Starting a business today isn’t just hard, it’s a minefield. With most startups failing due to lack of market demand, success hinges on insight, strategy, and the ability to pivot fast.
That’s precisely why reading matters so much for entrepreneurs. Business books let you tap into decades of wisdom, failure, and success without having to live through every mistake yourself. According to startup‑growth experts, founders who read regularly report gaining actionable ideas that they directly implement, helping them avoid common pitfalls and make smarter decisions.
For 2026, we have put together 10 business books every aspiring entrepreneur should read. These titles cover practical advice on building a business, leading a team, and thinking strategically in today’s fast-changing world.
1. The Lean Startup – Eric Ries
A must-read for any founder, this book introduces the concept of validated learning and rapid experimentation. Ries teaches how to build minimum viable products (MVPs), test assumptions early, and pivot when necessary. Perfect for avoiding wasted time and effort while finding product-market fit.
Key takeaway: Test your ideas quickly, measure what matters, and focus on learning over being right.
2. Zero To One – Peter Thiel
Thiel challenges conventional thinking, emphasizing creating something new rather than copying others. His “zero to one” philosophy shows how to build a monopoly by solving unique problems and creating real value.
Key takeaway: Focus on innovation, dominate small markets first, and aim to create something 10x better than existing alternatives.
3. Atomic Habits – James Clear
Success comes from consistent habits. Clear explains how small, incremental changes can compound into major results, helping founders stay productive and resilient.
Key takeaway: Build positive routines, eliminate bad habits, and structure your environment for success.
4. The Hard Thing About Hard Things – Ben Horowitz
Horowitz shares real-world lessons from leading startups through crises. From layoffs to board conflicts, this book gives practical strategies for navigating the toughest moments in entrepreneurship.
Key takeaway: Make decisions based on reality, communicate openly, and embrace the struggle.
5. Blitzscaling – Reid Hoffman
Hoffman explains how to grow a company rapidly in competitive markets, even when the path is uncertain. Learn when to prioritise speed over efficiency and how to manage the chaos of rapid growth.
Key takeaway: Scale fast, build adaptable systems, and know when to shift from growth to optimization.
6. The $100M Offer – Alex Hormozi
Hormozi teaches how to create offers so compelling that customers feel they can’t refuse. His framework focuses on maximizing value while minimizing effort and risk for buyers.
Key takeaway: Build irresistible products, remove friction, and price based on value.
7. Company of One – Paul Jarvis
Not every business needs to scale into a unicorn. Jarvis advocates building sustainable, profitable companies that prioritize flexibility, customer relationships, and founder well-being.
Key takeaway: Grow intentionally, focus on quality over quantity, and maintain adaptability.
8. Good to Great – Jim C. Collins
This classic explores why some companies thrive while others fail. Collins identifies key principles such as Level 5 Leadership and disciplined strategy that create long-term success.
Key takeaway: Leadership, disciplined culture, and consistent focus drive lasting growth.
9. How to Win Friends and Influence People – Dale Carnegie
A timeless guide to building relationships and influencing others. Carnegie shows how effective communication can open doors, resolve conflicts, and help you lead teams successfully.
Key takeaway: Build trust, listen actively, and communicate with clarity and empathy.
10. Think and Grow Rich – Napoleon Hill
Hill’s classic teaches the mindset and principles behind wealth and success, drawing on stories of highly successful individuals. It emphasizes persistence, goal-setting, and positive thinking.
Key takeaway: Mindset, focus, and persistence are as important as skill or strategy.
How To Make The Most Of These Books
Start with your current challenge: Pick the book most relevant to where your business is today.
Apply what you read: Take notes, implement strategies, and track results.
Mix learning with action: Reading alone isn’t enough. Apply, test, and adapt ideas to your business.
Stay curious: Follow authors, attend talks, and engage with other founders to keep learning.
Top Business Leaders Are Avid Readers
Many of the world’s most successful business leaders share one habit: they are voracious readers.
Chairperson of Berkshire Hathaway Warren Buffett, for example, spends the majority of his day reading, reportedly consuming 600 to 1,000 pages daily in his early career and continuing to dedicate roughly 80 per cent of his time to reading today. He reads a mix of corporate filings, newspapers, biographies, and other material to build what he calls “compound knowledge,” which helps him make smarter investment and business decisions, as per Time Magazine.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is another famous reader, completing about 50 books a year, often focusing on non-fiction topics such as technology, global health, and world affairs.
Billionaire Elon Musk grew up reading extensively, reportedly two books a day in his childhood, as per CNBC. He credits books with teaching him much of what he knows about engineering, physics, and business strategy, which helped him build companies like SpaceX and Tesla.
Businessman Mark Cuban also dedicates more than three hours a day to reading.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has shared books that shaped him, from To Kill a Mockingbird to Shoe Dog by Phil Knight.