11 Audiobooks Every Entrepreneur Must Listen To

We are often taught from a young age how valuable reading is. While we start with stories and fairy tales, many lose sight of the importance of books as they grow older.

Sometimes, it’s hard to find the motivation to pick up a book, but when we do, it’s easy to get hooked. For any entrepreneur, one key to success is reading books. They provide many insights and benefits for the mind of a successful entrepreneur. However, carrying physical books isn’t always convenient, which is why audiobooks have become so popular.

According to GrandView Research, the global audiobooks market size was estimated at USD 6.83 billion in 2023 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 26.2% from 2024 to 2030.

If you are a business leader that has written or is planning to write a book, make sure to realize the importance on creating your audiobook. Although it can be a hard task, you can work with an audiobook production company that can handle the entire process for you.

Below we will highlight 11 audiobooks that you must listen to as an entrepreneur.

1) Tribes by Seth Godin

Tribes have existed for millions of years. They are groups of people connected through a leader. With the rise of the internet, barriers to these groups being formed have been eliminated. Now, tribes span all over the world. But, someone still needs to lead these tribes. Seth Godin’s book talks about tribes and who will lead them. Leaders can be made from so many people. Find your group and lead them.

2) Fanatical Prospecting by Jeb Blount

This book will teach you all about prospecting. You’ll learn about methodologies that will work on real people in the real world. Reading this book will help you to keep the pipeline full with qualified opportunities. The key to any successful entrepreneur is knowing how to tell a story to attract new leads.

3) How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie

This book will give you the foundation to be a successful entrepreneur. It covers various topics and has helped many business leaders prosper. This book will teach you how to make people like you, sell your way of thinking, change people without resentment, and more. How to Win Friends & Influence People is all about making your way to the top by knowing how to influence people.

4) Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday

As you make your way to the top, it’s easy to become overconfident. Many times, arrogance is a threat to success. It’s often the leaders who are humble that will prosper. This book will teach you all about how ego’s have taken down leaders in the past and how to achieve success while avoiding overconfidence.

5) Think & Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

Think and Grow Rich is an inspirational book for those who have big goals in their lives by learning from important figures in history. Napoleon Hill interviewed 504 people to write this book which goes through the 13 Steps to Riches. This book has served as a motivator and path to success for many throughout history.

6) Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink

This book dives into how to make a team successful told through the experiences of SEAL officers who have led in combat and business. Having to lead teams in very intense and violent environments, these officers have learned exactly how to make a successful team. They have started their own business to train many businesses and business leaders around the world.

7) Zero to One by Peter Thiel

Zero to One is all about innovation. It’s about adding value to the world in new and surprising ways. Nowadays, with the technological advancements we have, there are endless possibilities for what we can do. Those that will be most successful and bring the most value to our world, are those that can think outside the box. The goal is to escape competition, and do something that no one else has done before.

8) Before Happiness by Shawn Achor

Happiness is the precursor to success, but what comes before happiness? Before we can be happy, we need to see that positive changes are possible. If we can change our perspective to a positive light, we will be more motivated to achieve our goals. This book highlights 5 ways to change our lens to positive.

9) Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

Unbroken is a World War II story about Louis Zamperini who’s bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean. This book takes us on a journey with Louis into extreme circumstances which test the resilience of the human mind, body and spirit. This teaches entrepreneurs the importance of perseverance through challenges in order to achieve success.

10) The One Thing by Gary Keller

Being an entrepreneur can be overwhelming especially when starting. There seems to be a million things to do and no time to do it. This book will teach you how to handle the clutter, manage stress, achieve results in less time, and more.

11) Blue Ocean Strategy by Renee Mauborgne and W. Chan Kim

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the competition around you. You might think the best way to succeed is to beat your rivals, but the truth is, you should forget them. The idea is to create “blue oceans” of untapped new market spaces. This book touches on 150 studied strategies to render rivals obsolete and unleash new demand.

Conclusion

Reading books won’t guarantee success as an entrepreneur but it’s a step in the right direction. There are many factors that come into play but every entrepreneur should actively read as it sharpens the mind and provides valuable advice.

Written by Kaitlin Duong

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Jony Studios is a content marketing agency specializing in B2B podcasting and audiobook services. They have worked with many clients, from startups to larger organizations such as Penguin Random House, Amazon, University of Waterloo, Freakonomics Radio, and many others.

11 Tips for Starting a Successful Business

The possibilities that arise with the idea of starting a business are inspiring enough to make anyone want to dive in head first. However, taking a step back and looking at everything that running a business entails can be intimidating enough to make the same bright-eyed individual run the other way. While there are certainly many aspects to consider when starting a new business, there are some known tips across every industry that can help alleviate some of the associated stress. Below are 11 pieces of advice that will hopefully make starting a business less intimidating and bring out your inner entrepreneur. 

