details the life and work of John D. Rockefeller, Sr., the world’s first billionaire and a man who is still regarded as one of history’s wealthiest people. One part biography, one part business book, Titan is one of the most incisive, polarizing, and interesting books you’ll read all year.

Although his story is full of controversy, but there are plenty of lessons to learn about this unique businessman who did a lot of good as he built wealth. Ron Chernow hashes out all the details of Rockefeller’s questionable history but also paints the picture of who this businessman was beyond his reputation.