Reading list: the books for what you are building

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643 books written by investors and founders

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The best matches for everything you told us, ranked.

  • 1

    The Book on Managing Rental Properties

    Find, Screen, and Manage Tenants With Fewer Headaches and Maximum Profits

    Brandon Turner · 2020

    4.541,579 ratings · Goodreads

    Real estate and constructionCompany building

    About the book

    From the top-selling author ofThe Book on Rental Property Investing, this companion book will be your comprehensive guide to effectively managing tenants in your rental properties. No matter how great you are at finding real estate deals, you could lose…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 2

    The Miracle Morning for Real Estate Agents

    It's Your Time to Rise and Shine

    Hal Elrod · 2014

    4.301,119 ratings · Goodreads

    Real estate and constructionCompany building

    About the book

    All real estate agents share one thing in we're all striving to get to the NEXT LEVEL of personal and professional success. We want to take our lives, our businesses, and ourselves to the next level. What if you could get there, faster than you ever thought…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 3

    Your First 365 Days in Real Estate

    How to build a successful real estate business

    Shelley Zavitz · 2019

    4.24362 ratings · Goodreads

    Real estate and constructionCompany buildingMarketing and growth

    About the book

    Your successful career in real estate starts here!The first 365 days of working in real estate can be one of the most tumultuous times in your career - full of hard lessons, heart breaks and hard work. Just because you have a license, doesn’t mean you have a…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 4

    Real estate finance and investments

    William B. Brueggeman, Jeffrey Fisher · 1993

    55 Open Library reading lists

    Real estate and construction

    On AmazonAudibleOpen Library

  • 5

    Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat

    The BRRRR Rental Property Investment Strategy Made Simple

    David Greene · 2019

    4.382,425 ratings · Goodreads

    Real estate and constructionCompany building

    About the book

    Invest in real estate, flip houses, buy rental properties, and never run out of money, using the hottest strategy in the real estate world! “From A–Z (or B–R), David covers just what you'll need to execute like a master and build wealth like the pros.", David…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 6

    The Housing Boom and Bust

    Thomas Sowell · 2009

    4.192,145 ratings · Goodreads

    Real estate and constructionCompany building

    About the book

    This is a plain-English explanation of how we got into the current economic disaster that developed out of the economics and politics of the housing boom and bust. The “creative” financing of home mortgages and the even more “creative” marketing of financial…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 7

    Other People's Money

    Inside the Housing Crisis and the Demise of the Greatest Real Estate Deal Ever Made

    Charles V. Bagli · 2013

    3.92664 ratings · Goodreads

    Real estate and constructionCompany building

    About the book

    In just over three years, real estate giant Tishman Speyer and its partner, BlackRock, lost billions of investors’ dollars on a single deal. The New York Times reporter who first broke the story of the sale of Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village takes…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 8

    Shift

    The 12 Tactics Real Estate Agents Must Do Now to Win in a Down Market

    Gary Keller · 2008

    4.25935 ratings · Goodreads

    Real estate and constructionCompany building

    About the book

    "NEW YORK TIMES" BESTSELLER "WALL STREET JOURNAL" BUSINESS BESTSELLER "USA TODAY" MONEY BESTSELLER "Tough times make or break people. My friend Gary teaches you how to make the tragic into magic. Read & reap from this great book."--Mark Victor Hansen,…

    On AmazonAudible

Books on real estate and construction.

  • 1

    The Book of YES

    The Ultimate Real Estate Agent Conversation Guide

    Kevin Ward · 2016

    4.10253 ratings · Goodreads

    Real estate and constructionCompany building

    About the book

    The Book of YES In Kevin Ward's book, you will find the most powerful scripts in the real estate industry today. If you’re tired of the same old sales scripts or if you’ve done away with them all together, I know how you feel because I’ve been there. I was…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 2

    The Book on Investing In Real Estate with No (and Low) Money Down

    Creative Strategies for Investing in Real Estate Using Other People's Money

    Brandon Turner · 2014

    4.182,560 ratings · Goodreads

    Real estate and constructionInnovationCompany building

    About the book

    COMPLETELY REVISED AND UPDATED Is your lack of cash holding you back from your real estate dreams? Discover the creative real estate financing techniques that savvy investors are using to do more deals, more often. No matter how much money you have in…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 3

    Confessions of a Real Estate Entrepreneur

    What It Takes to Win in High-Stakes Commercial Real Estate

    James A. Randel · 2005

    4.13277 ratings · Goodreads

    Real estate and constructionCompany building

    About the book

    A front row seat into the world of high-stakes commercial real estate investing “A must-read book … one of the best real estate investment books I have ever read. On my scale of 1 to 10, this unique book rates an off-the-charts 12.” ---Robert Bruss…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 4