1) Make sure it’s a match

Enjoying running a business is only half the battle; ensuring you can take on the responsibility of doing so and integrating it with your lifestyle is just as crucial. You’ll want to choose a business that not only represents your passion, but reflects your skillset and lived experience to give you an edge in the sea of competition. Rather than just focusing on whether your product fits your market, prioritize finding a product and market that suits you.

2) Find your niche

When people investigate why their business isn’t doing too well, the answer often lies in their niche selection. Determining your business’s scope when starting will a) help you reach the right audience and b) prevent you from wasting resources catering to the wrong crowd. When deciding upon a niche, consider seasonality, rates of repurchase, and if your products are only needed for a specific phase of the customer’s life which they’ll eventually outgrow.

3) Take care of your employees

If you’re performing well with just you or any partners you’ve gone into business with, adding on some team members can work in favor of your hustle. Keep in mind, though, that your employees’ morale is a predictor of your business’s prosperity, and they should feel respected and appreciated under your management. Not only will you help enrich your employees’ skillsets by providing them the necessary tools to succeed, but they’ll also be more willing to help reach company goals if they feel supported by you.

4) Diversify your offerings

Starting with a narrow business focus can aid in building a loyal customer base that perceives you as your niche’s authority. Take advantage of the momentum and branch out into other sectors in your arena; this can help you reach a wider audience and further establish your business. Starting with a modest offering can also help you gauge demand and see what products or services you want to continue providing as your customer base grows.

5) Don’t quit your day job

Starting a business is stressful enough, but creating a business while worrying about making enough money to get by is infinitely more so. Avoid undue stress by starting your business while still employed to give you the funds to get started and invest back in your hustle. You’ll also open up more opportunities for yourself and your business if you already have a steady income. This way, you’ll be more willing to experiment with different aspects of your business you may not have had the means to do if you had relied solely on your hustle to support you. If you’re still looking for more funds to put into your business, start approaching investors or lenders after establishing yourself in the market.

6) Prioritize profit over revenue

Making money is exciting; however, focusing solely on the cash coming in can provide a false sense of financial security. When you start earning from your business, don’t forget to consider your expenses and overhead. Prioritizing profit over revenue can help you determine whether your business is doing well at the rate you’re operating or if you’re due for some advice and assistance. Making $100,000 in revenue gets less exciting when only $1,500 becomes profit after covering start-up costs and other expenses. Using a profit margin calculator can help you better grasp whether you’re making enough money to put back into your business while also having some left over for your savings.

7) Get some help

Building an empire on your own sounds fantastic in theory, but in reality, having some helping hands can take an immense weight off your shoulders, allowing you to focus on your business. Assistance can range from seeking a business partner to split your workload and bounce innovative ideas off to a solid network that can provide support when you’re in crisis and lift you up in times of success. Financial aid or mentorship may also be available through government programs and non-profit organizations such as Futurpreneur in Canada.

8) Plan it out

Diving into a business idea out of passion and excitement is incredible. Still, it will often leave you feeling lost down the line when things get serious. Crafting a business plan that outlines how you plan to navigate the upcoming couple of months or years will help you allocate funds, delegate tasks, and ultimately save your time by promoting efficiency. If you notice your business is starting to slip and not up to where you want it, come back to your business plan and fine-tune it to get you back on track to success. While your business will be the focus of your business plan, keep industry trends and any competition in mind.

9) Establish your business

In the digital age, reputations matter more than ever; creating a professional aura for your business will help you establish yourself in your market. Start with the basic business fundamentals like a website, business email, phone number, and social media to stay connected to your audience while reaching new customers. Most importantly, keep in mind that you are the face of your business. Your interactions with others will reflect on your brand, so stay authentic and professional to maintain a positive standing.

If you want a website for your business like the one you are on now, feel free to reach out here. We would be happy to help! Most of our clients come organically through our website using Google, and we wouldn’t have a business without it.

10) Get legalities sorted

Legal trouble is the last thing you want to deal with when starting your own business. Taking time to understand all the laws and regulations for a new business at the beginning of your journey will save you expensive and time-consuming hassle further down the line. Learning about income taxes, registering your business, and worker’s compensation insurance, among many other things, will ensure that your company operates within legal guidelines.

11) Keep tabs on The competition

Anyone who puts their time and energy into starting a business wants it to be the best in the market. With the rate of innovation increasing rapidly, however, competition has intensified, making it harder to come out on top. Taking note of what your competitors are doing (as well as where they’re lacking) can help you identify and predict trends in your industry and also allows you to price competitively. That being said, you must not forget about the bottom line: your customers’ satisfaction. The reason you want to look at your competition is to be of better service to your customers. So, don’t get caught up trying to outdo another brand if it prevents you from providing for your target market.

