The Reads That Helped Me Get Out of My Own Way as a Woman and a Business Owner
People ask me all the time what I read, so I finally pulled my list together in one place. This isn’t every book I own — it’s the ones that actually changed something. How I saw myself, how I ran Stellavate, how I showed up in rooms I used to talk myself out of. I’ve grouped them by what they helped me with, so you can jump to whatever you’re working through right now.
Confidence & Getting Out of My Own Way
These are the books I reach for when the self-doubt gets loud.
Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg was one of the first books that made me feel like my hesitation to take up space wasn’t personal — it was pattern. Naming that pattern was the first step to breaking it.
Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis is blunt in the best way. It’s a reminder that the excuses keeping you small are yours to let go of, whenever you’re ready.
Daring Greatly by Brené Brown taught me that being seen — really seen, imperfections and all — is a business skill, not just a personal one. Clients trust you more, not less, when you drop the armor.
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson is the one I recommend to anyone who’s spreading themselves too thin trying to please every client and every person around them. You can’t build something real if you care about everything equally.
Building and Running the Business
Once the mindset shifted, I needed the operational playbook.
The $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau is proof you don’t need funding or permission to start serving real clients — you just need to start.
Atomic Habits by James Clear is baked into how I run every week now — client check-ins, content, invoicing, all running on small systems instead of relying on willpower alone.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey is the one I return to whenever I’m scattered across too many accounts. Sharpen the axe before you swing it.
The Success Principles by Jack Canfield was the wake-up call that landing clients isn’t about one great pitch — it’s about showing up on the days no one’s watching.
Strategy & Standing Out
Marketing agencies aren’t short on competition. These shaped how Stellavate positions itself.
Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim changed how I pitch — instead of the generic “we do SEO and social” pitch every agency uses, it pushed me to ask what women-owned businesses specifically weren’t getting elsewhere.
Good to Great by Jim Collins gave me the discipline to stop chasing every shiny client and get clear on who I’m actually building this for.
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill is an older read, but the core idea — that clear, specific goals change what you notice and act on — still holds up.
Leadership & Team
The hardest transition wasn’t landing clients. It was becoming someone other people worked for.
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni taught me that trust has to be built on purpose, not assumed just because everyone’s nice.
The Ideal Team Player, also by Lencioni, changed how I hire — humble, hungry, and people-smart beats a flashy portfolio every time.
Developing the Leader Within You 2.0 by John C. Maxwell shifted my definition of success from how much I could personally produce to how many people I could make better.
How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie is decades old and still holds up. Most of business — pitching, retaining clients, leading a team — is just people. You already know how to be good with people.
Creativity & Showing Up as Yourself
Running a design-forward agency means the work itself has to stay honest.
Steal Like an Artist and Show Your Work!, both by Austin Kleon, are the reason I share process, not just polished final products. People don’t just want the finished website — they want to see how it got made.
A Few for the Person, Not the Business Owner
Not everything on my shelf is about work, and I don’t think it should be.
Untamed by Glennon Doyle is about unlearning who you were told to be, full stop — no business angle needed.
The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle is the one I pick up when the to-do list has taken over my whole brain and I need to come back to the present moment.
Where I’d Start
If you only pick up three, make it Lean In for the mindset, The $100 Startup for the push to actually begin, and The Five Dysfunctions of a Team for the day you’re no longer building alone. The rest, you’ll find your way to — the same way I did, one recommendation and one late night at a time.
What book changed something for you? I’d love to hear it.