    The Sell

    The Secrets of Selling Anything to Anyone

    Fredrik Eklund · 2015

    3.762,613 ratings · Goodreads

    Real estate and constructionCompany building

    About the book

    The nation’s #1 real estate broker and star of Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing New York shares his secrets for superstar success and getting what you want out of life, no matter who you are or what you do.Ten years ago, Fredrik Eklund moved to New York City…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 5

    The Public Domain

    Enclosing the Commons of the Mind

    James Boyle · 2008

    4.12349 ratings · Goodreads

    Real estate and constructionInnovation

    About the book

    In this enlightening book James Boyle describes what he calls the range wars of the information age, today’s heated battles over intellectual property. Boyle argues that just as every informed citizen needs to know at least something about the environment or…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 6

    17 Cents & a Dream

    My Incredible Journey from the USSR to Living the American Dream

    Daniel Milstein · 2012

    3.87374 ratings · Goodreads

    Real estate and construction

    About the book

    “Through pure determination, fortitude and attitude, Daniel pulled out of impossibly difficult situations. His story is true, his story is a personal inspiration to me and I hope it will inspire you too to maximize your potential and go for the greatest of…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 7

    Brand It Like Serhant

    Stand Out From the Crowd, Build Your Following, and Earn More Money

    Ryan Serhant · 2024

    3.95275 ratings · Goodreads

    Real estate and constructionCompany building

    About the book

    Bestselling author and real estate, television, and media icon Ryan Serhant shares his proven, three-step strategy to build your brand from scratch Brand is everything. Whether you’re a real estate broker, a hair stylist, or a freelance contractor, your end…

    On AmazonAudible

What founders at seed need most: company building, finding product-market fit, raising money, first sales, marketing and growth.

  • 1

    Get Backed

    Craft Your Story, Build the Perfect Pitch Deck, and Launch the Venture of Your Dreams

    Evan Baehr · 2015

    4.36356 ratings · Goodreads

    Raising moneyCompany building

    About the book

    HOW DO YOU LAUNCH THE VENTURE OF YOUR DREAMS? Get Backed isn’t just about startup fundraising. It’s a handbook for anyone who has an idea and needs to build relationships to get it off the ground. Over the last 3 years, entrepreneurs Evan Loomis and…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 2

    The User Experience Team of One

    A Research and Design Survival Guide

    Leah Buley · 2013

    4.191,657 ratings · Goodreads

    Finding product-market fitCompany building

    About the book

    UX Team of Oneb Theory and Practice for Designers Responsible for Holo UX b This book presents ways to achieve greater impact than standardized UX work results with less time and resources do. Whether youre looking to turn to the UX field, or an experienced…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 3

    80/20 Sales and Marketing

    The Definitive Guide to Working Less and Making More

    Perry Marshall · 2013

    4.191,904 ratings · Goodreads

    First salesMarketing and growthCompany building

    About the book

    Stop "Just Getting By" ... Master The 80/20 Principle And Make More Money Without More Work. When you know how to walk into any situation and see the 80/20's, you can solve almost ANY marketing problem. 80/20 can demolish any sales and advertising problem.…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 4

    UX Strategy

    How to Devise Innovative Digital Products that People Want

    Jaime Levy · 2014

    3.941,224 ratings · Goodreads

    Finding product-market fitCompany building

    About the book

    How do you bridge the large knowledge gap between user experience design and business strategy? This practical book introduces lightweight strategy tools and techniques that will help both your design team and your client come to a shared understanding of the…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 5

    Achieving Excellence in Fundraising + Website

    Eugene R. Tempel · 2003

    4.02249 ratings · Goodreads

    Raising moneyCompany building

    About the book

    The third edition of this acclaimed resource, Achieving Excellence in Fundraising, explains the fundraising profession's major principles, concepts, and techniques. With contributions from noted experts in the field, and filled with illustrative examples,…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 6

    Selling the Invisible

    A Field Guide to Modern Marketing

    Harry Beckwith · 1997

    3.9410,059 ratings · Goodreads

    Marketing and growthFirst salesCompany building

    About the book

    You can't touch, hear, or see your company's most important products... So how do you sell, develop, make them grow? That's the problem with services. This "phenomenal" book, as one reviewer called it, answers that question with insights on how markets work…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 7

