6 best books for impact entrepreneurs

Reading is always an opportunity to step back, explore new themes or dive into topics of interest.  For this purpose, the Impactivs team have curated a list of excellent books around sustainability and entrepreneurship, to gift yourself or others for a great read.

1-Speed and scale by John Doerr

Best-selling author, engineer, VC and pioneer of Silicon Valley’s clean tech movement, John Doerr shares a comprehensive plan detailing what the public and private sectors can do to solve the climate crisis and get to net-zero by 2050.

Check out their website for more information and resources: www.speedandscale.com

2-Drawdown, by Project Drawdown, edited by Paul Hawken

Initially released in 2017, Drawdown is a kind of Bible of climate solutions, drawing on humanity’s collective wisdom about the practises and technologies – high and low- that, combined, can begin to stop and reverse Global Warming.

https://www.drawdown.org/the-book

3-Doughnut Economics: seven ways to think like a 21st-century economist, by Kate Raworth

The book explores the economic thinking needed to keep human activities and prosperity within planetary boundaries, represented by the Doughnut.  A classic all impact entrepreneurs should devour without moderation!

More about Doughnut Economics here.

4-The lean start-up by Eric Ries

All start-up entrepreneurs should read this Masterpiece and Impact Entrepreneurs are no exception.

Through many examples, it explains how to use continuous experimentation and Innovation to create successful ventures. A lot of our own Impactivs foundation journey and toolkits tap into those principles.

http://theleanstartup.com/book

5-The responsible company, by Yvon Chouinard and Vincent Stanley

This book was published back in 2012 by Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, and Vincent Stanley, co-editor of its Footprint Chronicles, but it’s still a classic for purpose driven entrepreneurs. The authors share their learning from their 40 years’ experience at Patagonia and industry insight to articulate how businesses can do good and do well. A must read for any entrepreneur on a mission to build a triple bottom line business. 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13434697-the-responsible-company

6-The hard thing about hard things,  Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers by Ben Horowitz

Ben Horowitz, one of Silicon Valley’s most respected entrepreneurs shares practical advice on the tough challenges of building and managing a start-up, the kinds business schools and playbooks never cover. All of that filled in with humour and references from his favourite rap songs. 

https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-hard-thing-about-hard-things/ben-horowitz/9780062273208

We hope this list will inspire some quiet fireside reading during the coming weeks. Feel free to tell us what is on your wishlist or bedside table.

Find out more resources for impact entrepreneurs on our Resources page.