Navigating the business world as a woman can come with unique challenges, especially when you’re just starting out. That’s why we’ve rounded up the best business books for women, created to support you through the realities of building a business. From developing confidence and overcoming gender bias to understanding finance and setting boundaries, these business books will steer you along your entrepreneurial path and help to nurture both your business mindset and expertise.
From starting a business for the first time to scaling a brand or stepping into leadership, these reads offer practical guidance alongside mindset-shifting insight. You’ll find books written by women who’ve built businesses themselves as well as expert voices offering advice on confidence, strategy, finance, and leadership.
Whether you’re a female founder looking to scale your business or an entrepreneur just starting out and eager to learn from women who have built successful companies, these business books for women offer practical advice, proven strategies, and real-world insight.
Business Books Every Female Entrepreneur Should Read
Written by professors, campaigners, and founders, let yourself be guided by their stories and insights. From mindfulness to practical skills, these business books will support every businesswoman on their personal journey.
Ask for More: 10 Questions to Ask to Get What You Want by Alexandra Carter
For those looking to improve their business communication skills, Ask for More will teach you the art of negotiation. Using a simple 10-question framework, you’ll learn how to get clearer on your objectives and understand what you’d like to achieve from negotiation.
Alexandra Carter is both a Professor of Law at Columbia Law School and a Director of the Mediation Clinic. She brings a wealth of expertise to this Wall Street Journal bestseller, delivering insights that will transform your negotiation abilities. What’s great about the book is that it applies to both professional and personal settings. In 10 chapters, Carter will align you with a sharper and more secure self.
Do It Like a Woman… and Change the World by Caroline Criado Perez
Do It Like a Woman is the call to action that every woman needs. Told through the stories of women across the globe, the book represents the power of the ‘ordinary’ woman. Change comes from individual action, as demonstrated through the resilience of the women featured. Some are survivors, some are activists, and some are journalists, but they each represent the internal strength inside every woman.
This is the perfect read to push you towards pursuing your goals, business or otherwise. At the heart of the book is the courage demonstrated by these women. Their stories are inspiring and will give you the motivation to strive for action within your everyday life.
Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges by Amy Cuddy
Bestselling author and social psychologist Amy Cuddy adopts a psychological approach to reaching your goals. Full of science-backed research on hacking into your mindset, Cuddy helps readers to cultivate a healthier relationship with themselves. From adopting ‘power poses’ to prioritising your own judgments, Presence is a must-read.
The advice shared in this book is highly applicable to overcoming challenges in the business world, such as handling difficult clients or navigating the opinions of others. Cuddy demonstrates that through learning to take control of your inner world, you can successfully work through any external challenges you may come up against.
Brave, Not Perfect by Reshma Saujani
Reshma Saujani, Founder of Girls Who Code, has firsthand lived through – and overcome – the limiting beliefs women are often taught to internalise. In Brave, Not Perfect, she advocates for women to let go of restrictive expectations and break free of the ‘perfect girl’ fantasy. Through doing so, Saujani advises that we can live a life more closely aligned with our aspirations.
From the perspective of a successful woman in a male-dominated industry, the book shares personal anecdotes as well as insights into how we, too, can choose bravery over perfection. During any stage of your business, this is a book worth having on your shelf.
Best Business Books Written by Women
These business books come from women who have unlocked inner confidence, mastered growth strategies and achieved their goals. Perfect reads for when you need some inspiration or guidance from women role models.
Beyond The Label: Women, Leadership, and Success on Our Own Terms by Maureen Chiquet
In this creative storytelling approach to a business book, Maureen Chiquet tells her story from modest beginnings as a literature student to leading a global luxury powerhouse. Through her experience, Chiquet learned to resist the labels imposed upon her. Instead, she encourages women to cross boundaries, from creativity and business to leadership and motherhood, letting them exist peacefully alongside each other.
Encouraging the idea of a limitless life, Beyond The Label champions the idea that women in business can also lead a fulfilling personal life, one that’s aligned with their true natures. Chiquet endeavours to inspire women of all generations, helping them to recognise the strength in femininity.
Playing Big by Tara Mohr
If you’re hoping to achieve a more self-assured version of yourself, Playing Big will help you to get there. Not only does the book support personal growth, but it also inspires professional development. An expert on women’s leadership and well-being, an author, and an educator, Tara Mohr has dedicated her career to building women’s confidence.
Mohr shares her trusted techniques for quitting self-doubt and leaning into belief in this self-development book. As part of her strategy, she advocates for less planning, more doing. Women in and outside of business will find this relevant and motivating. It’s a read that will position you closer to achieving your ambitions and dreaming on a bigger scale.
On Brand: Shape Your Narrative. Share Your Vision. Shift Their Perception by Aliza Licht
Aliza Licht, previously a fashion executive, turned to consultancy, creating a leading communications brand. As featured on Good Morning America and in the Harvard Business Review, On Brand brings Licht’s diverse experience to you. In this half-self-help, half-business manual, the book is overflowing with advice on how to get started with cultivating your personal brand.
