Books That Shaped My Leadership
Curated books that have shaped my journey as a Christian entrepreneur and technology leader. Each selection offers practical wisdom for building extraordinary businesses and purposeful lives.
Wild at Heart
by John Eldredge
Why JB Recommends:
This book completely rewired my understanding of Christian masculinity. Eldredge showed me that God didn't create men to be safe and passive - He created us for adventure, risk, and spiritual battle. Reading this during my tech company days gave me the courage to take bigger risks and lead with authentic strength, knowing that my desire for challenge and conquest wasn't worldly ambition but God-given design.
Key Takeaway:
"Every man needs a battle to fight, an adventure to live, and a beauty to rescue."
The Game Plan for Life
by Joe Gibbs
Why JB Recommends:
A Super Bowl champion coach breaking down the fundamentals of winning at life? I was skeptical until I read it. Gibbs' approach to building championship teams mirrors exactly what Christian men need to build championship lives. His emphasis on preparation, teamwork, and staying focused under pressure became core principles in how I approach both business and family leadership.
Key Takeaway:
"Championship performance requires championship preparation in every area of life."
Mere Christianity
by C.S. Lewis
Why JB Recommends:
Lewis took my scattered thoughts about faith and organized them into unshakeable logic. This isn't just apologetics - it's a masterclass in clear thinking about the most important questions in life. Every time I face doubt or need to articulate my faith to skeptical entrepreneurs, I return to Lewis' brilliant reasoning. Essential reading for any Christian leader who wants to think deeply about what they believe.
Key Takeaway:
"Christianity is not a philosophy but a relationship with the living God who became man."
Play the Man
by Mark Batterson
Why JB Recommends:
Batterson challenges men to stop playing it safe and start playing the man God created us to be. His seven virtues framework gave me a practical roadmap for becoming the leader my family and business needed. This book hit me during a season when I was succeeding financially but failing personally - it showed me how to align my ambition with God's design for authentic manhood.
Key Takeaway:
"Playing the man means living with courage, conviction, and character in every situation."
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality
by Peter Scazzero
Why JB Recommends:
Scazzero shattered my compartmentalized approach to faith and emotions. I thought spiritual maturity meant suppressing feelings and pushing through pain - he showed me that emotional health and spiritual depth are inseparable. This book helped me process years of buried hurt from my adoption story and taught me to lead from a place of authentic wholeness rather than religious performance.
Key Takeaway:
"You cannot be spiritually mature while remaining emotionally immature."
The E-Myth Revisited
by Michael Gerber
Why JB Recommends:
Gerber destroyed every assumption I had about running a business. I thought success meant working harder; he showed me it meant working on systems, not just in the business. This book literally saved my sanity as an entrepreneur and gave me the framework to eventually exit my tech company. If you're drowning in your own business, start here.
Key Takeaway:
"Work ON your business, not just IN your business."
Traction
by Gino Wickman
Why JB Recommends:
The Entrepreneurial Operating System changed everything about how I run organizations. Wickman's tools for vision, data, process, and accountability turned chaotic entrepreneurial energy into predictable business results. I've implemented EOS principles in every venture since reading this - it's the playbook for scaling without losing your mind or your values.
Key Takeaway:
"Vision, Traction, and Healthy leadership teams are the foundation of great businesses."
$100M Offers
by Alex Hormozi
Why JB Recommends:
Hormozi cracked the code on creating offers so compelling that people feel stupid saying no. His framework helped me transform my consulting from hourly billing to value-based packages that actually solve problems. This isn't just about sales - it's about crafting solutions that genuinely serve people while building sustainable businesses.
Key Takeaway:
"The goal is to make offers so good that you feel stupid saying no, and so good that you feel stupid saying yes."
Atomic Habits
by James Clear
Why JB Recommends:
The framework that transformed how I build both personal disciplines and business systems. Clear's 1% better philosophy became the foundation for my 100 Days methodology. This isn't just about habits - it's about becoming the type of person who achieves extraordinary results through small, consistent actions aligned with your identity.
Key Takeaway:
"You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems."
Can't Hurt Me
by David Goggins
Why JB Recommends:
Goggins taught me that my biggest limitations exist between my ears, not in my circumstances. His relentless pursuit of mental toughness showed me what's possible when you stop making excuses and start embracing discomfort. Reading this during my transition from tech entrepreneur to kingdom builder gave me the mental fortitude to pursue purpose over easy money.
Key Takeaway:
"The only way to grow is to put yourself in uncomfortable situations and embrace the suck."
Think and Grow Rich
by Napoleon Hill
Why JB Recommends:
Hill's principles of success thinking laid the foundation for everything I've achieved in business. But more than wealth creation, this book taught me how thoughts become things through persistent, faith-backed action. The chapter on organized planning became my blueprint for systematic achievement in every area of life.
Key Takeaway:
"Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve."
The Power of Now
by Eckhart Tolle
Why JB Recommends:
Tolle revolutionized how I approach presence and awareness in leadership. His insights on living in the present moment transformed my effectiveness as both an entrepreneur and father. This book taught me that true power comes from being fully present to what's happening now, not anxiously planning the future or replaying the past.
Key Takeaway:
"The present moment is the only time over which we have dominion."
Man's Search for Meaning
by Viktor Frankl
Why JB Recommends:
Frankl's insights from surviving the concentration camps changed my entire perspective on suffering and purpose. He proved that meaning, not happiness, is what makes life worth living. This book anchored my transition from building businesses for profit to building businesses for kingdom impact - showing me that purpose can transform any circumstance.
Key Takeaway:
"Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the freedom to choose one's attitude in any given circumstances."
The Miracle Morning
by Hal Elrod
Why JB Recommends:
Elrod's SAVERS routine became the foundation of my daily spiritual and personal development practice. His framework for morning routines gave me the structure to consistently invest in silence, affirmations, visualization, exercise, reading, and scribing. This book turned my mornings from rushed chaos into intentional preparation for excellence.
Key Takeaway:
"How you wake up each day and your morning routine dramatically affects your levels of success in every area of your life."
Automate This
by Christopher Steiner
Why JB Recommends:
Steiner opened my eyes to the massive automation revolution that most entrepreneurs are missing. His insights into how algorithms and automation are reshaping every industry became the foundation for my n8n consulting practice. This book shows you how to think about automation as a strategic advantage, not just a productivity hack.
Key Takeaway:
"The future belongs to those who can harness automation to amplify human potential."
How to Win Friends and Influence People
by Dale Carnegie
Why JB Recommends:
Carnegie's timeless principles of human relations became the foundation for every successful business relationship I've built. In a world of digital communication, his insights on genuine interest, listening, and making people feel important are more valuable than ever. This book taught me that technical skills get you in the door, but people skills determine your success.
Key Takeaway:
"You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you."
Join the Crown&Compass Community
Connect with like-minded men who love books and are committed to enriching their lives through weekly discussions. Share insights, discover new perspectives, and grow together through the power of great literature and brotherhood.