Suggested Reading

[MarkD]

Please list any other books or web sites that might be useful for those of us wishing to start an Internet based business. Thanks.

[jetpacklife]

I'd recommend reading the internet. There are usually much better, focused answers on the internet than in most books. Your question is also sufficiently vague. A web business can be like any other business or job.

For example. Say you want to start a blog (which could make you anywhere from nothing to millions). You just go to blogger.com. You don't need a book. You may need to learn to write though. There's lots of books on that.

[kamakiri]

75% of the stuff I read on the internet is passed off as fact while only being conjecture, and 73% of all percentages are made up numbers, so be skeptical.

I have said it time and again that there are three key books everyone should read:
1. How to Win Friends and Influence People - Dale Carnegie
2. Think and Grow Rich - Napoleon Hill
3. 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen Covey

On top of that, you should be reading every day. Reading opens your mind, and expands your horizons. If you are looking for guidance, anything by Robin Sharma. His books are both entertaining and enlightening, there is a reason why he is the top motivational speaker in the world.

Other authors:
Robert Kiyosaki - He has his critics though
Michael Masterson - Great financial advice (I quote him quite a bit here)

Here is another list of Robin Sharma's recommended (http://www.robinsharma.com/robinsharma_about_sli_about.htm)reading.

Another way to find good books is to shop for what you have/like/own on amazon and then see what comes up as the recommendations. If you liked this book, you might like... I have found quite a few good books that way as well.

[webgal]

That question is pretty wide open. Can you be more specific?

[kamakiri]

I am not so sure if it was that broad. Most people do only have 3-4 books they really recommend.

[squeegee]

If you want to know about business opportunities, subscribe to Early To Rise (google it). This really expanded my mind, i.e. discovering ways to make money I never would have known (both online and offline).

General business books I like -

To Be or Not To Be Intimidated, (formerly and inaccurately called Winning Through Intimidation), Robert Ringer. Ringer writes about his misadventures in the predator-infested jungle of real estate. The lesson of the book is how to protect yourself from getting shafted by people who use their wealth, power, prestige, etc. to intimidate you into giving up what you have rightfully earned. This is a significant book for me (one of my top 5 for sure).

Multiple Streams of Income, Robert Allen. I think it compliments 4HWW. There are about ten chapters and each one gives you a rundown of different non-employee ways to make money, and Allen suggests that readers implement as many of them as possible, in order to secure financial freedom and security. He starts with plain old compound interest, and then goes into real estate, info-preneuring, licensing, internet marketing, .... Worth a read.

I also suggest you get your hands on any material from Jay Abraham. Again, lots of background knowledge on what is possible.

Bootstrapping Your Business, by Gianforte
Starting a business with as little capital as possible. Applies to online and offline businesses IMO. read http://www.bootstrapit.com/why.htm - That pretty much sums it up. The book has the how-to embellishments on that theme.

[travelhead]

There's only 2 internet marketing ebooks I recommend:

SEO Book & Perry Marshall's Definitive Guide to Google Adwords (if you click on my profile you can find my blog and the review of both of these ebooks).

There's plenty of free information on the web. Make sure you don't buy anything besides these two ebooks. I see too many people buy a lot of junk they don't need. Check out relevant forums:

http://www.webmasterworld.com
http://www.warriorforum.com/forum
http://www.earnersforum.com

[Mike Rhodes]

Lots of great advice in this thread

I'd add E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber to the list (the e stands for entrepreneur & has nothing to do with e-commerce)

Of Robert Kiyosaki's book (yes he does have a lot of critics, but a lot of fans too) cut straight to the one that will make the most difference on a new small business & that's The Cashflow Quadrant

One that didn't get mentioned yet & that HAS to be read is Seth Godin. Please buy all his books. It will change the way you think & market. He more than anyone gets marketing in the 21st century. Jay Abraham is excellent, but all his examples are offline

blogs:
http://blog.guykawasaki.com/
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/

I agree that Aaron Wall's www.seobook.com is excellent as is all of Perry's stuff (although I think to think I give away a lot of decent AdWords info too ;)

Rich Schefren is also worth reading online. Been around a long long time in internet years & leads the field. http://www.strategicprofits.com/


older books to read:
Mark Joyner is worth a mention ('Irresistible offer')
& the Eisenberg brothers - 'Waiting for your cat to bark' is excellent

Now you just have to turn off the email for 2 weeks & go read them all!!

Have fun,
Mike

[AdamTeece]

One site I find really good for starting a business www.startupnation.com

And as far as books go, The World is Flat, will help give you a global perspective, and The E-Mth Revisited.

And one thing I did, was I got the unabridged audio version of The World is Flat at audible.com/macbreak or any of the other various codes that give you a free audio book.