The Best Startup CEO Books of All Time

Discover the most influential startup ceo books, recommended by leaders, experts, and readers worldwide

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Recommendations by Alexis Ohanian, Ryan Hoover, Naval Ravikant, Brad Feld and 16 others

Not sure what to read? Our AI can suggest the most recommended Startup CEO books!

1
Book Cover of Matt Mochary, Alex Maccaw, Misha Talavera - The Great CEO Within: The Tactical Guide to Company Building

By Matt Mochary – Coaches Silicon Valley tech CEOs and founders (you?) and 2 more 

4.90
| 2019 | 202 Pages
Recommended for: 
CEOs and business leaders. Ages 12 to Adults.
You will:
  • Learn how to implement effective problem-solving techniques in your organization.
  • Discover strategies for building a strong company culture and team dynamics.
  • Understand the importance of accountability in scaling your business effectively.
  • Learn to navigate the challenges of leadership in a fast-growing company.
  • Discover practical tools for managing your time and priorities as a CEO.
  • Startups don’t usually fail because they grow too late. They usually fail because they grow too early (i.e., before they have achieved product-market fit).
  • There are many reasons to create a company, but only one good one: to deeply understand real customers (living humans!) and their problem, and then solve that problem.
  • So start by placing your liquid assets in a brokerage firm. Then invest all the cash into US Treasuries while you decide on your investment strategy.
Reviews:
Practical Advice
Actionable Insights
Concise Chapters
Easy to Read
Effective Strategies
US-Centric Examples
Limited Depth
  • #31 Best Seller in Business & Organizational Learning on Amazon
  • New York Times Bestseller
  • Rated Amazon Best Book of the Year
Recommended by Alexis Ohanian, Ryan Hoover, Naval Ravikant and 9 others
Ryan Hoovermattmochary P.S. Matt's book, The Great CEO Within, is free on Google Docs:
It's well worth the read. Very concise and actionable
Naval RavikantThis book doesn't describe a way for a founder to scale a company. It describes the way for a founder to scale a company
Brian ArmstrongMatt has demystified growing a company by breaking it down into simple steps. These are the essentials that every company should implement to operate more effectively
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2
Book Cover of Trey Taylor - A CEO Only Does Three Things: Finding Your Focus in the C-Suite

By Trey Taylor – Managing Director of Trinity | Blue (you?) 

4.72
| 2020 | 222 Pages
Recommended for: 
CEOs and business leaders. Beginner to Intermediate readers.
You will:
  • Learn how to prioritize tasks effectively to avoid burnout as a CEO.
  • Discover the importance of focusing on culture, people, and numbers in leadership.
  • Understand the impact of clarity in communication for effective team management.
  • Gain insights into practical strategies for enhancing organizational performance.
  • Recognize the value of delegating tasks to empower your team and improve efficiency.
Reviews:
Insightful Strategies
Practical Application
Engaging Read
Clear Concepts
Valuable Insights
Repetitive
Overly Simplistic
  • New York Times Bestseller
  • Rated Amazon Best Book of the Year
Recommended by Eric Silverman, George Robbins, Tom Purcell and 4 others
Eric SilvermanBy my count, you'd have to read hundreds of books, attend hours of lectures, and engage in limitless conversations to get all the information that my rock star friend, Trey Taylor, so effortlessly distills into A CEO Only Does Three Things. It's like a life hack handbook for CEOs to find more time in their day, lead their teams to great results, and make a meaningful impact on the business world
George RobbinsIn A CEO Only Does Three Things, Trey Taylor reminds us that nothing in business is more powerful than a focused CEO. This remarkable new book introduces us to Taylor's philosophy of liberation for CEOs around the world shackled to the job of performing tasks that their teams are paid to do. His radical suggestion that a CEO should do the things that only he or she can do and leave the rest to others will strike some as too-good-to-be-true. Those of us who have applied his methodology know just how right he is, though. This book should be on every CEO's desktop and nightstand
Tom PurcellTrey's ideas in A CEO Only Does Three Things are creative, unique, and transformative. There isn't a platitude in the whole book. It's filled with dynamic business ideas that are simple but profound. I don't know a single executive who wouldn't benefit from being reminded of the core job. This useful book reveals and reminds us of the fundamental laws of management and leadership that lead to success
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Startup CEO Book made by AI

By TailoredRead – AI that creates personalized books for you 

4.98
| 2025 | 30-300 pages
Learn Startup CEO faster with a book created specifically for you by state-of-the-art AI. Our AI has vast knowledge of Startup CEO, and will craft a custom-tailored book for you in just 10 minutes. This tailored book addresses YOUR unique interests, goals, knowledge level, and background. Available for online reading, PDF download, and Kindle, your custom book will provide personalized insights to help you learn faster, expand your horizons, and accomplish your goals. Embark on your Startup CEO learning journey with a personalized book - made exclusively for you.
Recommended for: 
All readers across all knowledge levels.
You will:
  • Get a Startup CEO book tailored to your interests, goals, and background
  • Receive a book precisely matching your background and level of knowledge
  • Select which topics you want to learn, exclude the topics you don't
  • Define your learning goals and let your book guide you to accomplish them
  • Get all the knowledge you need consolidated into a single focused book
Reviews:
Insightful
Focused
Highly Personalized
Easy to Read
Engaging
Actionable
Up-to-Date
3
Book Cover of Dan Shapiro - Hot Seat: The Startup CEO Guidebook

By Dan Shapiro – Four-time founder/CEO (you?) 

4.71
| 2015 | 319 Pages
Recommended for: 
Aspiring entrepreneurs and startup CEOs. Beginner to Intermediate readers.
You will:
  • Understand the challenges of startup CEOs from inception to exit.
  • Learn about funding options like venture capital, angels, and crowdfunding.
  • Discover strategies for building a strong team culture and strategy.
  • Manage board relationships and team dynamics effectively.
  • Navigate the endgame of a company with grace and minimal litigation.
Reviews:
Insightful
Engaging
Practical
Informative
Well-Written
Repetitive
Simplistic
  • #4 Best Seller in Business Entrepreneurship on Amazon
Recommended by Brad Feld
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