A goldmine of useful ideas and helpful explanations. Every entrepreneur should own a copy.
James Clear, bestselling author, Atomic Habits
Josh has done more for my business education than my MBA. The Personal MBA walks you through the mental models you need to excel in business. A lifetime of business knowledge in one volume.
Shane Parrish, founder of Farnam Street (fs.blog) and host of The Knowledge Project podcast
The Personal MBA is the single best business book I've read. Most books focus on a single part of business in isolation, but The Personal MBA walks you through every moving part, and gives you the tools to understand how those parts work together to create a complete system.
Amy Hoy, founder of Noko and Stacking the Bricks
The only business book I recommend. Josh somehow condenses an entire library of crucial knowledge into a short book that's eminently readable, so you can spend less time reading and more time building your business. It's perfect for both providing an overview and serving as a reference. I revisit The Personal MBA more than any other book on my shelf.
Courtland Allen, co-founder of Indiehackers.com
I read The Personal MBA cover to cover when it was first released and it had a major impact on how I view business. It s incredible how Josh was able to distill hundreds of books and hundreds of years of business knowledge into this succinct and elegant tome."
Rob Walling, co-founder of MicroConf and bestselling author, Start Small, Stay Small
10 years ago, I got an MBA education courtesy of Kaufman's book. His practical business insights and mindset techniques haven't let me down since. The Personal MBA is the most distilled, most accelerated MBA on the planet: all of the insights, none of the ego.
Joanna Wiebe, founder of Copyhackers
My well-worn copy of The Personal MBA has been sitting within arm s reach by my desk for the better part of the past decade. Since starting and growing my own business, this book has been my go-to manual for insights, clarity, and wisdom that I never learned in school.
Shawn Blanc, founder of The Sweet Setup and The Focus Course
Ten years after reading The Personal MBA, I still refer to it often and use it to make better decisions. Whether it s building a business plan to launch my writing studio, planning my day, or taking a systematic approach to identify and solve problems, I can t think of any other book that s had such a positive impact on my overall productivity and enjoyment of life.
Daniel Joshua Rubin, playwright and author, 27 Essential Principles of Story
The Personal MBA should be required reading for anyone in business. This book exposed me to ideas, systems, and best practices that I had never been taught anywhere else. Even after ten years, I still reference it on a regular basis. Buy it, read it, then keep it close. It ll be your constant business companion for years to come.
Tim Grahl, author, Running Down a Dream and founder of BookLaunch
"A masterpiece. This is the 'START HERE' book I recommend to everyone interested in business. An amazing overview of everything you need to know. Covers all of the basics, minus buzz-words and fluff. One of the most inspiring things I've read in years."
Derek Sivers, bestselling author, Anything You Want
"No matter what they tell you, an MBA is not essential. If you combine reading this book with actually trying stuff, you'll be far ahead in the business game."
Kevin Kelly, founding executive editor of Wired and bestselling author, The Inevitable
"File this book under NO EXCUSES. After you've read it, you won't be open to people telling you that you're not smart enough, not insightful enough, or not learned enough to do work that matters. Josh takes you on a worthwhile tour of the key ideas in business."
Seth Godin, bestselling author, This Is Marketing
"I've run across few people who conceptually 'grok' how to get things done better than Josh Kaufman."
David Allen, bestselling author, Getting Things Done
I graduated with an MBA in 2005 before I encountered The Personal MBA, but I still felt like I didn t know anything about business. In retrospect, I wish I had read this book before enrolling in an MBA program it would ve helped me be more mindful while completing my degree. Who knows . . . I might have skipped the MBA completely. This is easily the best foundational business book available.
Roger Hui, Technical Account Manager, RedHat, Inc.
I used the mental models in this book to create a profitable business in less than four weeks. Josh quickly dispels many mistaken beliefs about entrepreneurship, and his guidance has made me vastly more productive and successful, and my life more fulfilling.
Evan Deaubl, President and CEO, Tic Tac Code, LLC