The 11 Best Books for the Business Strategy Master on Your Christmas List
Note: Republishing this post I shared on the Medium paid subscription a few years ago. This was originally written in December 2015.
As the curator and compiler of The Evergreen Library, I’ve spent many hundreds (thousands?) of hours reading through business resources and passing on the very best to readers.
In the past year, I’ve written 400+ pages (nearly 100,000 words) about the best business resources for founders, managers, strategists, business owners, and investors.
For the Holidays, it seemed helpful to compile a short list of the books that stood out. So, for the Business Nerd on your shopping list, I present the most important books on Business Strategy.
You can also check out: The 12 Best Books on Business Growth.
Books on Building a Brand
For those who are building a brand-based business, here are the books that will help them grow, build, and win in 2016.
Steve Jobs
The ultimate Biography of the most enigmatic entrepreneur of our generation. You will not regret owning this book, full of lessons on business and life.
Steve Jobs
Insanely Simple
The book written by a veteran of the Advertising firm that worked for Steve Jobs at Apple and Pixar, this book is a fascinating look into how Jobs built Brands through Ad campaigns.
Insanely Simple: The Obsession That Drives Apple's Success
Different
Written by a Dean of Harvard Business School in Strategy, Different is an exploration of how to create and position a unique and powerful brand amongst competitors who crowd the market.
Different: Escaping the Competitive Herd
Books on Creating a Competitive Advantage
The best set of books for Investors or Entrepreneurs, this set of books on creating Competitive Advantage are must-reads for those building and investing in successful businesses.
Zero to One
With relevant thoughts on many business topics, one of the most unique and powerful chapters is about Competitive Advantage, and Billionaire Peter Thiel’s book is an incredible read for anyone interested in the startup world.
Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future
Competitive Advantage
The classic read on Competitive Advantage, HBS professor Michael Porter’s book has a place on every business nerd’s bookshelf.
Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance
Building Huge Businesses on Cost Leadership
Some businesses compete and win by fighting to decrease their costs and delivering goods at a lower price than their rivals. Here are the very best stories of those entrepreneurs, full of wisdom for aspiring business builders.
The Everything Store
The best book (yet) on Jeff Bezos and Amazon, a modern titan still being built before our eyes. Bezos is a genius of strategy and an icon of cost leadership.
The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon
Made in America
The story of Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart. He built and empire out of brilliant insights about how to create the most incredible retail stores and operation network ever conceived. And he did this with a late start in life.
Sam Walton: Made In America
It’s All About Who
From a largely unknown businessman who built a fantastic company in a very competitive industry comes a book on life, business, and old-fashioned leadership that will teach everyone something valuable.
It's All About Who You Hire, How They Lead...and Other Essential Advice from a Self-Made Leader
The Books about Business Strategy
For those who are grappling with Strategy questions as they build a business, or steer an existing business through the chaos of competition, books that lay out Strategy frameworks and offer examples and guides can be the difference between success and failure.
No matter where you are, you will wish you read these sooner.
Good Strategy, Bad Strategy
Written by Strategy Guru Richard Rumelt, this book lays out the basics of good strategy, and (perhaps more importantly) steers you away from the most common deadly mistakes.
Good Strategy Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters
Playing to Win
The book that Ebay and HP CEO Meg Whitman most frequently gives to her Entrepreneurs, this book by Proctor & Gamble CEO and his Advisor will help you navigate brand-building in competitive space.
Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works
Strategy, A History
For the die-hard strategist on your list, this mammoth book compiles all of the most interesting strategic challenges, decisions, and outcomes of history.
Strategy: A History
There you are! The 11 best books out there for Business Strategy. Happy Holidays!