Summer is in full swing and we’ve some extra good reads to add to your summer reading list! Every month in our Newsletter (btw, you can sign up for it here if you haven’t already!) we share three good books suggested by our mentors, partners, friends and team, but we wanted to use this time to take a look back on what we’ve been reading throughout the first half of the year. Tune in into our top 10 (in no particular order:)) books for your enjoyment.
“Networking for People Who Hate Networking: A Field Guide for Introverts, the Overwhelmed, and the Underconnected” by Devora Zack
“Networking doesn’t have to be stressful, building relationships has to be comfortable for you in the first place. An easy read to find your comfort zone in growing the network,” suggested by our Business Development mentor Mariia Tintul.
“Bad Blood” by John Carreyrou
The full inside story of the breathtaking rise and shocking collapse of Theranos, the one-time multibillion-dollar biotech startup founded by Elizabeth Holmes. “Sometimes fake it till you make it is a wrong philosophy to have,” suggested by Cristobal and Zane.
“Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams” by Matthew Walker
“Sleep is crucially important for everyone, startups specifically. Cause without adequate sleep, brain has a harder time absorbing and recalling new information. Which is crucially important in case of acceleration.” suggested by one of our pitch coaches Gleb Maltsev.
“Diplomacy” by Henry Kissinger
As Kissinger put it “Intellectuals analyze the operations of international systems; statesmen build them.” This can be well applied to startups too… In the world where so many things are unknown, it is impossible to simply copy one companies approach to things and build it the same way. So it is up to you, if you spend time analyzing successful companies, or you invest time in building one. Suggested by Ernests Štāls.
“Traction” by Gabriel Weinberg, Justin Mares
Traction will teach you 19 different ways to get traction and achieve explosive customer growth. It might even point out some channels that you did not expect to find on this list. Suggested by our lead generation mentor Patrick Collins and our Batch 12 alumni Philip Verzun.
“Angel: How to Invest in Technology Startups–Timeless Advice from an Angel Investor Who Turned $100,000 into $100,000,000” by Jason Calacanis
“A book aims to help business angels to invest wisely. So it’s super useful for startups to understand the way of investors’ thinking,” suggested by B2B SaaS Batch 16 Managing Director Alexandra.
“Talking To Humans” by Giff Constable
Practical guide to the qualitative side of customer development, an indispensable skill for vetting and improving any new startup or innovation. This book will teach you how to structure and run effective customer interviews, find candidates, and turn learnings into action. Suggested by first CyberNorth Managing Director Farid.
“The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life” by Mark Manson
“This book helps you to stop running like crazy in your everyday routine and deadlines, take a step back and analyze your actions and WHY behind each of it. It helps to understand the difference between real values and short term heights to make right decisions and define your priorities,” suggested by Online Pre-accelerator program manager Alona.
“The Art of the Start 2.0: The Time-Tested, Battle-Hardened Guide for Anyone Starting Anything” by Guy Kawasaki, Lindsey Filby
If you don’t know how to start, then turn to this book to find out how to build a strong team, create an awesome product or service or how to face down your competition. Suggested by Wise Guys Fintech 3 Managing Director Dmitrij.
“Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration” by Ed Catmull
“This book will make you think about how you approach different kinds of situations in your life no matter if it’s an organizational, technical or a personal issue. Creativity, openness, confidence and ability to admit that you were wrong – those are the takeaways,” suggested by Marketing & Communications manager Luīze.
