8 Books Every Big-Thinking Founder Should Have on the Nightstand
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Must Reads
Even the most creative thinkers don’t come up with ideas in a vacuum. We asked founders who run some of the most disruptive companies to name the books that inspired them to think big in the first place. Here are our favorite answers.
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Richard Jenkins, Saildrone
“The Art of War by Sun Tzu. It has probably had the biggest single impact in guiding my decision making and strategy, etc., not just in business, but in ideas and even personal life.”
IMAGE: Courtesy Saildrone/Amazon
Reshma Shetty, Ginkgo Bioworks
“Orson Scott Card published Ender’s Game in 1985 yet he was eerily accurate in his ability to predict the ramifications of computers and the internet…it is a great example of someone really thinking through how technology might impact the world.”
IMAGE: Wikimedia Commons/Courtesy Ginkgo Bioworks
Ethan Brown, Beyond Meat
“There’s a book I like called Insisting on the Impossible: The Life of Edwin Land. Land said, ‘I like to get into situations where no one believes me.’ I love his idea of trying to master something and losing your orientation to the rest of the world.”
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Emily Leproust, Twist Bioscience
“Having an idea is one thing, but the main fuel of a startup is capital, so one of the main roles of an entrepreneur is to raise money. I learned everything I needed to know about fund raising from Venture Deals. It is my bible.”
IMAGE: Courtesy Twist Bioscience/Amazon
Sam Chaudhary, ClassDojo
“7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen Covey. It’s a classic that’s been on my dad’s nightshelf for years.”
IMAGE: Courtesy ClassDojo
Nate Morris, Rubicon Global
“Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. I’ve read that book hundreds of times and it’s always reminded me to stay focused on the most powerful thing we have: our thoughts.”
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David Rosenberg, AeroFarms
“The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss. This books keeps us grounded, reminding us of the destructive power of industrialization and the importance of designing for the long term.”
IMAGE: Amazon/Ellise Verheyen
Steve Goodman, Restless Bandit
“I think the staple is Innovator’s Dilemma by Clayton Christensen. That book is the reason why startups exist. They exist because big companies don’t see the big picture of the business they’re in.”
IMAGE: Amazon/Courtesy Company
Catherine Hoke, Defy Ventures
“I hope it will be the book I’m writing right now on second chances! Every risk-taking entrepreneur makes mistakes, it’s so important to learn how to recover from them.”
