If you’re like me, a busy executive or entrepreneur, you know that time is as valuable as money––if not more so! Studies have shown that your continued personal and professional success rely heavily upon your ability to keep learning. And how better to do so than by reading? There is an unending supply of advice online, in magazine articles, and books.
When it comes to learning about success, there are plenty of books in 2017 that are forward-thinking and trending in the “success literature” market. With this in mind, I’ve come up with a list of the best books for success so you can “trump” the competition!
Trump: The Art of the Deal
by Donald Trump
This 1987 book was the one that started it all. Co-written with journalist Tony Schwartz, Donald Trump — the 45th President of the United States — is part memoir, part business advice and set the template for a plethora of books about success that followed in its wake. I personally have been deeply motivated and encouraged by the no-bull tone of this quality business book.
Think Big: Make It Happen in Business and Life
by Donald Trump
Just when you thought that Donald Trump’s advice couldn’t be any more apropos, he released Think Big: Make It Happen in Business and Life. Written in 2007, this book has one rule: Go big or go home! Another great author would coin the term “Big Hairy Audacious Goal,” a long-term plan that will change the very nature of your business. If you’re doing it, why not do it bigger? Make every day count.
Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…and Others Don’t
by Jim Collins
This is a classic, and perhaps you’ve already read it. I urge you to read it again. Likely one of the best researched books for business owners today, Jim Collins researched more than 6,000 articles, and read through more than 2,000 pages of interviews over the course of five years. And it’s within this research that he was able to determine which companies were able to succeed, and which ones didn’t… and what differences between them determined that success.
True North: Discover Your Authentic Leadership
by Bill George
Business owners aren’t just business owners — they’re bosses and, if they’re really good, leaders. Each employee you have is instrumental to your business’ success, and in True North, Bill George will teach you, the business owner, how to get the results you want by finding your true leadership style.
The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business
by Charles Duhigg
Success doesn’t just fall into your lap. Success is a habit — it’s something that you have to do every day, whether you like it or not. But what defines success for you? How do you know if you’re successful, and what motivation is behind your determination to become successful? Charles Duhigg explores these motivations in this book, and encourages you, as a business owner, to find your reasoning, and to play to your habits to create your own success formula.
Zero to One
by Peter Thiel and Blake Masters
This, perhaps, is one of the most important books you will have in your collection. Co-written by the founder of PayPal, Blake Masters, who took copious notes at a master class that Thiel taught. The result: this collaborative book that stresses the importance of original ideas in business. Sometimes thinking outside the box is overrated––is there even a box?
Hopefully this gives you a short stack to put on the coffee table so you can catch up on your reading, preferably accompanied by a great cup of coffee. Success breeds success, as I discuss in my bestselling title The Wolves and the Mandolin: Celebrating Life’s Privileges in a Harsh World (ForbesBooks; March 2017). What are you doing to grow your knowledge, and increase your success?
Brandon Vallorani is a practiced entrepreneur and accomplished CEO, author of The Wolves and the Mandolin (ForbesBooks; 2017), and third generation Italian-American.
Founder of a media conglomerate recognized on the Inc. 5000 for five consecutive years, Brandon sold to a colleague in the business, and has more recently shifted focus to his other entrepreneurial endeavors.
Vallorani Estates offers hand-curated luxury products for those who celebrate life’s privileges, and a number of ventures run through his consulting business Romulus Marketing.
Vallorani graduated from West Virginia University with a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Graphic Design, and began his career in the non-profit sector. He quickly rose through the ranks to become Executive Vice President in a few short years, simultaneously earning his Master of Business Administration from Thomas More College.
He lives in Metro-Atlanta, with his wife with whom he shares seven children, a son-in-law, and a grandson. In his free time, Brandon enjoys playing in casinos around the country, his three dogs, and learning Italian.