These 3 Business Books Changed My Life

And one will SHOCK you.

In this article, I will be sharing my three favourite business books of all time.

These books have had a profound impact on my understanding of the business world and have helped shape my approach to leadership and success.

Whether you are a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out in the business world, these books offer valuable insights and practical advice that can help you succeed. Without further ado, here are my top three picks.

The 4-Hour Workweek

• Why you should read this: This book teaches you how to create leverage so you can get more done than anyone else with much less time and effort. It’s not a book about working 4 hours per week, but it is a book that teaches you how to get more done than someone working 40 hours a week, in 4 hours. It’s a book that teaches you how to work smart, not hard.

• What I took from it: This was the first non-fiction book I ever read outside of school and it blew my mind. I couldn’t believe that it was possible to build a business which could run “passively” (which is a loaded word). It was also the book that very quickly convinced me to quit my job and introduced me to the world of entrepreneurship in general.

• Rating: Full body oil massage

Speaking of “Working Smart, Not Hard”. I didn’t actually write the opening to this article… an AI did :D

Built To Sell

• Why you should read this: Anybody who runs a business should be building it so that it’s not reliant on any individual inside it. Otherwise, it’s not really a business, it’s a collective. This book shows agency owners how to build their company in a way that is scalable, can be run without them and in extreme cases: can be sold to someone else.

• What I took from it: When I read this book about 8 years ago I had no intention of selling AJ&Smart, but the book showed me the importance of creating processes and services that were productised, repeatable and easily teachable to new employees. Using the lessons I learned from this book, I moved AJ&Smart away from doing highly custom client work, to more standardised and repeatable services like the Design Sprint.

• Rating: Freshly changed bedsheets

Hell Yeah or No

• Why you should read this: Derek Sivers is one of my favourite writers of all time. His advice is succinct and immediately actionable. This is a book which is broadly a list of frameworks that Derek uses to make decisions.

• What I took from it: Whether this book or his amazing “Anything You Want”, reading Derek’s books always reminds me that there are really no rules when it comes to how to run a business and it’s all down to personal taste. The same goes for life. His books empower me to think about what I really want VS what other people are telling me I should want.

• Rating: A double-shot Iced Latte

Good To Great

• Why you should read this: This book teaches you how to turn an “ok” company into a “great” company and clearly lays out the differences between the two.

• What I took from it: After reading this book (and asking one of my key leaders to read it too), my company dramatically changed how we think about hiring, company culture and pretty much everything to do with managing employees. The result of reading this book is that the Workshopper team at AJ&Smart is the happiest and most effective it’s ever been, and on top of this, turnover is essentially zero (a.k.a nobody quits). One big reason for this? We clarified to current and new employees what the expectations are to work at Workshopper - this meant an initial shake-up of the team, leaving only those who would thrive in the culture remaining to do their best work. Many owners (including me) grow to hate their own company over time, and this book can help keep it enjoyable.

• Rating: That feeling when How To Business lands in your inbox

Radical Candor

• Why you should read this: If you’ve ever had trouble telling people what you really think, or tend to wish “people just knew what to do”… read this

• What I took from it: Until I read this book, I thought I was being a “good boss” by not criticizing people or telling them what I really thought. I would let people stay at the company who were clearly unable to do the job (which irritated those who could) and people never really knew what I thought. Radical Candor gave me a framework for giving people clear and concise feedback. I still suck at this btw but this book helped a lot.

• Rating: That feeling when the second How To Business article of the week lands in your inbox

Alright losers, let's cut the crap - my top three (or five, who cares) favourite business books of all time have been revealed. Yeah, the title says three but I just couldn't resist throwing in a couple extra. But let's be real, these books have been absolute game-changers for me and if you want to stop being a loser and start dominating the business world, I highly recommend giving them a read. Let me know what you think of the picks in the comments and happy hustling!

Cheers,
Jonathan

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