Need Inspiration? 5 Biographies Every Entrepreneur Should Read

Entrepreneurship is a challenging venture, powered by ideas, passion and inspiration. The world knows many successful entrepreneurs, who have changed the world. Every first-time entrepreneur can learn from the best, but still must try to keep their own personal entrepreneurial signature. In order to help you do that, here I have collected five awesome (auto)biographies, which can inspire, motivate and educate every person, who wants to succeed.

Idea Man: A Memoir by the Cofounder of Microsoft

by Paul Allen

Quote from the book: “The entire conversation took five minutes. When it was over, Bill and I looked at each other. It was one thing to talk about writing a language for a microprocessor and another to get the job done….If we’d been older or known better, Bill and I might have been put off by the task in front of us. But we were young and green enough to believe that we just might pull it off.”

Losing My Virginity: How I Survived, Had Fun, and Made a Fortune Doing Business My Way

by Richard Branson

Quote from the book: “I can honestly say that I have never gone into any business purely to make money. If that is the sole motive then I believe you are better off not doing it. A business has to be involving, it has to be fun, and it has to exercise your creative instincts.”

Steve Jobs

by Walter Isaacson

Quote from the book: “If you want to live your life in a creative way, as an artist, you have to not look back too much. You have to be willing to take whatever you’ve done and whoever you were and throw them away. The more the outside world tries to reinforce an image of you, the harder it is to continue to be an artist, which is why a lot of times, artists have to say, “Bye. I have to go. I’m going crazy and I’m getting out of here.” And they go and hibernate somewhere. Maybe later they re-emerge a little differently. (Steve Jobs)”

Andrew Carnegie

by David Nasaw

Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose

by Tony Hsieh

Quotes from the book: “Money alone isn't enough to bring happiness . . . happiness [is] when you're actually truly ok with losing everything you have.”

“Happiness is really just about four things: perceived control, perceived progress, connectedness (number and depth of your relationships), and vision/meaning (being part of something bigger than yourself).”

“Things are never as bad or as good as they seem.”