Top 5 Business Books Every Solopreneur Should Read (and What You Can Learn from Them)

There’s always room to grow. Whether it’s refining your business strategies, learning how to market yourself more effectively, or gaining insight into how successful entrepreneurs think. One of the best ways to grow and succeed in your entrepreneurial journey is by learning from those who’ve been there before. That’s where the power of business books comes in.

In this article, I’ll explore five must-read books for solopreneurs, along with the top advice and tips each book offers. These books will help you understand the fundamentals of building a sustainable business, growing your brand, and leading with confidence.

1. Getting Naked: A Business Fable About Shedding The Three Fears That Sabotage Client Loyalty by Patrick Lencioni

Getting Naked is a business fable that teaches you how to build stronger, more trusting relationships with your clients by embracing vulnerability and shedding the fear of being too open or too imperfect. It’s a game-changer for solopreneurs, as it provides actionable advice on how to engage with clients and be transparent in your business dealings.

Top 3 Tips from Getting Naked:

• Embrace Vulnerability: The book teaches you to embrace vulnerability and be open about what you don’t know. Clients don’t need a perfect expert—they need someone they can trust. Being honest and transparent builds credibility and loyalty.

• Lose the Fear of Losing Business: Stop chasing every deal, especially if it’s not the right fit. The book emphasizes that confidence in your value will attract the right clients, and sometimes walking away from the wrong ones is the best decision.

• Enter the Danger: Address the tough issues. Whether it’s project challenges or client concerns, don’t shy away from uncomfortable conversations. Clients appreciate honesty and respect you more for it.

2. Nail It Then Scale It by Nathan Furr and Paul Ahlstrom

Nail It Then Scale It focuses on the importance of validating your business idea before you dive into scaling it. As a solopreneur, it’s easy to get excited about expanding your business, but it’s critical to ensure your foundation is solid before you go big. This book provides a structured approach to testing and refining your business model.

Top 3 Tips from Nail It Then Scale It:

• Focus on Market Fit: Before scaling, make sure your business is meeting a real need. The book emphasizes the importance of finding a product-market fit before investing in growth. Validate your idea with real customers to ensure there’s a demand.

• Pivot Quickly if Needed: The authors stress the importance of being flexible. If your idea isn’t working, don’t be afraid to pivot. The sooner you pivot, the less you lose in time and resources.

• Iterate Based on Feedback: Test, gather feedback, and continuously improve. The book teaches that feedback loops are essential to growing a business that will actually meet customer needs and succeed.

3. The Accidental Solopreneur by Dennis Geelen (that's me)

The Accidental Solopreneur is a must-read for anyone who finds themselves unexpectedly running their own business. Written by me, this book is a mix of storytelling and practical advice, focusing on the journey from being laid off from a corporate job to creating a successful consulting business. Although this book is a parable, through the main character (Alex) I share personal experiences and how I navigated the challenges of entrepreneurship while offering advice for those who want to start and scale their own business.

Top 3 Tips from The Accidental Solopreneur:

• Start Small and Test Your Idea: One of the key takeaways from this book is the importance of starting small and testing your idea with real customers. I encourage solopreneurs to launch a minimum viable product (MVP) and validate their idea before committing to large-scale investments.

• Leverage Serendipity: I share how small, unexpected moments led to big opportunities in the main character's journey. The book emphasizes the power of serendipity and how to increase your “luck surface area” by staying open to new opportunities and connections.

• Get Comfortable with Uncertainty: The journey from corporate employee to solopreneur is filled with uncertainty. I encourage entrepreneurs to embrace uncertainty, learn to adapt, and keep moving forward even when the path isn’t clear.

4. The Lean Startup by Eric Ries

The Lean Startup is one of the most influential books on entrepreneurship in recent years. Written by Eric Ries, this book introduces the concept of “lean” startup methodology, which is all about creating businesses that are efficient, adaptable, and able to grow quickly without unnecessary waste. It’s perfect for solopreneurs who want to validate their ideas and scale efficiently.

Top 3 Tips from The Lean Startup:

• Build-Measure-Learn: This feedback loop is the heart of the Lean Startup methodology. Rather than spending months or years developing a product, Ries advises entrepreneurs to build a simple version of their product (the MVP), get it in front of real customers, and then measure their reactions. Use this data to improve the product in a cycle of constant iteration.

• Focus on Customer Feedback, Not Just Ideas: Ries emphasizes that listening to your customers is the key to success. Don’t get too attached to your own ideas; pay attention to the feedback and adapt accordingly. This approach will help you avoid wasting time on features that customers don’t actually want or need.

• Pivot or Persevere: After testing and measuring your product, you need to decide whether to keep going with the same approach (persevere) or change direction (pivot). Knowing when to pivot is one of the most crucial decisions in a startup’s lifecycle.

5. Atomic Habits by James Clear

While Atomic Habits isn’t strictly a business book, its principles can significantly improve a solopreneur’s productivity, mindset, and efficiency. James Clear focuses on how small habits, compounded over time, lead to massive results. This book is a game-changer for solopreneurs who need to establish productive routines and break bad habits that hinder growth.

Top 3 Tips from Atomic Habits:

• Focus on Systems, Not Goals: Clear teaches that while goals are important, it’s the systems (the daily habits and routines) that create long-term success. Solopreneurs should focus on building systems that help them consistently work toward their goals rather than obsessing over the end goal itself.

• Start Small: To make lasting changes, Clear advises starting small. Even tiny improvements, when repeated consistently, can lead to significant outcomes. For example, instead of setting a huge productivity goal, try focusing on just one new habit, like writing for 10 minutes a day.

• Make Habits Obvious, Attractive, Easy, and Satisfying: Clear’s four laws of habit formation emphasize that good habits need to be easy to start and rewarding to maintain. For solopreneurs, this means making their work environment conducive to productivity and creating an atmosphere where the process feels enjoyable.

Final Thoughts: Building a Strong Foundation for Success

The journey to building a successful business is not linear, and there’s no one-size-fits-all blueprint. However, these five books provide a treasure trove of knowledge and insights that every solopreneur can learn from. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to scale your business, the lessons from these books will guide you through the challenges of entrepreneurship and help you make smarter, more informed decisions.

If you're ready to dive deeper into practical strategies for growing your business, check out my Solopreneur Playbook course. It’s packed with actionable steps to help you streamline your journey and achieve long-term success.

Click here to get started today or book a coaching call with me if you'd like personalized guidance for your business.