Last Minute Stocking Stuffers for Business Owners: 6 Books Worth Reading
Dec 19, 2025 8:24 pm
If you want to give a business owner something useful this year, grab one of these books. Each one has been invaluable to my success and should be required reading for every business owner.
The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber
Your business runs only when you're there. Every vacation gets interrupted. Every day off means nothing gets done.
Gerber shows you how to build systems so your business can run without you. Whether you're planning an exit or just want your life back, this is where you start. The book breaks down the difference between working in your business and working on it.
To Sell is Human by Daniel Pink
You avoid sales because you think it's sleazy. Or you're using tactics that feel uncomfortable.
Pink proves everyone's in sales now, and shows you how to do it without being pushy. Whether you're closing deals, pitching investors, or hiring talent, you need to move people. He gives you the research and techniques that actually work.
Profit First by Mike Michalowicz
Revenue is up but you never have cash. You're not sure if you're actually profitable. Tax time is always stressful.
Michalowicz provides a new formula. Instead of hoping there's profit left over at the end of the month, you set it aside first. Then you run your business on what remains. The system uses multiple bank accounts for profit, taxes, owner pay, and operating expenses. It forces discipline through structure. No more guessing, no more scrambling at tax time.
Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller
Your marketing confuses people. Your website talks about you instead of solving customer problems. Leads aren't converting.
Miller's framework puts your customer at the center of the story. Clear message, better conversions, easier sales. When your marketing works, your business is worth more.
The book helped me understand that we need to make the customer the
hero of the story. I haven’t read version 2.0 yet, but it’s next on my list.
Built to Sell by John Warrillow
Your business is too dependent on you. Too complicated. Too general. You're not sure what makes a business valuable or how to scale.
Warrillow makes the case that every business should be built to sell from day one, even if you never plan to exit. The principles that make a business sellable are the same ones that make it easier to run and more profitable. Less owner dependency, more recurring revenue, clearer systems. Whether you sell or not, you win.
Traction by Gino Wickman
Your team isn't aligned. You keep having the same conversations. Vision doesn't become action. Issues don't get resolved.
Wickman's EOS gives you an operating system for your entire business. It covers vision, people, data, issues, process, and traction. The tools are practical, and the framework creates real accountability. If you need structure and your team needs clarity, start here.
Give a Great Gift
At under $20 each, these books are affordable stocking stuffers that can deliver real returns. Pick the one that solves your biggest problem right now, or grab a few for the business owners in your life. They're small gifts that can create big changes.
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