Reading is important to me. I continue to learn through the experience of other entrepreneurs and leaders.

Here is a list of top 20 books in 2021 that I highly recommend for entrepreneurs. In no particular order:

1. The Geography of Genius: A Search for the World’s Most Creative Places from Ancient Athens to Silicon Vally by Eric Weiner [9/10] <—- This is a brilliant book, I will read it again.
2. The Death of the Artist: How Creators Are Struggling to Survive in the Age of Billionaires and Big Tech by William Deresiewicz [9/10] <—- If you are in the creative space and an entrepreneur, this is a must read. Brilliant book.
3. Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World by Adam Grant [Re-read] [9/10] <— Adam Grant’s research never disappoints.
4. Crushing It! How Great Entrepreneurs Build Their Business and Influence And How You Can, Too by Gary Vaynerchuk [8/10]
5. How Innovation Works: Serendipity, Energy and the Saving of Time by Matt Ridley [9/10] <— vintage Matt Ridley, as usual. I love Matt Ridley’s sense of humor.
6. Failure: Why Science Is So Successful by Stuart Firestein [9/10] <—- First time reading Stuart Firestein, blown away. Oh boy this book really took me by surprise.
7. The Almanack of Naval Ravikant by Eric Jorgenson [9/10] <— Not disappointed at all. Naval has to be the modern day entrepreneur philosopher.
8. VBS: A Dream Defrauded by Dewald van Rensburg [9/10] <— Every entrepreneur should read this. This book shocked me and made me angry at the same time.
9. The Wright Brothers by David McCullough [9/10] <— Thoroughly enjoyed it. This book is about how to build an innovative product from scratch. The Wright Brothers struggled to build a plane, they persevered. This book takes you behind the scenes of the struggles and ultimate joy of entrepreneurship.
10. The Hard Thing about Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers by Ben Horowitz [9/10] <—– Practical, and brutally honest. This is not the theory about entrepreneurship, it is what really goes diggy down in entrepreneurship.
11. Invent and Wander: The Collected Writings of Jeff Bezos by Walter Isaacson [9/10] <—- Ah man, you put Jeff Bezos and Walter Isaacson in the same sentence, magic happens. The book is brilliant. This book about the shareholder letters that Jeff Bezos writes to his shareholders. In these letters, he explains his thoughts and reasons behind his decisions. Brilliant, brilliant.
12. Growth IQ: Master the 10 Paths to Grow Your Business by Tiffani Bova [9/10] <—- I loved this book.
13. All In: How Obsessive Leaders Achieve the Extraordinary by Robert Bruce Shaw [9/10] <—- This has to be one of the best books I have read this year. Robert Bruce Shaw writes about the strengths and weaknesses of some of the great entrepreneurs we know. He focuses on Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Travis Kalanick.
14. Subscribed: Why the Subscription Model Will Be Your Company’s Future – and What to Do About It by Tien Tzuo [9/10] <—- Brilliant and very informative.
15. Great by Choice by Jim Collins and Morten T. Hansen [Re-read] [8/10] <— Great book, Good to Great is the best, but this is also good. There are some very good research and stories as well.
16. The Little Big Things: 163 Ways to Pursue Excellence by Thomas J. Peters [9/10] <— Some very useful insights and tips for entrepreneurs. An important book for startups. Obviously the list is long, but they are good nuggets.
17. Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carryrou [9/10] <—– Given the current case of Elizabeth Holmes, this book displays the dark side of entrepreneurship. It is a must read for entrepreneurs. It reminds me of How They Blew It.
18. Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones by James Clear [9/10] <—- I think everyone should read this book.
19. Native Merchants: The Building of the Black Business Class in South Africa by Phakamisa Ndzamela [9/10] <—- This is an important book for South Africans. Trade in South Africa did not start when van Riebeeck descended on the Cape. This book tells the history of trade and entrepreneurs before and during colonisation in South Africa.
20. The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness by Morgan Housel [9/10] <—– Since we are all surrounded by money, I think we should all read up on our psychology around money. I loved this book.