This isn’t the first list of “must read” tech entrepreneur books on the Internet. But we’re willing to challenge every other list out there that this is the best one yet. Why? 98% of the entrepreneur book lists are not curated by entrepreneurs unlike ours.
Agree/disagree? Voice your opinions at the end of this post.
No surprises here. Steve Blank is one of the key proponents of understanding and putting methodology behind the art of startup entrepreneurship.
Summary: Talk to and empathize the pain points of your customers as often as possible.
2. Disciplined Entrepreneurship — Bill Aulet
Bill Aulet is the managing director of the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship. His book ‘Disciplined Entrepreneurship’ is an accessible proven 24-step framework that any industrious person can learn and apply.
Summary: Tech entrepreneurship can be taught and explained. This is the roadmap.
3. Built to Last — Jim Collins, Jerry I. Porras
Also, not a surprise here. Jim Collins has authored a collection of inspiring and data-driven research over the years. One of his earlier books, ‘Built to Last’ is based on his research of what’s special about “visionary” companies such as the Disney, Wal-Mart, and Merck, companies at the very top of their game that have demonstrated longevity and great brand image.
Summary: Visionary companies are flexible, have little structure, and no prima donnas. They have environments where bright people are not afraid to experiment and keep what works.
4. Crossing the Chasm — Geoffrey A. Moore
This book is the bible for understanding how to bring cutting edge products to larger markets, and understanding the pitfalls along the way.
Summary: Technology adoption life cycle begins with innovators and moves to early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards. There is a vast chasm between the early adopters and early majority.
5. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion — Robert B. Cialdini
A classic book on persuasion, Dr. Robert Cialdini explains the psychology of why people say “yes” based on 38 years of rigorous, evidence-based research studying what moves people to change behavior.
Summary: Key persuasion principles are: Reciprocation, Commitment & Consistency, Social Proof, Authority, Liking, Scarcity (longer summary here).
There are a limited selection of books about venture capital for entrepreneurs. Jeffrey Bussgang’s perspective is particularly insightful because he’s drawing from his experiences on both sides of the table over many years as well as secrets from his peers and mentors.
Summary: Venture capitalists, like entrepreneurs, are predictable in their way. Also, take money from VCs who can become partners and believe in your vision.
Founders of the recently NASDAQ listed Hubspot, these authors coined the term “inbound marketing” in the early days when the Internet started to give power to marketers who ‘pull’ potential customers with content rather than ‘push’ advertising at them.
Summary: Inbound marketing is the new science to understanding how to attract, engage, and nurture visitors into leads that convert to customers over the Internet.
Based on a study of 150 strategic moves spanning more than a 130 industries, Kim & Mauborgne argue that companies can succeed not by battling competitors, but rather by creating “blue oceans” of uncontested market space. The book presents frameworks and tools to help an organization systematically create and capture blue oceans.
Summary: Pursue low cost and differentiation at the same time instead of one or the other.
Drawing upon research from a 10-year study of more than 24,000 people in two dozen organizations, the authors argue that tribes (culture) have the greatest influence in determining how much and what quality work gets done.
Summary: The five stages of employee tribal development are: Life sucks, My life sucks, I’m great and you’re not, We’re great and Life is great. Most companies are at ‘My life sucks’ OR ‘I’m great and you’re not’.
Also another classic book, Andy Grove of Intel, describes his experience and thoughts behind industry disruptions. Grove calls such a moment a Strategic Inflection Point, which can be set off by almost anything: mega-competition, a change in regulations, or a seemingly modest change in technology.
Summary: When a Strategic Inflection Point hits, the ordinary rules of business go out the window. It’s an opportunity to win in the marketplace and emerge stronger or lose what you have.
11. The Innovators Dilemma — Clayton M. Christensen
Innovation expert and tenure professor of the Harvard Business School, Clayton Christensen says outstanding companies can do everything right and still lose their market leadership — or worse, disappear altogether. And not only does he prove what he says, but he tells others how to avoid a similar fate.
Summary: An organization’s capability to innovate is to consider its ‘RPV’: resources, processes and values. Spin off another company or isolated department to work on innovation and be aware that you cannot project customer reaction in advance.
Originally published at blog.rocketclub.co on November 4, 2014.
