5 Must-Read Books for Female Entrepreneurs
Who run the world? Girls.
In the ever-evolving world of business, female entrepreneurs are making waves, breaking barriers, and shaping the future of industries. Go us! Yet, the journey of entrepreneurship can also come with overwhelm, confusion, indecision and challenges.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to elevate your current venture, the right guidance, inspiration & resources can make all the difference. Having gone through a season of reading almost every personal and professional development book imaginable, I have compiled the ones I’ve found to be most impactful for female business owners specifically.
These books offer tangible strategies, honest insights about some of the barriers we face in a patriarchal society, inspiring stories, and a whole bunch of wisdom, tools & resources.
Dare to Lead
Let’s face it - anything written by Brene Brown is bound to be insightful. If you haven’t seen her famous TED talk yet, I highly recommend checking it out.
She is the queen of vulnerability (a key component of leadership & owning a business) - and this book is full of personal antidotes, insightful wisdom and tangible advice for running a successful business, especially for those who are leading a team.
It explores the power of being vulnerable with our employees and is a guide for having hard conversations & leading with our whole heart. Themes include: 1) vulnerability as a strength, 2) courageous leadership, 3) building trust, 4) embracing feedback & 5) cultivating a culture of belonging. A must-read for anyone trying to cultivate a healthy work culture with a small or large group of people!
Purchase it here
The Perfectionists Guide to Losing Control
This book, written by Katherine Morgan Schafler, is not what you’d expect. Rather than a how-to guide on losing perfectionism, it reframes perfectionism and teaches you how to whole-heartedly embrace the parts of it that work FOR you, while getting rid of the parts of it that work AGAINST you.
It explores the way that anti-perfectionism movements can really be our patriarchal system’s unconscious way of keeping women small (realize how dialogue around ‘perfectionism’ is something we often apply toward women and not men?) - of telling them NOT to channel that hard-working, ambitious part of themselves.
This book proposes an alternative compromise - that it’s okay to have high standards - AND that there might be a more adaptive way to go about attaining them.
Purchase it here
Financial Feminist
I have read quite a few finance books over the years - and this one is one of my favorites. Not only does it simplify finances in a way that is both digestible and empowering, but it also acknowledges the larger, societal & systemic barriers that women often face when trying to grow their wealth.
Key themes include: 1) Empowerment through Financial Knowledge, 2) Addressing Systemic Inequality, 3) Breaking Financial Taboos, 4) Building Wealth & Security & 5) Cultural & Emotional Aspects
Upon finishing this book I had so much more knowledge, information, tools, resources & financial confidence than I started it with and would highly recommend it to any woman - but especially those with businesses.
Purchase it here
Burnout
I could not love this book by Emily Nagoski & her sister, Amelia Nagoski, more. It was fascinating to learn more about the scientific aspects of stress & burnout and how it’s not just about being ‘overworked’, but rather about how the physiological stress cycle is managed.
It is geared toward women, who often find themselves in caretaking roles, and includes themes surrounding: 1) the stress cycle, 2) the stress response, 3) emotional & physical self-care, 4) cultural & structural factors & 5) personal empowerment.
The blend of scientific insights with practical advice makes this a must read for those who struggle with stress management, balance, and the like.
Purchase it here
Profit First
Let’s face it - many of us didn’t go to business school and therefore didn’t learn many of the strategies & skills required for entrepreneurship. We are learning as we go and doing the best we can.
Prior to reading this book, I transparently did not have a system for money management in my business. I tracked my income & expenses on a spreadsheet, but that’s about it.
Since reading this, I have never worried again about having ‘enough’ - whether it be money for my quarterly taxes, money for my own personal spending or money to pay my employees with. The framework provided in this book is so easy to comprehend and completely simplified money allocation in my business.
The concept is basically to pay yourself first - and then identify what percentages of the remaining funds go where (i.e. 30% to taxes, 50% to expenses, etc). If this idea resonates, give this a read for tangible tips and a tool to calculate your own percentages.
Purchase it here
Regardless of which one you start with, these books combined offer such well-rounded perspective, wisdom and strategies for all aspects of the business world - from mental & emotional wellness to financial health to leadership and beyond. I strongly believe that women should collectively come together to resource-share & lift each other up, so there’s no gatekeeping here! Let me know if you read any of these and/or if you have any other recommendations I should check out.
Happy reading!
