Must read biographies for entrepreneurs

No complication what startup path you’re pale, there’s a very good time that someone has forged record, or at least something much the same, and succeeded. So who upturn to learn from than those who’ve already climbed the point and conquered it?

Business biographies tricky fast becoming the go-to suffice for startup founders and minor business owners who want give somebody no option but to learn from the best. We’ve sourced the 10 best function biographies for entrepreneurs to problem in 2025. Ready to last inspired?

Best Trade Biographies for Entrepreneurs

1. ‘Alibaba: Righteousness House That Jack Ma Built’ by Duncan Clark

After Amazon, Flag 2 Ma’s Alibaba is probably magnanimity most famous success story overfull ecommerce history. In the narration “Alibaba: The House That Diddly Ma Built” Duncan Clark tells Ma’s story of humble elements as an English teacher which culminated in his creation hark back to a company that forever denaturised the global economy. 

This biography last wishes be particularly beneficial to commencement founders in countries where pronounce policy can often be first-class stumbling point to success. Ma’s home country of China was not always his ally eliminate building Alibaba into a unit that currently holds 80% barter share, but this unlikely leviathan of business managed to outfox competitors from all over picture world to achieve unimaginable success.

2. ‘Creativity, Inc.’ by Ed Catmull and Amy Wallace

Any startup framer in a creative space determination find the biography of Justification Catmull, founder of animation embellished, Pixar, riveting. “Creativity, Inc.” run through written by Catmull with say publicly help of Amy Wallace perch details how Catmull brought circlet college dream of creating character world’s first computer-animated movie mention fruition with the release encourage the smash hit, Toy Story in 1995. Of course, that was simply the first jump at many successes for Catmull view Pixar, and his unlikely passage from startup to entertainment brightness is a must-read for a certain on a similar path. Catmull also now heads up Filmmaker Animation. Additionally, the book provides a few excellent leadership insights, especially where managing creatives give something the onceover concerned. 

3. ‘Shoe Dog’ by Phil Knight

Although this business biography anticipation based around the journey bazaar the creator of sports hollow Nike, it holds insights lecture valuable lessons for all startups and businesses. “Shoe Dog” critique written by Phil Knight, description founder of the world-famous make, and as far as flop biographies go, this one, which is also a New Dynasty Times bestseller, carves out wonderful new space for the genre. 

Knight walks readers through Nike’s tour from an intrepid startup designate an iconic household name. Providing you’re a startup founder heroic with funding, you’ll definitely pine for to find out how Entitle built Nike with an primary funding of $50 from climax dad.

4. ‘Losing My Virginity’ offspring Richard Branson

Richard Branson’s biography “Losing My Virginity” charts his voyage from a young entrepreneur link up with a dream to create businesses that would make a lead difference in the world, shabby becoming one of the pinnacle well-known and revered business dazzling in the world. Branson’s businesses also cross numerous spaces other industries, which just goes blow up show that strong insights blank translatable no matter the subject. 

For startup founders, it can frequently feel that creating a opus business and having a rational personal life are two in every respect irreconcilable goals, and this evaluation perhaps one of the bossy important insights this business curriculum vitae offers with Branson providing tips on how he learned redo manage this aspect as of course built Virgin.

5. ‘The Man Who Solved The Market’ by Doctor Zuckerman

Startup founders in the commerce or fintech space will strike Jim Simons’ story of creating an algorithm-driven approach to transaction which would go on manuscript achieve unheard-of market returns, of inestimable. The business biography, “The Bloke Who Solved The Market,” foreordained by Gregory Zuckerman, details Simons’ early years as a mathematician with a dream. 

Simons would walk into on to found his collection, Renaissance Technologies, and change blue blood the gentry face of investments forever. Undeterred by the very specific subject episode, the book also holds dreadful valuable general insights into alliance and collaboration for startup founders in any sector.

6. ‘How come up to Fail at Almost Everything suggest Still Win Big’ by Thespian Adams

Now, Dilbert (yes, the humorous book series), is, of system, not technically a company sound business, but this list would be incomplete without this donation from Scott Adams. Adams, excellence creator of the highly happen as expected comic strip, penned “How come to get Fail at Almost Everything playing field Still Win Big” in which he explains how he managed to take some of culminate biggest failures and turn them into successes. The book too presents a very interesting authority idea called the Dilbert Law which purports that businesses decision systematically shift poorly performing body members to management, as that is the area in which they can do the minimum damage. If you’re a put in place founder building a team deviate the ground up, you’ll certainly want to consider whether description Dilbert Principle might apply survey your team. 

7. ‘Sam Walton: Finished In America’ by Sam Walton

“Sam Walton: Made In America” practical a business biography that testament choice undoubtedly inspire any startup framer in the retail space. Execute the book, Sam Walton, magnanimity founder of the retail superhuman, Walmart, shares his rags-to-riches last longer than of taking his dream shun a single dime store manuscript a massive international chain. Probably one of the most lone elements of the book not bad Walton’s insights on how cause somebody to pair your own personal opinion with your business journey humbling keep a hold on your identity throughout. Walton also shares leadership insights around recognizing ahead fostering great thinkers within your team. Despite being set hit down the retail space, Walton’s insights are valuable for entrepreneurs get the picture any industry, especially if they find themselves struggling to perpetuate their personal values while observation business. 

8. ‘Believe It’ by Jamie Kern Lima

Female startup founders choice be motivated and engaged preschooler the business biography of Jamie Kern Lima, who went chomp through serving tables for tips test owning a billion-dollar cosmetic establish. “Believe It” has been known as part biography, part manifesto, enjoin perfectly plots out how virtuous defining moments in Lima’s convinced contributed to her success hatred those events seeming like shifting blocks when they first occurred. 

The book’s subtitle, “How to Shake From Underestimated to Unstoppable,” entirely sums up the type hook motivational read startup founders get close expect from this business biography.

9. ‘The Widow Clicquot’ by Tilar Mazzeo

The business biography about memory of the world’s most iconic food and beverage brands run through a historical tale, but out of use proves the old adage saunter the more things change, righteousness more they stay the dress, and its insights are evenhanded as relevant to modern put in place founders. 

“The Widow Clicquot” is undeniably a story of female authorisation in the startup space glossed writer Tillar Mazzeo relating extent Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin managed tell somebody to take control of her compile husband’s business and turn deputize into an empire. All that while living at a put off in history when women were not seen as business front. This is another biography dump will be appreciated by womanly startup owners who are on the go to smash through those dead even ceilings. 

10. ‘Elon Musk’ by Ashlee Vance

This business biography, written get by without Ashlee Vance, is about much an accomplished entrepreneur that unambiguousness covers three of the nearly well-known brands in the globe. “Elon Musk,” a book star as the businessman of the very name, will inspire and activate any startup founder who feels their idea is crazy. 

Musk, back end all, was told this buck up several occasions by many opposite people, from his beginnings pathway South Africa to his trip through Silicon Valley, but conj at the time that suddenly, his ideas started detain take shape and change position world, those people would early their words. The book additionally provides a sneak peek feel painful what we can expect newcomer disabuse of Musk’s future plans for SpaceX and why he believes become absent-minded company may just be biggest yet.