Must Read Books for the aspiring Entrepreneur and Girl Boss

Winter is the time we crawl under our covers, with a space heater too close for fire safety comfort, and plan on not coming out until Spring. Winter typically brings on a deep and dark few months of SAD: Seasonal Affective Disorder. It’s a real type of depression (not self-diagnosed until post-college but it explains a lot) that comes the same time every year. Typically during the winter months when the days are short, activities lessen, and the holidays are over with nothing to look forward to but St. Patty’s drinking day. In an effort to not fall into a state of SAD, this winter will be all about learning for me. I’ve signed up for and started over 12 business courses, started listening to entrepreneur podcasts, and reading inspiring books to keep my entrepreneurial mind fresh and ready for any challenge. I have a list of must read books for the aspiring entrepreneur and girl boss that is continuously growing. So while the weather keeps saying something like “feels like 1degree”, which might as well say dear lord please don’t go outside, you’ll die, and exploring the town is surely out of the question, I’ll escape into a new book. You really never know what kind of spark a new book will give you.

A few years back while still at a graphic design firm, I would spend so much time during and after work trying to figure out how to become an entrepreneur. I’d been thinking about starting a company for years and had a few business courses under my belt paired with too many ideas to count but no real plan on how to do it or where to start. I kept saying I wouldn’t leave my job until I had a plan which felt like it would never come. One day I was out exploring a hole in the wall bookshop where I spotted Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months a Month-by-Month guide to a business that works. A bright white book with big orange letters that in my eyes read “Diana, this is your sign. Take the leap and start your business.” I just about sprinted to that book and started reading it in the check out line. This book is How I Started A Company On My Own In 11months. It was my beacon guiding me into an entrepreneurial mindset and a full blow Girl Boss attitude. From then on I had to keep reading new inspiring books to keep the ball rolling and keep my business inspiration from burning out.

So instead of crawling into bed these next two months with SAD, I mean that both literally and figuratively, snuggle up on the couch and lose yourself in a new book. Especially one that will give you inspiration for the new year to finally take that business leap. Whether you’re starting a blog, launching a business, or working toward a promotion, try one of these Must Read Books for the aspiring Entrepreneur and Girl Boss.

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#GIRLBOSS: The founder of Nasty Gal and the founder and CEO of Girlboss. Sophia was never a typical CEO, or a typical anything, and she’s written #GIRLBOSS for other girls like her: outsiders (and insiders) seeking a unique path to success, even when that path is windy as all hell and lined with naysayers.

People Over Profit: Sevenly founder Dale Partridge uncovers the seven core beliefs shared by consumers, starters, and leaders behind this transformation. These beliefs have enabled Dale to build a multimillion-dollar company that is revolutionizing the marketplace. He believes they are the secret to creating a sustainable world that values honesty over deception, transparency over secrecy, authenticity over hype, and ultimately, people over profit.

The Design of Business: Martin shows how leading companies such as Procter & Gamble, Cirque du Soleil, RIM, and others use design thinking to push knowledge through the stages in ways that produce breakthrough innovations and competitive advantage.

You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life: By the end of You Are a Badass, you’ll understand 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 use The Force to kick some serious ass.

Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office: Lois P. Frankel reveals a distinctive set of behaviors-over 130 in all-that women learn in girlhood that ultimately sabotage them as adults. She teaches you how to eliminate these unconscious mistakes that could be holding you back and offers invaluable coaching tips that can easily be incorporated into your social and business skills.

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear: Elizabeth Gilbert asks us to embrace our curiosity and let go of needless suffering. She shows us how to tackle what we most love, and how to face down what we most fear. She discusses the attitudes, approaches, and habits we need in order to live our most creative lives. Balancing between soulful spirituality and cheerful pragmatism, Gilbert encourages us to uncover the “strange jewels” that are hidden within each of us.

Make it Happen: Surrender Your Fear. Take the Leap. Live On Purpose: Lara Casey says “Make It Happen is the story of how I surrendered my fear, took the leap, and got a life. In my case, a perfectly imperfect, fulfilling life as a mama, a working woman, and a grateful wife. This is the story of how I chose to make “it”―a greater purpose than mine―happen, and how you can too.”

Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person: This poignant, intimate, and hilarious memoir explores Shonda’s life before her Year of Yes—from her nerdy, book-loving childhood to her devotion to creating television characters who reflected the world she saw around her. The book chronicles her life after her Year of Yes had begun—when Shonda forced herself out of the house and onto the stage; when she learned to explore, empower, applaud, and love her truest self. Yes.

Light Is the New Black: Light Is the New Black is a guidebook for a new breed of women who are here to be bright lights in the world – modern-day lightworkers, who agreed to be here at this time in history. In order to thrive in this new age, everything we do must be an authentic expression of who we truly are. Light Is the New Blackwill guide you back home to the callings of your soul, so you can light up the world with your presence.

Descriptions courtesy of Amazon

My inspiration to read more often. The “Drink Tea, Read Books, Snuggle Often” print from TelunaLife.com