The leaders who compound their advantage year over year are almost universally readers. Summer — with its slightly slower pace and longer days — is the ideal season to invest in your intellectual development.

Business and Strategy

'The Innovator's Dilemma' by Clayton Christensen — The foundational text on why great companies fail and how to build organizations that disrupt rather than get disrupted.

'Good to Great' by Jim Collins — The research-backed case for what separates truly great companies from merely good ones. The Level 5 Leadership concept alone is worth the read.

'Zero to One' by Peter Thiel — A contrarian but essential perspective on what it takes to build genuinely innovative companies.

Leadership and Mindset

'Mindset' by Carol Dweck — The science of how a growth mindset transforms performance. Required reading for every leader developing others.

'The Memo' by Minda Harts — The essential guide for women of color navigating the corporate world. Honest, practical, and empowering.

Wealth and Finance

'The Millionaire Next Door' — A counterintuitive study of how real wealth is built through discipline, not display.

'Rich Dad Poor Dad' — The classic that reframes the relationship between assets, liabilities, and financial freedom.

Black Leadership and History

'The Color of Money' by Mehrsa Baradaran — A masterful history of the racial wealth gap and its structural roots. Essential context for every Black business leader.

This Summer's Challenge

Pick three books from this list. Read them before Labor Day. Journal one insight from each that you will apply to your leadership or business.