In summer, there’s often no better way to spend an afternoon than sitting in the sun with a cold drink and a good book. But before you pick up yet another murder mystery, it might be a good time to try something a bit different.
If you’re a business owner or entrepreneur, adding some finance books to your reading list can really help to broaden your knowledge and let you benefit from others’ experience. So, with that in mind, read on for seven great financial reads that you should pick up this year.
1. The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel
Using a collection of short stories, behavioural finance expert Morgan Hughes explores some of the strange ways that people think about money. This fascinating book gives plenty of insights into how your subconscious biases and beliefs can affect your decisions.
One of the key lessons that Housel notes is that finance is often taught as a maths-based challenge. Instead, if you want to manage your money in the most effective way, it’s important to take a more holistic view, taking into account aspects such as your personal history and world view.
2. No Filter: The Inside Story of Instagram by Sarah Frier
In only a few short years, Instagram has grown into a hugely-influential business worth more than $100 billion. With almost a thousand photos being uploaded every second, it has transformed into one of the most important online platforms of the decade.
No Filter follows the company’s journey from its initial founding to its ultimate acquisition by the social media giant Facebook. Not only does it explore the inner workings of the company, but it also offers fascinating insight into the culture of Silicon Valley and the rise of influencer marketing.
3. Open Up: Why Talking About Money Will Change Your Life by Alex Holder
In many ways, money can still be a taboo subject but breaking down this barrier can help you to manage it more effectively. That’s why Alex Holder’s book encourages readers to be more open about finance and discuss it.
Open Up contains a wealth of valuable insights and practical tips that can benefit you, and is sure to hold your attention until the very end. You may also find the discussions with CEOs and debt advisers to be hugely informative, as he explores deeper issues such as the gender pay gap and the viability of the living wage.
4. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
In any business, it’s important to be able to communicate clearly and effectively, which is why you should take every opportunity to hone this essential skill. Even though it was written almost a century ago, the lessons in Dale Carnegie’s famous self-help book are just as applicable today as they were back then.
How to Win Friends and Influence People is a treasure trove of wisdom that can not only improve your networking skills but also make you a more effective manager.
Containing everything from advice for giving great feedback to lessons about how to sway someone to your point of view, once you’ve read it, you’ll understand why it has sold 30 million copies!
5. How to Get Rich by Felix Dennis
Before you judge a book by its cover, this isn’t just a “get rich quick” scheme but rather a collection of insights and valuable tips from the self-made millionaire, Felix Dennis. Inside, you’ll find a wealth of advice about how to grow your company and build a reliable team.
Ruthlessly dissecting both his financial triumphs and failures, Dennis’ book is full of useful tips for business owners, including how to boost cash flow, choose the right staff, and even improve your luck.
The combination of Dennis’ brutal honesty, cutting wit, and unpretentious advice makes this book as entertaining as it is informative.
6. The 4-hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss
When you run your own company, it can be easy to fall into the trap of spending all your time working in your business and not on your business. If you aren’t careful, this high-pressure environment can lead to burnout due to a poor work-life balance.
If you want to avoid this problem, The 4-hour Work Week might just be able to provide the answers you need. In it, Tim Ferriss explains how he made his start-up more efficient, allowing him to lighten his workload so he could focus on growing his company.
7. Disrupted: Ludicrous Misadventures in the Tech Start-up Bubble by Dan Lyons
When you’re building a business, it can be hugely helpful to have some positive examples to aspire to. But at the same time, it’s also important to know what to avoid!
In Disrupted, Lyons brilliantly dissects the surreal world of start-up cultures, drawing from his experience at the tech company Hubspot. The book is a funny and well-written account of his time there, highlighting many of the management and communication issues that could have easily been avoided.
Witty, informative, and thoroughly entertaining, Disrupted is an excellent read for anybody in a management position.
Get in touch
If you want to brush up on any aspect of your personal finances, we can help. Email hello@sovereign-ifa.co.uk or call 01454 416653.
