My Top 10 Business Books Of The Year 2018
Well this was an exciting year and I read some of the best business books I could lay my hands on. The following are some of the ones I could gorge on this year.
To start with I read this book ‘Things A Little Bird Told Me’ recently and immediately became a fan of Biz Stone. Undoubtedly one of the best biographies I’ve read till date. #MustRead
Next on my list is definitely Yuval Noah Harari’s ‘Sapiens’ and ‘Homodeus’. These books are nothing but essential books you need to finish before you die. I did not find any other word other than brilliant. They opened my mind to history, psychology and anthropology like never before. If you wish to change the future you need to know your history. #MustRead
‘Hacking Growth’ by Sean Ellis is apparently the only book that clearly defines what’Growth Hacking’ actually is. People speak about it, write about it but no one really knows what growth hacking is and how it is done. This book demystifies growth hacking completely.One arrow you definitely need in your quiver. #MustRead
When I started reading ‘The score takes care of itself’ it seemed boring but as you read more and more of it you’d come across leadership philosophies that actually make a lot of sense in real time. Billy Walsh is indeed one of the most phenomenal leaders we’ve in business and some of his anecdotes of wisdom on leadership are way too invaluable to miss.
‘Shoe Dog’ by Phil Knight is another amazing account of how an underdog runner and a megalomaniac went ahead and built one of the most innovative companies in the world. Nike as we know today was one of those companies Steven Jobs spoke about much too often when the conversation revolved around innovation. They have broken barriers and proved themselves time and again. #MustRead
If Theodore Levitt was the father of modern marketing Seth Godin is indeed the prince of 21st century marketing. You’ll love him or hate him but you can’t ignore him. Most of what he says is insanely accurate when you introspect in real time. For all would be marketers ‘All Marketers tell stories’ is the bible of modern marketing.
‘The Four’ by Scott Galloway is another epic piece. It shows the top four tech companies in al altogether different light from what we have seen until now. You’d know what sets Google different from Amazon or how Facebook wants to conquer the world. If you are into product strategy this should provide you enough fodder for thought.
‘Alibaba:The House That Jack Ma Built’ is another great biography that clearly shows how Jack Ma-the Chinese version of Jeff Bezos took the world by storm by creating one of the fastest growing eCommerce engines in China despite of all economic and political hurdles. Its a story of sheer brilliance and the indomitable spirit of the human mind.
‘The Launchpad:Inside YCombinator, Silicon Valley’s most exclusive school for startups’ by Randall Stross shows what it takes to go through the entire 9 yards inside YCombinator. It dispels a lot of myth people have about YC and shows that even YC backed startups can fail. For entrepreneurs planning to apply for YC this could come as a good reference book.
‘What they teach you at Harvard Business School:My Two Years Inside the Cauldron of Capitalism’ by Broughton Philip Delves is another masterpiece that shows what it is to go through the arduous process of becoming a Harvard B-School graduate. Its funny yet it shows the ugly side of being in one of the top institutions in the world. Its more of an eye opener what shows that you don’t need to go to Harvard if you wanna do something great. For the rest there is always Harvard Business School.