when it comes to becoming the best photographer and businesswoman I can be, my learning never stops. i love learning from my fellow photographers, and i’ve also found that there are a ton of influential businessmen and women who are literally giving away their secrets to success through their books. what they have spent years and years learning, they take the best and most important parts and put them together into a book for us to skip the “trial and error” learning and simply benefit from tried and true practices!
from learning how and when to take a profit, to overcoming patriarchal beliefs about female businesswomen, these books have a permanent spot on my bookshelf throughout my journey as a photography entrepreneur, and i want you to check them out too!
i’m going to walk you through my favorites and tell you why i love them, and then you need to do yourself a favor and add them to your online shopping cart because i know you’ll love them too!
let’s dive into some of my faves…
**The links below contain affiliate links. If you purchase one of these books after clicking the link, I’ll earn a percentage of the sale for my business.**
1. Profit First by Mike Michalowitz
traditional business models teach us to take our earnings, subtract expenses and take what’s left as profit. Mike Michaelowitz turns that model upside down in this transformational how-to book that turns your business from a money pit into the “cash cow” you’ve dreamed of. i personally love the author’s sense of humor, coupled with lots of case studies, step-by-step instructions, and practical application for any type of business owner (including you *wink*) i even got this one SIGNED by Mike when he launched the book! made it even more exciting to learn from him!! this book was one of the first i read when i started my business, and i was so lucky to start with the mindset that paying myself was top priority! since then i have had a standing automatic transfer from my business checking account to personal checking account every single month and give myself a “raise” every year!!
2. How To Get Shit Done by Erin Falconer
written especially for women, falconer’s book is a must for female business owners. perfect for women who consistently take on too much amidst a busy world that asks everything of us, this inspirational guide helps readers to focus on three important areas of their lives and ditch the rest. falconer’s real-life examples and successful background make this applicable and resourceful book a driving factor in learning how to hone in on doing the things that matter the most to you and not everyone else. this book was a game changer for me. the funniest part was that i kept putting it down saying “i have too much to do, ill read it later.” and still go back and read chapters when i think i need reminders! this one actually had me reading pages and putting the book down in shock of the interesting things i was learning about my brain!! women are taught to handle everything, we have so much we have to tackle constantly and this book teaches you to focus on choosing whats important to YOU and your life, and building your schedule and focuses right around those important pieces. it’s AWESOME.
3. You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero
this easy-to-read guide is one of my top faves. written with jen sincero’s signature sense of humor (seriously…she’s the best), each chapter is packed with advice, simple exercises, and inspirational stories all centered around the goal of creating the life you love and to make more money. sincero’s encouraging and raw writing will help you overcome the self-sabotaging beliefs that you may be carrying around. the book helps to overcome those beliefs preventing you from living the life you want.
4. You Are a Badass at Making Money: Master the Mindset of Wealth by Jen Sincero
you can never have enough jen sincero (i mean…we’re secretly best friends, she just doesn’t know it yet)! her follow-up book is all about articulating thoughts that are holding you back from making money––and then getting rid of them. sincero shares her secrets on how to better relate to money, become as wealthy as you want and to use your own natural ability to get rich. i mean…who doesn’t want that?
5. Add More -Ing to Your Life: A Hip Guide to Happiness by Gabrielle Bernstein
this is my all-time favorite self-help book. gabby helps you to make happiness a way of life, and the methods she teaches in this book are something that has continually impacted my life long after reading it. when you are running a business, it’s important that you don’t lose yourself in the process and that you invest in your personal development as well, because your biz needs you to show up as the best version of YOU!
6. 5-Minute Journal
okay, so this isn’t actually a book, but i couldn’t help but add it because it’s a resource I use daily, and it’s also a part of my gift bundles I give to clients because it’s just.that.goooood! the journal walks you through a 5-minute gratitude practice and helps you to be productive with your day as well by setting an intention. this is a must-have!
i love learning about the successes of others and how i can apply them to my own business, but one thing still rings true: each of these books requires that you spend some time of introspection and then go out and put what you learn into action! you can read all the books on the planet, but if you don’t shift your mindset, get rid of the thoughts holding you back, and make meaningful changes, your business is going to stay the same!
one thing that i love doing is mentoring other photographers who are ready to put in the work! we go through similar principles found in these books and then i walk with you as you learn to apply them to your life and business. to learn more about my mentoring program, click here.
