Top Books to
Transform an
Entrepreneur’s Life
danmartell.com
Top Books to Transform
an Entrepreneur’s Life
Here’s the truth...
Second to people, books have had the greatest impact on my life.
It all started with a trip to the bookstore.
I was 23 years old, had started two failed companies, and was about to start on my 3rd.
I was so worried of failing.
I decided to look for guidance.
But I wasn’t a “reader”.
Up until that point in my life,
I had never read a book.
I’m serious... It actually took me 5 years to get out of high school because I wasn’t a great student.
Then it all changed when I saw a book called Love is The Killer App.
It was by a guy named Tim Sanders and he worked at Yahoo.
Since I was a tech nerd, it resonated with me.
I figured if I didn’t learn anything, at least their would be some good stories about a company I admired.
So I bought it... the audio book version :)
(Still counts, right?)
Once I started I couldn’t stop.
I binge-listened to that book over the next 2 days.
It literally transformed my life.
TOP BOOKS TO TRANSFORM AN ENTREPRENEUR’S LIFE
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Over the years I’ve read over 1,000+ books.
Reading is what shapes my thinking, my actions and are responsible for my outcomes.
That’s why I wanted to create this list.
I get entrepreneurs asking me all the time to recommend books... but the truth is, I
can’t do it justice without understanding the challenge they’re having.
So that’s why I created this list.
It’s the books that have stood out for me over the years.
They might not be the most popular but they moved me to take action and had a dramatic impact in my businesses.
So here you go.
How Should You Read Them?
Certain books can be listened to, in those cases I make a suggestion next to the author’s name.
Other should be read with a highlighter.
The key to reading is retention.
Here’s the dirty truth.
Most books could be summarized into 20 pages.
What makes a great book a GREAT book is it’s ability to suck us in and persuade us to take action.
It’s about a transformation.
To connect with a book you need to underline, highlight and share what you’ve learned with others.
It’ll help you go back and reference key strategies, quotes and suggestions
made by the author to help you improve your business and life.
Do the work.
Collect your highlights and review them.
That way, it gets ingrained in your mind and will help guide your decisions.
TOP BOOKS TO TRANSFORM AN ENTREPRENEUR’S LIFE
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What Should You Do With What You Learn?
The key to getting benefit from reading is integrating the knowledge into your life.
If all you do is read to be inspired but do nothing with it then you might
as well have spent that time serving a customer.
But...
If you read a book, and make a firm commitment to extract and implement 3
new strategies you learned, then you’ve integrated the learning.
After a while, it compounds and you will grow.
Trust me, it’s a beautiful thing.
It also helps build your confidence because the world stops seeming so mysterious to you.
Dan Martell
TOP BOOKS TO TRANSFORM AN ENTREPRENEUR’S LIFE
4
Starting a Business
The 4-Hour
Workweek
The E-Myth
Revisited
by Timothy Ferriss
by Michael Gerber
The Lean Startup
by Eric Ries
TOP BOOKS TO TRANSFORM AN ENTREPRENEUR’S LIFE
The Art of the
Start
by Guy Kawasaki
Getting to Plan B
by Randy Kosimar
5
Starting a Business
Think and Grow
Rich
by Napoleon Hill
TOP BOOKS TO TRANSFORM AN ENTREPRENEUR’S LIFE
Rework
by Jason Fried and David
Hansson
6
Sales
To Sell Is
Human
Ultimate Sales
Machine
Spin Selling
Predictable
Revenue
by Daniel Pink
by Neil Rackman
by Chet Holmes
by Aaron Ross
TOP BOOKS TO TRANSFORM AN ENTREPRENEUR’S LIFE
7
Sales
The Sales
Development
Playbook
by Trish Bertuzzi
