5 Best Business Books to Read in 2020

Reading books is pretty amazing.  I can sit down and read a book in a few hours or a couple of days and gain knowledge that took someone years to gain and then to write.  It is crazy to think about.  I’m always looking for books that help me grow my business and that are entertaining and educational.  Here are my picks for the s5 best business books to read in 2020.

And by read, I really mean listen to.  My usual routine is to listen to the book on Audible and then if I love it, I will buy it and read through it, pencil in hand, underlining my favorite quotes and ideas as I go.  If you haven’t joined Audible, you definitely should.  It is one of my best business investments.  Click the banner below to join.

Building a Story Brand by Donald Miller

This book is number 1 in my best business books for 2020 because it helps you understand the importance of marketing in business.

Building a Story Brand summary:

Donald Miller has seven universal “story points” everyone responds to and why they do. For example, you should not be the “hero” of the story or business you are building, your customer should be. Your business or brand should be the wise guide- like Yoda from Star Wars. He discusses how to incorporate those principles into your website and brand. He also includes a “Road Map” that can be applied to small businesses and large organizations alike. 

My favorite Building a Story Brand by Donald Miller quotes:

“We must show people the cost of not doing business with us.”

“If you confuse, you lose.”

“Without clear calls to action, people will not engage with our brand.”

This is Marketing by Seth Godin

This is Marketing summary:

Marketing has drastically changed over the years.  It has gone from big box marketers to now more small businesses with personal touches.  Seth Godin helps you see the best way to market your business.

My favorite This is Marketing by Seth Godin quotes:

“It’s easier to love a brand when the brand loves you back.”

“Marketers make things better by making change happen.”

“Don’t find customers for your products, find products for your customers.”

“If failure is not an option, then neither is success.” 

“The job isn’t to catch up to the status quo; the job is to invent the status quo.”

“If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try.”

“We’ve greatly exaggerated the risk of sinking, without celebrating the value of swimming.”

Contagious by Jonah Berger

Halfway through my list of the 5 best business books to read this year is Contagious. The title alone will grab you, am I right? How often do we hear of something going viral? This book will show you how that’s done.

Summary of Contagious:

Want your content to go viral?  Waiting for your idea to catch on?  This book dives into the elements that make an idea spread and gives practical ways that you can spread your next great idea.

Favorite Contagious by Jonah Berger quotes:

“People don’t need to be paid to be motivated.”

“Marketing is about spreading the love.”

“Contagious content is like that—so inherently viral that it spreads regardless of who is doing the talking.”

“Research by the Keller Fay Group finds that only 7 percent of word of mouth happens online.”

“So to get people talking, companies and organizations need to mint social currency. Give people a way to make themselves look good while promoting their products and ideas along the way. There are three ways to do that: (1) find inner remarkability; (2) leverage game mechanics; and (3) make people feel like insiders.”

Atomic Habits by James Clear

Summary of Atomic Habits:

Habits aren’t started on a grand scale.  They are started by doing small actions that result in bigger actions and changing your life.  This book shows you the process of creating habits that stick.

Favorite quotes from Atomic Habits:
“Habits are not a finish line to be crossed, they are a lifestyle to be lived.”

“All big things come from small beginnings.”

“It doesn’t matter how successful or unsuccessful you are right now.  What matters is whether your habits are putting you on a path to success.  You should be far more concerned with your current trajectory than your current result.”

“The quality of our lives depends on the quality of our habits.”

“You do not rise to the level of your goals.  You fall to the level of your systems.”

Last, but not least, to round out my top 5 best business books to read in 2020, we have…

The Millionaire Messenger by Brendon Burchard

Summary of The Millionaire Messenger:

Brendon Burchard takes readers through his life-changing car accident and shares what he has learned.  By the end of the book you will be convinced that you have a message that must be shared.

My favorite quotes from The Millionaire Messenger:
“Be yourself. Be honest. Do your best. Take care of your family. Treat people with respect. Be a good citizen. Follow your dreams.”

“You have a clean slate every day you wake up. You have a chance every single morning to make that change and be the person you want to be. You just have to decide to do it. Decide today’s the day. Say it; This is going to be my day.”

“But we all know that the seeds of greatness grow faster in the hearts of those doing work they love than in the bitter hearts of those enslaved by work they despise.”

Those are my 5 best business books to read in 2020. Did I mention one of your favorites? What should I add to my list for this year? I believe that a successful business owner should always be learning. Share your favorite business books with me in the comments and I’ll add them to my list in Audible!

More business tips:

How to organize multiple clients like a pro!

5 steps to creating your best business year ever.