Dive into these wonderful books recommended by our team.

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Reading books is a fantastic way to learn and improve as you’re starting or scaling a company. 

Often these are business-specific, however, books outside of this genre can be tremendously helpful too. 

We surveyed the Atlanta Ventures team and some of our Studio Entrepreneurs about their favorite “non-business” business books. Check out their recommendations below!

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Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage

By Alfred Lansing (Recommended by Jon Birdsong)

Amazing lessons in this book: Never give up hope. Maintain a positive outlook. Create a team of believers. Lead by example. Decisions are ultimately life and death. Leave no team member behind. 

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Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win 

by Jocko Willink (recommended by Jacey Lucus) 

I tend to do things either zero or 100, and I appreciate the straightforward advice in this book. I also enjoy that it gives examples of success in different scenarios which drives home it’s not what you’re doing but how you’re doing it. 

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How to Win Friends & Influence People 

by Dale Carnegie (recommended by A.T. Gimbel)

A timeless classic written in the 1930s that has amazing staying power and is still relevant today.

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Into the Wild 

by Jon Krakauer (Recommended by Michael Williamson)

This story is about a recent Emory University college graduate who sold all of his belongings to embark on an adventure to Alaska. His story ends in tragedy but is a great lesson to pursue your dreams in spite of how untraditional it may be. Krakauer is one of my favorite authors, and he describes the settings so well you feel like you are right there with him.

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Prisoners of Geography: 10 Maps That Explain Everything About The World

By Tim Marshall (recommended by Durante Lucas) 

A perspective on how location influences policy and culture. It helped illuminate to me the why behind certain actions (or lack thereof) depending on who is involved. 

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Sam Walton: Made in America: My Story 

by Sam Walton (recommended by David Cummings)

Entrepreneur autobiographies is one of my favorite categories of books and this one is awesome, especially if you like entertaining anecdotes, leadership lessons, and inspiring ideas. 

See David’s full review. 

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Shoe Dog 

by Phil Knight (Recommended by Christian Ries)

A story about persistence, courage and thinking outside the box. Phil’s story is a true American inspiration which includes countless mistakes, twists and turns, only to become one of the most iconic companies in modern day history. It’s a real life example that anything in life or business takes time to develop and mold into something great.

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The 4 Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom

By Don Miguel Ruiz (recommended by David Lightburn)

A framework for living your life according to 4 key tenets - Be Impeccable With Your Word, Don't Take Anything Personally, Don't Make Assumptions, and Always Do Your Best. 

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The Four Tendencies: The Indispensable Personality Profiles That Reveal How to Make Your Life Better (and Other People's Lives Better, Too)

By Gretchen Rubin (recommended by Kathryn O’Day) 

This book changed the way I worked with others. More understanding and thus more productivity on the how and why people are motivated. Find out if you’re an Upholder, Rebel, Questioner, or Obliger. 

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The Three Big Questions for a Frantic Family: A Leadership Fable About Restoring Sanity To The Most Important Organization In Your Life 

by Patrick Lencioni (Recommended by Charles Brian Quinn)

I love all the fable-like business books, but this one is the answer to the question: “what if we ran our family like we ran a business?”

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