The best business books you need to read in 2018

 It’s no secret ultra-successful business men and women are voracious readers. In fact, they publicly shout about business books being their key to success at every opportunity.

In 2016, Bill Gates famously told the New York Times that reading was the main way he learned new things, adding he reads a hefty 50 books a year. When Warren Buffet was asked what he thought his key to success was, he simply pointed to a stack of books and said “Read 500 pages like this every day. That’s how knowledge works. It builds up, like compound interest.”

Business books are an entrepreneur’s bread and butter, and if the notion that reading leads to success is true, then you’re going to want to read – a lot. Whether you’re reading for pleasure or you’re looking to grow or start your own firm, business books covering both successes and failures tell you everything you need to know. 

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From memoirs and journals, to guides and self-help books, we’ve put together a selection of the best business books to give you a crash course in how to understand the intricacies of making it in industry.

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The best business books

How to Get Rich – Felix Dennis

In spite of the title, Felix Dennis’ seminal book: How to get Rich is not a “How to get rich” book. The book by Alphr’s founding father tells the story of how a young Felix Dennis from South London sacrificed everything in pursuit of material wealth. It’s part memoir, part manual, and reading it will show you why the chase for millions will not make you automatically happy. 

The publishing and media mogul, who made £750 million, recounts the cold, hard truth about getting rich. He ruminates in poetry while still managing to provide sound, valuable advice along the way.

Blockchain Basics: A non-technical introduction in 25 steps – Daniel Drescher

The blockchain and cryptocurrency are driving major changes in the new world of digital economics. Blockchain Basicsprovides a broad overview of cryptocurrency, giving you the fundamental basics you need to understand blockchain and all its intricacies. It lays out clearly why blockchain exists, how it works, where it can be applied and how it will change economics. 

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As the title suggests, it’s non-technical, and relates concepts introduced in the book to pictures and tangible metaphors and analogies so you can follow along easily.

Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future – Peter Thiel and Blake Masters

From PayPal co-founder and early Facebook investor, Peter Thiel, Zero to One is an engaging book for anyone interested in business – whether you’re a startup or a venture capitalist. 

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Thiel is a contrarian, and he enjoys talking about it – something he believes startups need to embrace if they want to be successful. The idea Thiel proposes is a simple one: If you want your startup to be successful, aim to become a monopoly. 

In Zero to One, Thiel outlines the value of unconventional thinking. While it does oftentimes dip into the territory of exaggeration – Thiel’s polemic ideas are clearly political – his thoughts are indeed interesting. 

Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike – Phil Knight

In 1962, Phil Knight borrowed $50 from his father with one business goal: to import quality trainers from Japan at low costs. That $50 snowballed into the recognisable tick-brand called Nike.

Shoe Dog is an inspirational tale of how one man started a business from entirely humble beginnings and his determination to make Nike a global brand will literally have you looking at Nike in a different way. We won’t spoil the rest.

Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World – Cal Newport

In a world where we’re constantly being interrupted by the ping, ping, attention-grabbing buzzes of our smartphones, it’s becoming difficult to concentrate on what we’re supposed to be doing – working. 

From the distractions of open plan offices to working on the wrong type of work, Cal Newport details how you can stop getting distracted by administrative duties, social media and productivity checks. 

Deep Work can help you achieve both a better level of work organisationally and individually, as well as help you to create your best work – finding a healthy balance between all of life’s distractions.

How to Win Friends & Influence People – Dale Carnegie 

There’s a reason why the 70-year-old book How to Win Friends and Influence People has become such a Shakespearean classic in the world of leadership, and it’s not just because it teaches you how to get people on your side.

While some of the content hasn’t aged fabulously, especially with the exuberant go get ‘em language, the book’s message still rings true. It teaches you how to talk to people and challenge them without being a total pain, how to speak to a crowd, become more personable and to generally improve your interactions with others.

Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons and World-Class Performers – Tim Ferriss

It’s a mouthful of a title, but Tools of Titans is a book that does everything it says on the tin. With a diverse clan of successful human beings ranging from actors, marketers, industry leaders to athletes, nutritionists and artists, Ferriss dives into conversations with powerful people who have some amazing life hacks that will make you more productive. 

It teaches you the mantras that successful people hold dear to their heart and how he has adapted them into five techniques for his own life. While it’s been criticised for the lack of women interviewees, there are some great overall life tips which you can take from the book’s successes.