Growth hacking books: the arsenal of a high performance professional
Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2024 8:34 am
Cora Coralina didn't write growth hacking books, but she said a very important phrase:
We learn knowledge from teachers and books.
I believe that everyone has had someone who has passed through their life and brought a lot of knowledge with them.
Knowledge that you will carry with you for the rest of your life.
I also believe that every entrepreneur has at least one book on their bedside table.
Reading, in addition to teaching, brings inspiration and motivates us to move forward.
For a Growth Hacker , having a repertoire of books (whether on business owner database entrepreneurship, marketing or any other literature) is essential to doing a good job.
We work with a continuous experimentation process and, often, to find problems and plan solutions we are inspired by books and case studies that we have already read at another time.
If Pareto said that 20% of our results come from 80% of our efforts, to carry out the greatest number of experiments we need a large repertoire of information and sources of inspiration.
With this in mind, I have put together an arsenal of Growth Hacking Books that every high-performance professional should read!
1 – Extraordinary Entrepreneurs
Author: John Byrne
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: Imagine having the chance to talk to a John Mackey (of Whole Foods) or a Fred Smith (of FedEx) about the most important lessons they've learned, or having the privilege of hearing the reflections of Howard Schultz of Starbucks, who returned to the company he originally founded to reinvent the company and himself?
With this book, the reader will have the opportunity to learn, first-hand, the inspiring stories, valuable advice and insights into how true revolutionaries took their destabilizing ideas and turned them into reality, how they overcame a variety of obstacles and created sustainable enterprises.
2 – The Everything Store
Author: Brad Stone
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: The Everything Store is the definitive biography of the start-up that made one of the first and biggest bets on the internet and forever changed the way we read and shop. It is an honest account of the most iconic company of our time, as well as a deeply personal look at the iconic character who created it.
The work brings together previously unpublished testimonies from friends, family, collaborators and former Amazon employees, revealing important details of all of Jeff Bezos' moves to make Amazon one of the most powerful companies today.
3 – Where Good Ideas Come From
Author: Steven Johnson
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis:
What are the spaces that made history by generating exceptional levels of creativity and innovation?
What processes stimulate our creativity?
What can we do to recreate them in our daily lives?
Steven Johnson, one of the most important thinkers on the internet, investigates how good ideas emerge and the characteristics of the environments in which they are most common.
4 – Ideas that Stick: Why some ideas stick and others don’t
Author: Chip Heath and Dan Heath
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: Whether you’re a CEO or a full-time mom, you probably have ideas you need to get across: a new product you want to launch, a strategy you want to sell to your boss, values you’re trying to instill in your kids. But it’s incredibly difficult to change the way people act and think. In this book, you’ll learn the six essential qualities of an idea that sticks.
Also read: How to Make a Customer Acquisition Funnel in Inbound Marketing: The Absolutely Complete Guide to Converting Visitors into Customers (Extra: A Free Spreadsheet to Get Started Now!)
5 – The Courage to Be Imperfect
Author: René Brown (Author) and Joel Macedo (Translator)
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: Brené Brown dared to touch on subjects that are usually avoided because they cause great discomfort. Her talk about vulnerability, fear, shame and imperfection has already had more than 25 million views. Life is about experiencing uncertainty, risks and exposing yourself emotionally. But this doesn't have to be bad.
6 – The History of Heineken: The beer that conquered the world
Author: Barbara Smith
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: A moving account of the journey of a small family business that became a global brand and best-seller. Every day, thousands of green Heineken bottles are opened, from New York to Shanghai, via Paris, Johannesburg and Rio de Janeiro. But few consumers of Dutch beer know the paths and strategies that led a small family business to become the brand with the red star, a best-seller and recognized worldwide.
7 – Nada Easy: The step-by-step guide to how I combined management, innovation and creativity to take my company to 35 countries in 4 years
Author: Tallis Gomes
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: In this book, Tallis Gomes, founder of Easy Taxi and Singu, presents a step-by-step guide to correctly validating your idea, opening your business and making it grow, without wasting time and resources producing something that people would not pay for. Tallis shows that just as he managed to become a successful entrepreneur despite coming from a very poor background, a small town and not having finished college, you too can create a successful business if you have the courage and discipline necessary to do so.
