3 Must-Read Business Books for Your Summer Reading List
Every summer, I am reminded that business has seasons just like everything else. Projects stretch out, people take time off, and the kids are suddenly home again. It’s a natural slowdown, and over the years I have learned to lean into it instead of fighting it.
But a slower pace does not mean we stop growing. Summer is a perfect time to learn in smaller, more intentional ways, the kind that fit between real life and the moments we actually want to be present for.
And in that slower summer rhythm, I find myself reaching for books that help me think differently about the way I work and the way I lead. Not in a heavy, reinvent everything kind of way, more like small sparks that shift something in how I show up.
If you’re curating a summer reading list, these are the books I would put at the top.
1. Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara
This book has become a favorite among small business owners - and for good reason. It’s full of stories about how Eleven Madison Park went from a good restaurant to the best in the world, not because of fancy ingredients or a massive budget, but because of the way they made people feel.
What struck me most is that hospitality isn’t about extravagance. It’s about attention. It’s about slowing down long enough to notice the human being on the other side of the interaction.
And honestly, some of the best examples of “unreasonable hospitality” I’ve seen aren’t coming from Michelin‑starred dining rooms. They’re happening right here in Glens Falls.
When I first met with John fromO’Brien Insurance Agency, they didn’t just hand me a quote. They sat down with me, page by page, and said, “Let’s make sure you’re not paying for things you don’t need, and that you do have what matters.” It was simple, thoughtful, and human.
That’s the heart of Guidara’s message: Service is doing the job. Hospitality is noticing the person.
And in a region like ours, where relationships matter and word of mouth still drives business, that mindset is not just nice. It is strategic. It is something every small business can afford, and something that can genuinely set us apart.
2. Business Made Simple by Donald Miller
This is the book I recommend when someone says they feel overwhelmed by everything they are supposed to know as a business owner. Business Made Simple takes the big, intimidating parts of business and turns them into small, doable pieces. One chapter a day. One idea at a time. It is the kind of learning that fits into the margins of a busy life.
Each chapter gives you one clear concept, one short video, and one practical action step. It is steady, realistic progress, and it has an endpoint. You are committing to sixty days of learning, not a year of trying to reinvent yourself.
And the truth is, we don’t need to be experts in every area of business. We need to understand enough to make good decisions, hire well, and stay out of our own way. Miller’s approach is basically: get 80–90% of the way there. That’s already further than most people ever get.
This book also helps you see your own strengths and gaps. When you are a solopreneur you are doing everything. Marketing, sales, operations, hiring, customer experience. Business Made Simple helps you identify what comes naturally to you and what you may eventually want to hand off. It becomes a roadmap for your first hire and the team you will build over time.
And woven through all of it is Miller’s constant reminder: Your job is to make someone else’s life better.
Your customers. Your team. The people who trust you.
This isn’t just a book for entrepreneurs. It’s a great fit for new managers, nonprofit leaders, and even college students. The delivery is simple, the concepts are clear, and the value is real.
3. Backable by Sunil Gupta
What stood out to me about Backable is how clearly it names something we all experience when we are building something new. You can have a solid idea, a thoughtful plan, and all the passion in the world, but at some point you need people who believe in you. Gupta argues that this is the real turning point in any venture. And that idea resonated deeply, especially in a place like WorkSmart where I watch founders practice their pitches, gather feedback, and slowly grow into the confidence they need to keep going.
Gupta also demystifies what it means to be a backable person. It is not something you are born with. It is something you build through practice and iteration. He talks about the throwaway work, the drafts and takes and versions that never see the light of day but are absolutely necessary.
It reminded me of Black Mountain Visuals and how they will shoot hours of footage to create a three minute final cut. Most of it ends up on the cutting room floor, but none of it is wasted.
One of my favorite ideas from the book is what Gupta calls “the game of now.”
We spend so much time waiting to feel ready.
But the world needs good people to stop playing the game of someday and start playing the game of now.
By the time I finished this book, I felt inspired in that very specific way where you want to stand up, shake off the hesitation, and go do the thing you’ve been circling around. And maybe that’s the real gift of Backable: it reminds you that you don’t have to be perfect — you just have to begin
A final thought
As different as these books are, they point to the same idea. Building something meaningful is not about having all the answers. It is about noticing people, learning the skills that support your vision, finding the community that keeps you going, and choosing to begin even when you don’t feel ready.
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