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Best Books: 32 Books Every Female Entrepreneur Should Read

These are the 32 books that every female entrepreneur should read as suggested by female entrepreneurs and industry leaders.

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#1 The E Myth

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Straight talking advice on the early years of business and how to overcome common problems. Thinking of becoming an entrepreneur?? This book makes sure you are ready and really know what to expect.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Libby James from Merchant Advice Service

27 points
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#2 Managing to Make a Difference

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This book is based on solid research as well as decades of management experience. It is intended to be a handbook for managers and offers a roadmap to engagement, talent development and excellence in management.

While a CEO, I gain a great deal of insight from Larry and Kim and the real-life stories they share. The techniques they offer in their book will help managers (potentially future CEOs) achieve organizational goals and will empower their employees to achieve their own. I'm particularly excited that I've been hearing from people with whom I've shared the book, and they've remarked at how they are putting the techniques to work in their approach with their team members.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Kimberly Rath from Talent Plus, Inc

10 points
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#3 How to be a Productivity Ninja

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Being an entrepreneur is largely about how productive you can be in the little time (or so it seems) you have each day to plan, execute and, analyze your business. This book will help you unlock way to do just that!

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Janine Rogan from Janine Rogan

9 points
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#4 Purple Cow, Transform Your Business By Being Remarkable

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When I decided to become an entrepreneur, I read Purple Cow. Purple Cow transformed my strategy for branding and launching my business. My target, first-time Moms, are too busy, and too flooded with information to listen to a typical marketing message. I realized that my product idea, and branding had to BE remarkable. If it didn't stand out on its own, like a purple cow in a herd of Holsteins, then it would have been lost in the proverbial shuffle.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Becky Bavli from T is for Tame

8 points
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#5 Timing Isn’t Everything. Teaming Is.

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Every female entrepreneur stands to gain insight from her latest book, where Dr. Janice divulges her expertise in topics related to business, leadership, relationships, and reflects on how teaming has impacted her own experiences. Dr. Janice Presser is Founder and CTO of The Gabriel Institute, a behavioral scientist, and architect of the technology that powers Teamability®. She has studied team interaction in academic, clinical, and business settings for over 40 years, and has shared her expertise in the areas of HR, management, workforce planning, and more.

Teamability® is a completely new way to measure teaming in order to improve business performance. Based on an online teaming experience, Teamability results help an individual identify how they best contribute to teams or an executive better manage their team members.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Nicholas Angell from Teamability

4 points
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#6 Million Dollar Women

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Julia Pimsleur notes that, although women in the United States start almost twice as many businesses as men, only 3% of female-owned businesses make it to $1 million in revenues. In her book, she examines why, gives solid advice for strengthening your entrepreneurial skills, and explains the process of seeking outside capital in an approachable, encouraging manner. Her book changed the way I'm approaching my second business, giving me the information and tools to take it to the next level.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Casey Gardonio-Foat from Wink & Rise

3 points
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#7 You Are A Badass At Making Money

I haven’t yet met a female entrepreneur without a bunch of baggage and limiting beliefs around money, and here’s the deal: if we knew what our limiting beliefs were, we wouldn’t be limited by them. This book will help you uncover the stories you’re believing about money that are holding you back, and reach your full income potential.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Samantha Siffring from TBH Coach

2 points
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#9 Start With Why

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Because as your company and your team grows, it is so important to remember why you started. As my company and my team have grown, I found that this booked really helped drive home the importance of remembering why I'm in business and conveying that to my team every day. It's an excellent reminder for me in times of growth and change.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Mina Agnos from Travelive

2 points
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#12 Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office

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A lot of women are prone to over explaining themselves, being too empathetic in the workplace, and even undermining themselves. There are many things women do that they aren't aware of which are disadvantageous in the harsh work environment, especially as an entrepreneur. This book will help you take conscious stock of what you might want to change if you want to improve your performance and advance your career development. While I was skeptical at first as these mistakes are generalized, there are many great reminders that have helped me with my career that I use on a daily basis.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Britt Armour from Kibii

1 point
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#13 Girl, Wash Your Face

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As a female entrepreneur we know that our success not only relies on our business being awesome but other areas of our lives being in line to receive that success. Rachel covers it all and has some amazing insights for her fellow entrepreneurs from fear to imposter syndrome. It's been a huge breakthrough for me and helped me reach for the next levels in my business!