    Solving Product Design Exercises

    Questions & Answers

    Artiom Dashinsky · 2018

    4.30675 ratings · Goodreads

    Finding product-market fitCompany building

    About the book

    Practice your product design and UX skills. Prepare for your next job interview. "Redesign the NYC metrocard system. Design a dashboard for a general practitioner. Redesign an ATM". Learn how to solve and present exercises like these, that top startups…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 8

    LinkedIn Riches

    How To Use LinkedIn For Business, Sales and Marketing! Updated and Revised

    John Nemo · 2014

    4.07319 ratings · Goodreads

    First salesMarketing and growthCompany building

    About the book

    SPECIAL Includes Free Access to 25+ LinkedIn Training Videos!Discover How To Use LinkedIn For Sales, Business and Marketing, including how Find New Sales Leads and Prospective Clients on LinkedIn FAST- Turn Your Existing LinkedIn Connections into Paying…

    On AmazonAudible

Leading and managing a team as the company grows.

  • 1

    Rising Strong

    The Reckoning. The Rumble. The Revolution

    Brené Brown · 2015

    4.2590,292 ratings · Goodreads

    Leading and managing

    About the book

    Social scientist Brené Brown has ignited a global conversation on courage, vulnerability, shame, and worthiness. Her pioneering work uncovered a profound truth: Vulnerability, the willingness to show up and be seen with no guarantee of outcome, is the only path…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 2

    The New One Minute Manager

    Kenneth H. Blanchard · 1981

    3.95148,444 ratings · Goodreads

    Leading and managing

    About the book

    For decades, The One Minute Manager® has helped millions achieve more successful professional and personal lives. While the principles it lays out are timeless, our world has changed drastically since the book’s publication. The exponential rise of…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 3

    A Different Kind of Power

    Jacinda Ardern · 2025

    4.4521,916 ratings · Goodreads

    Leading and managing

    About the book

    From the former prime minister of New Zealand, then the world’s youngest female head of government and just the second to give birth in office, comes a deeply personal memoir chronicling her extraordinary rise and offering inspiration to a new generation of…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 4

    Give and Take

    A Revolutionary Approach to Success

    Adam M. Grant · 2013

    4.0641,070 ratings · Goodreads

    Leading and managing

    About the book

    Give and Take highlights what effective networking, collaboration, influence, negotiation, and leadership skills have in common. For generations, we have focused on the individual drivers of success: passion, hard work, talent, and luck. But today, success…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 5

    The Ride of a Lifetime

    Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company

    Robert Iger · 2019

    4.4099,495 ratings · Goodreads

    Leading and managing

    About the book

    A grand vision defined: The CEO of The Walt Disney Company shares the ideas and values he has used to reinvent one of the most beloved companies in the world, and inspire the people who bring the magic to life. In 2005, Robert Iger became CEO of The Walt…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 6

    The Manager's Path

    A Guide for Tech Leaders Navigating Growth and Change

    Camille Fournier · 2017

    4.2510,686 ratings · Goodreads

    Leading and managing

    About the book

    Managing people is difficult wherever you work, but the tech industry as a whole is pretty bad at it. Tech companies in general lack the experience, tools, texts, and frameworks to do it well. And the handful of books that share tips and tricks of engineering…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 7

    All It Takes Is a Goal

    The 3-Step Plan to Ditch Regret and Tap Into Your Massive Potential | Achieve Your Resolutions and Find Success

    Jon Acuff · 2023

    4.552,450 ratings · Goodreads

    Leading and managing

    About the book

    "This is my new favorite book about goals!" -- Mel Robbins , podcaster and New York Times bestselling author of The High 5 Habit What if you could have a fulfilling career, a thriving marriage, strong friendships, and rewarding hobbies, all while being in…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 8

    The Goal

    A Process of Ongoing Improvement

    Eliyahu M. Goldratt · 2004

    4.0786,160 ratings · Goodreads

    Leading and managing

    About the book

    Written in a fast-paced thriller style, The Goal, a gripping novel, is transforming management thinking throughout the world. It is a book to recommend to your friends in industry - even to your bosses - but not to your competitors. Alex Rogo is a harried…

    On AmazonAudible

Published in the last three years, newest first, for what you told us.

