Entrepreneurs share the readings that shaped their path to success. Discover the books, secrets, and advice that helped them build their businesses.
Holidays are an ideal time to relax and, why not, get inspired by readings that can mark a before and after in the way we see business. iProfesional asked 7 entrepreneurs what is the book that every entrepreneur should read and the lessons that accompanied them on their way. This is where this literary odyssey begins, with the first recommendation that, curiously, takes us to the classics: Homer’s The Odyssey.
1. The Odyssey, by Homer – Recommended by Nahuel Lema, co-founder and CEO of Coderhouse
When we think of books for entrepreneurs, the classics of Greek literature are not usually the first choice. However, Nahuel Lema, the visionary behind Coderhouse, the digital education platform with more than 350,000 graduate students, says that The Odyssey is essential reading for those embarking on the business world.
“What struck me most about The Odyssey was the importance of resilience and the ability to adapt to challenges,” Lema explains. The journey of Ulysses is full of storms, cyclops, and temptations that symbolize the problems that entrepreneurs face in life and in business. According to him, Ulysses’ unwavering purpose to return to Ithaca resembles his team’s commitment to democratizing technological education.
The epic story provided a frame of reference for Coderhouse’s most challenging moments. “Remembering that obstacles are part of the journey helped me stay calm and look for solutions in adverse situations,” he says, mentioning that when it was necessary to reinvent some courses to adapt to the market, the story of Ulysses reminded him to never lose sight of his “Ithaca”.
Like Ulysses, Lema perseveres and never loses sight of his Ithaca
In her daily routine, Lema spends between 10 and 30 minutes reading, taking advantage of the weekends to deepen her studies. In addition, he leans towards digital books: “I find it practical to take my entire library wherever I want and underline key ideas instantly.”
2. The Generalship of Alexander the Great, by J.C. Fuller – Recommended by Julián Colombo, founder and CEO of N5
If there is a historical figure who embodies leadership and strategy, it is Alexander the Great. Julián Colombo, founder and CEO of N5, a company specializing in technological solutions for the financial sector, finds in The Generalship of Alexander the Great an inexhaustible source of lessons for entrepreneurs.
“The Battle of Issos synthesizes the four necessary conditions for success in any venture: a successful vision, greater density of talent, leadership from the front and, above all, luck,” says Colombo.
Every time the retailer faces a problem in his company, he wonders: “What would Alejandro do?” Although the answer is often somewhat difficult to apply in the world of technology—such as “attacking with heavy cavalry from the right while the phalanx holds the center”—what really inspires him isthe conqueror’s attitude to risks. “Before crossing into Asia, he donated everything he had to his companions. They asked him: ‘And for Alejandro?’ and he answered: ‘For me, hope!'” That mentality of betting everything on one vision is what Colombo seeks to apply in his path as an entrepreneur.
What would Alexander the Great do? An ideal leadership model, according to N5 CEO
The founder of N5 dedicates about 10 hours a week to reading and has set out to read between 52 and 104 books a year, although on average he finishes about 65. He is passionate about physical books: “They are an object that I love. Seeing someone with one of my favorite books in an airport feels like instead of a person recommending a book to you… a book recommended you to a person.”
3- The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle – Recommended by Andrea Bertone, founder of Sitio de Tiendas
For Andrea Bertone, creator of Sitio de Tiendas, the first marketplace for buying and selling digital businesses in Latin America, a good entrepreneur must not only learn about strategies and finances, but also about their own mind. For this reason, he recommends “The Power of Now”, by Eckhart Tolle.
“The only real thing is the now, that was the main lesson I took away from the book,” says Bertone. In the fast-paced world of entrepreneurship, where every decision seems to be chained to a myriad of future consequences, Tolle taught Bertone that neither the past nor the future can be controlled. “If we live a lot in the past, we tend to be nostalgic; if we live too much in the future, we create anxiety,” he explains.
For the founder of Sitio de Tiendas, this concept was fundamental in her career. “It helped me understand the importance of silencing the mind that fluctuates between what I could have done better and the thousand future possibilities. Concentrating on the present moment and enjoying the only real thing, this moment, was key to moving forward with confidence,” she reflects.
The present is the only way. Neither the past nor the future can be controlled
Bertone spends between 1 and 2 hours a day reading. Although he always preferred physical books, today he consumes 50% in audiobook format. “It allows me to take advantage of my time in a different way. Since I work sitting in front of the computer at least 9 hours a day, listening to audiobooks while walking is a way to keep me moving,” she concludes.
4- Good to Great, by Jim Collins – Recommended by Matías Botbol, co-founder of Maslow
For Matías Botbol, co-founder of Maslow, a benefits platform for companies and their employees, Jim Collins’ “Good to Great” is a kind of entrepreneur’s bible. “Each of its 9 chapters is a lesson in how to think when making decisions in a company,” he says. Before founding Maslow, Botbol co-founded Taringa!, the iconic collaborative content platform, and this book marked a before and after in his way of entrepreneurship.
