“You wasted $150,000 on an education you coulda got for a buck fifty in late charges at the public library.” Will Hunting knew what he was talking about.

Not everyone has the time, desire or a small fortune to to get an MBA. But for a fraction of the price, you can get a business education by tapping into successful entrepreneurs and professors’ knowledge.

Here are four of the best books to read on navigating the business world and starting your own company.

1. The Portable MBA

For those interested in an MBA but not sure.

The Portable MBA, written by University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business professors, covers core business school topics. If you need a bird’s eye view of a MBA program or just need a crash course in the basics of business, chapters cover everything from finance, accounting, marketing, economics to ethics, leadership and strategy. An easier read than some MBA books, this is a great place to start if you are interested in business or an MBA.

2. The Four Steps to the Epiphany: Successful Strategies for Products that Win

For those looking at starting a business.

The core of Four Steps to the Epiphany is the base for the Lean Start Up method. Silicon Valley entrepreneur and Stanford professor Steve Blank argues that startups should focus on customer development rather than solely product development. Blank points to several traps that companies fall into causing them to fail. The customer-centric theory is a key point in successfully selling an idea before spending on marketing or scaling. This book is filled with examples, charts and illustrations to show how to turn a startup in to a company.

3. The Personal MBA

For those interested the basics of business.

This is a more in-depth look into business practices, which translates well into real-world application. Broad business concepts like starting a new business and actually running a business are major themes. Learn to evaluate a market, different forms of value, the Iron Law of the market, pricing uncertainty principle and ways to increase revenue. For an added bonus, visit author Josh Kaufman’s website for a list of 100 of the best business books and his TEDX talk on the first 20 Hours of an MBA.

4. Bootstrapping

For those starting a business with limited funds.

When your company is not blessed with unlimited funds or an angel investor, bootstrapping is essential to getting started. Bootstrapping or starting a business without external venture capital requires creatively using internal cash flow. Entrepreneurial Mind CEO and co-founder Jeff Cornwall explores thriving on a limited budget through various techniques. The book teaches strict control of finances as well as process efficiency, cash-flow-management, human resources and long-term bootstrapping.

Four More Recommended Reads:

The Lean Start Up by Eric Ries (A student of Steve Blank)

How to Read a Financial Report by John A. Tracy

Getting Things Done by David Allen

Financial Intelligence for Entrepreneurs by Karen Berman and Joe Knight

string(3388) "
"You wasted $150,000 on an education you coulda got for a buck fifty in late charges at the public library." Will Hunting knew what he was talking about.
Not everyone has the time, desire or a small fortune to to get an MBA. But for a fraction of the price, you can get a business education by tapping into successful entrepreneurs and professors' knowledge. 
Here are four of the best books to read on navigating the business world and starting your own company.
1. The Portable MBA
For those interested in an MBA but not sure.
The Portable MBA, written by University of Virginia's Darden School of Business professors, covers core business school topics. If you need a bird's eye view of a MBA program or just need a crash course in the basics of business, chapters cover everything from finance, accounting, marketing, economics to ethics, leadership and strategy. An easier read than some MBA books, this is a great place to start if you are interested in business or an MBA. 
2. The Four Steps to the Epiphany: Successful Strategies for Products that Win
For those looking at starting a business.
The core of Four Steps to the Epiphany is the base for the Lean Start Up method. Silicon Valley entrepreneur and Stanford professor Steve Blank argues that startups should focus on customer development rather than solely product development. Blank points to several traps that companies fall into causing them to fail. The customer-centric theory is a key point in successfully selling an idea before spending on marketing or scaling. This book is filled with examples, charts and illustrations to show how to turn a startup in to a company.
3. The Personal MBA
For those interested the basics of business.
This is a more in-depth look into business practices, which translates well into real-world application. Broad business concepts like starting a new business and actually running a business are major themes. Learn to evaluate a market, different forms of value, the Iron Law of the market, pricing uncertainty principle and ways to increase revenue. For an added bonus, visit author Josh Kaufman's website for a list of 100 of the best business books and his TEDX talk on the first 20 Hours of an MBA.
4. Bootstrapping
For those starting a business with limited funds.
When your company is not blessed with unlimited funds or an angel investor, bootstrapping is essential to getting started. Bootstrapping or starting a business without external venture capital requires creatively using internal cash flow. Entrepreneurial Mind CEO and co-founder Jeff Cornwall explores thriving on a limited budget through various techniques. The book teaches strict control of finances as well as process efficiency, cash-flow-management, human resources and long-term bootstrapping. 
Four More Recommended Reads:
The Lean Start Up by Eric Ries (A student of Steve Blank)
How to Read a Financial Report by John A. Tracy 
Getting Things Done by David Allen
Financial Intelligence for Entrepreneurs by Karen Berman and Joe Knight
"

The Kar-Jenner family is loaded thanks to their business prowess (and fierce momager, Kris Jenner.) Kim Kardashian said it best when she lamented that it “seems like nobody wants to work these days,” but these sisters never have a day off. And that’s why the topic of Kylie Jenner’s net worth is so intriguing.  But

Talking about student loans can be an uncomfortable subject. Considering how stressful your debt pay-off journey can be, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by how much you still owe. Fortunately, there are a few ways to successfully pay off your student loans in a speedy fashion so you can finally breathe that sigh of relief

Taylor Swift is a megastar singer-songwriter known for her narrative songwriting, catchy pop tunes, and versatility across genres like country, pop, and indie folk. She breaks every music record with ease, partially thanks to her die-hard Swiftie fans who follow her with vigor and buy out every single show. And with Taylor Swift’s net worth

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become overwhelmingly popular in the past few years. The world has leaned full-force into technology and entrusted AI with, well, everything. You can see AI commercials, AI-powered statistics during sports games, and there was even a whole writer’s strike over the AI Invasion of storytelling and Hollywood. As I’ve watched tens

Ever since the pandemic popularized (or forced) virtual meetings and, countless companies adopted the hybrid work model or went completely virtual. And once the public health crisis was declared over, we remained confined to our desks in our kitchens and attics working from home. And it’s not just work. Doctor’s TeleHealth appointments, therapy visits on

Look, I get it. We live in a social media-driven world, where millions of people log into their multiple accounts daily — even hourly! — to promote the illusion of their ideal life. They share snapshots of the highlights of their days: trips to the cafe, lush travels to islands, shopping trips at luxury fashion

Everyone knows they should probably be saving more money. And while it might seem savvy to skip the occasional impulse buy, don’t be too quick to pat yourself on the back when you refrain from buying yet another pair of ripped blue jeans. In times like these — when the recession is here and a

Recently, I found the perfect gift for my roommate — a sweatshirt of Rocky and Creed fighting, if you must know or needed last-minute inspo. She’s a fan of the franchise, and as a Philadelphia native, I couldn’t resist. Waiting until Black Friday (guaranteed sale), I logged onto PacSun’s website to be met with the

Ever since I started working 40 hours a week, I’ve realized that my mother is a superhero. Because, as a single 25-year-old, I don’t want to do…One. Single. Thing after work. Like everyone I know, I resent the monotony of my life from Monday to Friday. There is barely any time after 5 PM to

In the words of Ferris Bueller: “Life comes at ya fast.” I learned this when, after graduating college, I suddenly had to get my life together and financially support myself. The horror. But I’m also young and fun (I swear!). I want to go out with my friends, follow trends, and buy myself a little