startups Book Summaries

"Made to Stick" by Chip and Dan Heath teaches how to explain your ideas and thoughts so they capture attention, persuade others, and stick in people's minds. Learn why some ideas become popular and others fail using their research-based SUCCESs framework, which outlines six key principles: Simple, Unexpected, Concrete, Credible, Emotions, and Stories.

"The Lean Startup" by Eric Ries is about how to build new startup businesses smarter, using lean and agile methods. It emphasizes launching a Minimum Viable Product, gathering customer feedback with scientific tests, and pivoting based on insights. This approach helps quickly develop valuable products that truly benefit customers.

The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber is a crucial read for entrepreneurs, explaining why 80% of small businesses fail and offering invaluable strategies for success. It teaches how to get your business to run without you, using systems and processes, that reduce your work and stress. It shows how to work ON your business, not just IN it.

The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing by Al Ries and Jack Trout is a must-read classic in the marketing world. It reveals that branding success comes from being first and unique in the market, not from having the best product. A practical guide loaded with examples from Coca-Cola, Apple, Toyota, etc.

Zero to One is about the future of technology and a guide for startup business founders. Peter Thiel is a billionaire entrepreneur and investor that shares many unconventional ideas. He says entrepreneurs should avoid competition. Instead build a (legal) monopoly selling something completely new and incomparable.

The 4-Hour Workweek is about building a passive income business so we can escape the usual 40-hour workweek, and design our ideal lifestyle. Tim Ferris also shows how we can improve our productivity by following the 80/20 rule and a 'low information diet.'

Elon Musk is a biography of the man who led Tesla, SpaceX and PayPal. Musk inspires many people with his futuristic plans for new technologies, and his seemingly unstoppable ability to overcome all obstacles. But his employees are often pushed to their limit, trying to reach impossible deadlines.

Steve Jobs is the official biography of the co-founder of Apple and Pixar. He had an intense passion to create revolutionary products like the iPhone, iPad, iPod, iTunes, and Macintosh computers. His personality was an unusual mix of Zen hippie and brash business visionary.

Shoe Dog is an inspiring story of entrepreneurship from Nike's founder Phil Knight. He started as a regular kid who loved running and built the largest sportswear brand ever. But there were many challenging times that Nike barely survived.