8 – The Disney Way to Delight Customers
Author: Disney Institute (Author), Cristina Yamagami (Translator)
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: From exceptional service to never-stop-growing-and-believing. All companies strive to achieve the same goal: to better serve the people who buy their products and services. Whether they call them customers, consumers, patients, or, in Disney's case, guests, you either satisfy them or risk losing them. While workplace trends come and go, companies will always need to find new and creative ways to capitalize on the intelligence, passion, and creative energy of their workforce.
9 – Fast and Slow
Author: Daniel Kahneman (Author), Cassio de Arantes Leite (Translator)
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: In Thinking, Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman takes us on a journey through the human mind and explains the two ways of thinking: one is fast, intuitive and emotional; the other, slower, deliberative and logical. Kahneman exposes the extraordinary capabilities – and also the defects and vices – of fast thinking and reveals the influence of intuitive impressions on our decisions.
10 – The $100 Startup
Author: Chris Guillebeau
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: In this book, Chris Guillebeau teaches us how to lead a life of adventure, meaning, and purpose. At just under 35, Chris is already on the verge of achieving his goal of visiting every country in the world without ever having earned a steady income. He prefers to rely on his talent to turn ideas into money, and uses his earnings both to support his life of adventure and to help others. There are many people like Chris—people who have found a way to break out of the traditional path and make their dreams come true.
Also read: The Ultimate Guide to Mastering Influencer Marketing
11 – Don’t Be Afraid to Be the Boss
Author: Bruce Tulgan (Author), Alexandre Rosas (Translator)
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: 'Don't Be Afraid to Be the Boss' pinpoints the biggest problem facing companies today – an epidemic of undermanagement that affects all the way up the chain of command – and offers a path for managers to step back into their shoes and become the strong leaders their teams need.
In this book, you will learn to see the role of leadership in a different light. Not as a burden or a tiring obligation, but as a valuable opportunity to be useful, contribute to increasing the productivity of your team and help your subordinates achieve what they want and deserve.
12 – Startup Brazil
Author: Marina Vidigal and Pedro Mello
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: In this book, authors Pedro Mello and Marina Vidigal present the stories of Brazilian entrepreneurs who transformed the country through their businesses. A true guide for those who wish to venture into the world of entrepreneurship. A book full of success stories that, between mistakes and successes, were only possible because of great ideas and a lot of hard work.
13 – Satisfaction Guaranteed
Author: Tony Hsieh
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: What about a company where the boss pays candidates $2,000 to drop out of training if they're not happy? And where the same boss resolves customer issues? Welcome to Zappos, an online company that sells shoes and delivers happiness. Here, the motto "customer first" really comes into play: from the bagger to the CEO, everyone at Zappos literally works in customer service.
14 – Value Generation
Author: Flavio Augusto Da Silva
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: Success, as Flávio likes to say, is an exact science that anyone can learn. Therefore, it is up to you to achieve what you want. The book brings together a selection of the sharpest texts and most provocative cartoons from Geração de Valor and is an opportunity to see the world differently. Read it, learn to think outside the box and start your journey to the top now.
15 – A Simple Idea: Turn Your Dreams Into A Mine Of Entrepreneurship While Others Work
Author: Stephen Key
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: Tired of working for big companies? Tired of living on a salary? Stephen Key, developer of extremely profitable products, knows better than anyone how to make a living as an entrepreneur.
In One Simple Idea, Key reveals the secrets to turning your creativity into a passive income generator by renting out your ideas to companies that take care of the research and development, production, marketing, sales, accounting, distribution, and everything else you don't want to do. You'll be surprised at how simple it is to license an idea and make money from it.
16 – The Myth of the Entrepreneur
Author: Michael E. Gerber
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: With over three million copies sold worldwide, “The Entrepreneur Myth” provides effective methods to help you prepare better, maintain a positive attitude and increase your productivity. A true source of indispensable knowledge for those willing to face the challenge of creating their own business and transforming a good idea into a successful venture.