  • 1

    Simple Marketing For Smart People

    The One Question You Need to Win Customers without Gimmicks, Hype, or Hard Selling

    Billy Broas · 2024

    4.35305 ratings · Goodreads

    Marketing and growthFirst salesCompany building

    About the book

    Why do so many smart people struggle with marketing? The answer is smart people love complexity, and complexity brews problems. Does your marketing feel like it has way too many moving parts? If so, Simple Marketing for Smart People is the solution you’ve…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 2

    The First-Time Manager

    Sales

    Mike Weinberg · 2023

    4.43282 ratings · Goodreads

    First salesCompany building

    About the book

    The First Time Manager Series has sold over 500,000 copies and is a go-to guide for new and aspiring sales managers on what to expect and how to succeed. The jump from sales superstar to sales manager has made or broken many a sales career. As a…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 3

    The Pricing Roadmap

    How to Design B2B SaaS Pricing Models That Your Customers Will Love

    Ulrik Lehrskov-Schmidt · 2023

    4.43207 ratings · Goodreads

    Finding product-market fitCompany building

    About the book

    "The definitive resource on SaaS pricing, I absolutely can not recommend this book enough." Viktor Heide, COO of Contractbook.com, Forbes "30 under 30" A foolproof method to achieve skyrocketing sales, growth, and profits for your software as a service…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 4

    Apple in China

    The Capture of the World's Greatest Company

    Patrick McGee · 2025

    4.4810,559 ratings · Goodreads

    Company building

    About the book

    For readers of Walter Isaacson’s Steve Jobs and Chris Miller’s Chip War, a riveting look at how Apple helped build China’s dominance in electronics assembly and manufacturing only to find itself trapped in a relationship with an authoritarian state making…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 5

    Personal Branding for Introverts

    Goldie Chan · 2025

    4.41211 ratings · Goodreads

    Marketing and growthCompany building

    About the book

    A top expert in personal branding shows introverts how to leverage their unique strengths to get ahead    To build a career, you need a personal brand to showcase your distinct skills, experience, and expertise. Building that brand can feel…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 6

    Lean Marketing

    More Leads. More Profit. Less Marketing.

    Allan Dib · 2024

    4.31452 ratings · Goodreads

    Marketing and growthCompany building

    About the book

    Bigger Results with Less Marketing You keep being told to do more marketing―more complex, more aggressive, and more expensive marketing. Chasing the latest bright, shiny object is exhausting. Increased efforts keep leading to disappointment. The overwhelm…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 7

    Cancel Me If You Can

    Dave Portnoy · 2026

    4.226,588 ratings · Goodreads

    Company building

    About the book

    In his unfiltered style, Dave Portnoy details the journey of how he built his polarizing media empire, Barstool Sports, while refusing to bend the knee to those who tried to tear him down, staying true to himself and blocking out the haters. Dave Portnoy is a…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 8

    1929

    Inside the Greatest Crash in History – and How It Shattered a Nation

    Andrew Ross Sorkin · 2025

    4.1535,108 ratings · Goodreads

    Company building

    On AmazonAudible

How companies like yours were actually built, from the people who built them.

  • 1

    Zeckendorf

    The autobiography of the man who played a real-life game of Monopoly and won the largest real estate empire in history.

    William Zeckendorf · 1970

    4.16609 ratings · Goodreads

    Real estate and constructionFounder storiesCompany building

    About the book

    Not since the days of the Louisiana Purchase has America seen any bigger real estate transactions than those executed by William Zeckendorf, the derring-do head of Webb & Knapp. Figuring with supersonic speed and an uncanny flair for making money, the…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 2

    Powerhouse Principles

    The Billionaire Blueprint For Real Estate Success

    Jorge Pérez · 2008

    4.24189 ratings · Goodreads

    Real estate and constructionCompany building

    About the book

    The #1 private developer in the U.S. Jorge Pérez shares his billionaire secrets to empower both small and seasoned investors. Known as the King of Condominiums and the Steven Spielberg of Real Estate, Jorge Pérez reveals his principles for achieving success…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 3

    Shoe Dog

    A Memoir by the Creator of Nike

    Phil Knight · 2016

    4.45389,310 ratings · Goodreads

    Founder storiesCompany building

    About the book

    In this candid and riveting memoir, for the first time ever, Nike founder and CEO Phil Knight shares the inside story of the company’s early days as an intrepid start-up and its evolution into one of the world’s most iconic, game-changing, and profitable…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 4

    Steve Jobs

    Walter Isaacson · 2011

    4.161,391,990 ratings · Goodreads

    Founder storiesCompany building

    About the book

    Walter Isaacson's worldwide bestselling biography of Apple cofounder Steve Jobs. Based on more than forty interviews with Steve Jobs conducted over two years--as well as interviews with more than 100 family members, friends, adversaries, competitors, and…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 5

    Personal History

    A Memoir

    Katharine Graham · 1997

    4.0925,181 ratings · Goodreads

    Founder stories

    About the book

    Madrid. 22 cm. 557 p. Encuadernación en tapa blanda de editorial ilustrada. Graham, Katharine 1917-2001. Traducción de María Luisa Rodríguez Tapia y José Manuel Calvo Roy. Título Personal history .. Este libro es de segunda mano y tiene o puede tener marcas…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 6

