Lauren Baker is a fine art wedding photographer serving Boston, New England, and available for destinations worldwide.
There are literally thousands of books out there but what are the best books for small business owners to read?
While I’m not an avid non-fiction reader – I read slowly and I need to be hooked if I’m going to finish a book – there are a handful of business books that I think are essential for any small business owner to read.
If you read only one book, make it Profit First. It teaches you not only how to organize your money but also how to give yourself bonuses every quarter. Before I read Profit First, I never knew how to myself, worried if I’d have enough money for taxes, and basically didn’t know how to run a profitable business. This book changed everything!
While it’s technically not a “business” book, you can apply the lessons from Dave Ramsey’s The Total Money Makeover to your business. His whole thing is to avoid debt – in all its forms if humanly possible. I wholeheartedly believe you can have a successful business without debt. If you have personal or business debt, don’t worry. Dave teaches you how to knock it down to $0 in easy-to-follow Baby Steps. Go pick up this book, read it, and if you have a spouse or life partner have them read it, too!
I came to Building A Story Brand by way of my husband. He works in marketing and bought it for himself before saying to me, “You know, I bet you might find this useful.” And it was. It helps you clarify your message to your clients and teaches you all about being “the guide” in your clients’ journey. It’s a great book no matter what your business is and it’s a book that can be revisited as your business grows.
There are so many other great books for small business owners that I could recommend to you but I wouldn’t want to overwhelm you. Start with these and let me know what you of them!
And if you have book recommendations of your own, I’d love to hear them! Drop them in the comments and I’ll check them out.