Read also: How to Prospect Clients on LinkedIn: 10 Essential Tips!
17 – Opportunities in Disguise
Author: Carlos Domingos
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: 'Opportunities in Disguise' is a catalogue of ideas and solutions for difficulties experienced by companies. The result of seven years of research, this book brings together 200 cases of companies and people who transformed their problems into the opportunities of a lifetime.
18 – The Power of Thinking Outside the Box: Lessons from 8 Executives Who Overcame Seemingly Insoluble Problems
Author: William N. Thorndike Jr. (Author), Rodrigo Peixoto (Translator)
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: In this modern and groundbreaking book, William N. Thorndike Jr. explains the analytical wisdom behind a successful investment career, taking a close look at the performances of General Cinema Corporation, Ralston Purina, The Washington Post Company, General Dynamics, Capital Cities Broadcasting, TCI, Teledyne, and Berkshire Hathaway, and their leaders: Dick Smith, Bill Stiritz, Katharine Graham, Bill Anders, Tom Murphy, John Malone, Henry Singleton, and, of course, Warren Buffett.
19 – How to Live in the Digital Age
Author: Tom Chatfield
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: Is it possible to live well with technology? The world is increasingly digital: today, more than half of the adult population on the planet spends more time at work “connected” than “disconnected”, whether through the internet, cell phone or any other digital media.
Tom Chatfield examines what “connected” life is doing to the human mind, for better or worse. Addressing issues that touch on what’s really fundamental about using technology and presenting innovative and practical research, he teaches how to thrive in a digital century without losing your humanity.
20 – Hacking Growth
Author: Sean Ellis and Morgan Brown
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: The definitive playbook by the pioneers of Growth Hacking, one of the hottest business methodologies in Silicon Valley and beyond.
An accessible and practical toolkit that teams and companies in all industries can use to grow their customer base and market share, this book guides readers through the process of creating and executing their own tailored growth strategy.
It's a must-read for any marketer, entrepreneur, innovator, or manager looking to replace big, wasteful bets with more consistent, replicable, cost-effective, and data-driven results.
We learn knowledge from teachers and books.
I believe that everyone has had someone who has passed through their life and brought a lot of knowledge with them.
Knowledge that you will carry with you for the rest of your life.
I also believe that every entrepreneur has at least one book on their bedside table.
Reading, in addition to teaching, brings inspiration and motivates us to move forward.
For a Growth Hacker , having a repertoire of books (whether on business owner database entrepreneurship, marketing or any other literature) is essential to doing a good job.
We work with a continuous experimentation process and, often, to find problems and plan solutions we are inspired by books and case studies that we have already read at another time.
If Pareto said that 20% of our results come from 80% of our efforts, to carry out the greatest number of experiments we need a large repertoire of information and sources of inspiration.
With this in mind, I have put together an arsenal of Growth Hacking Books that every high-performance professional should read!
1 – Extraordinary Entrepreneurs
Author: John Byrne
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: Imagine having the chance to talk to a John Mackey (of Whole Foods) or a Fred Smith (of FedEx) about the most important lessons they've learned, or having the privilege of hearing the reflections of Howard Schultz of Starbucks, who returned to the company he originally founded to reinvent the company and himself?
With this book, the reader will have the opportunity to learn, first-hand, the inspiring stories, valuable advice and insights into how true revolutionaries took their destabilizing ideas and turned them into reality, how they overcame a variety of obstacles and created sustainable enterprises.
2 – The Everything Store
Author: Brad Stone
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: The Everything Store is the definitive biography of the start-up that made one of the first and biggest bets on the internet and forever changed the way we read and shop. It is an honest account of the most iconic company of our time, as well as a deeply personal look at the iconic character who created it.
The work brings together previously unpublished testimonies from friends, family, collaborators and former Amazon employees, revealing important details of all of Jeff Bezos' moves to make Amazon one of the most powerful companies today.
3 – Where Good Ideas Come From
Author: Steven Johnson
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis:
What are the spaces that made history by generating exceptional levels of creativity and innovation?