The Sales Acceleration
Formula: Using Data,
Technology, and Inbound
Selling to go from $0 to
$100 Million
by Mark Roberge
TOP BOOKS TO TRANSFORM AN ENTREPRENEUR’S LIFE
8
Marketing
Purple Cow:
Transform Your Business
by Being Remarkable
by Seth Godin
Influence:
The Psychology of Persuasion
(Collins Business Essentials)
by Robert B. Cialdini PhD
80/20 Sales
and Marketing:
The Definitive Guide
to Working Less and
Making
by Perry Marshall
Positioning:
The Battle for Your Mind
Paperback
by Al Ries & Jack Trout
TOP BOOKS TO TRANSFORM AN ENTREPRENEUR’S LIFE
The 22 Immutable
Laws of Marketing
by Al Ries & Jack Trout
Getting Everything
You Can Out of All
You’ve Got:
21 Ways You Can Out-Think,
Out-Perform, and Out-Earn the
Competition
by Jay Abraham
9
Productivity
The 7 Habits of
Highly Effective
People
byStephen R. Covey
Getting Things Done:
The Art of Stress-Free
Productivity
by Brendon Burchard
TOP BOOKS TO TRANSFORM AN ENTREPRENEUR’S LIFE
The 4-Hour Work
Week:
Escape the 9-5, Live Anywhere
and Join the New Rich
by Brendon Burchard
The ONE Thing:
The Surprisingly Simple Truth
Behind Extraordinary Results
by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan
10
Productivity
The 80/20 Principle:
The Secret to Achieving More with
LessNov 9 2011 | Kindle eBook
by Richard Koch
The Magic of
Thinking Big
by David J Schwartz
The Most Productive
People in History
by Michael Rank
TOP BOOKS TO TRANSFORM AN ENTREPRENEUR’S LIFE
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Personal Growth
Think and Grow
Rich
by Napoleon Hill
Managing Oneself
by Peter Drucker
TOP BOOKS TO TRANSFORM AN ENTREPRENEUR’S LIFE
Awaken the Giant Within:
How to Take Immediate Control of Your
Mental, Emotional, Physical and Financial
by Atul Gawande
As a Man Thinketh
by James Allen
12
Personal Growth
The Success
Principles
The Magic of
Thinking Big
by Jack Canfield
by David J Schwartz
The Compound
Effect
by Darren Hardy
TOP BOOKS TO TRANSFORM AN ENTREPRENEUR’S LIFE
13
Venture Capital
Venture Deals:
Be Smarter Than Your Lawyer
and Venture Capitalist
by Brad Feld
What Every Angel Investor
Wants You to Know:
An Insider Reveals How to Get Smart
Funding for Your Billion Dollar Idea
by Brian Cohen
Get Backed:
Craft Your Story, Build the
Perfect Pitch Deck, and Launch
the Venture of Your Dreams
by Evan Baehr & Evan Loomis
The Art of Startup
Fundraising:
Pitching Investors, Negotiating the Deal, and
Everything Else Entrepreneurs Need to Know
by Alejandro Cremades (Author) & Barbara
Corcoran (Foreword)
TOP BOOKS TO TRANSFORM AN ENTREPRENEUR’S LIFE
14
Venture Capital
The Entrepreneurial
Bible to Venture Capital:
Inside Secrets from the Leaders in the
Startup Game
by Andrew Romans
Mastering the VC Game:
A Venture Capital Insider Reveals How to Get
from Start-up to IPO on Your Terms
by Jeffrey Bussgang
Startup Seed Funding for the
Rest of Us:
How to Raise $1 Million for Your Startup - Even
Outside of Silicon Valley
by Mike Belsito
TOP BOOKS TO TRANSFORM AN ENTREPRENEUR’S LIFE
15
Growing a Company
Scaling Up:
Traction:
How a Few Companies Make
It...and Why the Rest Don’t
(Rockefeller Habits 2.0)
by Verne Harnish
Get a Grip on Your Business
by Gino Wickman
Built to Last:
Simple Numbers, Straight
Talk, Big Profits!:
Successful Habits of Visionary
Companies (Harper Business
Essentials)
by Jim Collins
4 Keys to Unlock Your Business Potential
by Greg Crabtree
TOP BOOKS TO TRANSFORM AN ENTREPRENEUR’S LIFE
16
Growing a Company
Double Double:
Work The System:
How to Double Your Revenue and
Profit in 3 Years or Less
by Cameron Herold
The Simple Mechanics of Making
More and Working Less
by Sam Carpenter
Who:
The A Method for Hiring
by Geoff Smart
TOP BOOKS TO TRANSFORM AN ENTREPRENEUR’S LIFE
17
Starting a Business
Productivity
The 4-Hour Workweek
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
