Getting in the moneymaking mindset ain’t easy, but these books for female entrepreneurs sure do help. If you’re looking to take the leap and build a side hustle or go full-time with it, these books are a great place to start.

Original photo by Marten Bjork 

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Now, before we get too far into it, I do want to say that I don’t have the best relationship with capitalism. I’m probably on some government watch list for how many times I checked out The Communist Manifesto from the university library as an undergrad. A lot of my studies revolved around communist and feminist theory, and at parties, I can still wax poetic about art in the age of mechanical reproduction, or the difference between Saussure and Lacan when it comes to signs and signifiers.

I’m a real gem. A super pretentious gem.

Anyway, as with all things in life, I’m late to the proverbial business party, but I’ve found that these books for female entrepreneurs are great for helping me not feel like a capitalist from Orwell’s 1984.

And on a side note, business is one of those things that takes a whole lot, and I’m slowly but surely getting there. On my YouTube channel, I’m sharing 5 good business habits for creative entrepreneurs, and you should definitely check that out too.

Books for Female Entrepreneurs

Playing Big by Tara Mohr

Hello. My name is Marisa, and I like the woo-woo. If you, too, like the woo-woo and are thinking about taking up all the space in this crazy world that is rightfully yours, then may I introduce to you Playing Big. This book talks about spirituality and making the leap and basically doing what you need to do in this life. If you like checking in with your inner mentor, then read this book. This is the book that I continually recommend to female entrepreneurs, and it’s the one that I think is the most encompassing.

(On a weird side note, the book reminds me of the Emperor tarot card in a very good way. So take up space like a mountain and own your business shit, y’all.)

You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero

There has never been a time in my life when I didn’t feel like the punchline. It started out early, when I was the outsider in all things, which made me the punchline. Then, in elementary school, I learned that if I made myself the punchline, I could have “friends.” So, I kept doing that until I was about 31 years old. It’s not great, and it’s taken a lot of time. But if you’re trying to figure out if you’re capable of doing the things that you only think other people are, read this book and see if you are a badass. (Hint: You are.)

Also, my constant belief that I’m an outsider could be because I’m a Libra on the cusp of Scorpio with an Aquarius moon and Scorpio rising. Basically, I’m like Luna Lovegood if Luna Lovegood had a burn book.

You Are a Badass with Money by Jen Sincero

Okay. So. I don’t understand money. Like, I do. I know that you have to have it and I know I get paid with it and I know that you can add and subtract and multiply it. But what I really don’t get is how the value of a dollar is determined and how it fluctuates and all the things that go into it. I don’t understand how my Roth IRA works. I don’t understand why jobs we really need like garbage men make less money than jobs we don’t necessarily need to function in society, like interior designers. (I love interior design. I’m just saying if the garbage men strike, we’re fucked. If the interior designers strike, we keep the ugly-ass couch. IT DOESN’T ADD UP.) This book made me feel empowered with money. And while I don’t think I always spend it right or ever have enough of it, I do think that I’m less intimidated by it. So, that’s a really good start.

The Year of Yes by Shonda Rimes

This book caught me nodding my head over and over. I’m the type of person who says no a lot out of fear and I have a tendency to diminish myself in the name of fitting in. But I liked watching how Rimes dedicated a whole year to saying yes to opportunities and to herself. If you’re the type that likes to drown in overwhelm or hide behind busyness, then this is a good book for you to jump into. It’s a quick read, and Rimes is hella funny.

168 Hours by Laura Vanderkam

Ever feel like you don’t have enough time to start a business? Then you start with this book. I’m a time management and productivity fiend, but if you’re the type of person who has never really analyzed their schedule to see where there may be some more space to do some stuff? Have you ever tracked your time to figure out where you’re losing hours to things that don’t really need to be a part of your life? This book will totally get you there.

Better than Before by Gretchen Rubin

It’s no secret that I’m the queen of habits. I love them. I’m always trying to build them, or break them. And I’ve got a few posts about the ol’ habits and such, like this post on how to build a writing habit, or this post on good writing routines. The thing that makes this book a good one for me is that it talks about personality types and how we build habits. It also gets into why it’s so hard to rebuild a habit. So if you’re trying to build some solid habits around your business and make sure you’re showing up for that consistently, this book is a great way to get there.

The Year of Less by Cait Flanders

I read this on the plane to TravelCon last September, and I really enjoyed it. The book documents how Flanders paid off her debt and secured her dream job at a startup, and eventually left that job to work for herself. It talks about her relationship with money, her mental health, her family, and all the things that we don’t typically think of when we think of business. Her raw openness is what really drew me in, which wasn’t too hard to do since I was a fan of her blog in the past. I don’t know if this book directly translates to business and entrepreneurship. But I do know that it’s great to see someone conquer some demons and move on, which is what I suggest you do before your whole paycheck relies on your hustle game.

What Books Do You Recommend for Female Entrepreneurs?

Is there a book that changed the game for your entrepreneurship journey? What book do you recommend when it comes to money mindset?