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Beth Casebolt from Simply Empowered Naturals

1 point
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#15 Living with Monks

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We love this guy! He is such an inspirational and hilarious person and fantastic entrepreneur. In this book he tells us about his journey living with a group of monks. It was so helpful to be more mindful of the importance of stepping away from devices, taking a deep breath, and living life with more intentionality.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Jacklyn and Cassie Collier from Bundle

1 point
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#17 Orgasmic Leadership

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This book speaks to business leaders about the trials, tribulations, travesties, and triumphs that Rachel has experienced as a female executive fighting to bring awareness and easy access to women for products and services designed to meet a range of needs. It is a story of both women’s empowerment and business advice from a woman who is well versed in the world of women’s sexual health and wellness.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Marina Silvestri from Tag Media Group

0 points
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#18 It’s Your Universe

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Ashley Eckstein's new book is a guide to inspire us to Dream It And Do It in all areas of business and life, featuring insight and lessons to be learned from the Disney characters and Jedi heroes. The book is especially relevant for younger women and future entrepreneurs. It's full of actionable steps for them to not only have a dream, but make it come true and find success. A great summer read for the recent graduate as well.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Brenda Lowry from Triple 7 PR

0 points
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#19 Big Magic

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Ideal for creative entrepreneurs, this book teaches us to accept and be ok with living a creative life that does not conform to a standard 9 to 5 job. It teaches us to accept our gifts, embrace our uniqueness, and dare to bring about our gifts to the masses.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Francesca Montillo from Lazy Italian Culinary Adventures

0 points
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#21 You Are a Badass

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Both of Jen Sincero's books are funny but also empowering. I like that the author shares a lot about her own journey as an entrepreneur and shares lessons learned along the way. For me, there is nothing better than hearing about the challenges and failures others face, what they learned along the way and how they overcame to find success, however they define that.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Christy Laverty from CAL Communications

0 points
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#23 The Road to Character

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This book is all about moral character and how important it is to use such moral character to drive and lead your career/business. It taught me that my business will only be as great as the morals I am guided by and the integrity in which I treat others (from friends to acquaintances).

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Sara Feinstein from Crazy Free Deals

0 points
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#24 Lean In

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Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg is the only book I’ve ever bought for other people and I recommend it regularly even though it’s no longer brand new. It helped me to reflect on my choices and how I was getting in my own way. In short, when did I shy away instead of putting myself forward. It helped me to stay strong and succeed after my second redundancy. And now I’m a Business Confidence Coach, I am a female entrepreneur who has the honor of helping others to lean in every day. It’s so brilliant that it’s worth packing as your holiday read!

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Nicky Peachment from Nicky Peachment

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#25 Difficult Conversations

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This is a must-read for female founders and entrepreneurs. While the skills apply to people of all genders and backgrounds, it especially applies to women who are typically discouraged from expressing divergent viewpoints. This book provides a strong framework for addressing workplace conflict, and certainly made me feel more empowered as I lead teams.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors:  Sara LeMesh from Ayuda Care

0 points
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#26 Daring Greatly

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If every female entrepreneur has time to read only one book, it should be this one. To be an entrepreneur means to be vulnerable, to get out there, to show the world what you are offering, and if you are not ok with rejection, with feedback, with people saying no, with putting yourself out there, then you will not survive as a business owner. As Brene says, you have to be willing to get in the ring and fight for what you believe in and not be worried about what others say, especially others who aren’t willing to get in the ring too and fight for their own ideas. As entrepreneurs, we’re bound to have some failures, this book teaches us to see them as failures, not to see ourselves as failures.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Francesca Montillo from Lazy Italian Culinary Adventures

0 points
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#27 Traction

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Great book with suggestions about how to communicate better and more productively. I wish I had read it when I owned a technology company we would have been stronger and more resilient. Wickman's way of organizing a meeting and keeping people on track is outstanding. Traction outlines ways to deal with six key elements of every business. A program is outlined that, if followed, can help a manager or entrepreneur know if they have the right people running their business and how to actually hold people accountable not just talk about it.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Karen Unger from Affinity Franchise Partners

0 points
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#29 Getting Past No

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Running your own business requires being able to negotiate, sell yourself and also overcome a lot of adversity and rejection. Women, particularly, are generally more likely to have a hard time 'selling' themselves or their business. This, of course, is a generalization, but generally more true on average than men. Learning how to negotiate and overcome 'rejection' and turn it into a new partner, client, collaborator, vendor, etc is pivotal to success. This book clearly outlines exactly how to with proven tactics. Very useful and practical for any female entrepreneur.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Jayla Pearce from Her Collectives

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#32 The Black Swan

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I read The Black Swan at least once a year to remind me of the value of spending time on things that feel interesting to me. I tend to get bogged down in my need to do list and forget to spend time experimenting. The book inspires me to pursue ideas with trial and error, without worrying about having a fleshed out plan in mind or worrying about the trials failing. Most of the ideas will fail, but all of the good ideas also come from this process what Taleb calls convex tinkering.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Kelly Wilkerson from deciphertools.com

0 points
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Written by Ben Skute