“When we started, we made a lot of mistakes due to ignorance and lack of experience. This book helped me develop a clearer mindset about leadership and decision-making,” she explains. It allowed him to apply a more mature approach to Maslow, who already operates in 25 countries.
In terms of reading habits, Botbol dedicates about 1 hour a day to books, either in digital or audiobook format. “Digital ones are comfortable for me because I can read at any time and on any device. In bed before going to sleep or in a free moment, I always have access,” she says. But his real ally is the audiobook: “I usually run 3 or 4 times a week and listening to books while doing it keeps me entertained and connected to the story, making running more enjoyable.”
De Taringa a Maslow con Good to great
5- When spiders spin together they can tie up a lion, by Daniel Coyle – Recommended by Ricky Minicucci, founder of TRASA
“When I read this book, I had already started a business, but it made me rethink how I wanted my company to be,” says Ricky Minicucci, founder of TRASA, a B corporation dedicated to financial inclusion in low-income neighborhoods. Minicucci says that the teachings of “When spiders weave together they can tie a lion” helped him work on his safety and vulnerability, discovering that the more vulnerable he allowed himself to be, the safer he felt.
The book is based on three main concepts: carving out security, sharing vulnerability and defining a purpose.
“It helped us believe that we could achieve what we wanted, or at least try,” he reflects. Ricky emphasizes that what is important is the action, not just the result, and that this book also allowed him to find and sustain the purpose of TRASA.
Minicucci spends between 10 and 20 minutes a day reading, which allows her to read more than 12 books a year. He prefers physical books, although he sometimes resorts to audiobooks while driving. “Reading incorporates language, develops us and gives us wings,” he says. For this reason, he adds, he cannot leave out of his recommendations the following two books: People Matter Over Profits, by Dale Partridge and Apology of Socrate by Plato.
Purpose and action: the formula for an entrepreneurship with impact
6- There are no rules here, by Reed Hastings and Erin Meyer – Recommended by Tomás Meabe, Country Manager of Buscalibre Argentina
Tomás Meabe, Country Manager of the online bookstore Buscalibre Argentina, recommends “There are no rules here”, the Netflix story written by Reed Hastings and Erin Meyer. “It’s interesting how they saw the opportunity to beat Blockbuster in the 2000s and the work culture they developed for their employees,” he says.
This book inspired Meabe to generate dynamics in his work team, fostering an environment where each member can have an opinion and feel part of the decisions.
“It’s critical that they get involved and are motivated,” he says. He also learned the importance of being clear with the objectives and communicating that each member contributes to the vision with value of and for the company.
Meabe tries to read every night, though he can’t always. For him, reading is a key habit, but he does not compare it to workshops, courses or mentoring, since he considers that all forms of learning are complementary.
Netflix’s lessons inspire the CEO of Buscalibre for his business management
7- “Made to Stick” by Chip and Dan Heath – Recommended by Sol Flores, founder of @digitalizadas_
Sol Flores is the founder of @digitalizadas_, a network of women entrepreneurs that seeks to empower businesses through learning and community. As a business mentor, Flores found in “Made to Stick” a source of inspiration and key tools for her work.
According to her, this work is essential for those who seek to build businesses and ideas that really last over time. If thousands of products and services are launched every year, it is necessary to consider that the success of a proposal depends to a large extent on how its differentiation is worked on.
The central concept of the book and the one that most influenced Flores’ way of entrepreneurship is the importance of authentic and effective communication. “This book taught me that a strong business is not only about what you sell, but about how you communicate your value authentically and lastingly,” he explains. According to the authors, the ideas that really “catch on” are those that are simple, unexpected and have a powerful story behind them. She constantly applies this principle in @digitalizadas_, where she helps women entrepreneurs define and communicate their brands’ story in impactful ways.
For Flores, “Made to Stick” is a practical guide that accompanies her in her mentoring work. Whenever you evaluate a new business idea, keep the principles in this book in mind to ensure that the product or service has a clear and differentiating narrative. “I don’t launch new products or ideas without first defining what their story will be and how they will stand out in the market,” he says.
The authors explain that the ideas that “catch on” are the simple, unexpected and powerful ones
Reading occupies a fundamental place in his life. She spends at least an hour a day reading about marketing, trends, and research related to her work. She enjoys physical books and keeps them in a special library in her room, as well as lending them to her clients during mentorships. However, she recently incorporated digital reading thanks to a Kindle that was given to her, which she considers an ideal resource for vacations and outdoor reading.
This is how this literary journey concludes through the pages that guided these entrepreneurs on their way. From the classics to the most contemporary strategies, each recommended book not only offers knowledge, but also an invitation to think differently, to challenge the established and to find in reading a compass for the adventure of doing business.
