Want to grow your business faster? Discover 10 game-changing business books every Indian entrepreneur must read in 2025. Learn from billionaires, founders & top CEOs.
Behind every successful entrepreneur…
…is a stack of powerful books that shaped their thinking.
In a world full of content, these business books stand the test of time.
They teach you strategy, leadership, marketing, and mindset — all the ingredients for scaling your business or startup in India.
Whether you’re running a startup, building a side hustle, or dreaming of your first venture, this list of must-read business books for Indian entrepreneurs in 2025 is your shortcut to business wisdom.
📚 Top 10 Business Books for Indian Entrepreneurs (2025)
1. 📖 The Psychology of Money – Morgan Housel
Why Read:
-
Teaches how people actually think about money
-
Helps you make smarter financial + business decisions
-
Simple storytelling, no jargon
Best For:
Founders, investors, solopreneurs
📌 Key Quote: “Doing well with money has a little to do with how smart you are and a lot to do with how you behave.”
2. 🧠 Atomic Habits – James Clear
Why Read:
-
Master personal habits that drive business success
-
Break bad patterns and build systems
-
Great for productivity, consistency, and leadership
Best For:
Entrepreneurs, marketers, creators
📌 Key Quote: “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”
3. 💼 Zero to One – Peter Thiel
Why Read:
-
Learn how to create something truly unique
-
Insights from PayPal co-founder on building a monopoly
-
Helps you think like a contrarian startup founder
Best For:
Tech founders, product creators, startups
📌 Key Quote: “Brilliant thinking is rare, but courage is in even shorter supply than genius.”
4. 🧾 Rich Dad Poor Dad – Robert Kiyosaki
Why Read:
-
The ultimate mindset shift from employee to entrepreneur
-
Learn the difference between assets and liabilities
-
Ideal for Indian youth entering business or investment
Best For:
Students, new entrepreneurs, side hustlers
📌 Key Quote: “The rich don’t work for money. They make money work for them.”
5. 🇮🇳 Stay Hungry Stay Foolish – Rashmi Bansal
Why Read:
-
Indian startup stories from IIM grads who chose entrepreneurship
-
Relatable, desi context
-
Inspirational journeys, practical learnings
Best For:
Indian youth, college founders, early-stage entrepreneurs
📌 Key Quote: “An entrepreneur is not a job. It’s a way of life.”
6. 🚀 The Lean Startup – Eric Ries
Why Read:
-
Build, test, learn — fast!
-
Teaches you how to launch startups without wasting money
-
Introduces MVP (Minimum Viable Product) mindset
Best For:
Startup founders, app builders, tech creators
📌 Key Quote: “The only way to win is to learn faster than anyone else.”
7. 📊 The Almanack of Naval Ravikant – Eric Jorgenson
Why Read:
-
Wisdom on wealth, happiness, and leverage
-
Naval is an Indian-American investor & thinker
-
Perfect for long-term thinkers
Best For:
Founders, thinkers, digital creators
📌 Key Quote: “Play long-term games with long-term people.”
8. 🧩 How to Win Friends and Influence People – Dale Carnegie
Why Read:
-
Timeless guide to networking, persuasion, and leadership
-
Great for pitching, hiring, negotiating
-
Builds emotional intelligence
Best For:
CEOs, founders, managers
📌 Key Quote: “Talk to someone about themselves and they’ll listen for hours.”
9. 📈 The $100 Startup – Chris Guillebeau
Why Read:
-
Real stories of people who built businesses with almost no money
-
Ideal for beginners and bootstrap startups
-
Actionable, no-fluff advice
Best For:
Solo entrepreneurs, freelancers, side hustlers
📌 Key Quote: “You don’t need an MBA or millions in funding to launch a business.”
10. 💬 Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products – Nir Eyal
Why Read:
-
Learn how companies like Instagram, YouTube, and Zomato keep users hooked
-
Great if you’re building apps or consumer products
-
Psychology + product = growth
Best For:
Product founders, marketers, SaaS builders
📌 Key Quote: “Build the habit before you build the product.”
📌 Bonus: Indian Books for Indian Founders
| Book | Author | Why It’s Great |
|---|---|---|
| Connect the Dots | Rashmi Bansal | Stories of self-taught entrepreneurs from small towns |
| Dream With Your Eyes Open | Ronnie Screwvala | Journey from cable TV to UTV Disney |
| I Came Upon a Lighthouse | Shantanu Naidu | Emotional biography of Ratan Tata’s right-hand man |
🎯 How to Read More (Even if You’re Busy)
| Hack | Benefit |
|---|---|
| 20 pages/day | 30+ books a year |
| Use audiobooks (Audible/Kuku FM) | Learn on the go |
| Summaries via YouTube or Blinkist | Save time, get insights |
| Weekend binge-reading | Schedule reading like Netflix |
🏁 Final Thoughts:
Business is war.
Books are your weapons.
Every founder who reads — learns from failures they never had to face.
These books offer mental models, strategies, real stories, and timeless wisdom. The more you read, the faster you grow — both in mindset and money.
Pick one. Start today. Thank yourself in 5 years. Upgrad Report