12 Best Startup Books
We analyzed 5+ expert sources, curated book lists, and recommendations from successful people to find the 12 best startup books according to the internet — not just one person's opinion. Each book on this list was mentioned by at least two independent sources, and the ranking is based on how frequently each title appears across all sources studied. This consensus-based approach ensures you get recommendations backed by multiple experts, not a single reviewer's bias.
Goal: Find the best Startup books according to the internet (not just one person's opinion).
Method:
- Search for "best startup books" and study the top 5+ pages.
- Add only the books mentioned 2+ times.
- Rank the results neatly here.
12 Best Startup Books
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The Hard Thing About Hard Things
Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers
Also recommended by:
Peter Thiel, Mark Zuckerberg, Peter Attia, Marc Andreessen, Larry Page, Matt Mullenweg, Andrew Ng, Drew Houston, Keith Rabois, Dustin Moskovitz, Max Levchin, Luis von Ahn, Kathryn Minshew, Andrew Wilkinson, Tim Ferriss, Blake Scholl, Chris Dixon, Fred Wilson, Raoul Pal, Jodie Cook, Michael Dell, Marty Cagan
Zero to One
Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future
Also recommended by:
Andrew Ng, Ben Horowitz, Bryan Johnson, Chris Dixon, Dustin Moskovitz, Elon Musk, Eric Weinstein, Keith Rabois, Kishore Biyani, Lee Stranahan, Luis von Ahn, Marc Andreessen, Mark Zuckerberg, Matt Mullenweg, Max Levchin, Nassim Taleb, Sam Altman, Patrick O'Shaughnessy, Tom Bilyeu, Ryan Petersen, Brian Dean, Rupert Murdoch
The Lean Startup
How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses
Also recommended by:
Andrew Ng, Ben Horowitz, Dustin Moskovitz, Jason Calacanis, Kevin Systrom, Marc Andreessen, Mark Cuban, Mike Maples, Jr., Tim O’Reilly, Chris Dixon, Raoul Pal, Sheryl Sandberg, Steve Blank, Marty Cagan, Patrick Bet-David
Creativity, Inc.
Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration
Also recommended by:
Ezra Klein, Mark Zuckerberg, Jason Calacanis, Demis Hassabis, Alexis Ohanian, Michael Mauboussin, Patrick O'Shaughnessy, Trung Phan
Who
The A Method for Hiring
Also recommended by:
The Startup Owner's Manual
The Step-By-Step Guide for Building a Great Company
The E-Myth Revisited
Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It
Also recommended by:
Tim Ferriss, Dave Ramsey, Derek Sivers, Dave Camarillo, Tom Bilyeu, Michael Hyatt, Patrick Bet-David
Founders at Work
Stories of Startups' Early Days
Also recommended by:
Paul Graham, Ryan Holiday, Alexis Ohanian, Ev Williams, Ron Conway
The Four Steps to the Epiphany
Successful Strategies for Products that Win
Also recommended by:
Hooked
How to Build Habit-Forming Products
Also recommended by:
Leading at the Speed of Growth
Journey from Entrepreneur to CEO
The $100 Startup
Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future
Sources
- 1
The Best Startup Books of All-Time (Updated for 2022) - Benzinga
benzinga.com
- 2
Top-10 Books Every Startup Founder Should Read | by Globalluxsoft | Globalluxsoft | Medium
medium.com
- 3
11 best startup books: must-reads for 2022
wisestamp.com
- 4
14 Best Startup Books to Read in 2022
teambuilding.com
- 5
15 Best Startup Books You Should Read - NerdWallet
nerdwallet.com
Edited by
Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.
Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shaped MRB and its growth.
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