What processes stimulate our creativity?
What can we do to recreate them in our daily lives?
Steven Johnson, one of the most important thinkers on the internet, investigates how good ideas emerge and the characteristics of the environments in which they are most common.
4 – Ideas that Stick: Why some ideas stick and others don’t
Author: Chip Heath and Dan Heath
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: Whether you’re a CEO or a full-time mom, you probably have ideas you need to get across: a new product you want to launch, a strategy you want to sell to your boss, values you’re trying to instill in your kids. But it’s incredibly difficult to change the way people act and think. In this book, you’ll learn the six essential qualities of an idea that sticks.
Also read: How to Make a Customer Acquisition Funnel in Inbound Marketing: The Absolutely Complete Guide to Converting Visitors into Customers (Extra: A Free Spreadsheet to Get Started Now!)
5 – The Courage to Be Imperfect
Author: René Brown (Author) and Joel Macedo (Translator)
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: Brené Brown dared to touch on subjects that are usually avoided because they cause great discomfort. Her talk about vulnerability, fear, shame and imperfection has already had more than 25 million views. Life is about experiencing uncertainty, risks and exposing yourself emotionally. But this doesn't have to be bad.
6 – The History of Heineken: The beer that conquered the world
Author: Barbara Smith
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: A moving account of the journey of a small family business that became a global brand and best-seller. Every day, thousands of green Heineken bottles are opened, from New York to Shanghai, via Paris, Johannesburg and Rio de Janeiro. But few consumers of Dutch beer know the paths and strategies that led a small family business to become the brand with the red star, a best-seller and recognized worldwide.
7 – Nada Easy: The step-by-step guide to how I combined management, innovation and creativity to take my company to 35 countries in 4 years
Author: Tallis Gomes
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: In this book, Tallis Gomes, founder of Easy Taxi and Singu, presents a step-by-step guide to correctly validating your idea, opening your business and making it grow, without wasting time and resources producing something that people would not pay for. Tallis shows that just as he managed to become a successful entrepreneur despite coming from a very poor background, a small town and not having finished college, you too can create a successful business if you have the courage and discipline necessary to do so.
8 – The Disney Way to Delight Customers
Author: Disney Institute (Author), Cristina Yamagami (Translator)
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: From exceptional service to never-stop-growing-and-believing. All companies strive to achieve the same goal: to better serve the people who buy their products and services. Whether they call them customers, consumers, patients, or, in Disney's case, guests, you either satisfy them or risk losing them. While workplace trends come and go, companies will always need to find new and creative ways to capitalize on the intelligence, passion, and creative energy of their workforce.
9 – Fast and Slow
Author: Daniel Kahneman (Author), Cassio de Arantes Leite (Translator)
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: In Thinking, Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman takes us on a journey through the human mind and explains the two ways of thinking: one is fast, intuitive and emotional; the other, slower, deliberative and logical. Kahneman exposes the extraordinary capabilities – and also the defects and vices – of fast thinking and reveals the influence of intuitive impressions on our decisions.
10 – The $100 Startup
Author: Chris Guillebeau
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: In this book, Chris Guillebeau teaches us how to lead a life of adventure, meaning, and purpose. At just under 35, Chris is already on the verge of achieving his goal of visiting every country in the world without ever having earned a steady income. He prefers to rely on his talent to turn ideas into money, and uses his earnings both to support his life of adventure and to help others. There are many people like Chris—people who have found a way to break out of the traditional path and make their dreams come true.
Also read: The Ultimate Guide to Mastering Influencer Marketing
11 – Don’t Be Afraid to Be the Boss
Author: Bruce Tulgan (Author), Alexandre Rosas (Translator)
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: 'Don't Be Afraid to Be the Boss' pinpoints the biggest problem facing companies today – an epidemic of undermanagement that affects all the way up the chain of command – and offers a path for managers to step back into their shoes and become the strong leaders their teams need.
In this book, you will learn to see the role of leadership in a different light. Not as a burden or a tiring obligation, but as a valuable opportunity to be useful, contribute to increasing the productivity of your team and help your subordinates achieve what they want and deserve.
