After a long winter and being cooped up at home and in the office, now you have a chance to spend time outdoors, whether on your own or with your family and friends. Summer is a great time to catch up that book or two you’ve been wanting to read all winter and spring.
Grab one of these summer reads for entrepreneurs, step outside on your porch steps or patio chair and enjoy.
Summer Reads
1. Never Eat Alone
Keith Ferrazzi and & Tahl Raz
Ferrazzi is a self-proclaimed master networker, and he reveals his secret to networking and building relationships — reaching out to other people. In the book, Ferrazzi describes his steps and mindset that has helped him connect with thousands of friends, colleagues, and contacts, as well as people he’s helped and people who have helped him. Ferrazzi’s life has been a rags-to-riches story. He is the son of a steelworker and cleaning lady turned Ivy League graduate and C-level executive that was named on Crain’s 40 Under 40.
2. Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience and Finding Joy
Sheryl Sandberg
Written with Adam Grant, a psychologist at Wharton, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg describes how she felt after the sudden death of her husband, Dave. The book begins with her husband’s death and weaves through stages of grief and explains how she overcame her tragedy and how millions of others have overcome hardships such as illness, job loss, natural disaster, war and sexual assault. The stories reveal the strength of the human spirit, how resilient we can be and how we can grow to find deeper meaning in our lives beyond what we do at work and at home.
3. Leading with the Heart: Coach K’s Successful Strategies for Basketball, Business and Life
Mike Krzyzewski with Donald T. Phillips
Coach K built a college basketball dynasty at Duke University, one that’s shown incredible consistency and has lasted four decades. He teaches the importance of trust, communication, pride and commitment to be a leader for your team. This is a great read for any entrepreneur who is considering starting his or her own company.
4. Modern Monopolies: What it Takes to Dominate the 21st Century Economy
Alex Moazed and Nicholas L. Johnson
In Modern Monopolies, Moazed and Johnson break down what Google, Snapchat, Tinder, Amazon and Uber have in common, aside from being billion-dollar companies in the growing tech industry. The authors describe that these companies are all platforms — a new business model that is relatively rare in the business and technology industries and can take a huge market share. It’s a book about how these platforms impact industries and how entrepreneurs can thrive in a new era of technology.
5. How to Win at the Sport of Business: If I Can Do It, You Can Do It
Mark Cuban
Dallas Mavericks owner and Shark Tank host Mark Cuban wasn’t born with a silver spoon. The Western Pennsylvania native had to grind for everything he earned, and he explains in his book how he became a billionaire and how you can use some of the same methods to find success. His unconventional methods continue to influence entrepreneurs every day. Cuban’s book is just 82 pages and gets right to the point. Enjoy this fun read one evening by the pool.
6. David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants
Malcolm Gladwell
From one of the most storied authors of our time, Gladwell challenges our perceptions of obstacles and disadvantages, offering a modern explanation of what it means to be discriminated against, suffer a disability or experience the death of a loved one. Like in his previous works, Gladwell will change the way you think about your business, when it seems like you’re up against Goliath and why there’s no reason you can’t be Goliath in any situation. If you haven’t read it, Outliers is another great Gladwellian work, perfect for entrepreneurs.
7. Principles: Life and Work
Ray Dalio
The billionaire American investor and hedge fund manager describes how he found success after starting an investment firm, Bridgewater Associates, in his two-bedroom New York City apartment. In the book, Dalio tackles the complexities of life, management, economics and investing with simple rules for success.
Take the Next Step as an Entrepreneur
It’s clear you have an entrepreneurial spirit and you’re hungry to get to the next stage of your career or to run your own company. Let Alvernia University help you get there with our flexible online MBA program. You’ll learn the skills it takes to manage a team and run your own company. You’ll also learn from knowledgeable faculty with experience in entrepreneurship themselves, similar to the life lessons you’ll read about in these books. Our program can be completed in as little as one year, and thanks to our online format, you can study when and where you want, balancing your education with your busy life.