Five Books To Help Run a Business

In Business, Leadership by Brian Town

Now I know reading is not exactly the first thing on everyone’s calendar. In fact, making time to do things like professional development outside of work hours can be very difficult. We all have stuff going on in our day-to-day lives. It can be hard to find an hour to unwind at the end of the day, let alone take hours of your time and put it into a book. However, if you can even find a way to squeeze in just a couple of pages a day, either in the morning, at lunch, or after work, you may find that they have some very helpful insights that’ll help you run your business more smoothly.

Whether you’re running a company, an executive, or a valued member of the team, we could all benefit from a little professional development. So, to help with that, here are five books to help grow your business! They have each played a significant role in my career and helped shape my idea of what running an organization should look like.

Overview
  • E-Myth by Micheal Gerber
  • What the Heck Is EOS? by Gino Wickman and Tom Bouwer
  • 5 Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni
  • 5-Minute Selling by Alex Golfayn
  • Get Rich in the Deep End by Aaron Wrixon and Brent Weaver
  • The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
E-Myth

The first book I recommend is E-Myth by Micheal Gerber. It’s a must-read for anyone starting a business or people who are frustrated with the way running that business has been going. Gerber finds a way to break through plenty of the myths that come with starting your own business. It covers the entire spectrum of running a company from the challenging starts to the stability of a matured company. It has become a helpful guide for the strategies I develop at MC and it helps predict my next move.

What the Heck Is EOS?

Next, is a book called, What the Heck Is EOS? by Gino Wickman and Tom Bouwer. It’s a great introduction to EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) and Traction, the systems we use here at Michigan Creative. Gino and Tom establish the critical role everyone plays in their company’s success. No matter what role you’re in, What the Heck is EOS? breaks down the system your company can use to guide the way organizations meet, strategize, develop internal processes, and interact with each other. It’s one of the best and simplest ways to organize your company structure and process, even if you struggle with organization!

5 Dysfunctions of a Team

Another one of my favorites is 5 Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni. How the team within your organization works together will make or break the company. Patrick delivers simple examples in the form of fables to really drive home the obstacles that teams will inevitably face. Along with these obstacles, Patrick presents keen insight into potential solutions and delivers exactly what it takes to become a great team leader

5-Minute Selling

Why waste a ton of time trying to learn complex new sales techniques when Alex Golfayn simplifies one of the most effective processes in his book, 5-Minute Selling? As a CEO, one of your main jobs is to sell. This book gives major insight into how to sell and do it well in just five minutes.

Get Rich in the Dep End

Lastly, I highly recommend reading Get Rich in the Deep End by Aaron Wrixon and Brent Weaver. This book has helped Michigan Creative carve out its own place in the marketing industry. It breaks it down into what your unique company is the expert in, and how you can take that concept and, through professional development, turn your business into the marketing engine it needs to be to stay ahead of the competition.

The Four Agreements

For a bonus read, check out The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. It’s a must-read for everyone. I give this to all my staff members and need to read it again and again. It is a short read and always a helpful reminder to think differently. The Four Agreements will change the way you perceive the world and change the way everyone who reads it lives.