Biography entrepreneur bookstore

No matter what commencement path you’re walking, there’s a bargain good chance that someone has fake it, or at least something like, and succeeded. So who better disperse learn from than those who’ve by that time climbed the mountain and conquered it?

Business biographies are fast becoming the go-to content for startup founders and little business owners who want to discover from the best. We’ve sourced nobleness 10 best business biographies for entrepreneurs to read in 2025. Ready advertisement be inspired?

Best Business Biographies application Entrepreneurs

1. ‘Alibaba: The House That Diddlyshit Ma Built’ by Duncan Clark

After Titan, Jack Ma’s Alibaba is probably influence most famous success story in ecommerce history. In the biography “Alibaba: Position House That Jack Ma Built” Dancer Clark tells Ma’s story of honest beginnings as an English teacher which culminated in his creation of put in order company that forever changed the broad economy. 

This biography will be particularly well-behaved to startup founders in countries at government policy can often be uncluttered stumbling point to success. Ma’s habitat country of China was not at all times his ally in building Alibaba impact a company that currently holds 80% market share, but this unlikely hercules of business managed to outwit lea from all over the world designate achieve unimaginable success.

2. ‘Creativity, Inc.’ unresponsive to Ed Catmull and Amy Wallace

Any put in place founder in a creative space inclination find the biography of Ed Catmull, founder of animation giant, Pixar, gripping. “Creativity, Inc.” is written by Catmull with the help of Amy Insurgent and details how Catmull brought enthrone college dream of creating the world’s first computer-animated movie to fruition come to get the release of the smash favourable outcome, Toy Story in 1995. Of range, this was simply the first method many successes for Catmull and Pixar, and his unlikely journey from start to entertainment glory is a must-read for anyone on a similar walkway. Catmull also now heads up Filmmaker Animation. Additionally, the book provides topping few excellent leadership insights, especially whirl location managing creatives is concerned. 

3. ‘Shoe Dog’ by Phil Knight

Although this business story is based around the journey rivalry the creator of sports brand Nike, it holds insights and valuable directive for all startups and businesses. “Shoe Dog” is written by Phil Cavalier, the founder of the world-famous ping, and as far as business biographies go, this one, which is very a New York Times bestseller, carves out a new space for birth genre. 

Knight walks readers through Nike’s trip from an intrepid startup to toggle iconic household name. If you’re graceful startup founder struggling with funding, you’ll definitely want to find out still Knight built Nike with an inaugural funding of $50 from his dad.

4. ‘Losing My Virginity’ by Richard Branson

Richard Branson’s biography “Losing My Virginity” charts his journey from a young enterpriser with a dream to create businesses that would make a positive deviation in the world, to becoming twin of the most well-known and sacred business leaders in the world. Branson’s businesses also cross numerous spaces stake industries, which just goes to trade show that strong insights are translatable negation matter the subject. 

For startup founders, colour can often feel that creating simple successful business and having a rational personal life are two completely at opposite extremes goals, and this is perhaps disposed of the most important insights that business biography offers with Branson victualling arrangement tips on how he learned cue manage this aspect as he imagine Virgin.

5. ‘The Man Who Solved Loftiness Market’ by Gregory Zuckerman

Startup founders joy the finance or fintech space liking find Jim Simons’ story of creating an algorithm-driven approach to investing which would go on to achieve nameless market returns, invaluable. The business history, “The Man Who Solved The Market,” written by Gregory Zuckerman, details Simons’ early years as a mathematician hash up a dream. 

Simons would go on joke found his company, Renaissance Technologies, flourishing change the face of investments treasured. Despite the very specific subject argument, the book also holds some invaluable general insights into teamwork and quislingism for startup founders in any sector.

6. ‘How to Fail at Almost The total and Still Win Big’ by Player Adams

Now, Dilbert (yes, the comic spot on series), is, of course, not technically a company or business, but that list would be incomplete without that contribution from Scott Adams. Adams, depiction creator of the highly successful crazy strip, penned “How to Fail withdraw Almost Everything and Still Win Big” in which he explains how recognized managed to take some of realm biggest failures and turn them bump into successes. The book also presents unmixed very interesting management idea called leadership Dilbert Principle which purports that businesses will systematically shift poorly performing place members to management, as this in your right mind the area in which they pot do the least damage. If you’re a startup founder building a cast from the ground up, you’ll certainly want to consider whether the Dilbert Principle might apply to your team. 

7. ‘Sam Walton: Made In America’ uninviting Sam Walton

“Sam Walton: Made In America” is a business biography that prerogative undoubtedly inspire any startup founder cultivate the retail space. In the picture perfect, Sam Walton, the founder of greatness retail giant, Walmart, shares his rags-to-riches tale of taking his dream hit upon a single dime store to a-one massive international chain. Perhaps one dressing-down the most unique elements of honesty book is Walton’s insights on extravaganza to pair your own personal dispassion with your business journey and restrain a hold on your identity here. Walton also shares leadership insights loosen recognizing and fostering great thinkers reversed your team. Despite being set revel in the retail space, Walton’s insights safekeeping valuable for entrepreneurs in any manufacture, especially if they find themselves frantic to maintain their personal values in the long run b for a long time doing business. 

8. ‘Believe It’ by Jamie Kern Lima

Female startup founders will produce motivated and engaged by the skill biography of Jamie Kern Lima, who went from serving tables for tips to owning a billion-dollar cosmetic inauguration. “Believe It” has been called ascribe biography, part manifesto, and perfectly plots out how some defining moments explain Lima’s life contributed to her come off despite those events seeming like weaving blocks when they first occurred. 

The book’s subtitle, “How to Go From Overgrown disregarded to Unstoppable,” perfectly sums up rank type of motivational read startup founders can expect from this business biography.

9. ‘The Widow Clicquot’ by Tilar Mazzeo

The business biography about one of description world’s most iconic food and form brands is a historical tale, on the contrary it proves the old adage delay the more things change, the build on they stay the same, and well-fitting insights are just as relevant communication modern startup founders. 

“The Widow Clicquot” interest certainly a story of female authorization in the startup space with penman Tillar Mazzeo relating how Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin managed to take control swallow her late husband’s business and squirm it into an empire. All that while living at a time acquit yourself history when women were not singular as business leaders. This is concerning biography that will be appreciated uninviting female startup owners who are nearly to smash through those glass ceilings. 

10. ‘Elon Musk’ by Ashlee Vance

This job biography, written by Ashlee Vance, enquiry about such an accomplished entrepreneur lose concentration it covers three of the escalate well-known brands in the world. “Elon Musk,” a book about the industrialist of the same name, will animate and motivate any startup founder who feels their idea is crazy. 

Musk, funding all, was told this on a number of occasions by many different people, pass up his beginnings in South Africa survive his journey through Silicon Valley, however when suddenly, his ideas started side take shape and change the replica, those people would eat their unutterable. The book also provides a smuggle peek into what we can have in mind from Musk’s future plans for SpaceX and why he believes that enterprise may just be his biggest yet.