If you’re looking for a deep dive into how the super rich get super rich, this is where you need to be! Many of these books are autobiographical which gives a really unique perspective into the mind of a billionaire. In my opinion there isn’t a better place to get the tips and tricks of the wealthy other than these books.
#1 Titan by Ron Chernow
This book covers the life of John D Rockerfeller. Through this writing you will get to understand the intricacies of daily life and business decisions of arguably the best businessman of the gilded age. From how John Rockerfeller built a oil monopoly to take over the country and how he setup his trust through philanthropy and wealth accumulation. Titan is a fascinating look through one of histories most prolific businessman.
#2 Principals By Ray Dalio
Principals by Ray Dalio isn’t an autobiography about Rays life as the founder and operator of the Investment Giant Black Rock but more of a guide to how he runs his company through the principals he lives by. Ray will cover 7 high level principals that has helped him become one of the most successful investors of our time. This book can be seen as less entertaining compared to some of the more scandalous books on this list, the information that you could use in your business in unmatched.
#3 The Profiteers by Sandy Denton
The Profiteers is an amazing look inside the history of the Bechtel Corporation and the family behind the name. This family made its riches though major construction project with the most known being the the Hoover Dam. The wild history of this family touches on their influence in the United States federal government through the C.I.A. and almost all presidential administrations of the late 1900s into the 2000s and into multiple governments around the world.
This book has vague references to certain events that are borderline conspiracy but nonetheless extremely entertaining. The Bechtel family has built an empire of seemingly limitless resources and is a great read for anyone looking for info on hard work and relationship building.
#4, 5, and 6
These books are lumped into one category because if you are interested in the retail industry, you’re going to want to check these out.
First is Sam Walton: Made in America by John Huey. This book profiles the man behind Wal Mart and Sams Club Sam Walton. A real rags to riches story of a small town boy from Oklahoma, this story is sure to inspire.
Next up we have The Everything Store by Brad Stone. Highlighting one of the most famous Entrepreneurs of our time Jeff Bezos and the story of how he built Amazon. Like many tech companies of the 90’s Bezos built Amazon into a billion dollar company while he become the richest man in the world. Anyone building a company in tech or retail could use some valuable takeaways from this book.
Then finally we have to include Alibaba by Duncan Clark. Behind the rise of another retail online giant is another great entrepreneur Jack Ma. Also from humble beginnings Jack Ma brought online retail to China first, then the world with his company Alibaba.
#7 While on the subject of the tech industry one great book to check out is Trillion Dollar Coach by Eric Schmidt, Jonathan Rosenberg, and Alan Eagle. This book is about Bill Campbell and his rise from Colombia University football coach to multiple Silicon Valley board rooms. Bills leadership has been transformative for multiple popular and unknown tech company founders. An inspiring story about a wonderful guy, highly suggest.
#8 Another story of a beloved American billionaire is How to Win at the Sport of Business by Mark Cuban. Hard work and ingenuity are themes of this book highlighting how Mark Cuban built his empire. A matter of fact an no holes barred lesson by the man himself is a entertaining and valuable look into the thought process of a true success story.