Whether you’re a businesswoman at the start of your venture or already established, Licht translates her own experience into accessible advice. Not only will you learn how to curate your identity, but you will also discover how this results in a bolder, more vibrant you within both the business space and wider society.
The Confidence Code by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman
Acclaimed journalists Katty Kay and Claire Shipman share the neuroscience-backed secrets underlying confidence. Every woman in need of actionable tips on achieving a bolder self will find The Confidence Code valuable. With interviews from women in politics, sports, the military and the arts, the book draws upon a wealth of insights.
Kay and Shipman also examine confidence through the lens of gender. Uncovering why women may struggle more than men, they provide advice for overcoming this disparity and progressing towards a more self-accepting version of yourself. Choosing practice over perfection, the book will steer you towards believing in both your business and personal goals.
Books for Women Starting a Business
You’ll find the best business books on getting started from those women who have been in your position. These women have created empires from scratch, some with few resources or support. Feel inspired to action by their stories, including our interview with Tracie Giles, founder of Tracie Giles London, where she shares her own journey and the lessons she’s learned along the way.
The Art of Starting: How to Build Your Creative Business from the Ground Up by Iona Mathieson and Romy St Clair
In 2018, Iona Mathieson and Romy St Clair founded SAGE Flowers in Peckham, London. With only a dream and less than £1000, Mathieson and St Clair created a bespoke floristry business frequented by the likes of Prada, Burberry, and Vogue World.
Having conquered the world of business, these female founders now present their very own start-up guide. A blend of personal and practical, this business book will teach you how to build from the ground up. With exclusive insights into personal branding, finances, and networking, you will learn how to use what you know to elevate your very own business.
The Small Business Start-Up Kit by Peri Pakroo
Peri Pakroo has extensive knowledge of the business industry. As a business author, coach, and the founder of Pyragrapher, she has acquired over 20 years of experience in the start-up industry. Her book is both well-informed and inspiring, sharing practical knowledge and snippets from women who have created successful businesses.
You will learn how to devise a workable plan, incorporating funding, management and marketing. Even more, Pakroo shares her favourite tips for achieving an ideal work-life balance, making this business book an all-round guide.
Build The Damn Thing: How to Start a Successful Business if You’re Not a Rich White Guy by Kathryn Finney
Kathryn Finney is a role model in business for women who have faced exclusion. As the founder of Genius Guild, she has built a 20-million-dollar venture fund/studio investing in Black entrepreneurs. In Build The Damn Thing, Finney delivers a comprehensive how-to guide, helping readers to break down barriers and get started on their businesses.
Learn how to reset the rules and be your own entrepreneur. With Finney’s expert insights, you can discover how to build from scratch and create a plan, a positive network and ultimately, strive for success.
How To Make Money: A New, Honest Guide to Starting and Building a Six-Figure, Successful Business by Nafisa Bakkar
This authentic guide will challenge what you think you already know about business. Nafisa Bakkar is co-founder and CEO of acclaimed fashion platform Amaliah. She started her business with no network and little experience, but now, her work has translated into success.
How To Make Money aims to teach you exactly how to profit from your own venture. Whether you already have a small business on the side or dream of starting one up, you’ll learn the insider tricks for a shining sales pitch and the secret to mastering your brand.
Best Business Books For Women About Leadership
Leadership is an art that requires both kindness and direction. Here are the best books to educate you on how to be a better leader for your business and in life.
Dare To Lead by Brené Brown
Brené Brown’s prolific Dare To Lead is all about unlocking the positive power of leadership. Brown herself is a researcher and writer who has dedicated her time to uncovering the science behind the emotions that steer us. She has found that many businesses, of all sizes, are asking what successful leadership truly entails.
Her best-seller encompasses what it means to be a leader and how to get the results you desire, all the while supporting those around you. Brown upholds the notion that success comes from shared power and being able to handle those difficult conversations. This essential business read will help you to cultivate healthy leadership in your own business practice and create a harmonious environment for all.
Women and Leadership: Lessons from some of the world’s most powerful women by Julia Gillard and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
The former Prime Minister of Australia and the former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria are two vastly influential women themselves. In their co-authored book, they offer rare insights into the lives of some of the most powerful women in the world. It’s an enlightening read to educate yourself on the wider issues facing women in power, including how sexism can affect the reception of such women.
The excerpts in the book are eye-opening and can help you to navigate your own experience with leadership. Women and Leadership is a call for community amongst women and serves as motivation to keep on leading despite these barriers.
Radical Candor by Kim Scott
Radical Candor is a great starting place for those seeking to boost their communication skills. Renowned author and leadership coach Kim Scott advocates for what she coins as ‘radical candor’, honest and direct feedback that is both constructive and positive. Scott illustrates that leadership and management can strike a balance between empathetic and direct. One doesn’t have to exist without the other.
