Books for Creative Entrepreneurs

As well as my own books (of course!), these are just a few of the books I would recommend creative entrepreneurs to read.


The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It
by Michael E. Gerber

How to work not ‘in’ but ‘on’ a business in order to make it into a money-making machine that doesn’t need you to run it.


The Curve: Turning Followers into Superfans
by Nicholas Lovell

How to focus on the best customers, who love everything you do, then keep offering them more and more value – at higher prices.


Good Strategy/Bad Strategy: The difference and why it matters
by Richard Rumelt

The best book I’ve read on strategy. Strategy is NOT about aims or annual growth targets, but what you need to do, whenever necessary, to outmanouevre competitors.


Exponential Organizations: Why new organizations are ten times better, faster, and cheaper than yours (and what to do about it)
by Salim Ismail, Michael S. Malone , et al.

Amazing and inspiring book about how businesses can scale up exponentially, even small ones, especially if they are digital and in the sharing economy.


Yes! 50 Secrets from the Science of Persuasion Paperback
by Noah J. Goldstein, Steve J. Martin

Fascinating and useful techniques for persuading customers, all based on solid scientific research that doesn’t normally reach the business reader.


The Lean Startup: How Constant Innovation Creates Radically Successful Businesses
by Eric Ries

The Silicon Valley startup ‘bible’. Build a Minimal Viable Product (MVP), get it out there amongst customers, get some interactivity (“traction”) with customers (not necessarily sales), then change tack (“pivot”) as necessary.

[Excellent short YouTube video summarising the main concepts of the Lean Startup]


The 4-Hour Work Week: Escape the 9-5, Live Anywhere and Join the New Rich
by Timothy Ferriss

Inspiring book about taking control of your own life, escaping the ‘rat race’, by setting up your own business – ideally one that pretty much runs itself.


Creative Mischief
by Dave Trott

Highly readable stories and inspiring insights from advertising guru Dave Trott.
Also check out his other books: Creative Blindness; Predatory Thinking; One + One = 3.