Why entreprenuer biographies are the best genre of books to read
Entrepreneur biographies are by far my favorite genre of books. I often finish them in just one or two sittings because they’re hard to put down. They offer more than just an inspiring story—they provide a real blueprint of what it takes to build something from scratch. Here are four reasons why I keep coming back to them:
- You get a window into their early life and what shaped them. It’s fascinating to see how the environment they grew up in, their early experiences, and even their family dynamics affected their mindset as adults. You can trace things like their willingness to take risks or their approach to solving problems directly back to how they were raised. It's a reminder that a lot of what we do as adults is rooted in our earliest years.
- You get the unfiltered version of their journey. The media loves to turn entrepreneurs into overnight successes, but the reality is a lot more complex. Biographies expose the rollercoaster behind the scenes— the failures, doubts, and hardships they went through long before they "made it." It’s important to see that success is rarely a straight line; it’s often paved with setbacks and lessons learned the hard way.
- You realize they were figuring it out just like you are. One of the most reassuring things is seeing how many of these successful founders were just as clueless at points in their journey. They didn’t have a secret formula—they made mistakes, changed direction, and often stumbled into their success. It’s a reminder that you don’t need to have all the answers; you just need to keep moving forward.
- You absorb more from real stories than you do from theory. Business books are great for frameworks and strategies, but they can feel dry and disconnected from reality. When you read about real-life entrepreneurs, those same concepts stick because you’re seeing them applied in action. It's much easier to retain lessons when they come from relatable stories rather than abstract theories.
That’s why I keep reading them—it’s like getting a front-row seat to the messy, unpredictable, but ultimately rewarding process of building something great.