5 reads on business and entrepreneurship

If you’ve listened to a few episodes of the podcast, you’ll know that I often ask my guests what they’re reading. Not surprisingly, books on business and entrepreneurship were popular with many founders seeking inspiration and motivation for what can at times be a demanding journey. 

If, like me, you’re always looking to discover new authors and ideas, or if Episode 1 inspired you to up your speed reading game, this list is a great place to start. 

1.

In Delivering Happiness, Tony Hsieh, the late CEO of the online shoe retailer Zappos, makes the case for putting company culture first. As he saw it, a combination of profits, passion and a higher purpose are essential for companies to thrive in the long term.

In Episode 11 of Made For Us, Florence Shin, co-founder of the inclusive eyewear company Covry says she was inspired by Hsieh’s approach to customer service. “I read this back in college and I remember it just changed my whole perspective,” she says. “The whole book is just talking about how he approaches customer service for his company and how he treats his customers essentially like family…That was just a total shift for me after I read the book and I would recommend it for anyone that has a business or is thinking about starting a business.”

2.

In Blue Ocean Strategy, W Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne divide the business universe into red and blue oceans. Many companies, they argue, focus on competing for a larger share in existing industries - red oceans. But as these established markets become crowded, businesses need to find blue oceans - “unknown market space” where there’s limited or no competition.

It’s a strategy that worked for Aaron Wallace, a male grooming brand targeting black men that has partnerships with retailers like Sainsbury’s and Saks Fifth Avenue. As co-founder Lina Barker says of the company’s early days: “We had this little niche corner of the male grooming space completely. We owned it at the time and it was us and no one else back then.”

3.

In Shoe Dog, Nike’s founder Phil Knight reflects on an entrepreneurial journey that began at the age of 24 shortly after he graduated from Stanford business school. He recalls his inspiration for creating the iconic shoe brand: “I had an aching sense that our time is short…and I wanted mine to be meaningful and purposeful and creative and important. Above all, different.”

Knight’s memoir resonated with Tina Singh, founder of Bold Helmets, which makes helmets for Sikh kids - particularly the story of how he went about finding manufacturers. “It helps me feel not alone in my journey,” she says.

4.

Walter Isaacson’s bestselling biography of Steve Jobs introduced many readers to the complex man behind one of the world’s most valuable companies. In addition to co-founding Apple, Jobs can be credited with transforming seven industries, including personal computing, animated movies, music, phones and retail.

Shariff Vreugd, co-founder of the eyewear startup Reframd, says the biography inspired him to embark on his own entrepreneurial journey, though he has doubts about Jobs’ leadership style.  “I always thought this is an amazing guy,” Vreugd says. “What I learned about him in the book is that he wasn't very nice all the time, but he had a very strong vision and he really believed in this vision. Also a very stubborn man, but very inspiring at the same time.”

5.

Dale Carnegie’s classic on how to be more likable is the only book that was recommended twice. With more than 30 million copies sold, it’s one of the most successful books of all time. First published in 1936, the book was an instant hit, partly because it gave ordinary American workers hope that they could improve their lives, according to Carnegie’s daughter, Donna Dale Carnegie. “It was a time in this country when we were just coming out of the Depression and people wanted a way to get a leg up, to improve themselves,” she said in an interview. One of those strivers was Warren Buffet, who says the book changed his life.

Quote of the week

“It is just not a human shade. Nobody is gray, nobody is pitch black because there are undertones.”

Cosmetic chemist Javon Ford’s verdict on Youthforia’s newly-launched Date Night foundation. This beauty influencer agreed.

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