by Timothy Ferriss
by Stephen R. Covey
The E-Myth Revisited
Getting Things Done: The Art of StressFree Productivity
by Michael Gerber
The Art of the Start
by Guy Kawasaki
The Lean Startup
by Eric Ries
Getting to Plan B
by Randy Kosimar
Think and Grow Rich
by Napoleon Hill
Rework
by Jason Fried and David Hansson
by David Allen
The 4-Hour Work Week: Escape the 9-5,
Live Anywhere and Join the New Rich
by Timothy Ferriss
The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple
Truth Behind Extraordinary Results
byGary Keller and Jay Papasan
The 80/20 Principle: The Secret to
Achieving More with LessNov 9 2011 |
Kindle eBook
by Richard Koch
Sales
The Magic of Thinking Big
To Sell Is Human
The Art of Startup Fundraising: Pitching
Investors, Negotiating the Deal, and
Everything Else Entrepreneurs Need to
Know
by Alejandro Cremades (Author) &
Barbara Corcoran (Foreword)
The Entrepreneurial Bible to Venture
Capital: Inside Secrets from the Leaders in
the Startup Game
by Andrew Romans
Mastering the VC Game: A Venture Capital
Insider Reveals How to Get from Start-up
to IPO on Your Terms
by Jeffrey Bussgang
Startup Seed Funding for the Rest of Us:
How to Raise $1 Million for Your Startup Even Outside of Silicon Valley
by David J Schwartz
by Mike Belsito
by Daniel Pink
The Most Productive People in History
Growing a Company
Ultimate Sales Machine
by Michael Rank
Scaling Up: How a Few Companies Make
It...and Why the Rest Don’t (Rockefeller
Habits 2.0)
by Chet Holmes
Personal Growth
Spin Selling
Think and Grow Rich
by Neil Rackman
Predictable Revenue
by Aaron Ross
The Sales Development Playbook
by Napoleon Hill
Awaken the Giant Within: How to Take
Immediate Control of Your Mental,
Emotional, Physical and Financial
by Trish Bertuzzi
by Tony Robbins
The Sales Acceleration Formula: Using
Data, Technology, and Inbound Selling to
go from $0 to $100 Million
Managing Oneself
by Mark Roberge
by James Allen
by Peter Drucker
As a Man Thinketh
Marketing
The Success Principles
Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by
Being Remarkable
by Jack Canfield
by Seth Godin
by David J Schwartz
The Magic of Thinking Big
80/20 Sales and Marketing: The Definitive
Guide to Working Less and Making
The Compound Effect
by Perry Marshall
Venture Capital
Getting Everything You Can Out of All
You’ve Got
by Jay Abraham
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion
(Collins Business Essentials)
by Robert B. Cialdini PhD
Getting Everything You Can Out of All
You’ve Got: 21 Ways You Can OutThink, Out-Perform, and Out-Earn the
Competition
by Al Ries & Jack Trout
The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing
by Darren Hardy
Venture Deals: Be Smarter Than Your
Lawyer and Venture Capitalist
by Brad Feld
What Every Angel Investor Wants You
to Know: An Insider Reveals How to Get
Smart Funding for Your Billion Dollar Idea
by Verne Harnish
Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business
by Gino Wickman
Built to Last: Successful Habits of
Visionary Companies (Harper Business
Essentials)
by Brad Feld
Venture Deals: Be Smarter Than Your
Lawyer and Venture Capitalist
by Jim Collins
Venture Deals: Be Smarter Than Your
Lawyer and Venture Capitalist
by Brad Feld
Simple Numbers, Straight Talk, Big
Profits!: 4 Keys to Unlock Your Business
Potential
by Greg Crabtree
Double Double: How to Double Your
Revenue and Profit in 3 Years or Less
by Cameron Herold
Work The System: The Simple Mechanics
of Making More and Working Less
by Sam Carpenter
by Brian Cohen
Who: The A Method for Hiring
Get Backed: Craft Your Story, Build the
Perfect Pitch Deck, and Launch the
Venture of Your Dreams
by Geoff Smart
by Evan Baehr & Evan Loomis
by Al Ries & Jack Trout
TOP BOOKS TO TRANSFORM AN ENTREPRENEUR’S LIFE
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