5 books every women entrepreneur must read

One needs to pave their own path as an entrepreneur.  The road ahead can be daunting, tricky, and filled with obstacles. Success can offer an adrenaline rush like no other and paving the path to victory needs a mindset shift. 

For women entrepreneurs, breaking into previously male-dominated-bastions and succeeding can be an uphill task. Finding insights from other women entrepreneurs who have walked the path can help cultivate a psychological shift: Their experiences and wisdom can offer a strong morale boost. After all, being an effective leader is all about carrying the right mindset wherein every obstacle or crisis becomes an opportunity. 

If you are someone caught in the throes of an entrepreneurial struggle, the books highlighted below are vivid representations of an entrepreneurial journey.  Based on insights from Forbes, these books will offer insight, motivation, and inspiration for those seeking to take the road less travelled. 

The Gift of Struggle by Bobby Herrera: Being honest about one’s struggles is a  critical first step towards effective leadership. Bobby Herrera offers a no-holds-barred view into the myriad struggles that helped mould his success as a business leader. In his book, Bobby Herrera narrates a story of struggle that those in leadership positions prefer to leave untold and undiscovered. Herera, in stark contrast, has embraced his struggles that have helped him not only connect deeply with others but also learn and grow as an individual. 

The Right It by Alberto Savoia: To create a game-changing industry innovation or the next big thing is something that many entrepreneurs aspire to do. However, without the right strategy or presentation, even a seemingly great idea may fall flat.  In his book, Savoia describes strategies that will help your product or idea in the spotlight, based on successful case studies. The book is an endeavour to overcome the overwhelming feeling of inevitable market-failure. It’s a prescriptive approach towards entrepreneurial success.

Shark Tales by Barbara Corcoran: A journey of a lifetime from working in a small and obscure real estate office to becoming a recognizable face on ABC;s hit show as a ‘shark’ investor. Barbara depicts how she encountered a lot of failure initially and succeeded despite it. Before starting her business and having life-changing realizations, Barbara left more than 20 jobs which included stints as a waitress and teacher. Through her failures, she learnt valuable life lessons which led to her rather unconventional business approach to business and success.

Radical Outcomes by Juliana Stancampiano: Despite billions of dollars being spent each year on magnifying professional success, many solutions aren’t well-designed or sustainable to be used by companies or employees. To enhance your company’s approach towards work and to create a more cohesive and effective team structure, the ingredients for long-term success, is what Stancampiano’s book offers through its tried and tested methods.  Think of it  as an effective working solutions guidebook that you always sought.

The Other Side of Happiness by Brock Bastian:  We are brought up in a culture of toxic positivity: A culture that perceives challenges as personal failures and seeks ways to avoid anything that is deemed to be difficult or painful. In his book, Bastian, a psychologist, advocates a new perspective towards setbacks that are inevitable and highlights how steering away from pain also stops us from finding happiness or fulfilment. Bastian depicts how difficult experiences can be great teachers that give us life-changing-wisdom.  They help create an innate capacity to find greater success and joy.

If achieving success as an entrepreneur were easy then everyone would be doing it. An entrepreneur’s mettle is tested when they encounter failure. How they respond to it is what will shape their future path. For women entrepreneurs, the list above will offer experiential insights that will help them navigate their paths better. After all, success is all about imbibing the right mindset.