The One Who Reads, Wins. 

I was never the academic sort, but I was always curious and enjoyed learning. Books were a big part of my growing up. My parents were readers, especially my mother. She made sure I got my first public library card at six, and I was blessed to be at an elementary school that had its own well-stocked and cared-for library. I was always checking out the maximum number of books at both.

Reading through high school opened up the world to me and helped me make sense of it. I read the classics and plenty of biographies, history, and social commentary. I wanted to learn about the past and understand the present.

I stepped from my high school graduation right into 50-hour work weeks, thinking I could get around to college later. I eventually tried college in the evenings and survived 10 weeks, still the extent of my higher education. In the meantime, I was embracing the opportunity to be part of a small and growing two-family business where eventually I would become CEO and lead a manufacturing company employing 850 people.

How do you do that without an MBA? I compensated in a couple of ways. One, I took every opportunity available to spend time in and around other companies and ask questions; and two, I read a lot of books. I added as many good books on business and leadership as I could to my ongoing interests in history, religion, sociology, and current events.

No doubt I would have benefited during my business career if I had invested the time in getting an MBA, but that in no way could have replaced all the reading. It’s an edge and an education available to every person who will invest the time. But where does one start?

Answering that question specifically, for those thinking about entrepreneurship in the way we do at the Agathe Center for Entrepreneurship, has led us to begin the process of developing an annotated bibliography. It will contain the books that we keep coming back to — in coaching sessions, in seminars, and in conversations with aspiring entrepreneurs looking to build something that matters and is worth the effort it demands. We expect to introduce it to you in one of our next newsletters.

But hopefully, you’re already reading and deeply benefiting from it. Keep going.

Truly, the one who reads, wins.

Ralph