Warren Buffett devotes about 80% of each day to reading and Bill Gates strives to read one book weekly. Reading can be a game-changer for women, too. But how do you know which book to pick? We can help you choose the best business books for women.
Lots of business books can glisten with insights and have the power to change your life. But, the boundless options may feel overwhelming and distract you from your core purpose – finding books that will help you succeed in business, from creating the right mindset to overcoming challenges for female entrepreneurs like cultivating confidence and communicating clearly.
It is crucial to feel empowered and as female leader and businesswoman, and books can help you on your path to success.
Before you delve into the never-ending world of business books for women, think strategically about what area or skill you want to develop. Here is your guide to finding a book that will change and shape your year in 2025 – from leadership books for women to books that will help you be more creative and confident.
These are the top books for female entrepreneurs and businesswomen in 2025.
The 15 Best Business Books for Women
3 Books to Help You Lean In and Lead
1. Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg
Could you be unintentionally holding yourself back in your career?
Facebook’s former COO, Sheryl Sandberg, addresses that question in her groundbreaking book about women in the workplace. In it, she discusses gender roles in business and how women can tap into their ambition and succeed. Using personal stories and practical advice, Sheryl can help us take risks and be more engaged at work and believe in ourselves.
Sheryl asks us, specifically women, “What would you do if you weren’t afraid?”
Who should read this book: Any businesswoman who wants to break gender barriers, feel empowered, and strive for professional success in their career.
2. Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
Leading takes courage and, surprisingly, vulnerability. Does it sound both exhilarating and terrifying? That is the point.
Brené Brown uses research and stories to share how we can create more daring leaders and courage-fueled cultures. This is one of the best leadership books for women. It is a must-read book for women in business especially in the AI era and polarised society we experience daily as it speaks to unique human values of empathy, connection, and courage. The book explores the main principles of daring leadership which are vulnerability, value, trust, and the ability to rise whole-heartedly.
Dare to Lead is bold businesswoman, Loes Daniels‘s favortite book and helped her be open and honest with her teams.
Brené Brown says, “I define a leader as anyone who takes responsibility for finding the potential in people and processes, and who has the courage to develop that potential.”
Who should read this book: Female leaders, executives, and team members who want to have tough conversations to communicate and lead better.
Here are 15 Dare to Lead Quotes That Will Change How You Lead
3. When Women Lead by Julia Boorstin
A gender-equity utopia shouldn’t be a pipe dream.
CNBC’s reporter, Julia Boorsti, dives deep into the top characteristics of female leaders and executives. She shares over 60 stories from female CEOs and leaders and gathers fascinating insights on how females run companies, and influential women lead. She explores women’s strengths and competencies through data, the gaps that they fill that men often miss, and how they use those skills to disrupt industries and be profitable. From gratitude to big-picture long-term thinking and leaning into your unique leadership styles, every gender can learn from this book.
Who should read this book: Ambitious women who want to run successful companies and teams.
4 Books to Change Your Mindset for Business (and Life)
1. The Confidence Code by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman
Research has shown that women are much less confident than men in the workplace, and Claire Shipman and Katty Kay believe it is why men still dominate the corporate world. In their groundbreaking book, they give practical advice on how women can build unbreakable confidence, making it an invaluable business book for women.
“When a man walks into a room, they’re assumed to be competent until they prove otherwise,” says Katty Kay.
Who should read this book: Any woman looking to build confidence to navigate conflict, grow, and succeed.
Recommended Reading: 15 Effective Confidence-building Exercises for Women
2. Presence by Amy Cuddy
What if you could bring your most confident and authentic self to life’s toughest moments?
Amy Cuddy, one of the top female motivational speakers, can help you overcome anxiety, fear, and insecurity. Her book teaches us how to achieve true presence, where we stop worrying about the impression we are making on others and start thinking about the impression we are making on ourselves. This is a great book for improving speaking skills.
She teaches us to handle those important moments by tweaking our body language and power poses to induce confidence. She explores how confidence stems from authenticity and how we can overcome imposter syndrome.
Cuddy reminds us that “Tiny tweaks can lead to big changes.”
