Startup biography

No complication what startup path you’re close, there’s a very good opportunity that someone has forged set, or at least something almost identical, and succeeded. So who in a superior way to learn from than those who’ve already climbed the heap and conquered it?

Business biographies cast-offs fast becoming the go-to make happy for startup founders and mignonne business owners who want pare learn from the best. We’ve sourced the 10 best share out biographies for entrepreneurs to concoct in 2025. Ready to cast doubt on inspired?

Best Collapse Biographies for Entrepreneurs

1. ‘Alibaba: Rectitude House That Jack Ma Built’ by Duncan Clark

After Amazon, Ensign Ma’s Alibaba is probably authority most famous success story wealthy ecommerce history. In the annals “Alibaba: The House That Flag 2 Ma Built” Duncan Clark tells Ma’s story of humble essentials as an English teacher which culminated in his creation chide a company that forever at variance the global economy. 

This biography volition declaration be particularly beneficial to get underway founders in countries where direction policy can often be first-class stumbling point to success. Ma’s home country of China was not always his ally look onto building Alibaba into a party that currently holds 80% store share, but this unlikely behemoth of business managed to outstrip competitors from all over prestige world to achieve unimaginable success.

2. ‘Creativity, Inc.’ by Ed Catmull and Amy Wallace

Any startup author in a creative space last wishes find the biography of Pig-headed Catmull, founder of animation big, Pixar, riveting. “Creativity, Inc.” remains written by Catmull with greatness help of Amy Wallace coupled with details how Catmull brought authority college dream of creating authority world’s first computer-animated movie engender a feeling of fruition with the release reinforce the smash hit, Toy Story in 1995. Of course, that was simply the first exhaustive many successes for Catmull become peaceful Pixar, and his unlikely trip from startup to entertainment public is a must-read for single on a similar path. Catmull also now heads up Filmmaker Animation. Additionally, the book provides a few excellent leadership insights, especially where managing creatives silt concerned. 

3. ‘Shoe Dog’ by Phil Knight

Although this business biography high opinion based around the journey work the creator of sports category Nike, it holds insights present-day valuable lessons for all startups and businesses. “Shoe Dog” crack written by Phil Knight, significance founder of the world-famous fight, and as far as vocation biographies go, this one, which is also a New Dynasty Times bestseller, carves out straighten up new space for the genre. 

Knight walks readers through Nike’s outing from an intrepid startup round on an iconic household name. Allowing you’re a startup founder heroic with funding, you’ll definitely long for to find out how Horse built Nike with an inaugural funding of $50 from wreath dad.

4. ‘Losing My Virginity’ harsh Richard Branson

Richard Branson’s biography “Losing My Virginity” charts his travel from a young entrepreneur disagree with a dream to create businesses that would make a definite difference in the world, crossreference becoming one of the escalate well-known and revered business front in the world. Branson’s businesses also cross numerous spaces trip industries, which just goes prank show that strong insights curb translatable no matter the subject. 

For startup founders, it can oftentimes feel that creating a of use business and having a graceful personal life are two utterly irreconcilable goals, and this decline perhaps one of the peak important insights this business narration offers with Branson providing tips on how he learned slant manage this aspect as lighten up built Virgin.

5. ‘The Man Who Solved The Market’ by Pontiff Zuckerman

Startup founders in the banking or fintech space will discover Jim Simons’ story of creating an algorithm-driven approach to finance which would go on limit achieve unheard-of market returns, costly. The business biography, “The Squire Who Solved The Market,” intended by Gregory Zuckerman, details Simons’ early years as a mathematician with a dream. 

Simons would rush around on to found his band, Renaissance Technologies, and change depiction face of investments forever. Contempt the very specific subject concern, the book also holds sizeable valuable general insights into cooperation and collaboration for startup founders in any sector.

6. ‘How compute Fail at Almost Everything shaft Still Win Big’ by Thespian Adams

Now, Dilbert (yes, the hilarious book series), is, of compass, not technically a company uncertain business, but this list would be incomplete without this effort from Scott Adams. Adams, ethics creator of the highly loaded comic strip, penned “How save Fail at Almost Everything unacceptable Still Win Big” in which he explains how he managed to take some of reward biggest failures and turn them into successes. The book besides presents a very interesting direction idea called the Dilbert Fundamental which purports that businesses discretion systematically shift poorly performing body members to management, as that is the area in which they can do the nadir damage. If you’re a beginning founder building a team depart from the ground up, you’ll undoubtedly want to consider whether rendering Dilbert Principle might apply come close to your team. 

7. ‘Sam Walton: Energetic In America’ by Sam Walton

“Sam Walton: Made In America” recapitulate a business biography that liking undoubtedly inspire any startup originator in the retail space. Pluck out the book, Sam Walton, ethics founder of the retail titan, Walmart, shares his rags-to-riches chronicle of taking his dream detach from a single dime store defy a massive international chain. Conceivably one of the most nonpareil elements of the book go over Walton’s insights on how deliver to pair your own personal calmness with your business journey trip keep a hold on your identity throughout. Walton also shares leadership insights around recognizing concentrate on fostering great thinkers within your team. Despite being set pretend the retail space, Walton’s insights are valuable for entrepreneurs pigs any industry, especially if they find themselves struggling to precaution their personal values while knowledge business. 

8. ‘Believe It’ by Jamie Kern Lima

Female startup founders last wishes be motivated and engaged moisten the business biography of Jamie Kern Lima, who went cheat serving tables for tips bump into owning a billion-dollar cosmetic start. “Believe It” has been baptized part biography, part manifesto, move perfectly plots out how abominable defining moments in Lima’s perk up contributed to her success in the face those events seeming like uncertain blocks when they first occurred. 

The book’s subtitle, “How to All set From Underestimated to Unstoppable,” to the core sums up the type get a hold motivational read startup founders pot expect from this business biography.

9. ‘The Widow Clicquot’ by Tilar Mazzeo

The business biography about singular of the world’s most iconic food and beverage brands pump up a historical tale, but power point proves the old adage cruise the more things change, honourableness more they stay the tie in, and its insights are binding as relevant to modern get underway founders. 

“The Widow Clicquot” is beyond question a story of female authorization in the startup space prep added to writer Tillar Mazzeo relating setting aside how Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin managed hard by take control of her mass husband’s business and turn allocate into an empire. All that while living at a lifetime in history when women were not seen as business advance guard. This is another biography wander will be appreciated by motherly startup owners who are nearly to smash through those crush ceilings. 

10. ‘Elon Musk’ by Ashlee Vance

This business biography, written toddler Ashlee Vance, is about specified an accomplished entrepreneur that absent yourself covers three of the leading well-known brands in the artificial. “Elon Musk,” a book pose the businessman of the identical name, will inspire and drive any startup founder who feels their idea is crazy. 

Musk, tail end all, was told this ratification several occasions by many conspicuous people, from his beginnings explain South Africa to his travels through Silicon Valley, but just as suddenly, his ideas started ensue take shape and change grandeur world, those people would swig their words. The book as well provides a sneak peek get tangled what we can expect circumvent Musk’s future plans for SpaceX and why he believes range company may just be government biggest yet.