 
CONCLUSION

Starting a business can be daunting both for a beginner and a seasoned corporate professional. While there are bound to be countless unknowns when taking the leap and starting your business, there are some things you can do to make the ride more enjoyable. Finding the right business to go into, making a plan, and seeking help will help you prosper as an entrepreneur. 

Written by Midhat Mujaddid

Have you ever considered starting a business? Do you already have one? We'd love to hear about it in the comments below. 

Thanks for reading this blog! We hope it was helpful. We are a full service media production studio, and specialize in audio / video production and website creation services. If you need help with anything media related let us know :)

The Importance of Creativity in Business

Creativity allows us to view and solve problems more openly and with innovation. More specifically, creativity skills are a key factor in having a successful life as they foster self-esteem and self-worth, and contribute to self-efficacy. Creativity also draws on individual skills and resources such as motivation and drive. Additionally, with the uncertainty of COVID-19, as well as the future, creativity may be more important now than ever before. Having a creative mindset toward your business or the company for which you work may make the difference between success and failure in these volatile times. While typically practical people, business owners can survive this economic hardship — and those to come — with out-of-the-box thinking, and perhaps even discover ways to grow.

Why is being creative so important?

1. Fast Problem-Solving Skills

   For something to be innovative, there are two requirements: It must be novel and useful. Once an idea is possible, innovation tends to be an easier challenge for more players to achieve. Creativity is the novel step of being the first to identify that something might be possible in the first place. But innovation is the action of putting things into practical reality, despite challenges and resistance, rather than just contemplating. While creativity is crucial to generate ideas that are both unique and original, they’re not always inherently useful. Innovative solutions can’t exist, however, without a component of creativity.

2. Allows for Innovation

   For something to be innovative, there are two requirements: It must be novel and useful. Once an idea is possible, innovation tends to be an easier challenge for more players to achieve. Creativity is the novel step of being the first to identify that something might be possible in the first place. But innovation is the action of putting things into practical reality, despite challenges and resistance, rather than just contemplating. While creativity is crucial to generate ideas that are both unique and original, they’re not always inherently useful. Innovative solutions can’t exist, however, without a component of creativity.

3. Necessary for Growth

   One of the main hindrances to a business’s growth is cognitive fixedness, or the idea that there’s only one way to interpret or approach a situation or challenge. Building a creative workplace environment would be the first step to mitigate this issue. Business leaders must understand their workplace environment and company culture in order to foster a creative work environment. 

4. Boosts Productivity

   Another benefit of creativity and innovation in business is that it helps in boosting productivity. Through coming up with creative ideas, individuals get to work on new exciting projects, which can be an incentive towards doing their best and achieving great things. Business creativity encourages people to give healthy feedback and foster collaboration, it also helps workers feel more appreciated since they get to test their limits and come up with something new.

How to develop a creative mindset?

1. Don’t Be Afraid to Take Risks

   Taking risks within the workplace encourages innovation, learning opportunities and advantages. Innovation and development of a company cannot happen if you will not accept the risk that your undertaking might fail. The level of risk may be lessened, however, if you make all possible calculations and evaluate which option is best before proceeding to the next step.

2. Foster Collaboration

   With the onset of rapid growth in the corporate world, challenges have also increased. Tackling it is not an easy task, and in order to do that, you will need collaboration in the workplace. Collaboration allows quick adaptability and enhances performance. A diverse workforce will have individuals with varying thought processes and to promote collaboration, you need to respect everyone’s perspective. Another great way to enhance collaboration is to partner with a media production company who can give you a fresh perspective based on their experience, and help develop content that will allow for business growth!

3. Maintain an Open Mind

   Maintaining an open mind set goes hand in hand with taking risks. Having an open mindset means being objective when you approach new things, listening to other points of view, and being willing to admit what you don't know. Expand yourself to be more willing to accept new ideas and step outside of your comfort zone.

4. Encourage Failure

   Mistakes can be some of the most helpful catalysts for growth and learning, both in life and in the workplace. However, many people fear failure, which can hold them back from taking risks or trying new things. Employees are most productive and creative when they aren't afraid of failing or making mistakes at work.

5. Keep an Active Lifestyle

   Maintaining a healthy lifestyle helps make people happier, less anxious, more resilient and better equipped to problem-solve in the face of hardship. Imagining and creating give us a sense of purpose and allows for individuals to be more mentally and physically stimulated. This will all eventually result in a more productive and efficient workplace. 

Conclusion

Creativity and innovation are extremely important skills whether you’re a job seeker, employer, or aspiring entrepreneur. It is proven that maintaining a creative mindset can be of help in all aspects of life, not just the workplace. Creativity encourages mental and physical stimulation and allows for individuals to be more free with their decisions.

Written by: Rena Wu

Are you able to recall the last time that you were creative? Comment below, we want to hear your responses!

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