In my 8 years of running my own data business, I’ve taken countless courses and coaching programs, read hundreds of books, and consumed a whole lot of resources. Today I wanted to share my four best books for tech entrepreneurs and data founders. This is so you can take your entrepreneurial career to the next level.

My Recommendations on The Best Books for Tech Entrepreneurs + Data Founders

I’ve selected a few different books. Some of which are suited to more advanced entrepreneurs. Others will be perfect for those just starting out their journey in becoming a tech entrepreneur!

Note: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning I may receive a small commission if you purchase through them. Thank you for supporting small business ❤️

Book 1 – The $100 Start-Up

Who it’s for: Beginner entrepreneurs looking to get advice and inspiration to start their businesses

This one is an oldie but a goodie! The $100 Start-up, by Chris Guillebeau teaches you all about the principles that you need to start a successful business. The author then illustrates those business principles through real-life examples of entrepreneurs who started a business with only $100 (or less!). 

The businesses he uses as examples make for a fun read. Rather than focusing on super technical or serious businesses, he chose intriguing, eclectic businesses as case-studies – think ex-lawyers turned yoga teachers or two ex-corporate designers who started selling custom-made maps out of their apartment (who now have a 6-figure business!).

This book is perfect for the corporate side hustler looking for that extra push needed to finally start your data business! Guillebeau shows that you don’t need all the bells and whistles or to put a massive up-front investment to start a successful business. All you need is passion, grit, hard work, and the right mindset and strategies. 

Buy the $100 Start-Up Here

Book 2 – Platform

Who it’s for? Those new to the online business world. Thos who want to know more about creating a personal brand and developing thought leadership

Another one of the best books for tech entrepreneurs is the book Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World by Michael Hyatt. 

While not specifically geared towards those in the tech/data space, this is a must-read for anyone who wants to use social media and online marketing to grow a personal brand. It’s perfect for anyone, whether that’s as a consultant, premium service provider, or company founder.

If you are working away at your data career, what you need to know is this:

Your data career is your business. You can either sell your data career to an employer and go the route of being a successful employee. Or you can build a brand around your data career and turn it into your own business.

If the latter sounds intriguing to you, but you’re having a hard time trying to wrap your head around the idea of how do I actually stand out from the crowd? And how do I use that influence to then monetize it and build a business?, you HAVE to read Platform by Michael Hyatt. It teaches you everything you need to do in order to start building thought leadership around what people refer to nowadays as “the personal brand”.

Platform will help you build your thought leadership. You can then use it to attract either new jobs if you’re looking to be an employee, OR new clients if you are looking to be a data entrepreneur.

Buy Platform Here

Want MORE resources and tools to start (and grow) a successful data business? Download The Ultimate Toolkit For Data Entrepreneurs and get 32 free (or low-cost!) tools to help you save you hundreds of hours and get epic results!

Book 3 – Clockwork

Who it’s for? Entrepreneurs who want to streamline operations and get out of implementation and task-level work. Those who create a kick-ass team (who doesn’t need their presence to get shit done!)

For entrepreneurs who’ve been in business for a little while, number three on the list of best books for tech entrepreneurs is called Clockwork by Mike Michalowicz. This book is for the overwhelmed solopreneur. This can also be for the entrepreneur who’s begun to build a small team or agency that is still heavily dependent on their presence as the founder in order to run smoothly.

If you find yourself constantly putting out fires, spending all your time delegating to and managing team members, I’d like you to try and picture this. 

What if you could get your data business to run like a well-oiled machine…even if you weren’t in the picture?

While removing themselves from daily operations may sound like a pipe dream for many entrepreneurs, for many, it’s a reality. This is all because they’ve implemented the strategies in Clockwork. 

If systems, processes, efficiency, and team management are things you’d like to focus on, you’ll definitely want to pick yourself up a copy.

Purchase Clockwork here.

Book 4 — Rocket Fuel

Who it’s for? Entrepreneurs who have a team but still spend too much time managing and implementing their visions. Those who want to hire an integrator to bring their ideas to life

If you’re someone with big ideas and a big vision, but you find yourself getting caught up in the details, you absolutely need to read the book Rocket Fuel by Gino Wickman and Mark C. Winter. Rocket Fuel teaches you all about how to take your VA or operations manager and turn them into an Integrator.

Essentially, an Integrator makes sure that all the moving parts of your business are working together. They keep things moving along so that the business can meet its KPIs.

The authors describe how the integrator and the visionary are the perfect pair. They also detail how their work together is critical for the success of any business. When these two unite, it’s like rocket fuel. The business is able to achieve things it would never have been able to had they not come together.

The CEO gets the freedom and mental space to focus on their vision and their big goals. Meanwhile, the integrator is able to work out the details and the intricacies of project and team management. If you’ve started to scale your data business by bringing on team members, but find yourself in a constant cycle of delegation and management, this book might be exactly what you need to get out of the weeds of implementation and step into your shoes as a true data CEO.

This is actually exactly what I’m working on in my business right now. My current executive assistant is in training to become the Integrator of Data-Mania. What’s incredible is there is also an online Rocket Fuel University for visionaries and integrators, which I’ve purchased to get my EA up to speed. She’s been loving learning more about what it takes to become a kickass integrator so she can take on an even bigger role within the company!

Purchase the book Rocket Fuel here.

So that’s my little round-up of the best books for tech entrepreneurs! If you go ahead and read any of them, I’d love to hear what you think. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

And if you’re looking for more resources to support you through data entrepreneurship, you’ve GOT to check out The Ultimate Toolkit for Data Entrepreneurs. Packed with 32 free (or low-cost) tools, I show you the exact tech and processes I’ve used to start and scale my data business to the multiple 6-figure mark. 

Get everything you need to set your data business up for success ?