Libraries of Leaders: Three Entrepreneurs and Their Favourite Books

There are many stories of entrepreneurs whose ideas blossomed into successful companies, and their journeys serve as inspiration for anyone dreaming of starting their own business. But which stories inspired these successful business owners? Here are some book recommendations from Ameera Shah of Metropolis Labs, Sairee Chahal of Sheroes.in and Salman Khan of Khan Academy.

Ameera Shah joined her father’s pathology lab in 2001, and has grown it into a multinational diagnostics chain. Metropolis Labs now has over 130 laboratories and a 1000 collection centres. She recommends three books to BloombergQuint’s readers.

1. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

Shah read this book when she was a teenager and said that it provided her with ideas and perspectives she hadn’t thought of before.

2. My Experiments with Truth By Mahatma Gandhi

Shah says this book is a must read for those in their twenties as it is important to know the history of our country and the ideas that shaped it, especially as we get more global in our outlook and embrace ideas from other countries. This book got her thinking about how to contribute to the nation.

3.The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying by Sogyal Rinpoche

She recommends this book for for those in their thirties. She says the book introduces you to different ideas about the meaning of life and success, beyond just money and power.

She says that the book introduced her to ideas of how to move beyond normal human fears of death and how to value the life we live in.

Serial entrepreneur Sairee Chahal, set up Sheroes.in, a platform for women looking for work that suits them, in 2014. The company claims to have served over 10,000,00 women, with more than 7000 companies signed up as potential employers. Chahal recommends 7 books, to BloombergQuint. She seems to enjoy reading biographies , and her list is peppered with the stories of prominent sportsmen.

1. Being Mortal by Dr Atul Gawande

Chahal calls this book a great piece of story telling on a very sensitive issue. She says the author manages to bring a touch of grace and imagination to an otherwise difficult issue i.e the realities of ageing and dying.

2. A Life Without Limits by Christie Wellington

Chahal says that this is a story of sheer grit and determination. It is about how an ordinary child, overcame failure to become a four time World Champion and an Ironman Triathlete. She says the book prompted her to delve into her own personal wellness journey.

3. Rework by Jason Fried

According to Chahal, this is a short contemporary classic that tells you how to build your own version of success. Billionaire Mark Cuban has also recommended this book, saying that if he had to choose between investing in someone who had done his MBA or someone who had read Rework, he would choose the person who had read Rework every time!

4. A Shot at History by Abhinav Bindra

Chahal loved learning about Olympic shooter Bindra’s journey. She says that Bindra’s struggle as a sportsperson clearly makes one ponder, and is very inspiring.

5. Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky

She calls this a fascinating and fun read on world history.

6. Peers Inc by Robin Chase

This book is written by the co-founder of ZipCar, the world’s largest car sharing business, and Chahal says Chase’s story and insights are very exciting.

7. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

Chahal says this is a must read for anyone obsessed with technology, internet, startups.

Salman Khan’s Khan Academy has revolutionised the way a million children studied math and science in the US by offering interactive free YouTube courses. It has recently launched even in Hindi. Khan started with just a few videos he used to produce for his cousins.

He recommended some books in a Reddit AMA, and seems to enjoy science fiction. Here is a curated list.

1. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkein

2. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

This is another classic, and is frequently on many ‘greatest books of all time’ lists. It follows the story of the iconic 16 year old rebel, Holden Caulfied in 1950s New York.

3. Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

This is a sci-fi classic that follows the story of a brilliant young boy who is recruited to Battle School, a military training program in space, and whose mission is to save the Earth.

I’ve read the book, and would recommend it too. The ending is sure to take you by surprise!