9 Books That Changed How I Run My Business (And Why They Actually Stuck)
Not a “top 50” list skimmed from summaries. These are the books I still quote in my head when I’m making real decisions.
I’ve read a lot of business books.
Some changed everything. Others were fine but forgettable — the kind you finish, nod along with, and then never think about again.
But there are nine books that genuinely shifted how I run Refined + Golden. Books I still quote in my head when I’m deciding how to structure my day, price a project, or show up for a client call. Books that changed my morning routine, my approach to money, my entire philosophy around what it means to build a business sustainably.
These aren’t books I liked. These are books that stuck.
If you’re tired of generic business book lists written by people who skimmed the Blinkist summaries — this one’s different. Here are the nine books that didn’t just teach me something. They changed how I work.
1. Deep Work by Cal Newport
What it’s about:
How to focus without distraction — and why the ability to do so is becoming the most valuable skill in the modern economy.
Why it stuck:
Newport’s premise is simple but radical: the ability to perform deep work is becoming increasingly rare at exactly the same time it’s becoming increasingly valuable. Most people are too distracted to do meaningful work. If you can master focus, you have a real competitive advantage.I restructured my entire workday around this book. Mornings are now blocked for deep, uninterrupted work — no email, no social media, nothing that fragments attention. Three to four hours of focused work produces more than eight hours of distracted busyness. I’ve seen it in practice.
What I still use:
Newport’s shutdown ritual: at the end of each workday, you review everything incomplete, confirm you have a plan for it, and say a phrase out loud to signal your brain that work is done. Sounds cheesy. Works incredibly well. I’ve used a version of it for over a year.
“When you work, work hard. When you’re done, be done.”
2. The 5 AM Club by Robin Sharma
What it’s about:
The case for owning your morning before the world makes demands on your time — and a practical framework for doing it.
Why it stuck:
This book is the reason I wake up at 5:30 AM (6:30 in winter). Sharma’s argument is that the first hour of your day sets the tone for everything else. If you start reactive — checking email, scrolling, jumping straight into work — you’ve already handed control of your day to everyone else.But if you start intentional? You take it back.
What I still use:
The 20/20/20 formula: 20 minutes of movement, 20 minutes of reflection (journaling, planning), 20 minutes of learning (reading, listening). I don’t follow it perfectly, but the structure changed everything. I don’t start my days stressed anymore. I start them ready.
“Take excellent care of the front end of your day, and the rest of your day will pretty much take care of itself.”
3. Everything Is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo
What it’s about:
A mindset reframe: no matter what obstacle you’re facing, there is always a way through. You just have to be willing to find it.
Why it stuck:
This book completely changed how I approach problems in my business. Instead of thinking “I don’t know how to do this,” I started thinking “I don’t know how to do this yet — but I can figure it out.”That shift — from helplessness to resourcefulness — is small in theory and enormous in practice. I use it constantly: tech issues, client challenges, things I’ve never done before.
What I still use:
Anytime I hit a wall, I come back to the title. It sounds like a cheesy mantra. It is a cheesy mantra. And it works, because it’s true.
“Things don’t need to be perfect. You don’t have to have it all figured out. You just have to allow yourself to move forward.”
Speaking of moving forward without having everything figured out — the Refined + Golden template shop exists for exactly that.
Professional, polished starting points so you can stop waiting for perfection and start showing up.
4. The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason
What it’s about:
Timeless financial principles told through parables set in ancient Babylon. Published in 1926. Still completely relevant.
Why it stuck:
The core principle: pay yourself first. Before bills, expenses, or anything else — save a portion of what you earn. It sounds obvious. But most solopreneurs (myself included, early on) do it backward. We pay everyone else first and save whatever’s left, which is usually nothing.This book rewired how I think about money in my business.
What I still use:
Automatic transfers to savings the day income hits my account. It’s not negotiable. I pay myself first, then figure out the rest. This book also reinforced something I believe deeply: wealth is built through consistent habits, not viral moments.
“A part of all you earn is yours to keep.”
5. Company of One by Paul Jarvis
What it’s about:
The case for staying small — building a profitable business without scaling up, hiring a team, or chasing growth at all costs.
Why it stuck:
This book gave me permission to build a business that fits my life instead of building a life around my business.Jarvis argues that bigger isn’t always better — and that you can be wildly successful as a solopreneur without the pressure to scale. That premise is the foundation of everything I’ve built with Refined + Golden.
What I still use:
Profit over revenue. I’d rather make $100K as a solo business owner with low overhead than make $500K with a team, high expenses, and constant stress. This book helped me define what success actually looks like for me — not what the online business space says it should look like.
