15 Best Books for Entrepreneurs to Grow, Lead, and Build Better
Running a business means solving problems you’ve never seen before. That’s why the best entrepreneurs stay lifelong students of the game. The right book at the right time can feel like a late-night mentor session without the calendar clash.
This founder-approved list of the 15 best books for entrepreneurs comes straight from the SureSwift Capital team and other seasoned business builders. You’ll find battle-tested playbooks, honest memoirs, and big-picture frameworks for scaling, building resilience, and shaping company culture whether you’re running a local business, a growing startup, or something in between.
And because multitasking is an entrepreneurial superpower, most of these titles are also available on Audible—perfect for your next commute, workout, or late-night walk.
Table of Contents
- Startup & Growth Frameworks
- Product & Marketing Strategy
- Entrepreneur Mindset & Resilience
- Memoirs & Real Stories
- BONUS: Fresh 2025 Picks
Startup & Growth Frameworks
If you’re building from scratch or scaling to the next stage, these playbooks will help you test, validate, and grow smarter, not just harder.
- The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
The playbook for building businesses through rapid experimentation, validated learning, and iterative development.
Why we love it: The startup classic we keep returning to practical, battle-tested, and endlessly relevant.
- Zero to One by Peter Thiel
A challenge to think differently, building something truly new instead of iterating on what already exists.
Why we love it: A mindset reset; contrarian, sharp, and perfect for anyone chasing breakthrough innovation.
- Built to Sell by John Warrillow
A blueprint for creating a company that runs and even sells without being dependent on you.
Why we love it: A must-read for any entrepreneur who wants to build a business that works for them, not the other way around.
- The Startup Owner’s Manual by Steve Blank & Bob Dorf
A detailed playbook for customer discovery, validation, and building scalable business models.
Why we love it: Recommended by Natalie Arseneau, Director of Investor Relations at SureSwift Capital, she calls it “practical and checklist-driven for early-stage founders.”
- Rework by Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson
A contrarian take on building businesses, arguing for simplicity, speed, and scrapping traditional business dogma.
Why we love it: Highlighted by Johnathan Crowe, Director of Technology & Services at SureSwift Capital, it’s direct, refreshing, and especially helpful for entrepreneurs challenging the status quo.
Product & Marketing Strategy
Even the best ideas fall flat without customers. These books will sharpen your instincts and give you proven frameworks to attract and keep them.
- Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products by Nir Eyal
Behavioural psychology and design principles for creating products people love and keep using.
Why we love it: Essential for entrepreneurs who want to design offerings that truly stick with customers.
- The Mom Test by Rob Fitzpatrick
How to talk to customers and validate ideas without falling into the trap of biased feedback.
Why we love it: It stops entrepreneurs from wasting months (or years) building the wrong thing.
- Traction: How Any Startup Can Achieve Explosive Customer Growth by Gabriel Weinberg & Justin Mares
A practical guide to 19 different marketing channels startups can use to find growth, plus how to systematically test and prioritize them.
Why we love it: It gives business owners a framework to identify what actually works and double down on it.
Entrepreneur Mindset & Resilience
Running a business tests more than your strategy, it tests your stamina. These entrepreneur mindset books tackle leadership, resilience, and the mental side of growth.
- The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz
Brutally honest advice on making tough founder decisions like layoffs, pivots, and crises.
Why we love it: No sugarcoating here, just the reality of leading a business and how to survive it.
- Reboot by Jerry Colonna
A soulful take on leadership, mental health, and resilience in entrepreneurship.
Why we love it: A reminder that building a company starts with building inner strength.
- Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
Explores the hidden factors behind extraordinary success, from upbringing to opportunity to the famous “10,000 hours rule.”
Why we love it: Recommended by Natalie Arseneau, Director of Investor Relations at SureSwift Capital, it’s a reminder that success is about more than hustle alone.
- A Walk Across America by Peter Jenkins
A young man sets out to walk across the U.S., meeting strangers, having adventures, and figuring out what really matters.
Why we love it: Shared by Johnathan Crowe, Director of Technology & Services at SureSwift Capital, a deeply personal reminder that the founder’s journey is about discovery as much as outcomes.
Amazon | (not available as audio)
- How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
Timeless lessons on communication, influence, and building strong relationships.
Why we love it: Mentioned by Amanda McKay, VP of People & Operations at SureSwift Capital, because every founder is in the people business.
Amazon | Audible
Memoirs & Real Stories
Sometimes the best lessons come from lived experience. These founder memoirs are honest, raw, and packed with insights you won’t find in a textbook.
- Lost and Founder by Rand Fishkin
A painfully honest look at startup life, the wins, losses, and messy middle.
Why we love it: Raw and relatable, especially for business owners navigating uncertain paths.
- Burn Rate by Andy Dunn
Memoir of Bonobos’ founder on scaling a startup while struggling with bipolar disorder.
Why we love it: A rare, vulnerable account of mental health in entrepreneurship.
Amazon | Audible
Fresh 2025 Picks (Bonus)
New challenges call for new playbooks. These recent releases explore AI, the future of work, and what it really means to be an entrepreneur today.
- Human Edge in the AI Age: Eight Timeless Mantras for Success by Nitin Seth (Kindle Edition)
Frameworks for aligning profit with impact in mission-driven entrepreneurship.
Perfect for entrepreneurs balancing financial returns with purpose.
Amazon | (not available as audio)
- Make Your Own Job by Erik Baker (2025)
Explores the cultural roots of entrepreneurship and what it means for the future of work.
A thoughtful read for entrepreneurs rethinking the “why” behind their work.
Conclusion
Entrepreneurship doesn’t come with a manual but these books are the next best thing. Whether you’re chasing product-market fit, rethinking growth strategy, or just needing reassurance you’re not the only one facing the hard stuff, these reads deliver practical wisdom and real stories from the trenches.
At SureSwift, we believe the best entrepreneurs never stop learning. Start with one book from this list, and you’ll be stacking insights that pay off for years.
What’s your go-to business read? Share it in the comments or tag @SureSwiftCapital on LinkedIn, we’ll keep updating this list with new entrepreneur favourites.
