When you’re running a small business, it may be difficult to find the time or the bandwidth to sit down with a good book. It’s worth the effort, though, not least because reading works of fiction can expand your sense of empathy and recharge your emotional battery. And then there are business books, which can provide you with new avenues for enhancing or optimizing your current operations.

Business books can be especially helpful for those who never went to business school, and who may be figuring out entrepreneurship on the fly. If that’s the boat you’re in, here are a few titles you may find especially worthwhile.

7 Business Books to Add to Your Queue

1) Good to Great, by Jim Collins

What separates a so-so, just-getting-by business from a business that truly thrives? Jim Collins answers that question in this must-read book, which articulates some of the strategies businesses use to transition into a higher state of efficiency and success. 

2) The Lean Startup, by Eric Ries

What does it mean for your business to be lean? You’ll find out in this informative work, a book that details different strategies for building a sustainable business and for making the most out of limited resources.

3) Leaders Eat Last, by Simon Sinek

One of the keys to successful leadership is creating a work environment where your team members feel safe and well-cared for. This popular book provides some leadership principles that will allow you to do just that.

4) Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, by Daniel H. Pink

If you want to succeed in business, you have to have a deep understanding of what motivates basic human behavior. This book provides some keen psychological insights that can help you motivate your employees while also gaining greater understanding of your own entrepreneurial drive.

5) The Hard Thing About Hard Things, by Ben Horowitz

Every business owner will eventually face a difficult circumstance and a tough decision, perhaps even a tough decision about laying off employees or scaling back the business. Reading this book will prepare you to make these hard decisions from a smart, strategic vantage point.

6) Dare to Lead, by Brené Brown

Leadership isn’t just a matter of projecting strength. Vulnerability can be a leadership superpower, something this insightful little book makes plain. A great read for anyone looking to fine-tune their own leadership style.

7) Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, by Angela Duckworth

In this book, the author defined grit as a combination of passion and perseverance and explains how this concept can be harnessed to achieve long-term business goals. Certainly, small business owners in the home service field can benefit from a little grit!

Start Reading!

Time spent reading is never time wasted. That’s especially true when you’re working your way through a really meaningful, informative business book. These titles are all good ones to start with, and just might change the way you think about managing your company.