“Bigger isn’t always better — and you can be wildly successful while staying small.”
6. She Means Business by Carrie Green
What it’s about:
A practical guide for female solopreneurs on mindset, audience clarity, and turning your ideas into a real business.
Why it stuck:
Green doesn’t just talk about mindset — she gives you actual frameworks. Her approach to audience definition is one I still come back to every time I’m writing copy, planning content, or building a new template.
What I still use:
Four questions I revisit constantly: Who are they? What are their desires? What are their frustrations? Why will my business help them? These questions sit behind every piece of content I create for Refined + Golden.
“Things don’t need to be perfect. You don’t have to have it all figured out. You just have to allow yourself to move forward.”
7. Talk Like TED by Carmine Gallo
What it’s about:
How to structure and deliver compelling presentations — whether you’re pitching a client, hosting a call, or explaining your services.
Why it stuck:
I’m not a natural public speaker. I get nervous. I overthink. But this book broke down exactly what makes communication compelling — and gave me a framework I could actually follow. I use it now in ways that have nothing to do with presenting.
What I still use:
The rule of three: structure everything around three key points. Three benefits. Three reasons. Three steps. People retain things in threes. I apply this to website copy, discovery calls, service explanations. Simple and genuinely effective.
“Great presentations aren’t about you. They’re about what your audience needs.”
8. The Go-Giver Series by Bob Burg & John David Mann
What it’s about:
The argument that generosity — genuinely placing other people’s interests first — is the most powerful business strategy there is.
Why it stuck:
This series completely changed how I think about client relationships. The core idea: your influence is determined by how genuinely you serve others. Not a manipulative tactic. Not a “give to get” formula. Just an honest commitment to showing up for people — and trusting that when you do it well, everything else follows.
What I still use:
Five principles I return to in every client interaction: listen fully, communicate with empathy, be present, lead with value, and let go of needing to be right. It’s made me a better communicator and a better business owner. Both of those things are connected.
“The more you give, the more you have.”
9. The Alter Ego Effect by Todd Herman
What it’s about:
How to use an alter ego — a different version of yourself — to access a higher level of performance when it matters most.
Why it stuck:
This book helped me separate who I am from how I show up in business. Beyóncé had Sasha Fierce. Kobe Bryant had the Black Mamba. These weren’t just stage names — they were personas that allowed those people to access something different when everything was on the line.When I’m working with clients, presenting my services, or doing anything that makes me nervous, I’m not “Janica who overthinks everything.” I’m Sloane Draper: confident, decisive, clear.
What I still use:
Defining the specific traits my alter ego embodies — and consciously stepping into them before high-stakes moments. It’s not about being fake. It’s about accessing the best version of yourself when you need her most.
“The Alter Ego is your deepest self — the truest version of you.”
If these books have you thinking about how you show up, how you communicate, and how you run your business — the Brand Clarity Guide is a good next step.
It’s the framework I use with every client to get clear on who they help, what they offer, and how to say it. Free to download.
Honorable Mentions
These didn’t make my top nine, but they’re worth your time:
Productivity + Mindset
Atomic Habits — James Clear
The Miracle Morning — Hal Elrod
The Miracle Equation — Hal Elrod
Dream Big — Bob Goff
Finish — Jon Acuff
Money + Business
Profit First — Mike Michalowicz
Marketing + Branding
The One Page Marketing Plan — Allan Dib
They Ask, You Answer — Marcus Sheridan
Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World — Michael Hyatt
Communication + Client Relationships
Fierce Conversations — Susan Scott
How to Wow — Frances Cole Jones
The Go-Giver — Bob Burg (the original, if you want to start there)
Personal Development
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question — John G. Miller
The 10X Rule — Grant Cardone (with a grain of salt — but the mindset is useful)
The Right Book at the Right Time Changes Everything
Not every book will shift how you think. But the right one — read at exactly the right moment — can change how you make decisions, how you start your mornings, how you talk to yourself when things are hard.
These nine did that for me. And if even one of them lands for you the way it landed for me, sharing this list was worth it.
Pick one. Read it. Apply it. See what shifts.
Here’s where to go next:
Browse the Refined + Golden template shop — because a great business book is even more useful when your online presence is ready to back it up.
Grab the free Brand Clarity Guide — start with clarity, then build everything else.
Book a discovery call — if you’re ready to build the kind of website these books will inspire you to have.
Which book is next on your list? Drop a comment — I genuinely love talking about this.
