Here is our list of the best Australian business books.
Australian business books are guides by Australian authors on succeeding in business in and outside the country. The books offer strategies professionals and entrepreneurs can use to grow their careers and business. Examples include Future Fit by Andrea Clark and Real Communication by Gabrielle Dolan. Australian business books aim to provide entrepreneurs with financial, leadership, and strategic advice.
These books are international business books, similar to Canadian business books and British business books. Reading these publications can help business leaders learn more about good leadership qualities, useful DEI tips, and the benefits of team building activities.
This list includes:
- Australian business management books
- Australian business textbooks
- business books by Australian authors
Let’s get started!
List of Australian business books
From Get Invested to Real Communication, here are the top business books by Australian authors.
1. Future Fit: How to Stay Relevant and Competitive in the Future of Work by Andrea Clarke
Andrea Clarke is an award-winning author, a former Washington DC news reporter, and an EdTech pioneer. In Future Fit, Clarke addresses the ever-changing nature of work in the technology age. This book details how to stay ahead of the curve in a rapidly shifting landscape. In addition, the author shares practical insights for upgrading your skills and remaining competitive. Her goal is to help you stay future fit at every point of your career.
Clarke highlights eight essential skills to stay competitive in the workplace, including:
- reputation capital
- adaptability
- communication
- networking
- creativity
- problem-solving
- leadership
- learning
Mastering these skills will give you a consistent advantage over competing peers. To train emerging leaders on these core skills, Clarke founded the FutureFitCo and the Future Fit Digital Program. Future Fit won the Best Book of the Year in the 2019 Australian business book awards.
Notable quote: “Embracing change is critical to future success. It’s important to be adaptable, resilient, and open to new ideas and opportunities.”
Get Future Fit.
2. The Way of the Spiritual Entrepreneur: The 7 Secrets to Becoming Fearless, Stress Free and Unshakable in Business and in Life by Pauline Nguyen
The Way of the Spiritual Entrepreneur is a mix of science and spirituality. Pauline Nguyen believes business leaders can have wealth, fulfillment, and joy. She outlines tools and strategies to help business leaders lead with better results.
The book has three sections. The mind section deals with the mindsets entrepreneurs should adopt in their businesses. In the body section, Nguyen offers wellness and nutritional advice for maximal performance. She states you need to be healthy to run a business. Finally, in the spirit section, she explains the importance of purpose in running a business.
Nguyen is one of Australia’s most successful entrepreneurs. She is a sought-after speaker and runs the most-awarded Vietnamese restaurant in the world. The Way of the Spiritual Entrepreneur is her second book. Nguyen has won the Australian Telstra Business Award for medium business.
Notable quote: “Pain is inevitable, but suffering is a choice, and not having the freedom to let go is miserable.”
Get The Way of the Spiritual Entrepreneur.
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3. Get Invested: Do You Want to Live More or Less? by Bushy Martin
Published in 2019, Get Invested is an investment workbook for professionals and businesspeople. In the five-chapter resource, Bushy Martin challenges the reader to embrace tedious mental tasks. The author talks about the power of investment as a tool to break free from poverty and Australia’s worrisome ever-increasing homelessness rate.
This book also details why professionals need to invest and when to begin. You will learn what to invest in and how to secure your future. Get Invested breaks down many high-level investment strategies into digestible bits for beginners.
Martin is one of Australia’s top ten property specialists. He is the famed investment guru who transformed his family fortune in two decades and built a sizable international investment portfolio. He has also helped about 2,000 Australian professionals own properties. Additionally, Martin’s teachings have helped 1,700 Australians build an investment portfolio worth over $600 million.
Notable quote: “Life is too short to waste on worrying about things we can’t control, waiting for opportunities to come our way, or living a life that is less than the one we desire.”
Buy Get Invested.
4. Head and Heart: The Art of Modern Leadership by Kirstin Ferguson
Head and Heart is a practical guide to leadership at all levels. Kirstin Ferguson believes that head and heart integration impacts how we lead others. Business leaders operate in complex environments and need to navigate them well. Head and Heart combines Ferguson’s over three-decade experience with the latest research. Her conversations with industry leaders make the book an eye-opening resource with valuable data.
