Some of the best resources for inspiration and motivation come from closing the laptop and opening a good book. If thoughts of owning your own business have crossed your mind before, don’t laugh it off. These ideas aren’t just for the women you see on episodes of Shark Tank! You might just be needing a little encouragement to look at life a little differently to see the possibilities in front of you.
Here are ten books that should be on every woman’s reading list to engage and inspire the entrepreneur within.
1. In the Company of Women: Inspiration and Advice from over 100 Makers, Artists, and Entrepreneurs, by Grace Bonney
Who it’s for:The woman in all of us who finds their own power is ignited by seeing the success and achievements of other women. If you’re looking for a beautiful coffee table read to remind yourself you can do anything, this is it!
What’s inside:One hundred interviews that highlight the challenges and opportunities women from different walks of life have faced on the road of their own entrepreneurial journey.
2. Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are so You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be, by Rachel Hollis
Who it’s for:The woman who feels like a hot mess some days but knows she has so much to offer the world – she just needs that extra push in the right direction.
What you’ll learn: How to punch life in the face when necessary in order to overcome the false narrative the world has somehow gotten women to believe. Rachel Hollis of TheChicSite.com shares her own story to encourage you to step out into the world and own your confidence and right to the life you crave.
3. Grace, Not Perfection: Embracing Simplicity, Celebrating Joy, by Emily Ley
Who it’s for:The woman who juggles it all (motherhood, housework, career, kids, the hanging-on-by-a-thread social life) and is exhausted from trying to be perfect.
What you’ll learn: Strategies and steps to put in place that will help you stay on top of your game while simplifying your days. Learn to create days filled with more of what you love and concentrate less on perfection and more on giving yourself grace.
4. You Are a Badass®: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life, by Jen Sincero
Who it’s for:The woman who wishes she could quiet the voice of self-doubt and step into the kind of life that makes her want to smile ear-to-ear and throw confetti into the air.
What you’ll learn: Author Jen Sincero will “teach you why you are how you are, how to love what you can’t change, how to change what you don’t love, and how to start living the kind of life you used to be jealous of.”
5. The Black Woman Millionaire: A Revolutionary Act that DEFIES Impossible, by Dr. Venus Opal Reese
Who it’s for:The woman who tosses and turns at night thinking about how hard she works and questions why she isn’t reaping the rewards yet.
What you’ll learn:How to step out from under the fear and misconceptions you have about money so you “can defy your impossible to become a 7-Figure sister,” according to author Dr. Venus Opal Reese.
6. Girl Code: Unlocking the Secrets to Success, Sanity, and Happiness for the Female Entrepreneur, by Cara Alwill Leyba
Who it’s for: The women seeking ‘community over competition’ in her business and her life. She’s craving connection with other women without fear of jealousy.
What’s inside: Advice and “how to’s” on navigating a world that tells us women are catty and competitive when the reality is that there is nothing but opportunity around you to create relationships built from support that you can lean on.
7. You Are a Badass at Making Money: Master the Mindset of Wealth, by Jen Sincero
Who it’s for: The woman that gets uncomfortable talking about money and finances, yet dreams of the kind of financial freedom that others have.
What you’ll learn:That the road to rich is paved by more than just money. You’ll find what has been holding you back and new ways to visualize the wealth you want and go after it using your natural abilities.
8.Make it Happen: Surrender Your Fear. Take the Leap. Live On Purpose, by Lara Casey
Who it’s for: The woman who suffers from anxiety and pressure from the world around her and dreams “of a life lived not by accident, but on purpose.”
What you’ll learn: The incredible freedom that is out there for you once you jump into the unknown, push yourself towards things that bring you joy and allow God to show you the purpose he has for your life.
9. Disrupters: Success Strategies from Women Who Break the Mold, by Dr. Patti Fletcher
Who it’s for: The woman who is ready to take her future into her own hands and live life on her own terms by changing her mindset and moving forward.
What you’ll learn: The differences that set the successful and the unsuccessful apart and how to tap into your own skill set and power to become whatever your definition of success is!
10. Never Too Late to Startup: How Mid-Life Entrepreneurs Create Wealth, Freedom & Purpose, by Rob Kornblum
Who it’s for: The woman with a knack for business who’s looking for the adventure of a midlife career change. (Newsflash: she’d love to be her own boss!)
What you’ll learn: The steps that many entrepreneurs took to achieve their goals for their startup using the skills they had honed over the years in their initial careers.
Head over to your local bookstore or library to grab one or all of the books on this list!
