Do you enjoy business books but struggle to apply the lessons they teach to your business or individual circumstances?
It’s a common problem, one that every business owner I know struggles with from time to time. After discussing this fact with clients a few months ago, I promised to do something about it.
That something is the Small Biz Book Club, which I hosted from 2024 to 2025.
While the book club hasn’t met since June 2025, I highly recommend the following titles that we’ve discussed in our group:
- Thinking in Bets by Annie Duke
- Say What They Can’t Unhear by Tamsen Webster
- Profit First by Mike Michalowicz
- The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks
- Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman
- Free Time by Jenny Blake
- Buyer First by Carole Mahoney
- A Beautiful Constraint by Adam Morgan and Mark Barden
- Bumpers by Nic Peterson
- The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
- The Perfectionist’s Guide to Losing Control by Katherine Morgan Schafler
- Who, Not How by Dan Sullivan
*Amazon links are included above for your convenience. Consider listening to the books through a subscription service, borrowing from a friend (or your local library), or ordering from your favorite bookstore.
About Gwen
Gwen Bortner is a business advisor for successful-but-stressed business owners. With four decades of experience in 47+ industries, she provides the outside perspective, asks the unspoken questions, and provides the true accountability necessary for things to run smoothly without the founders’ constant input. Listen to her weekly podcast, The Business You Really Want, for real conversations about sustainable success without sacrificing what matters most.
