5 Business Books to Inspire & Make You Think Differently

At Livia’s we often share the latest business books we’ve been reading and exchange our learnings around the team. For us, reading business books regularly helps to broaden our entrepreneurial mindset and keep us inspired to think of new ideas. We decided it was about time we shared our recommendations with you all too!  

If you’re looking to expand your knowledge on brand building, staying focussed or becoming a more successful leader then this is the list for you!

We’ve pulled together a selection of some of our brilliant recent reads below to put on your radar.

Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life by Nir Eyal

In a fast-paced world it’s often easy to become distracted. Do you ever start the day with a to-do list and by midday you haven’t given the first thing on there a second thought? It’s far too easy to open up your emails or Instagram and before you know it you’ve spent 2 hours replying to people’s memes. This book is the ultimate guide to making sure phones, tech and other modern distractions don’t take your attention away from the things and people that really matter in your life. If you want to take back control of your attention at home or work, then you need to read this!

This is a business book which also comes with free downloadable resources and workbook so you can put the theories into practice! Buy it here.

The Social Brand: Transform your brand to win in the social era by Huib Van Bockel

At Livia’s, being social is at the core of our brand and reading this really resonated with us. The book has been described by industry leaders as ‘the definitive guide to building a powerful brand on social’ and our marketing team agrees. Written by the Founder of plant-based energy drinks brand Tenzing and former Head of Marketing at Red Bull, it covers everything from the importance of creating valuable content to driving loyalty.

It’s very clearly written by a guy who has encountered tremendous success leading digital marketing strategies and developing brand partnerships so there’s a lot of insights and refreshing ideas to take away. Buy it here.

Eating the big fish by Adam Morgan

A recommendation from Olivia herself, this thought-provoking book focusses on how challenger brands can compete against market leaders. The book includes insightful case studies and examples throughout on how challenger brands can beat market leaders at innovation, marketing and strategy.

It’s one of those books that you will want to scribble all over with ideas and share with your team. If you can, we recommend reading it at the same time do you can all discuss it as a team together. It always makes for an interesting discussion! Buy it here.

Dare to Lead by Brene Brown

Whether you’re running a start-up, leading an organisational movement, an assistant in a large corporation, leadership isn’t about titles. Leaders are people who help raise each other up, recognise potential in people and choose courage over comfort. This book is the ultimate guide to becoming a brave leader and daring to make change. Working in a start-up means you’re often faced with issues that you can’t just throw money at to fix. We require leaders that can guide difficult conversations and see the potential in people even when things feel like they’re falling apart. This book is useful in outlining tips and strategies to help people build better relationships, help people around them grow and recognise one’s own self awareness.

Dare to Lead is a New York Times #1 best selling business book of 2020 for a reason. Go read and develop those leadership skills! Buy it here.

Shoedog, a memoir by the creator of Nike by Phil Knight

We all want to hear about an entrepreneur who turned $50 into $30 billion right? Phil Knight, founder of Nike isn’t just an incredibly successful entrepreneur but a humble and engaging storyteller. He wrote the book himself which enables the reader to feel a personal connection with the writer. Knight talks about his many triumphs but also many setbacks. Before reading the book it’s easy to judge it as a book all about Nike, but it’s more than that. It’s a moving, inspirational and insightful journey of an ambitious creator who travelled the world with limited funds and battled non-believers to grow the biggest sports brand and community in the world. Buy it here.


Read any good business books? We would love to hear your recommendations! Come and chat to us @livias on Instagram!