Books That Every Entrepreneur Should Read in 2022

Looking for book recommendations for entrepreneurs, other than Zero to One, The Lean Startup and The Hard Thing About Hard Things? We have created a list of 35 books to inspire your reading list for 2022 curated by our network — from founders building their business with Antler to our team and advisors.

Our list has been created to help every entrepreneur — from first time founders looking for an informative and relevant read to founders who have seen it all but still are curious to learn more.

Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez

Recommendation from Stephanie Darvill, COO & Co-Founder of Aline

“One of the most eye-opening books I’ve read in a long time, makes you realise all the tiny nuances of society that have been built with one type of person in mind. Inspires and empowers you to be a force of change.”

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Recommendation from André Jørgensen, founder & CTO at Sentry

“The book was written in 1988 but still stands as a timeless story about following your heart’s desire and what you often have to sacrifice in that pursuit.”

High Growth Handbook: Scaling Startups From 10 to 10,000 People by Elad Gil

Recommendation from Peter D. Spradling, Co-Founder & COO at Marco

“The bible for early stage companies.”

Start With Why by Simon Sinek

Recommendation from Noah Shapiro, Co-Founder at Boober

“A great framework for staying grounded in the unique reason you created your business and maintaining inspiration throughout the journey.”

The Goal by Eliyahu M. Goldratt

Recommendation from Haci Ahmet Kurtaran, Founder at Antler Denmark, building BTCAI

“It’s a story about the operations behind the business and can help piece together different moving parts.”

The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwarz

Recommendation from Charlotte Ekelund, Co-Founder & CEO at Teemyco

“The book looks at how you can manage your energy, rather than time, from a holistic perspective.”

Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne

Recommendation from James Stewart, Head of Marketing and Strategy at FiberSense

“Most services have substitutes and direct rivals, but the Blue Ocean approach helps you to think through rival offerings and how you can rethink competition.”

High Performance Habits by Brendon Burchard

Recommendation from Carlo Metz, CEO at Infinit Biosystems

“It really laid out for me a lot of the inner motivational drivers and blockers that I always knew were there, but didn’t really know how to trigger or connect them with each other.”

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Recommendation from Rob Tominey, CEO & Co-Founder at Further

“A dystopian novel but a good first step into the metaverse.”

High Performance: Lessons from the Best on Becoming Your Best by Jake Humphrey, Damian Hughes

Recommendation from Thomas Kean, COO & Co-Founder at Swivel

“Only just released but I have high expectations as I listen to all their podcasts and I think it will become one of the most influential books on behaviours and business.”

No Rule Rules by Reed Hastings

Recommendation from Enzo Otens , Co-Founder at Earnr

“Reed, co-founder of Netflix, goes into a detailed analysis of what Netflix’s cultural elements are and why they’ve put this in place. Netflix’s concept of talent density really highlights the importance of a great co-founding team and what you should consider when you make your first hires.”

The Technology Trap: Capital, Labour, and Power in the Age of Automation by Carl Benedikt Frey

Recommendation from Alexander Williamson, Antler Cohort Founder

“Excellent book that looks at labour replacement during the industrial revolution and compares the dynamics to today’s automation. Shines a good light onto why dynamics are entirely different in today’s labour replacing technology, and gives insight on how the economic playing field will shift.”

Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker

Recommendation from Roberto Montrasio, CoFounder at Oamly

“What is the best possible work-hack: improve the quality of your sleep.”

Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey Moore

Recommendation from Enrico Faccioli, CEO & Co-Founder at Seedata.io

“A classic. Great insights on how to market, sell and improve innovative tech products.”

The Wright Brothers by David McCullough

Recommendation from Rohit Ganapathy, Co-Founder at Humit

“A must read for anyone setting out on the path of entrepreneurship.”

How I Almost Blew It by Sidharth Rao

Recommendation from Raghav Jhawar, Co-Founder at The State Plate

“The untold story of startup successes told by some of the most respected people in the Indian startup ecosystem.”

The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael Alan Singer

Recommendation from Aida Lutaj, CEO & Co-Founder at Legitify

“As founders, we are in our head and thoughts most of the time. This book is amazing if you are seeking a deeper understanding of yourself, and freeing yourself from your thoughts. Is your mind or ego self separate or aligned with your true self? Check it out, it is a great read.”

Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business by Daniel Meyer

Recommendation from Max Leo Rodeck, CEO & Co-Founder at CoLogic

“Meyer, the founder who created Shake Shack showcases the nitty-gritty of building successful companies and that it all comes down to putting people first, intuition and context.”

Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg

Recommendation from Karolina Szweda, Global Marketing Associate at Antler

“A guidebook for ambitious women on how to take charge and push forward in their careers. It’s a must read on leadership (not only for women)!”

Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss

Recommendation from Boyang Pan, Founder Associate Intern at Antler

“The only book you’ll need to read on negotiations.”

Think on These Things by Jiddu Krishnamurthi

Recommendation from Willem Duyck, Program Analyst at Antler

“Not related to entrepreneurship, but makes you think about why you make decisions.”

Super Founders: What Data Reveals About Billion-Dollar Startups by Ali Tamaseb

Recommendation from Altan Tutar, Operations Analyst at Antler

“Correlates founder traits to company successes. Explores different variables and demystifies the superstitions around venture capital. A must read.”

Diversifying Diversity: Your Guide to Being an Active Ally of Inclusion in the Workplace by Dr. Poornima Luthra

Recommendation from Rike Döpp Bergérus, Marketing Manager at Antler

“Hands-on advice on how to not only offer everyone a seat at the table — but also utilise opinions and strengths.”

Shoe Dog by Phil Knight

Recommendation from Nandini Vishwanath, Program Director at Antler

“The memoir of Nike’s creator. Incredibly honest.”

The Myth of Excellence by Fred Crawford and Ryan Matthews

Recommendation from Ivan Lopez, Partner, Head of Network at Antler

“Focused on the customer and how to be best where it matters. When to let fires burn and not try to be the best at everything.”

AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley, and the New World Order by Kai Fu Lee

Recommendation from Ros Bazany, Director, Global Capital at Antler

“One of the leading experts explores the approach to AI in China and the US while providing a view of how AI will change the world. He also throws in some life lessons too!”

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

Recommendation from Gentian Kuqica, Investment Associate at Antler

“It gives actionable insights regarding the things that people want to hear. Very practical advice that I still use even 10 years after reading the book.”

Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman by Yvon Chouinard

Recommendation from Caroline Healey, Venture Scouting Manager, US at Antler

“A thought-provoking autobiography by Patagonia’s founder. A must read for anyone interested in sustainability and for founders imbedding value-driven principles into their companies missions and operations.”

Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds by David Goggins

Recommendation from Erik Jonsson, Partner, Vietnam at Antler

“The single best book to read on grit, perseverance and mental resilience.”

Superforecasting: The Art and Science of Prediction by Philip Tetlock and Dan Gardner

Recommendation from Vegard Medbo, Partner, CCO at Antler

“A great book about predictions, de-biasing yourself and the value of process over ‘expertise’.”

Race After Technology by Ruha Benjamin

Recommendation from Selam Kebede, Director at Antler

“It’s a great book for anyone looking to understand the current future impact of AI bias.”

The Uninhabitable Earth by David Wallace-Wells

Recommendation from Rufus Sorsa, Director at Antler

“A brutal portrait of climate change and our future lives on Earth. This book touches on many of the critical global problems that future founders will need to solve in the 21st century.”

How Brands Grow: What Marketers Don’t Knowby Byron Sharp

Recommendation from Ishavasyam Dash, Marketing & PR Director at Antler

“This book is a manifesto for evidence-based marketing, building brands based on what works in scientific practice rather than what should work in marketing theory.”

Skunk Works: A Personal Memoir of My Years at Lockheed by Ben Rich

Recommendation from Gustavo Portellinha, Director at Antler

“Very cool and inspiring! How the legendary arm of Lockheed developed cutting edge tech during the cold war.”

Genius Makers by Cade Metz

Recommendation from Magnus Grimeland, Founder & CEO at Antler

“AI will be a defining factor in most industries in the future, and Genius Makers is about the history and future of the field. A great insight into Artificial Intelligence and the story of the people who made it what it is today.”

If you are still after more, read our book recommendations from 2021 here.

This article was written by Katie Thorpe, Marketing and Social Media Intern at Antler.

Originally published at https://www.antler.co.