27 Leaders and Experts You Should Follow to Help Build Your Business on the Side Check out these books, podcasts and video series if you want to turn your side hustle into a major business.
By Ahmed Safwan •
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
It's not easy to build a business on the side, and you don't have a lot of time to for trial and error or taking care of mistakes. That's why the best thing you can do is to learn from the best.
These are the people who helped me build my business on the side while studying dentistry, and I'm sure that they can teach you a thing or two about building a business on the side.
Angela Duckworth
Simply put, if you want to have the stamina to be able to work late nights and get your side business to work, you need grit. To help, check out her 2016 book Grit, or her Ted Talk.
Brendon Burchard
Having written several bestsellers, Brendon is one of the first few people I started to follow on social media. His book, The Motivation Manifesto, was like the fire that fueled my motivation to start making a change in my life, and his YouTube channel adds value, too.
Tim Ferriss
If you want to learn how to take less time to build your business, check out Ferriss's book, 4-Hour Work Week, and his podcast.
Related: He Went From Dead Broke to Millionaire Because He Just Wouldn't Stop Trying
Jordan Harbinger
The host of The Art of Charm, a leading self-improvement podcast, can teach you how to be a better person and power your blog.
John Maxwell
John Maxwell is a known leader for leaders. He's written many popular books, but Make Today Count particularly made a huge difference in my life.
Tom Rath
Rath is one of my top favorite authors, and his best selling book, Are You Fully Charged, made me think a lot about my personal interactions and the meaning of my life. Plus, it's a short, easy-to-read book.
Related: 11 Habits of Truly Happy People
Tony Robbins
You can start by checking out his Personal Power audio program and his book, Awaken the Giant Within, but everything he's made has affected my life.
Simon Sinek
Sinek's book, Start With Why, not only helped me with the marketing part of my business, but it helped me think more about my life and why the reason for something is an essential driver for success.
You can also check out his Ted talk here.
Lewis Howes
Howes is the host of The School of Greatness, the podcast, and author of The School of Greatness, one of my top 5 all-time favorite books. I encourage you to read the book and have his podcasts on your phone so you can listen to them while commuting.
Related: 8 Reasons a Powerful Personal Brand Will Make You Successful
Pat Flynn
Flynn's Smart Passive Income Podcast was one of the first podcasts I ever listened to, and it's what got me into podcasting. I love his way of getting deep with the guests while still keeping the beginners in mind.
Hal Elrod
Elrod is the author of The Miracle Morning, and I didn't have a morning routine till I read this book. My morning routine now, though, is a major part of my success.
Seth Godin
Godin is one of the top brains in the modern marketing world and the author of many popular books, like The Purple Cow.
One of my favorite Godin books is The Dip, which is about why quitting is the best strategy to get more done in life. I think it's essential to help you build your business on the side.
Related: Habits of the World's Wealthiest People (Infographic)
Brian Tracy
Tracy is the author of Eat That Frog, and he has great strategies for actually getting important stuff accomplished, not just feeling busy.
Gary Vaynerchuk
In addition to having a few books, Vaynerchuk hustles more than anyone and encourages you to do the same. He is one of the top people who inspired me when I was going through some hard times.
I watch at least one Vaynerchuk video every day. Check out his channel here.
Robert Kiyosaki
Kiyosaki is the author of the popular personal finance book, Rich Dad Poor Dad. He sums up what you need to know about money so it works for you instead of the other way around.
Related: A Look at the Demanding Schedule of Elon Musk, Who Works in 5-Minute Slots, Skips Breakfast and Avoids Emails
Tai Lopez
Lopez's Ted Talk is about why he reads a book every day, and he's the reason why I read a lot of books. He shares a lot of golden nuggets on YouTube.
Chris Ducker
Ducker is the author of the bestseller Virtual Freedom, one of the first few books that I read that changed my life forever. I was doing everything myself, and when I tried to hire people, it didn't go well. This man taught me how to do it the right way. His podcast is one of my favorites, too.
Chris Guillebeau
Guillebeau is the author of The $100 Startup and two other great books, but the best thing about him is that he made a living while traveling the world. His business was a part-time thing.
His podcast, Side Hustle School, is perfect for anyone trying to build a business on the side.
Related: 8 Hugely Successful People Who Didn't Graduate College
Jeff Olsen
If you are limited on time but want to have a successful life, you need to read Olsen's Slight Edge. It will help you meet your goals with consistent action and without stressing out.
Steven Pressfield
An author of many popular fiction and non-fiction books, Pressfield's The War of Art and Do the Work are essential to help you build your business on the side.
Brian P. Moran
Moran is the author of The 12 Week Year. If you want to get more done in 12 weeks than most people do in a whole year, this book is for you.
Related: Do These 50 Things Regularly and You'll Become a Better Entrepreneur
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
At the time of writing this post, I'm nearly finished with Csikszentmihalyi's book, Flow, and if you want to learn how to have the best experiences and enjoy your life while working, this book is for you.
Cal Newport
Newport's book, Deep Work, is your best weapon and resource for getting work done to grow your best business on the side.
Neil Patel
Being a hard worker and founder of many startups like Crazy Egg and Kissmetrics, Patel has a lot to share about building a successful business. Check out his book, Hustle, and his blog QuickSprout.
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Related: How 5 Entrepreneurs With Household Names Turned Failing Businesses Into Successes
Michael Hyatt
Michael is known as a mentor of leaders. His course, Best Year Ever, was one of the best investments I've made in my life. Also, his podcast is great, and I'm excited for the next season.
Marie Forleo
For me, Marie TV is the best show ever. You need to start watching it ASAP.
John Lee Dumas
I saved the best for last. Dumas is the host of the popular Entrepreneur On Fire podcast, which focuses on real-life success stories.
His Freedom Journal was a huge life-saver for me last year, and it's an easy way to apply the three-tier planning process I shared here.
