I can’t think of many things more inspiring than learning the story about how someone conquered the odds and created a crazy successful business. I’m not trying to create the next Nike, but there are so many tidbits of advice that can be adapted to our own small businesses.

And speaking of Nike, there’s a good reason “Shoe Dog” seems to make all of the TOP lists. It’s really that good!!

Here are my top three that I think should be on your must-read list too:

The Ride of a Lifetime by Rober Iger

A memoir of leadership and success: The executive chairman of Disney, Time’s 2019 businessperson of the year, shares the ideas and values he embraced during his 15 years as CEO while reinventing one of the world’s most beloved companies and inspiring the people who bring the magic to life.

ShoeDog by Phil Knight

In this candid and riveting memoir, for the first time ever, Nike founder and CEO Phil Knight shares the inside story of the company’s early days as an intrepid start-up and its evolution into one of the world’s most iconic, game-changing, and profitable brands.

Believe It by Jamie Kern Lima

In Believe IT, Jamie Kern Lima, founder of IT Cosmetics, shares the wild but true story of how a once struggling waitress turned her against-the-grain idea into an international bestselling sensation, eventually selling the company for over a billion dollars and becoming the first female CEO of a brand in L’Oréal’s 100+ year history.

Enjoy diving in to these fantastic books! You will be happy you did…