Business owners share their favorite podcast and book recommendations

Starting and running a small business can be stressful, but there is much to learn from others on their entrepreneurial journey who have traveled that road before and can provide valuable insights. To boost motivation and help you find inspiration as you navigate the hurdles, check out these top book and podcast recommendations.

Based on the suggestions of successful small business owners, Yelp’s internal experts, and even founders of multinational corporations, this list covers everything from tactical business guides to memoirs from successful entrepreneurs.

Books

1. “CEO Excellence” by Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller, and Vikram Malhotra

Recommended by Monique Rodriguez, founder and CEO of Mielle 

Monique has been focusing on developing her leadership skills to inspire her employees. She recommends the book “CEO Excellence” to any business owner for advice on managing staff and keeping them motivated.

“It really teaches about being a top CEO and doing it with excellence and really honing in on having great leadership skills,” she said.

To hear more advice from Monique, check out this webinar on Networking Your Way to Business Growth.

2. “Hero on a Mission: A Path to a Meaningful Life” by Donald Miller

Recommended by Mignon Francois, founder and CEO of The Cupcake Collection

Running a small business can be discouraging and include many obstacles, but you can succeed if you keep your spirits up. Mignon resonated with the book “Hero on a Mission” when she had to close after two intense storms in the area and struggled to keep her doors open.

The book is focused on how you can adapt and overcome challenges in both your personal and professional life. By motivating yourself and establishing your life plan outside of work, you can come into your business with a more positive mindset.

For more insights from Mignon and advice on how to fund your business during tough times, check out this panel from Yelp’s 2022 Black in Business Summit.

3. “I Can’t Make This Up: Life Lessons” by Kevin Hart

Recommended by Peter Curzon, vice president of business development at Yelp

Although Kevin Hart is a comedian and not a small business owner, his memoir offers powerful insights into persevering, overcoming adversity, and achieving success. If you’re looking for motivation, read his inspiring story of how he used determination and hard work to achieve his goals and become a household name.

4. “Financial Intelligence” by Karen Berman and Joe Knight

Recommended by Joanne Moretti, chief revenue officer of Fictiv

When starting a business by yourself, it’s important to know all the financial basics and terminology, especially if you don’t have a business background. “Financial Intelligence” is a great tool to help you build your financial literacy, which is why Joanne recommends the book to every woman she mentors.

“When you speak the language of business, either to your customers or internally in your own company, everyone looks at you differently,” Joanne said. “There is no gender. It doesn’t matter. You’re speaking in the language of business.”

For more valuable insights from Joanne, check out this panel from Yelp’s 2023 Women in Business Summit.

5. “Franchise: The Golden Arches in Black America” by Marcia Chatelain

Recommended by Chef JJ Johnson, a James Beard Award-winning chef, TV personality, and author

This Pulitzer Prize-winning book explores how how fast food became one of the greatest generators of Black wealth in America. It dives into the complex correlation of Black communities and McDonald’s, specifically how it is both a source of both power—economic and political—and despair for the Black community.

To hear more from Chef JJ, watch his keynote session at Yelp’s 2023 Black in Business Summit.

Podcasts

1. Masters of Scale with Reid Hoffman

Recommended by Ita Ekpoudom, partner at GingerBread Capital

In this podcast, Reid Hoffman, founder of LinkedIn, interviews founders of famous businesses from Nike to Slack to Starbucks to share the stories of how they grew their businesses from startups into global brands. Further, this podcast offers insightful advice on how to overcome obstacles when they strike, which is helpful for businesses of any size.

2. Superwomen with Rebecca Minkoff

Recommended by Tara Lewis, vice president of community expansion and trends at Yelp

If you’re a woman running your own business, this podcast is for you. In each episode, Rebecca Minkoff interviews female CEOs, artists, and entrepreneurs about what it means to be a woman in their respective industries. These interviews are extremely personal and vulnerable and capture the mental and emotional struggles of achieving success.

For more inspiration from Rebecca Minkoff, check out Yelp’s conversation with her from the 2021 Women in Business Summit.

3. Problem Solvers with Entrepreneur Media

Recommended by Emily Washcovick, senior marketing manager at Yelp 

Running a business in an unpredictable economic environment means many wrenches may be thrown in your plans. In this podcast, Editor-in-Chief of Entrepreneur magazine Jason Feifer features business owners and entrepreneurs who overcame crippling business problems and came out on the other side even stronger. Listen to this podcast so you can learn how to avoid or overcome similar problems.

4. HBR Ideacast with Alison Beard and Curt Nickisch

Recommended by Jaleria Rivera, Multi-Location Sales Planner at Yelp

Looking to learn more about the business economy and technology from a higher level? Senior editors of the Harvard Business Review, Alison Beard and Curt Nickisch, bring in industry experts to talk about the biggest topics affecting businesses now, such as ChatGPT and social media influencer marketing. It’s always a good idea to stay updated on current business trends, so this is a great starting point for your business and yourself as a business owner.

5. Behind the Review with Yelp and Entrepreneur Media

Recommended by Yelp’s Content Marketing team

Yelp’s very own podcast Behind the Review digs deep into both encouraging and critical reviews left by customers to get insight into what inspired them to write their reviews. In the podcast, Yelp’s Small Business Expert Emily Washcovick speaks to both reviewers and business owners about their interaction and how to craft the best customer experience.

Behind the Review features the inspirational stories of small business owners and how they’ve grown, always keeping customers at the forefront. After you listen in, check out more takeaways from each episode.