12 – Startup Brazil
Author: Marina Vidigal and Pedro Mello
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: In this book, authors Pedro Mello and Marina Vidigal present the stories of Brazilian entrepreneurs who transformed the country through their businesses. A true guide for those who wish to venture into the world of entrepreneurship. A book full of success stories that, between mistakes and successes, were only possible because of great ideas and a lot of hard work.
13 – Satisfaction Guaranteed
Author: Tony Hsieh
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: What about a company where the boss pays candidates $2,000 to drop out of training if they're not happy? And where the same boss resolves customer issues? Welcome to Zappos, an online company that sells shoes and delivers happiness. Here, the motto "customer first" really comes into play: from the bagger to the CEO, everyone at Zappos literally works in customer service.
14 – Value Generation
Author: Flavio Augusto Da Silva
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: Success, as Flávio likes to say, is an exact science that anyone can learn. Therefore, it is up to you to achieve what you want. The book brings together a selection of the sharpest texts and most provocative cartoons from Geração de Valor and is an opportunity to see the world differently. Read it, learn to think outside the box and start your journey to the top now.
15 – A Simple Idea: Turn Your Dreams Into A Mine Of Entrepreneurship While Others Work
Author: Stephen Key
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: Tired of working for big companies? Tired of living on a salary? Stephen Key, developer of extremely profitable products, knows better than anyone how to make a living as an entrepreneur.
In One Simple Idea, Key reveals the secrets to turning your creativity into a passive income generator by renting out your ideas to companies that take care of the research and development, production, marketing, sales, accounting, distribution, and everything else you don't want to do. You'll be surprised at how simple it is to license an idea and make money from it.
16 – The Myth of the Entrepreneur
Author: Michael E. Gerber
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: With over three million copies sold worldwide, “The Entrepreneur Myth” provides effective methods to help you prepare better, maintain a positive attitude and increase your productivity. A true source of indispensable knowledge for those willing to face the challenge of creating their own business and transforming a good idea into a successful venture.
Read also: How to Prospect Clients on LinkedIn: 10 Essential Tips!
17 – Opportunities in Disguise
Author: Carlos Domingos
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: 'Opportunities in Disguise' is a catalogue of ideas and solutions for difficulties experienced by companies. The result of seven years of research, this book brings together 200 cases of companies and people who transformed their problems into the opportunities of a lifetime.
18 – The Power of Thinking Outside the Box: Lessons from 8 Executives Who Overcame Seemingly Insoluble Problems
Author: William N. Thorndike Jr. (Author), Rodrigo Peixoto (Translator)
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: In this modern and groundbreaking book, William N. Thorndike Jr. explains the analytical wisdom behind a successful investment career, taking a close look at the performances of General Cinema Corporation, Ralston Purina, The Washington Post Company, General Dynamics, Capital Cities Broadcasting, TCI, Teledyne, and Berkshire Hathaway, and their leaders: Dick Smith, Bill Stiritz, Katharine Graham, Bill Anders, Tom Murphy, John Malone, Henry Singleton, and, of course, Warren Buffett.
19 – How to Live in the Digital Age
Author: Tom Chatfield
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: Is it possible to live well with technology? The world is increasingly digital: today, more than half of the adult population on the planet spends more time at work “connected” than “disconnected”, whether through the internet, cell phone or any other digital media.
Tom Chatfield examines what “connected” life is doing to the human mind, for better or worse. Addressing issues that touch on what’s really fundamental about using technology and presenting innovative and practical research, he teaches how to thrive in a digital century without losing your humanity.
20 – Hacking Growth
Author: Sean Ellis and Morgan Brown
Where to buy: Link
Synopsis: The definitive playbook by the pioneers of Growth Hacking, one of the hottest business methodologies in Silicon Valley and beyond.
An accessible and practical toolkit that teams and companies in all industries can use to grow their customer base and market share, this book guides readers through the process of creating and executing their own tailored growth strategy.
It's a must-read for any marketer, entrepreneur, innovator, or manager looking to replace big, wasteful bets with more consistent, replicable, cost-effective, and data-driven results.