    The Elon Musk Blog Series

    Wait But Why

    Tim Urban · 2016

    4.701,837 ratings · Goodreads

    Founder storiesCompany building

    About the book

    In 2015, Elon Musk reached out to blogger Tim Urban and asked him if he'd take a crack at explaining Elon's endeavors, and the industries surrounding them, to the world. Tim accepted, and after extensive meetings with Elon and his staff, he wrote four blog…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 7

    Irrational Exuberance

    Robert J. Shiller · 2000

    3.988,608 ratings · Goodreads

    Real estate and constructionCompany building

    About the book

    As Robert Shiller’s new 2009 preface to his prescient classic on behavioral economics and market volatility asserts, the irrational exuberance of the stock and housing markets “has been ended by an economic crisis of a magnitude not seen since the Great…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 8

    The Jordan Rules

    The Inside Story of One Turbulent Season with Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls

    Sam Smith · 1992

    4.2519,445 ratings · Goodreads

    Founder stories

    About the book

    Sam Smith’s seminal, New York Times bestselling “eye-opener” ( The San Diego Union-Tribune ) on Michael Jordan and the 1990-1991 Chicago Bulls team, perfect for fans of ESPN’s hit documentary series The Last Dance. This is the book that changed the way the…

    On AmazonAudible

What founders at seed keep coming back to, if you have not read them yet.

  • 1

    Crossing the Chasm

    Marketing and Selling High-Tech Products to Mainstream Customers

    Geoffrey A. Moore · 2002

    4.0332,109 ratings · Goodreads

    Marketing and growthCompany buildingFirst sales

    About the book

    Here is the bestselling guide that created a new game plan for marketing in high-tech industries. Crossing the Chasm has become the bible for bringing cutting-edge products to progressively larger markets. This edition provides new insights into the realities…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 2

    To Sell is Human

    The Surprising Truth About Moving Others

    Daniel H. Pink · 2012

    3.8726,914 ratings · Goodreads

    Company buildingFirst sales

    About the book

    From the bestselling author of Drive and A Whole New Mind comes a surprising--and surprisingly useful--new book that explores the power of selling in our lives.According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, one in nine Americans works in sales. Every day…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 3

    The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing

    Violate Them at Your Own Risk

    Al Ries · 1993

    4.0522,738 ratings · Goodreads

    Marketing and growthCompany building

    About the book

    There are laws of nature, so why shouldn't there be laws of marketing? As Al Ries and Jack Trout, the world-renowned marketing consultants and bestselling authors of Positioning, note, you can build an impressive airplane, but it will never leave the ground if…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 4

    Outliers

    The Story of Success

    Malcolm Gladwell · 2008

    4.19890,252 ratings · Goodreads

    Company building

    About the book

    In this stunning book, Malcolm Gladwell takes us on an intellectual journey through the world of "outliers", the best and the brightest, the most famous and the most successful. He asks the question: what makes high-achievers different? His answer is that…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 5

    Inspired

    How to Create Tech Products Customers Love

    Marty Cagan · 2008

    4.2226,350 ratings · Goodreads

    Company buildingFinding product-market fit

    About the book

    Learn to design, build, and scale products consumers can't get enough of How do today's most successful tech companies–Amazon, Google, Facebook, Netflix, Tesla–design, develop, and deploy the products that have earned the love of literally billions of…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 6

    Pensar, Depressa e Devagar

    Daniel Kahneman · 2011

    4.17583,963 ratings · Goodreads

    Company building

    On AmazonAudible

  • 7

    Building A Story Brand

    Donald Miller · 2017

    4.2726,500 ratings · Goodreads

    Marketing and growthCompany building

    About the book

    New York Times bestselling author Donald Miller uses the seven universal elements of powerful stories to teach readers how to dramatically improve how they connect with customers and grow their businesses. Donald Miller’s StoryBrand process is a proven…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 8

    Red Notice

    A True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man's Fight for Justice

    Bill Browder · 2015

    4.44113,920 ratings · Goodreads

    Company building

    About the book

    A real-life political thriller about an American financier in the Wild East of Russia, the murder of his principled young tax attorney, and his dangerous mission to expose the Kremlin’s corruption.Bill Browder’s journey started on the South Side of Chicago…

    On AmazonAudible

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30,000books on building and backing companies
61.5Mreader ratings behind the picks
3.86★average reader rating across the library
643books written by investors and founders

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