Who should read this book: Any woman who wants to nail an interview, presentation, sales pitch, or develop a more self-assured presence.
3. Grit by Angela Duckworth
In her book, Angela Duckworth argues that achievement is not down to talent but passion and perseverance, or grit, as she calls it. She explores various people in tough professions, interviews top achievers, and shares their invaluable insights. This is one of the best books for women in business and educators.
“I won’t just have a job; I’ll have a calling. I’ll challenge myself every day. When I get knocked down, I’ll get back up. I may not be the smartest person in the room, but I’ll strive to be the grittiest.” – Angela Duckworth
Discover more ambitious women quotes to ignite your ambition.
Who should read this book: If you want to develop a more determined and resilient mindset, pick up this book. It is an indispensable book for business women, educators, and anyone who wants long-term success.
4. Mindset by Carol S. Dweck
Have you heard of a growth mindset? Renowned Psychologist Carol S. Dweck developed this popular concept. In her book, she challenges our fundamental assumptions about our capabilities and determines that we can grow and succeed in most areas by developing a growth mindset.
Who should read this book: Any businesswoman or female entrepreneur looking to develop a mindset that fosters growth, resilience, and success.
Carol says, ““We like to think of our champions and idols as superheroes who were born different from us. We don’t like to think of them as relatively ordinary people who made themselves extraordinary.”
Recommended Reading: How Can You Develop a Growth Mindset as a Woman in Business?
2 Books for Productivity and “Doing it All”
1. Atomic Habits by James Clear
This book is a best-seller, and rightfully so. While it is not directly related to business, it is an incredibly practical and easy-to-read guide to developing habits and behaviors that will help you succeed. It focuses on everyday and iterative improvement to reach those big, overarching goals.
“Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become. No single instance will transform your beliefs, but as the votes build up, so does the evidence of your new identity,” says James Clear.
Who should read this book: Businesswomen or female entrepreneurs who want to change their habits and, in turn, their business or career trajectory.
2. The Lazy Genius Way: Embrace What Matters, Ditch What Doesn’t, and Get Stuff Done by Kendra Adachi
The chorus of “shoulds” is loud. You should exercise more, work more, do more..
Kendra will help you to be a genius about what matters and lazy about what doesn’t.
Kendra’s thirteen Lazy Genius principles, including:
• Decide once
• Start small
• Ask the Magic Question
• Go in the right order
• Schedule rest
Discover a better way to approach your relationships, work, and piles of mail
“When you care about something, you try to do it well. When you care about everything, you do nothing well, which then compels you to try even harder. Welcome to being tired,” says Kendra.
Who should read this book: Working moms and mompreneurs who crave work life balance and focus.
Find out how to Find Work life Balance for Women in 4 Easy Steps
The Top 6 Books for Female Entrepreneurs and Disruptors
1. Originals by Adam Grant
Are you battling to think of original ideas? Then this book is for you. Inspiring thought leader Adam Grant explores how we develop good thought processes and habits to champion new ideas. He also explores how leaders can authentically go against the grain or what he calls groupthink, making it one of the best business books for women.
Adam says, “Being original doesn’t require being first. It just means being different and better.”
Who should read this book: Female entrepreneurs looking to innovate and develop new ideas. Female leaders who want to challenge themselves and their teams would also benefit from reading this book.
2. Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
Elizabeth Gilbert offers her unconventional yet pragmatic take on creativity in this captivating book. Creativity is the cornerstone of any successful business or product. In her book, Gilbert guides us on how to treat and use creativity to live our most courageous and fulfilling lives.
Gilbert says, “Do whatever brings you to life, then. Follow your own fascinations, obsessions, and compulsions. Trust them. Create whatever causes a revolution in your heart.”
Who should read this book: Women who want to be more creative at work, and in their everyday lives, or female entrepreneurs who want to fully commit to their passion projects.
3. Female Founders’ Playbook by Anne Boden
Founder of Starling Bank, Anne Boden knows first-hand that building a business isn’t easy.
She wants to help you build a unicorn – a high-growth enterprise. She brings together the experiences of leading women entrepreneurs and tech VCs to deliver insights on finding ideas, team-building techniques, and how to secure investments.