Her book is the handbook for difficult but necessary conversations, and she believes that equal criticism and praise are integral to a thriving workplace. The ideal read for business leaders who want guidance and, most importantly, action.
Strong Female Lead: Lessons From Women In Power by Arwa Mahdawi
Writer and founder, Arwa Mahdwai, uncovers the key to successful leadership, embodied by influential women of the world. Despite the inequalities that exist between women and men leaders, women leaders are getting ahead and leading efficiently.
Including first-hand research and interviews with female leaders, the book teaches us how to embody their qualities. Not only will you learn more about the global picture of leadership, but you’ll also discover how to lead on a smaller scale. Champion your business with confidence and clarity in this topical read.
Best Business Books For Women About Money and Growth
When it comes to finances and growth, these are the books every businesswoman should have on her shelf. Get ahead on your business and mindset with these reads, and browse our guide to the best online business tools to support your growth.
Rewrite Your Rules: The Journey to Success in Less Time with More Freedom by Morgan Debaun
Divided into three thoughtful parts, Rewrite Your Rules teaches that growth comes from alignment with your passions. Authored by Morgan Debaun, a female entrepreneur, founder and CEO of Blavity Inc., she pushes women towards self-mastery. By understanding our wants and goals, we can move closer to making progress.
Debaun is a big advocate for reflecting on your habitual routines, relationships and ambitions to ensure that you are positioned well for success. That’s why this business book is a gratifying read for women aiming to grow, as it provides a space to contemplate these elements.
Millionaire Mindset for Women: Eight Essential Elements to Greater Wealth by May K. Li Ph.D.
Read about the eight pillars necessary to acquire a ‘millionaire mindset’ in this financial guide for women. Dr May Li is a former PhD scientist who decided to pivot into marketing and scientific recruitment. Based on numbers, psychological insights and personal experience, she shares the rules for bringing about more wealth.
In spite of failed business attempts, Dr May Li went on to have prosperous opportunities, all due to rewiring her mindset. This book will instruct you to do the same, encouraging you to think big and earn more. An inspiring read that challenges the conventions of wealth and unlocks the door to financial growth for women.
Feminine Capital: Unlocking the Power of Women Entrepreneurs by Barbara Orser and Catherine Elliott
Researchers and Professors Barbara Orser and Catherine Elliot adopt a female-centric approach to growth in their business manual. Opposing misinterpretations about female business, Orser and Elliot showcase the unique powers of the feminine in the business world. Through case studies and research, they emphasise that women can use distinctive branding and methods to grow their profits.
With practical tools, checklists and models for readers, Feminine Capital is best read as both a guide for growth and a self-confidence boost. Backed by years’ worth of acclaimed research, their business book encourages female founders to re-evaluate their knowledge to create more fruitful opportunities.
Inspirational Business Books for Female Founders
You may be a businesswoman who wants to read stories from other female entrepreneurs who have mastered their business practices. If so, you’ll be uplifted by these must-read titles for female founders. To discover the new wave redefining female entrepreneurship, explore our top five female fashion founders under 30.
Dear Female Founder: 66 Letters of Advice from Women Entrepreneurs Who Have Made $1 Billion in Revenue by Lu Li
Blooming Founders CEO Lu Li brings together personal and practical anecdotes from female entrepreneurs who have seen great success. In this touching anthology, you’ll hear from those women who have made it in the business world and are sharing the truth behind their accomplishments.
Businesswomen at the start of their entrepreneurial endeavours will find this collection inspiring. Take note of what’s happening behind the scenes in the business world and discover the setbacks that don’t always make the headlines. Their candid reflections offer reassurance and insights to female founders, a reminder that success is built on persistence and vision.
It’s About Damn Time: How to Turn Being Underestimated into Your Greatest Advantage by Arlan Hamilton and Rachel L. Nelson
Arlan Hamilton, a female founder and managing partner of Backstage Capital, tells her striking story in her business memoir, It’s About Damn Time. Starting as a woman navigating homelessness and poverty, Hamilton’s inspiring path led her to Silicon Valley. With no experience or network, she tore down barriers in the male-dominated tech space and redefined the rules.
In this tell-all, Hamilton shares her journey to success from an underrepresented woman to a leading figure. Despite her incredible accomplishments, her memoir is vulnerable, offering readers an honest glimpse into her many challenges. At the centre of her story, Hamilton emphasises that often, perceived weaknesses are a sign of real strength.
In The Company Of Women: Inspiration And Advice From Over 100 Makers, Artists, And Entrepreneurs by Grace Bonney
Less of a conventional business book, In The Company Of Women imaginatively showcases the brilliant female minds within the creative industry. Accompanied by vibrant images, the book uplifts the stories of several female founders, including comedians, artists and architects. The book is also inclusive of women at diverse stages in their careers, from large corporations to young start-ups.
It’s an enjoyable, light read that offers moments of inspiration right when you need them most. Even more, it makes a thoughtful gift for women in the creative industry. Whether you choose to read it yourself or pass it along, there’s plenty of wisdom waiting within its pages.
