FreeAgent Friday - the business books edition

The 4-Hour Work Week

With four years on the New York Times bestseller list and a spot in the “10 most highlighted books of all time list” on the Kindle, Angel investor Tim Ferriss’s business insights are one of the most popular manifestos for the modern business owner. An “inspiring” read, according to our good friend @Chris_Maslin, it details how to outsource your life, eliminate 50% of your work in 48 hours and boost your bank balance. But while revered by many, it’s also proved controversial - and provoked backlash from some who refuse to buy into the 4 Hour Work Week “myths”. What do you think?

The $100 StartUp

A great resource for those considering the plunge into starting a business. Chris Guillebeau’s Wall Street Journal bestseller highlights how 50 entrepreneurs built businesses from a modest investment of $100 or less - including successful US companies such as Mattress Lot and Paleo Plan. His insights have been reviewed in Forbes and Entrepreneur magazines, each highlighting how creative approaches can lead to startup success. Thanks for the recommendation @therobyoung!

Start With Why

Drawing on a range of real-life stories, Sinek’s book looks at why certain organizations and people are more influential, more innovative and more profitable than others. Our own FreeAgent CTO Olly Headey is a big fan. Olly points to the author’s TED talk as a great place to start, as “it’s hands down the most inspirational business video I’ve ever seen.”

ReWork

If you haven’t got round to reading ReWork yet, you’re not the only ones - it still features on the New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling lists. Described as a “must-read” for would-be entrepreneurs and written by the founders of 37 Signals - the company behind web apps like Basecamp and Campfire - ReWork contains a series of short essays that give tips on increasing productivity and debunking common business myths.

“Inspiring read” - @emma_cossey
“As much punch as any other, but packed in a 2-hour read” - Gavrilo on Facebook

More business books on Pinterest

We got loads of great suggestions, so we've collected them together into a Business Books Pinterest board. The board features suggestions from FreeAgent users as well as picks from Ed, Olly and Roan.