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Quick answer: The best books on entrepreneurship for women include She Means Business, Girlboss, Own It, Playing Big, The Memo and Lean In. Start with She Means Business or Playing Big for mindset, and Profit First or The Lean Startup for practical tools.
Business, tax and legal rules vary by location. These books are educational and not professional advice.
Women entrepreneurs start businesses at high rates but often face obstacles that men do not, including less access to funding, bias and the pressure of managing work and home. The books in this list combine inspiration with practical advice on starting, funding and growing a business. Some are written specifically for women, while others are general business classics that any entrepreneur should read. They cover mindset, marketing, money, leadership and resilience. You will find memoirs, how-to guides and research. Read the ones that match your stage, whether you are dreaming, launching or scaling, and use them to build a network of mentors and peers. No single book will make the journey easy, but each can shorten your learning curve.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Focus | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| She Means Business | Carrie Green | Mindset and practice | women starting out |
| Girlboss | Sophia Amoruso | Memoir | readers who like candid memoir |
| Own It | Sallie Krawcheck | Power | women in business |
| Playing Big | Tara Mohr | Confidence | women who hold back |
| The Memo | Minda Harts | Women of color | women of color in business |
| Lean In | Sheryl Sandberg | Career | ambitious women |
| Brave, Not Perfect | Reshma Saujani | Courage | recovering perfectionists |
| The Confidence Code | Katty Kay and Claire Shipman | Confidence | women who underestimate themselves |
| Dare to Lead | Brené Brown | Leadership | founders who lead teams |
| Profit First | Mike Michalowicz | Money | small business owners |
| Company of One | Paul Jarvis | Small business | founders who want to stay small |
| The Lean Startup | Eric Ries | Testing | founders validating ideas |
| The $100 Startup | Chris Guillebeau | Small business | founders with little capital |
| Shoe Dog | Phil Knight | Memoir | readers who like founder stories |
| Becoming | Michelle Obama | Memoir | readers who want inspiration |
1. She Means Business by Carrie Green
Green, founder of the Female Entrepreneur Association, offers a roadmap and encouragement for building a business. Warm and practical.
Best for: women starting out.
2. Girlboss by Sophia Amoruso
Amoruso tells how she built Nasty Gal from an eBay shop. Energetic, though the company’s later troubles and criticism provide context.
Best for: readers who like candid memoir.
3. Own It by Sallie Krawcheck
Argues that women should embrace their strengths and use their power in finance and business.
Best for: women in business.
4. Playing Big by Tara Mohr
Offers tools for quieting the inner critic and taking bold action.
Best for: women who hold back.
5. The Memo by Minda Harts
Advice for navigating workplaces and entrepreneurship as a woman of color.
Best for: women of color in business.
6. Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg
Encourages women to pursue leadership and discusses internal and external barriers.
Best for: ambitious women.
7. Brave, Not Perfect by Reshma Saujani
Argues that women must learn to take risks and embrace imperfection.
Best for: recovering perfectionists.
8. The Confidence Code by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman
Explores the science of confidence and how to build it.
Best for: women who underestimate themselves.
9. Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
Applies research on courage and vulnerability to leading.
Best for: founders who lead teams.
10. Profit First by Mike Michalowicz
A simple system for managing cash.
Best for: small business owners.
11. Company of One by Paul Jarvis
Argues for sustainable, focused businesses.
Best for: founders who want to stay small.
12. The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
A method for learning quickly.
Best for: founders validating ideas.
13. The $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau
Profiles small ventures and gives lessons.
Best for: founders with little capital.
14. Shoe Dog by Phil Knight
The Nike founder tells the early struggles of building the company. Candid and absorbing.
Best for: readers who like founder stories.
15. Becoming by Michelle Obama
Obama’s story of growth and leadership.
Best for: readers who want inspiration.
How to Choose the Right Book on Entrepreneurship For Women
Choose by stage. If you are dreaming, She Means Business, Playing Big and Girlboss encourage the leap. If you are building, The Lean Startup, The $100 Startup and Company of One teach testing and keeping it lean. If you are managing money, Profit First and Own It cover finances and power. If you are leading, Dare to Lead and Lean In address leadership. For stories, Becoming and Shoe Dog are inspiring. Read critically, as business advice varies, and find mentors.
Which Book Should You Start With? A Quick Guide
If you are not sure where to begin, match your situation to the list below.
- Women starting out: She Means Business
- Readers who like candid memoir: Girlboss
- Women in business: Own It
- Women who hold back: Playing Big
- Women of color in business: The Memo
- Ambitious women: Lean In
- Recovering perfectionists: Brave, Not Perfect
- Women who underestimate themselves: The Confidence Code
- Founders who lead teams: Dare to Lead
- Small business owners: Profit First
- Founders who want to stay small: Company of One
- Founders validating ideas: The Lean Startup
- Founders with little capital: The $100 Startup
- Readers who like founder stories: Shoe Dog
- Readers who want inspiration: Becoming
A Simple Reading Plan
A sensible order helps you build momentum. Open with She Means Business, which is accessible and encouraging, and finish it before you buy anything else. Next, choose Girlboss to deepen what you learned, then Own It when you are ready for a different voice or a more demanding read. Between books, take a few days to try something you learned, because entrepreneurship for women is easier to understand once you have tested it in real life. Keep a simple note on your phone with the title, your rating and one takeaway for each book you complete.
