13 Must-Read Business and Leadership Books for Entrepreneurs

What books are you reading lately? We asked entrepreneurs to divulge where they find their startup wisdom, leadership tips, business advice and much more. Here’s a look at 13 must-read books they said we shouldn’t overlook:

1. 4 Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss

“The book helped to show me the importance of working smart and not hard. The regular work week is 40 hours, but usually, if you master your time, all you work can be done in 4, [thus] leaving you time to connect with those you love and much more.”

– Casandra Roache, Life Coach for Female Entrepreneurs of InspireMany: @InspireMany

2. Nature’s Secret Messages: Hidden in Plain Sight by Elaine Wilkes

“Your intuition is profound for decision making. To access this wise guidance, unplug! Have nature be your reset button. Einstein said his most important discoveries were literally [made] outside the lab. When you discover nature, you get a clear head and greater perspective.”

– Elaine Wilkes of W2: @elainewilkes

3. Good to Great – Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t by Jim Collins

“This massive best seller is popular for good reason; Collins sets out a compelling, scientifically backed, argument as to why some companies far outperform others in the marketplace. If you want to know the real secrets behind business success, along with the sort of leader you should aspire to be and how to build a company that trumps the competition, whatever sector you are in, then this is essential reading. For me, reading this book helped me identify what I was really passionate about, challenged many of my business assumptions, and inspired me to start my own business. ”

– Simon Ash, Founder and Director of The Right Questions: @TheRightQs

4. The Go-Giver by Bob Burg

“It’s all about being amazingly helpful, even when the immediate payoff is not apparent. This opened my eyes to the obvious-in-retrospect fact that the universe has a way of taking care of those who provide huge value to others.”

– Nick Loper, Founder of ShoeSniper.com: @nloper

5. Business by the Book by Larry Burkett

“Today’s consumers make purchasing decisions based on a company’s core values, and Burkett gives entrepreneurs a template for ethical business success. Another classic must-read for any small business owner is The E-Myth by Michael E. Gerber; if you don’t know the difference between “working on” and “working in” your business, you owe it to yourself to read this book.”

– Eric Koby, Principal of fatrabbit CREATIVE: @thefatrabbit

6. The Work Revolution by Julie Clow

“Whether you work for yourself as your own boss or work for someone else, there’s a ton of advice on increasing productivity while focusing on not only the right things, but what’s important too. Some of us entrepreneurs might not be ready to quit our full-time jobs yet, and this book will help us flourish in whatever business capacity we’re [currently] in. It’s all about changing the way the world sees work!”

– Carrie Smith, Digital Strategist of Careful Cents: @carefulcents

7. 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

“Follow the 7 tips, [the most important of which being] ‘Begin with the End in mind.’  As entrepreneurs, we can sometimes be opportunistic with the clients we work with.  To begin with the end in mind, a client must match up to your longer term objectives and goals to be a good fit now.  It requires a lot of discipline. ”

– Chris Malloy, Event Producer of ChrisMalloyEvents: @ChrisMalloy