If you are thinking or have already decided to go back to work, either because you feel ready to do so or because your maternity leave period is over, you are encouraged to read as many books relating to business and management as you can. Reading is free education-the best kind.
Readers and better leaders. What’s so great about reading business books is that you will be treated to a wide variety of books that will help to educate you, as well as help you anticipate your return to business. But because there are so many self-published books out there, it can be difficult sorting through them all to find the right one for your business journey and needs.
So if you are in the market to prepare you for your return to work or forthcoming entrepreneurial journey, here are 5 books mom should read if they want to go back to work:
The lean startup by Eric Ries
One of the biggest struggles all entrepreneurs` face, not just female ones, when building new businesses is the management of cash flow. The old phrase cash is king has never been more applicable as it is when starting a venture of any kind. The importance of flow management for a new business cannot be overstated and will be a vital skill to master if you want to succeed once you get your head back in the game.
The Lean Startup is written for today’s entrepreneurs that are in the market for continuous ways to innovate and improve their businesses. The Lean Startup has covered everything from how to manage your business budget to approaches you can use so that you can get your desired products or services to customers faster than you anticipated. Truly, one of the best business books that you will read today.
The Founder’s Dilemmas: Anticipating and Avoiding the Pitfalls That Can Sink a Startup, by Noam Wasserman
This book comes highly recommended for executives as well as business graduates looking to get into the entrepreneurship games. Over the years in his role as a Princeton professor, Wasserman has observed and interacted with thousands of successful business founders from numerous industries.
He has detailed their experiences in this book and he even gives identifiable examples as to how recognizable companies scaled their businesses. This book will help you take proactive steps that will prevent you from making some of the big mistakes made by these successful founders during the early startup stages.
It will familiarize you with the business structure so that you can run things as smoothly as possible. If you want to learn how to manage your business and everything that comes with it, this book is a great place to get started.
The Art of the Start 2.0: The Time-Tested, Battle-Hardened Guide for Anyone Starting Anything,’ by Guy Kawasaki
In this book, venture capitalist Guy Kawasaki will teach you essential lessons for new business owners in this accessible and easy to follow guide. Kawasaki emphasizes the importance of focusing on the vital details of your business at the beginning stages to avoid failure as it continues to grow.
This book also contains his hard-won practical advice regarding all sorts of business topics from how to leverage social media for your business to the best marketing practices for this digital-centric business environment that we find ourselves living in today. For more books
The $100 Startup”, by Chris Guillebeau
Before you go ahead and start your business, you will first have to figure out how much you will require in startup costs to get your business idea off the ground. If you are starting a business on a shoestring budget, then the $100 Startup” by Chris Guillebeau is exactly what you will need.
This book carefully examines 50 case studies of different businesses and entrepreneur journeys that have started their businesses and made them successful on a budget. This publication will help you leverage your expertise as well as your passion so that you can create a successful business. This is a great read if you have been looking for a way to start a business but don’t exactly know-how.
Beyond the Boys’ club: achieving career success as a woman working in a male-dominated field by Suzanne Doyle Morris
If you have ever felt like the only woman in the room, then this book was designed for you. It is no secret that there are fewer women found in the boardroom than men although things are certainly starting to look up for female bosses and entrepreneurs.
That’s why advice from other women that have made in business is so valuable. This book features insights from senior females in large and successful organizations such as the University of Cambridge and Microsoft. The tips that you will acquire from this book are priceless.
The challenges of women in business are no secret and it can be very easy to feel unprepared once the realities and difficulties hit you. This is even truer for mothers in business. You will learn which small changes you can make to get to the top and stay there from this book. Full of great advice and top tips, you will also learn the importance of patience and resilience in business.
Final Thoughts
In the turbulence of running a business as a mom, you must find time to read. Whether that means listening to an audiobook as your little one frolics around, on the commute to the grocery store, or if you have the morning luxury of a book in one hand and coffee on the other- reading can set you off in the right direction and ensure that you are ready to join or re-join the business world once again.
It’s not going to be easy to leave your precious baby and return to work. However, remember that your baby deserves a mother that he or she can brag about. Use these books shared above as your toolkit and they will allow you to build a business that you can be proud of in the coming years.
