In 2026, standing still isn’t an option. Founders and business leaders juggle tighter regulations, fast-moving AI, changing team expectations, and customers who want businesses to be both authentic and meaningful. Success isn’t just about strategy. It takes resilience, courage, and the ability to adapt faster than change itself.
For the startup community, growth is about scaling a business, as well as growing as a leader alongside it. These five books speak directly to that challenge — offering practical insight, fresh thinking, and human-centered wisdom to help you grow your business while growing yourself.
Best read for: Turning regulation into a competitive advantage
The Compliance Edge: How Disruptive Entrepreneurs Win in Regulated Markets
Lee Bryan
$18.10, Rethink Press
For many founders, compliance sits firmly in the “necessary evil” category. But what if regulation could actually help you move faster, build trust, and outperform competitors? That’s the question The Compliance Edge asks, and it’s one many founders overlook.
Lee Bryan challenges the idea that compliance slows you down, while showing how regulation can become a strategic advantage rather than a barrier to growth. With practical tools like the ARC Methodology, he helps leaders spot risks early, fix issues fast, and build compliance systems that scale without crushing creativity.
This book is especially relevant for startups operating in fintech, health, sustainability, or any heavily-regulated sector. If you want to protect your brand, win stakeholder confidence, and turn risk management into a real market advantage, The Compliance Edge is a must-read.
Best read for: Accelerating growth through strategic connections
The Personal Board of You Inc.: How to Recruit the Best Personal Advisors to Accelerate Achievement
Emma Maslen
$20.51, Rethink Press
No founder builds something meaningful on their own, yet many rely on advice that’s ad hoc, last-minute, or based on whoever happens to be around at the time. In The Personal Board of You Inc., Emma Maslen encourages leaders to be far more deliberate, showing how to create a trusted circle of advisors who genuinely accelerate your growth.
Blending practical tools with real-life stories, the book guides you through finding the right people, tapping into diverse perspectives, and opening doors to new ideas and opportunities. This isn’t about collecting mentors for the sake of it. Maslen offers a clear, thoughtful framework for choosing advisors who will challenge your assumptions, stretch your thinking, and help you see what’s possible sooner.
For busy startup leaders making high-stakes decisions with limited time, this book is a timely reminder that the right advice, implemented well, can change not just how fast you grow, but how confidently you lead.
Best read for: Personal growth and courageous leadership
C.O.U.R.A.G.E.: 7 Choices for Living a Life Without Regret
Christopher O.H. Williams
$23.96, Lioncrest Publishing
Behind every bold business decision lies a deeply human challenge: courage. In C.O.U.R.A.G.E., Christopher O.H. Williams strips away the myth that courage is reserved for extraordinary people, revealing it instead as a practical, learnable skill.
Instead of idolizing famous success stories, Williams looks at the everyday choices that really make a difference in leadership. He shares seven practical steps to help you move forward, get unstuck, and lead in a way that feels authentic and true to yourself.
For founders facing uncertainty, self-doubt, or burnout, this book is a grounding and energizing read. It reminds leaders that personal growth isn’t separate from business success — it’s the foundation of it.
Best read for: Building a values-led, people-first business
Stand Out Hospitality: How to Have a Business You Love – That Loves You Back
Cassie Davison
$18.31, Rethink Press
Hospitality is one of the toughest sectors to succeed in, yet the lessons in Stand Out Hospitality extend far beyond cafés, restaurants, and hotels. Cassie Davison delivers a deeply human, values-driven framework for building businesses that inspire loyalty from both staff and customers.
Running your own business comes with long hours, high pressure, and the risk of burnout. In Stand Out Hospitality, Davison shows how to lead with purpose, set meaningful standards, and use your story and values to stand out — all without sacrificing wellbeing.
For startup founders building service-led or experience-driven businesses, this is a powerful guide to creating something sustainable, distinctive, and genuinely rewarding.
Best read for: Leading successful digital and AI-driven change
Transform!: The 14 Behaviors Driving Successful Digital Transformation in the Age of Gen AI
Ian Murrin, Rajesh Jethwa and Mike Wright
$20.24, Wiley
Digital transformation sounds exciting — growth, efficiency, innovation — yet for many leaders it becomes a frustrating and expensive letdown. Too often, big technology programs promise the world and quietly fail to deliver anything close to it. Transform! doesn’t shy away from this reality. Instead, it digs into why so much money, time, and energy are wasted on change initiatives that never quite land.
Using relatable case studies and hard-won insights, the authors unpack the 14 behaviors that consistently separate success from failure. This isn’t about chasing the latest tech or rolling out another platform. It’s about making better decisions, investing in the right places, and bringing people along for the journey — their skills, attitudes, and beliefs included.
In a world shaped by AI and constant disruption, Transform! is a practical, reassuring guide for startup leaders who want to grow with intention, avoid painful missteps, and turn digital ambition into change that actually sticks.
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