Startups books
Startups books to start from. Open one to see books like it, or tell BookSense what you loved for four picks made for you.
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New to the genre? These 5 are the books to read first.
The Lean Startup
Eric RiesSets out a method of building a minimum viable product, measuring customer response, and changing direction based on the results. It is the most widely cited framework in the genre.
Zero to One
Peter A. ThielArgues that the most valuable companies create new things rather than copy existing ones. Open Library lists 2001, but the book was published in 2014 with Blake Masters.
Founders at Work
Jessica LivingstonA set of interviews with founders of well-known technology startups about how their early decisions were made. It shows the genre's interest in first-hand accounts.
Rework
Jason FriedShort essays urging lean operations, few meetings, and skepticism about growth for its own sake. The Open Library entry lists Fried alone, but the book was written with David Heinemeier Hansson.
The Hard Thing About Hard Things
Ben HorowitzA venture capitalist's account of running a company through crises such as layoffs and near-failure. It is the genre's main example of candid leadership writing.
Chosen and described with AI from our notes on the genre.
More startups books
- Bad Blood
Bad BloodJohn Carreyrou - Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Innovation and EntrepreneurshipPeter F. Drucker - Venture Deals
Venture DealsBrad Feld - Blitzscaling
BlitzscalingReid Hoffman - Traction
TractionGino Wickman - The $100 Startup
The $100 StartupChris Guillebeau - Anything You Want
Anything You WantDerek Sivers - Girl Boss
Girl BossSophia Amoruso - Crush It!
Crush It!Gary Vaynerchuk - Entrepreneurship
EntrepreneurshipRobert D. Hisrich1989 - 12 Months to $1 Million
12 Months to $1 MillionRyan Daniel Moran2020 - Effective small business management
Effective small business managementNorman M. Scarborough1984