Ever heard the saying, “Leaders are Readers”? The best leaders in life are those who read widely and deeply.
An MBA is a highly valuable degree. It provides deep business knowledge and insights into strategy, finance, leadership, and problem-solving, equipping individuals with the skills needed to excel in business administration. However, the truth is that you can get 90% of the same knowledge and principles from reading books–without spending years in school and thousands of dollars in fees.
These 12 carefully selected books, written by some of the greatest business minds, contain everything you need to learn business in 6 months—from strategy to finance, marketing, leadership, and more.
You don’t have to sit in a classroom to get a world-class education. You just have to open a book. Share on XSo here is a 6-month personal MBA curriculum designed to give you a strong foundation in business, leadership, and financial intelligence —without ever stepping foot in a classroom. This curriculum consists of 12 books, with a reading schedule of 2 books per month. You could dedicate 30 minutes daily or adopt a schedule that works best for you.
Each of these books covers a key pillar of business. Each month, you’ll focus on two subjects, gaining insights from some of the world’s most influential thinkers. Now, let’s dive into the books that will help to shape your business mindset.
Month 1: Strategy & Entrepreneurship
For strategy you’ll read Zero to One by Peter Thiel & Blake Masters. The key lessons from this book are:
- Escaping competition by creating something unique.
- Contrarian thinking creates value.
- Focus on making a leap from 0 to 1, not from 1 to none.
The next topic is entrepreneurship, for which you’ll read The Lean Startup by Eric Ries. This book will teach you how to:
- Build minimum viable products (MVPs).
- Keep things simple and iterate based on feedback.
- Focus on learning what customers “actually” want, not what they think they should want.
Month 2: Accounting/Finance & Personal Finance
For accounting and finance read Financial Intelligence by Karen Berman, Joe Knight & John Case. This book will teach you key lessons such as:
- How to read financial statements (Income, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow).
- How to fund projects based on ROI (Return on Investment).
- An understanding that profit is “not” equal to cash—and you need both.
When you’re done go straight into, I Will Teach You to Be Rich by Ramit Sethi for personal finance. The key lessons from this book are:
- Define your ‘Rich Life’ and set financial goals.
- Automate savings and investments.
- Spend freely on what you love, and cut ruthlessly on what you don’t.
Month 3: Marketing & Operations
For marketing read The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing by Al Ries & Jack Trout. Key lessons from this book are:
- Marketing is about “perception”, not products.
- Own a specific word or category to dominate your niche.
- Follow the 22 Laws of Marketing.
After this move to The Goal by Eliyahu M. Goldratt for operations. The key lessons you’ll find here include how to:
- Identify and remove bottlenecks in business processes.
- Focus on increasing net profit, ROI, and cash flow.
- Improve system efficiency to maximize output.
Month 4: Systems Thinking & Public Speaking
The book for systems thinking is Thinking in Systems by Donella Meadows. This book is packed with lessons including:
- How to focus on “12 leverage points” to change any system.
- Understanding that “behavior reveals purpose.”
- How to develop feedback loops for continuous improvement.
Moving on to public speaking, you’ll read Steal the Show, written by Michael Port. Key lessons you’ll get from this book include:
- Eliminate filler words and practice speaking with clarity.
- Using “pauses” to add impact to your message.
- Act “as if” to build confidence on stage.
Month 5: Negotiation & Networking
The book on negotiation is Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss. The key lessons to pick up are:
- Always have a backup plan in negotiations.
- Let the other party make the first offer.
- Use open-ended questions to uncover key insights.
Networking is a powerful tool you’ll explore by reading How to Be a Power Connector by Judy Robinett. You’ll learn key lessons such as:
- Your “network is your net worth.”
- To be intentional about your environment—find “power centers.”
- To follow the “5+50+100 Rule” for relationship building.
Month 6: Leadership & Productivity
For leadership read Team of Teams by General Stanley McChrystal. Here are some of its insights:
- The world is “complex and unpredictable”—adaptability is key.
- Leaders should focus on “creating more leaders, not followers”.
- The need to build a “high-trust, purpose-driven” team.
The final book is on productivity and the title is The Almanack of Naval Ravikant by Eric Jorgenson. Key lessons to pick are:
- Money and happiness are “skills you can develop.”
- Productize yourself to build wealth.
- A strong “reputation” is invaluable.
You have the books now; it’s time to take action. All it takes is 30 minutes of reading per day. Are you ready to take on this challenge? Which of these books excites you the most? Share this post to help others level up their learning.
Credit: This framework was originally shared by Ben Meer, inspiring self-learners to take charge of their education.