{"id":7750,"date":"2021-01-20T07:24:44","date_gmt":"2021-01-20T12:24:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/?p=7750"},"modified":"2026-02-12T04:54:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T09:54:09","slug":"sage-book-club-rieva-lesonsky","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/sage-book-club-rieva-lesonsky\/","title":{"rendered":"Sage Book Club: 5 books to inspire you in 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPeople & Leadership<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSage Book Club: 5 books to inspire you in 2021\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\tRieva Lesonsky<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

In the Sage Book Club series<\/a> business experts share their top must-read books to help you prep your business, and yourself, for the new year.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking for a dose of business inspiration this New Year? For me, inspiration is often found where you least expect it, and I\u2019ve found that great reads inspire me to take on new challenges in my career and with my business, whether they\u2019re business books or not. To that end, here are 5 books (not all business) that have inspired me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. The Four Steps to the Epiphany: Successful Strategies for Products that Win<\/i><\/strong><\/a><\/h2>

    By Steve Blank<\/strong>

    This is a reissue of Blank\u2019s original earth-shattering perspective on startups, which launched the lean startup movement. It has lots of insight about why some startups succeed and others fail. It also applies to businesses thinking of launching new products or introducing new services.<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n


  2. In the Company of Women: Inspiration and Advice from over 100 Makers, Artists, and Entrepreneurs<\/i><\/strong>

    <\/a><\/h2>

    By Grace Bonney<\/strong>

    Over 100 accomplished women describe their own inspiring journeys to entrepreneurship. Whatever kind of business you want to start or already run, from media mogul to tattoo artist, the women in this book will inspire you to take it on.<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n


  3. Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person<\/i><\/strong>

    <\/span><\/a><\/h2>

    By Shonda Rhimes<\/strong>

    Love this book about how Rhimes, a self-proclaimed introvert and creator of <\/span>Grey\u2019s Anatomy<\/i> and other TV hits, overcame her fears (which she enabled by saying \u201cno\u201d) and embarked on a year of saying \u201cyes\u201d to everything that scared her. Taking Rhimes\u2019 journey with her is uplifting, inspiring and empowering.<\/span><\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n


  4. To Kill a Mockingbird<\/i><\/strong>

    <\/a><\/h2>

    By Harper Lee<\/strong>

    Not a business book, but it\u2019s filled with business and life lessons. It proves the power of doing the right thing, fighting for the underdog, and advocating for the unheard.<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n


  5. Break It Up: Secession, Division, and the Secret History of America\u2019s Imperfect Union<\/i>

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    By Richard Kreitner<\/strong>

    This may seem an odd recommendation for entrepreneurs, but the author (full disclosure: my nephew) reveals many truths about American history that we never learned in school. From our founding, there have been numerous attempts to \u201cbreak up\u201d the U.S. into smaller pieces. Along the way, we meet the leaders who stuck to their vision and fought for what they believed in. Though the book covers U.S. history, it\u2019s very relevant today.<\/p><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Do you have a book recommendation? Share it with us in the comments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Sage Advice offers actionable wisdom and insights to help you start, grow, and lead your business. Subscribe to our newsletter<\/a> to get the latest articles delivered right to your inbox.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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