Basic Books To Help New Business Owners Get Their Start

Are you considering starting your own business? Do you feel like you need to do a little more research before you are ready for your launch? There is a plethora of valuable information for business owners online, but if you’re hoping to do a deeper dive into the art of business management, it can be helpful to check out some good books on the subject of entrepreneurship. Where to begin, though? There’s been so much written on this topic, it can be a little overwhelming. Tiffany Tene’ shares a few highly regarded reads likely to be useful for prospective entrepreneurs.

For reading up on business basics

If you’re looking for a step-by-step guide to starting a business, some of the published material out there may not seem especially helpful as much of it is intended for entrepreneurs who have already gotten their start. 

Start Your Own Business: The Only Startup Book You’ll Need, penned by the staff at Entrepreneur Magazine, is intended to get the new business owner through every step from the early stages of business planning through the third year of their company. 

Starting a Business by Ken Colwell, part of the QuickStart Guides series is another great book for newbies to the business world as it breaks down the process of starting a business into simple, manageable components.

For help choosing a business entity

Business law can be confusing, but you need to know some of it in order to choose a legal entity for your new company. Many new business owners choose the limited liability company structure for their startup due to the tax savings, increased protection, and less paperwork involved. 

Your Startup: Choosing the Right Legal Business Structure For Your Business by F. Lee Frye, can help you determine which legal entity is right for you while also guiding you through the process of making your business a reality and informing you about the type of liability each structure can protect you from.

For guidance on marketing

Once you have a good grasp of the process of launching a startup and are on your way to bringing your company to life, you may feel the need to become better informed on other aspects of business management. One thing every new entrepreneur needs to grow familiar with is that of marketing. Because marketing changes and evolves, some texts on marketing may become dated. At the same time, some marketing principles are as old as human history. 

To start your marketing education, consider checking out this classic from the 80s: Positioning: The Battle For Your Mind, by Al Ries and Jack Trout. While far from being the first book on marketing, it is the first to approach the subject in the context of our contemporary culture with its hyper-consciousness (and suspicion) of the “sell.”

For info on money management

The Lean Startup by Eric Ries is a useful book for new entrepreneurs concerned specifically about managing cash flow. While specifically geared toward software entrepreneurs, many of its principles are applicable to other industries, as well. The book encourages entrepreneurs to start slowly and build with care. It acknowledges that you may sometimes make wrong turns but sets you up to correct them. Ries helps the new entrepreneur put the principle of “leanness” — i.e., sustainability and efficiency into practice.

Keep the learning going

Once you’ve gained all this extra know-how, you may want to expand your knowledge even further by enrolling in an online business degree program. With a business degree, you’ll gain skills in human resources, accounting, marketing, and business management. Many online programs offer participants the opportunity to complete the work on their own time so you can keep learning even if you’ve already launched your business.  

Of course, there are many more helpful and extensively researched books out there by business professionals, as well as academics, but this list is a good start. 

Guest Post was written by Derek Goodman of www.inbizability.com Derek Goodman has been an entrepreneur for 5 years offering tips, tricks, and resources so that you can realize your business ability and potential now, not later.