Who should read this book: This is one of the best books for female entrepreneurs who want access to unfiltered guidance from the best women in business.
4. Purple Cow by Seth Godin
How can you create a truly remarkable product?
One that is worth marketing. Marketing extraordinaire, Godin explores successful companies like Starbucks, Apple, and JetBlue to help you uncover what makes a product remarkable. Serial female e-commerce entrepreneur, Marcia Kilgore, says that this is one of the top books for female entrepreneurs, as it encourages us to really think about our product.
Who should read this book: Female entrepreneurs who are developing a product, thinking about developing a product, and women who want to market an existing product.
Find Out More About 15 Innovative Female Ecommerce Entrepreneurs And Their Out of the Box Brands
5. Profit First by Mike Michalowicz
It may be time to rethink your business’s finances.
This book shows how entrepreneurs can transform their businesses from cash-eating monsters to profitable cash cows. By using 4 simple principles, small and large businesses can benefit and be truly profitable in the long run.
Who should read this book: Female entrepreneurs who want to discover how they can make their small or big businesses profitable.
To find out what books other female entrepreneurs recommend, read our Q&A With Etsy E-commerce Entrepreneur, Michele Ferron
6. Million Dollar Women: The Essential Guide for Female Entrepreneurs Who Want to Go Big
Over the past twenty years, women in the US have started nearly twice as many businesses as men, but only three percent of all women business owners ever make revenues of one million dollars or more.
Julia Pimsleur aims to change that with Million Dollar Women, which will show you how to take your business to that million-dollar mark. In her book, she will show you how to
Make the right connections
Delegate
Concepts and vocabulary for scaling and securing funding
When to get coaching and support
`With interviews and exercises this book is a practical guide to thinking big.
Who should read this book: Female entrepreneurs and ambitious women who want to make it big.
Business Books for Women FAQs
What are the best books for self employed women?
As a self employed women, you may want to improve your mindset, find more focus and productivity, or get more creative. Based on this criteria, these are the best books for businesswomen and self employed women:
- Mindset by Carol S. Dweck
- Atomic Habits by James Clear
- Million Dollar Women: The Essential Guide for Female Entrepreneurs Who Want to Go Big
What are best books for improving speaking skills?
If you want to speak and communicate better, there are lots of books that can help you both listen and speak better to communicate your ideas and deliver inspiring presentations. Some of the best books for improving speaking skills are:
Recommended Reading: The 5 Best Books for Improving Speaking Skills plus Their Top Takeaways
What’s the most useful business-related book?
What business book you chose depends on your goals, strengths, and weak points. But these business related books are top-rated and can help you with fundamental elements of your business like habits, confidence, and leading:
- 1. Atomic Habits by James Clear
- 2. The Confidence Code by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman
- 3. Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
What do successful women read?
Successful women read a lot. Reading can reduce stress, improve concentration, and memory. Plus reading can enhance your imagination, creativity, and increase your knowledge – making it a must for successful women.
Successful and bold businesswomen recommend these books:
- Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
- Atomic Habits by James Clear
- Purple Cow by Seth Godin
What the best self improvement books for women?
If you want to improve in 2025 and beyond, these self improvement books for women can help you get confident, find clarity, and grow exponentially to live your life to the fullest:
- Everything is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
- You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero
Recommended Reading: 10 Top-rated Self Improvement Books for Women in 2024
What are the best self help books for women?
If you crave work life balance, more balance, or want to find a softer, quieter life, we recommend these books:
- The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown
- Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? by Dr. Julie Smith
- Thrive by Arianna Huffington
Recommended Reading: The 10 Best Self Help Books for Women Ever
Which Business Book for Women Will You Read Next?
This list of business books for women covers various topics, from developing a resilient mindset to growing leadership skills and overcoming obstacles. There is something for every type of woman here. There are books for female entrepreneurs, women leaders, and women starting in their careers. It is never too early or too late to discover revolutionary insights and advice and change your trajectory.
And remember, self-improvement for women is ongoing. So, what book will you read next?
If you are short on time but still want to learn from inspiring women and thought leaders, find out what Women in Business Podcasts You Need to Download.
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