Print, E-Book or Audiobook?
Print, e-book and audiobook each suit different readers. Print is best for books you want to mark up and return to, which is useful for practical guides on entrepreneurship for women. E-books are cheap, portable and easy to search, and they make it simple to highlight a passage and find it again later. Audiobooks turn commutes, chores and walks into reading time, and a good narrator can make a heavy book on entrepreneurship for women easier to take in. Your public library offers all three through apps like Libby, so you can try a title before buying it. Many readers use two formats for the same book, listening first and then skimming a print copy for notes.
How to Get More From What You Read
To get more from these books, read with a pen and a question. Decide before you start what you hope to learn about entrepreneurship for women, and check at the end of each chapter whether you found it. Mark passages that feel true for you, and write down the ones you disagree with, since disagreement is also learning. Pick one practice from each book and try it for two weeks before judging it. Talking about the ideas with someone you trust, or writing a few lines in a journal, helps them move from your head into your life. Be patient with yourself; change comes in small steps.
Reading on a Budget
You do not need to buy all of these books. Your public library likely lends print, e-book and audiobook copies of many titles on entrepreneurship for women for free, and the hold feature lets you queue for popular ones. Used paperbacks are usually a few dollars, and thrift stores, library sales and swap groups are good sources. If you want to own a book you will mark up, buy the print edition; if you want to try several, borrow first and buy only the ones you finish and love. Subscription audiobook services often offer a free trial that covers a first title, and some libraries partner with apps that need only a library card.
Talk About What You Read
Reading on your own is valuable, and reading with others adds accountability. Consider forming a small book club around entrepreneurship for women, taking turns to choose a title from this list. Meet monthly, ask each person to share one idea and one action, and keep the tone supportive rather than competitive. If your friends are not interested, look for a local library group or an online community. A shared conversation helps you notice things you missed, and the encouragement of others makes it easier to keep going when progress feels slow.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Three mistakes come up again and again. First, readers choose a book that is too advanced or too long and give up on the topic altogether, so start with an accessible title. Second, they read passively, without notes or a plan to use what they learn about entrepreneurship for women. Third, they expect immediate results and quit when the change is slow. Avoid these by starting small, taking notes and giving each idea at least two weeks. If a book does not suit you, move on; the list above has plenty of other voices.
How to Judge a Book on Entrepreneurship for women
Not every book on entrepreneurship for women is equally reliable. Before you trust one, check the author’s background: are they a researcher, clinician, journalist or someone writing from lived experience? Each can be valuable, but they offer different things. Look for notes and references at the back, which show the claims can be checked. Be wary of books that promise a quick fix, rely on a single story or dismiss all other views. Read a few reviews from people with different perspectives, and treat bold claims as hypotheses to test in your own life. A good book invites questions instead of demanding agreement.
When Reading Is Not Enough
Reading can illuminate and encourage, yet some situations need more than a book. If you notice that your struggles with entrepreneurship for women are getting worse, lasting a long time or affecting your health, reach out to a professional you trust. Local libraries, community centers and workplaces often offer free resources, classes or referrals. Sharing what you are reading with a friend can open the door to a supportive conversation. Use these books as companions on the journey, and let real people walk it with you.
Questions to Reflect On
Keep these in a notebook and return to them after each book:
- What do I most want to understand or change about {t}?
- Which idea from my reading feels true for me, and which do I doubt?
- What is one small action I can take this week?
- Who could I talk to about what I am learning?
- How will I know in a month that this reading helped?
Tips for Reading About Entrepreneurship for women
- Find a mentor. Seek people who have done it.
- Build a network. Join groups for women founders.
- Validate before you invest. Test your idea with customers.
- Know your numbers. Track revenue, costs and profit.
- Take care of yourself. Avoid burnout.
Related: 15 Best Books on Side Hustles and the Gifts of Imperfection Summary and Key Takeaways.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best book for women entrepreneurs?
She Means Business, Playing Big and Profit First are popular.
Do I need to read women-focused books only?
No. General business classics are valuable too.
How can I fund my business?
Options include savings, loans, grants and investors. Research programs for women-owned businesses in your country.
How many books on entrepreneurship for women should I read at once?
One or two at a time is plenty. Finish a book, try one idea from it and then move on, so what you read turns into something you do.
Are these books on entrepreneurship for women available as audiobooks?
Most of them are. Check your library’s app, such as Libby, or an audiobook service, and listen to a sample to see whether the narrator suits you.