Continued education is a vital part of business development. Unless we continue to grow in our personal life, everything else we do will remain stagnant. One of the best tips I ever received was, “In order to stay relevant, you have to stay current.” The industry is constantly changing. It’s important to stay aware and make proactive changes as you grow.
One of the best ways to enhance your business knowledge, stay relevant, and improve your business growth, is to read. Reading keeps your brain turning, gives you valuable insight from professionals, and may even present you with solutions or ideas that you otherwise wouldn’t have landed on. Reading is key to your business development.
There are many books I attribute part of my growth and success to. Without this process of continued learning and personal development, I wouldn’t have the momentum I have today. Below I’m sharing a list of my top 5 favorite books for business development, entrepreneurial secrets, and introspective thinking.
Profit First
Mike Michalowics was confident he had the key to success… then he became a small business investor and lost everything. He proceeded to start all over again, determined to find a healthier process to make money. Mike has committed his life to researching and developing processes to make the entrepreneur successful.
In his book Profit First, he teaches business owners to go from cash-eating monsters to money-making machines. He breaks down the myths of the traditional accounting formula, Sales – Expenses = Profit, and how that mentality locks people into a never-ending cycle of selling more yet profiting less.
If you want to improve your sales, work smarter, and expand your corporate reach, this is a great place to start. Mike has years of business knowledge packed into one book that could just change the trajectory of your business for the better.
80/20 Sales and Marketing
According to famed marketing consultant and best-selling author Perry Marshall, sales and marketing professionals save 80% of their time and money by zeroing in on the right 20% of their market. This book leaves sellers and marketers with tools to stop wasting time, reach hyper-responsive buyers, and gain coveted positions on search engines.
This book is a great tool for anyone looking to methodically improve their high-profit opportunities. This book is supported by online tools, created by Marshall himself, to help sellers and marketers to assess their money and assets to radically improve their position.
If you’re looking for a tried and true strategy to boost your sales, manage your time, and improve your reach, this book is the perfect tool to get started.
Hook Point
We live in a world where it’s harder to get peoples’ attention than ever. Most businesses know who they are, what they do, and the importance of their mission… but can’t seem to get an audience’s attention long enough to show them that, too. Thanks to social media and the digital age, we live in a world of micro-attention.
Luckily, Brendan Kane, an out-of-the-box thinker and strategist who’s built platforms for people like Taylor Swift, Rihanna, and Fortune 500 companies such as Paramount and MTV, has mastered the art of standing out. And he’s willing to share it with you. In this book, he breaks down the power of hook points and how you can use them to package your message in a riveting and attention-grabbing way.
Whether you’re promoting yourself, your business, or someone else’s product, this book is a mandatory tool to stay relevant and prominent in today’s hyper-saturated digital space.
Atomic Habits
Atomic Habits is a great book for personal and business development. James Clear has helped millions of individuals improve their life and business by learning how to hone in on your daily habits. According to James, you just have to be 1% better every day.
This book gives you tools to make small, manageable, but effective choices that will radically propel your business. It teaches you how to break bad habits and replace them with good ones, avoid the common mistakes people make when changing habits, and overcome a lack of motivation.
Atomic Habits is a powerful tool for anyone looking to make tiny, easy changes that deliver big results. If you want to see big changes in your life, business, and bank account, make this your next read.
The 12 Week Year
Do you want to get more done in 12 weeks than your competitors do in 12 months? Then this is the place to start. The 12 week year is a process used by professional athletes, business owners, and thousands of clients who went from being mediocre to great performers by learning how to manage their time.
Forget annual goals; The 12 Week Year teaches you how to use discipline and principle to have effective execution in 12-week execution cycles. This book will help you identify your priorities and retain the sense of urgency to get things done. It will benefit individuals and businesses that want to be productive and effective with their time.
Get this book if you want to take back control of your day, increase your income, and speed your journey to success.
These books have all been influential in my life and business. I’ve used them to increase my productivity, profits, and skills. If you’re looking to elevate your entrepreneurial journey and get ahead of the game, learning from people who have already done the dirty work is the smartest way to start.
If you’re looking for more resources to improve yourself and your business, check out our recommended reading page here.
