10 Must Reads for Budding Entrepreneurs

1. Good to Great (Jim Collins) – this book delves into some fundamental strengths that entrepreneurs need to seed into their business fairly early. Interestingly some of the companies listed in the book may no longer be called great, but I believe the principles stand the test of time.

2. The Tipping Point (Malcolm Gladwell) – some small things do become big. Every entrepreneur and startup would love to know how and why; Gladwell’s book offers a different perspective – from epidemics to better governance.

3. Losing My Virginity & Screw It, Let’s Do It (Richard Branson) – As an entrepreneur who went from selling records to creating one of the most diverse brands, Branson will certainly have something for everyone.

4. The High Performance Entrepreneur: Golden Rules for Success in Today's World (Subroto Bagchi) – if for nothing else, read it for the first chapter: “How Do I know if I Am Ready”. Once you’ve gone through that, it is remarkably easy to go through the rest of the book, which offers guidance from Bagchi’s own deep experience as an entrepreneurial manager and as an entrepreneur.

5. Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid (CK Prahalad) – I came very late to this book, and am yet to complete it, but it is an excellent reference source for case studies of innovative and very large businesses being grown in markets that are typically treated as poor or low value.

6. Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die (Chip Heath, Dan Heath) – Inspired by the Tipping Point, the Heath brothers describe what it takes to get your ideas across, and make a lasting impact. A must for entrepreneurs looking for funding and to hire great people.

7. It Happened in India: The Story of Pantaloons, Big Bazaar, Central and the Great Indian Consumer (Kishore Biyani) – there are too few books about or by Indian entrepreneurs, so this is one growth story in desi style that many startups would be able to relate to.

8. The New Business Road Test: What Entrepreneurs And Executives Should Do Before Writing A Business Plan (John Mullins) – an someone who turned from corporate life to academics and further to being involved with entrepreneurs, Mullins provides a great framework to help the entrepreneur filter and refine his concept of the “next big thing” into a real business.

9. Venture Capital Funding: A Practical Guide to Raising Finance (Stephen Bloomfield) – while written from a UK and European perspective, it is a valuable reference for anyone looking for external funding.

10. And last but not the least – pick your favourite philosopher or guide. No matter whether we are overtly spiritual or completely agnostic, there are times, many times in an entrepreneur’s life, when we need to step beyond the intellectual construct of business, look beyond plans and strategies, and next year’s targets.