For entrepreneurs starting a new business, a good business education is essential. You can put together your own education for entrepreneurial success with a good reading list that offers insights, advice, and inspiration for navigating your way to creating a super-successful business. New entrepreneurs can especially benefit from reading good business books, as they may not have the extensive knowledge base of more experienced business creators. Here are five of the best small business management books for new entrepreneurs to read.The following five books provide easy-to-understand and actionable advice that can help you enhance your decision-making skills, become an effective leader, and thrive in your small business.

“Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done”

As the head manager of a small business, your job is to make decisions and get things done. That’s the theme of New York Times bestseller “Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done” by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan. The authors detail their own experiences with companies that went from small to great, and explain the two things that really matter for leaders: discipline and hiring the right people. What you get from it: a set of behaviours and techniques that companies can use to create a competitive advantage. Specifically, this book provides a three-part execution process to improve communication with your team and help you set goals and priorities that people can realistically follow.

“The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”

It’s a little cliche, but “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” remains a timeless masterpiece and one of the best large- and small-business management books that isn’t just about business. Stephen Covey built a massive business empire on the back of his success habits, and they’re applicable to any small business owner. What you get from it: the know-how to separate urgent tasks from non-urgent tasks and maximize work effort. If you feel torn between too many potential business paths, this book may make it easier to remove that indecision so you can get down to meaningful action.

“The Complete Canadian Small Business Guide”

Perhaps the most famous map for running a small business in Canada is Douglas and Diana Grey’s “The Complete Canadian Small Business Guide.” This 650-page strategy session covers every issue you are likely to face, from starting and opening to selling and exiting. Each of the 21 chapters covers a different aspect of small business ownership. The book is organized so readers can quickly scan or jump around to find the information they most need. Also included are dozens of charts, checklists, and sample forms.(As a bonus, check out “The Founder’s Dilemmas: Anticipating and Avoiding the Pitfalls That Can Sink a Startup,” by Noam Wasserman.) These books are useful allies in your journey from startup to business success. If nothing else, such books can keep you from making errors or wasting time reinventing the wheel.

“The Lean Startup”

Many new entrepreneurs have limited capital resources, making it essential to utilize the resources they do have to the fullest. “The Lean Startup” by Eric Ries can help you create a business that manages capital efficiently and leverages creativity to maximum effect. Ries presents lessons gleaned from lean manufacturing processes and applies them to business startups. This book offers numerous suggestions for creating a business that is able to respond to changing market conditions rapidly and profitably. Included are tactics for shortening product development cycles and accurately ascertaining exactly what your potential customers want.

“Think and Grow Rich”

Napoleon Hill’s “Think and Grow Rich” is probably the single most-recommended book for entrepreneurs or just anyone who wants to achieve success in any arena. This classic not only provides excellent lessons and guidance in business and finance, but it’s also considered one of the best overall self-help books ever written. First published during the Great Depression in 1937, Hill’s book presents the laws and principles of success that he learned from over two decades spent researching successful people and identifying the common characteristics they share.

Take advantage of these great reads to build your savvy as a small business owner. As you and your business grow, look for other tools to make life easier. QuickBooks Self-Employed app helps freelancers, contractors, and sole proprietors track and manage business on the go. Download the app.