5 Must Read Books for Desperate Entrepreneurs – Millennial Business Guide

A good business book compresses years of someone else’s mistakes into a weekend of reading. There are hundreds of short videos and websites available nowadays, but there is nothing better than the smell of paper (at least for some old-school lovers). You can use a Kindle, an iPad or order the paperback.

There could be hundreds of books and the list would still be short, so I kept it to the top 5 books.

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The 5 best books for entrepreneurs

DotCom Secrets by Russell Brunson (2015)

How to get it: through Russell’s own site, where it has often been offered free plus shipping, or at any bookstore.

Russell Brunson is a sensational entrepreneur and the co-founder of ClickFunnels, the software many online businesses use to build their sales funnels. He is the man behind the team who made the “Sales Funnels” popular in the Internet Age. In DotCom Secrets, he reveals how to organize your business to make more profit and get higher conversions.

The book contains hundreds of ideas and guides to drive more traffic, foundational principles to increase your conversions and do rock-solid marketing.

This practical book is not worth skipping if your business depends on the internet in any way. Its ideas run through the One Funnel Away Challenge, and I made $1,000 in the first month after it.

Best for: anyone selling online who gets traffic but weak conversions.

The first idea to apply: the value ladder. Brunson maps a low-priced entry offer up to the highest-priced one, so every buyer has a clear next step.

Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller (2017, 2.0 edition 2025)

How to get it: online at Amazon (GET IN INDIA / GET IN YOUR COUNTRY)

The book by the New York Times Bestselling author Donald Miller unlocks the power of stories in this book. It is not something typical, not something avoidable. Donald Miller’s StoryBrand process is a proven solution to the struggle business leaders face when talking about their businesses.

As the book starts, Miller clarifies the message in a very effective way, this book is NOT ABOUT YOUR BRAND. The book about you will only be a waste of time.

If you are someone who is concerned about building your brand and business, this essential book for businesspeople is a good read. Miller released Building a StoryBrand 2.0 in January 2025, which updates the framework, so it is worth checking for the newer edition when you buy.

Best for: founders whose website explains the product but not the customer’s problem.

The first idea to apply: make the customer the hero and your brand the guide. Rewriting your homepage headline around what the customer gets is a one-hour test of the idea.

Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne (2005)

How to get it: online at Amazon (GET IN INDIA / GET IN YOUR COUNTRY)

“One of the bestselling business books of the century”, Financial Times

The book discusses some breakthrough secrets which most of the people know in “a wrong way”. Blue Ocean Strategy clearly explains why there is no competition in the business if you are doing it in the right way.

The book’s best-known case is Cirque du Soleil. It dropped the most expensive parts of a traditional circus, like animal acts and star performers, and borrowed from theater to reach adults willing to pay more. It stopped competing with other circuses and created a market of its own.

Best for: anyone in a crowded market who keeps competing on price.

The first idea to apply: the four actions framework. The exercise starts with what your industry takes for granted, then sorts it into what to eliminate, reduce, raise and create.

The Art of War by Sun Tzu

How to get it: online at Amazon (GET IN INDIA / GET IN YOUR COUNTRY)

Sun Tzu was a Chinese general, military strategist, writer and philosopher. Tradition places him in the Eastern Zhou period, around the 6th century BC, though historians still debate how much of the text he wrote himself. His principles he used in warfare are now used in daily lives and business.

The book Art of War is a collection of his ground-breaking rules which can definitely make your life and business easier and You, smarter.

To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself. (Lionel Giles translation)

Best for: founders facing strong competitors, negotiations or a crowded launch.

The first idea to apply: win before the battle. Choosing markets, timing and channels where the conditions already favor you matters more than fighting harder.

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill (1937)

How to get it: online at Amazon (GET IN INDIA / GET IN YOUR COUNTRY)

An evergreen book by the legendary speaker and author Napoleon Hill. It describes 13 principles Hill drew from studying successful people of his time.

From the principle of desire to how to use the powerful strategy of mastermind and sub-conscious, the book uncovers many hidden gems in the mind of a true entrepreneur. The book is timeless and even though it was written in 1937, almost 90 years ago, it is equally (or in fact, more) significant for new-age entrepreneurs.

Best for: anyone whose plans stall on doubt rather than skills.

The first idea to apply: a definite chief aim. Hill asks readers to write down the exact amount they want, the date, what they will give in return and their plan, then read it aloud twice a day.

The best lesson isn’t a book: principles over tactics

One concept helped me more than any book to become a better entrepreneur and a better human being. To improve your business, you will have to work on yourself.

I truly believe in something my mentor once told me: “Tactics will be over with time, but Principles Remain forever”.

All five books above teach principles, which is why they still work years after the tactics around them changed. If you sell online, Funnel Scripts turns the same principles into ready-to-edit sales copy, which makes it a good companion to DotCom Secrets.

Do you believe it’s true? Let me know in the comments what you think about it. Pick one or two of these books, or all five, whether you are aspiring or already running a business.

FAQ

What is the best book for entrepreneurs?

For someone selling online, DotCom Secrets by Russell Brunson is the most practical, because it shows how to structure offers and funnels. For strategy, Blue Ocean Strategy is the stronger pick, and for mindset, Think and Grow Rich still holds up.

Which business book should a first-time founder read first?

Building a StoryBrand, because a clear message helps every other part of the business, from the website to sales calls. DotCom Secrets makes a good second read once people understand what you sell.

Is Think and Grow Rich still relevant?

Yes, as a mindset book. It was published in 1937, so its examples are dated, but its 13 principles, from desire and faith to the master mind, still describe how persistent founders think.