No matter where you are in your startup journey, a good book about startups, entrepreneurship, or productivity in general can help. Which is why we put together a list of 15 of the best startup books to inspire, motivate, and guide you and your startup to success. Whether you are just starting out with an idea, pitching to VCs, or managing a company as a veteran entrepreneur, there is something for you on this list.
Best Startup Books
# 1. “The Startup Owner’s Manual” by Steve Blank
- Step-by-step process for starting a business
- Taught at top universities like Stanford and Columbia
- Over 100 charts / graphs and 77 checklists
# 2. “Who” by Geoff Smart and Randy Street
- Teaches how to hire the best people
- Can be helpful at any point in your startup journey
# 3. “Leading at the Speed of Growth” by Katherine Catlin and Jana Matthews
- Stories from over 500 entrepreneurs
- Can help you navigate periods of intense growth
- Guide for three stages of business growth – initial, rapid, and continuous
# 4. “Zero to One” by Peter Thiel
- Written by the founder of PayPal
- Full of interesting concepts for any type of startup
- Gives you an idea of startup life
# 5. “Hacking Growth: How Today’s Fastest-Growing Companies Drive Breakout Success” by Morgan Brown and Sean Ellis
- Written by CEO / co-founder of GrowthHackers.com and COO of Inman News
- Toolkit to help you grow your market share / customer base
- Walks you through process of making your own growth hacking strategy