Ferguson has a Ph.D. in leadership and culture with another degree in law and history. She is a business leader and coach and a routine keynote speaker. Ferguson headed the Royal Australian Air Force and Broadcasting Corporation and is an adjunct professor and a Winston Churchill fellow.
Notable quote: “To be an effective leader, you need to have a clear vision and communicate it in a way that inspires and motivates others to work towards it.”
Get Head and Heart.
5. The Act of Leadership: A Playbook for Leading with Humility, Clarity, and Purpose by Dan Haesler
In The Act of Leadership, you will learn techniques and habits to help you thrive in business. Dan Haesler combines real-world examples with research findings to help you understand yourself. The author’s incisive teaching techniques make complex leadership concepts easy to understand. Many leaders know what to do but cannot figure out how. This Australian business textbook walks you through the process of becoming an admirable leader.
Haesler guides you in determining the kind of leader you want to be. The book also reveals how to get the best out of yourself and your team. You will learn to engage your team in productive conversations, keeping members accountable. Through the discussions, you will realize better ways to improve business goals.
Haesler is an acclaimed leadership and performance coach. He has worked with professional athletes and Olympic world champions. Haesler also consults for corporate and educational leaders.
Notable quote: “Leadership is not about being the boss. It’s about creating an environment where people can do their best work.”
6. Someone Has to Be the Most Expensive: Why Not Make It You? by Andrew Griffiths
Someone Has to Be the Most Expensive is a must-have material for entrepreneurs. Many entrepreneurs and business leaders need help with pricing their products and services. Pricing is pivotal in revenue generation, and business leaders cannot afford to get pricing wrong.
In Someone Has to Be the Most Expensive, Andrew Griffiths states that you must be the best to charge the highest. He notes that pricing the least is a terrible business strategy. He challenges your pricing approach, giving you tips for accurate positioning. You will learn how to assess economic conditions and your business acumen.
Griffiths has over 35 years of entrepreneurship experience. The author is a global speaker who helps build businesses to significance. Griffiths is Australia’s number-one author on small businesses. He has 13 bestselling business books sold in 65 countries. Inc.com, CBS Interactive, and Sky News Business have featured Griffiths.
Notable quote: “Price is only an issue in the absence of value. If you can provide exceptional value, then the price becomes far less important.”
Get Someone Has to Be the Most Expensive.
7. Million Dollar Micro Business: How to Turn Your Expertise into a Digital Online Course by Tina Tower
Million Dollar Micro Business shows you how to set up an education business. You will learn proven steps to create and grow a digital course into a seven-figure venture.
Million Dollar Micro Business teaches you how to:
- identify what you know
- develop ideas for the course material
- build your learning website
Tina Tower will walk you through marketing and scaling your course through automation. The principles of Million Dollar Micro Business apply to entrepreneurs and employees. You can apply what you learn while working in an organization.
Tower is a serial entrepreneur who has founded successful businesses and franchises. She uses this experience to train hundreds of professionals. She aims to help 100 women build a company that makes one million dollars annually.
Notable quote: “To create a successful online course, you need to start with a clear understanding of your target audience and their needs.”
Get Million Dollar Micro Business.
8. Urgent!: Strategies to Control Urgency, Reduce Stress and Increase Productivity by Dermot Crowley
In Urgent!, Dermot Crowley differentiates between destructive and constructive urgency. The lack of urgency in an organization can lead to a drop in productivity. On the other hand, urgency helps you work faster but can also cause stress and burnout.
Leaders tend to be reactive to stress instead of being proactive. Crowley urges business leaders to operate with moderate urgency. He notes that being proactive prevents burnout. This book will teach you how to energize your team, drive success, and achieve your goals.
Crowley is a foremost thought leader in productivity. He started in 2002 and has worked with hundreds of companies to build lasting structures. He founded Adapt Training Solutions to help organizations to manage time and goals.
Notable quote: “The key to reducing stress and increasing productivity is to have a clear vision of what we want to achieve and a plan for how to get there.”
Get Urgent!
9. How to Organize & Operate A Small Business in Australia: How to Turn Ideas into Success – from Australia’s Leading Small Business Writer by John W. English
How to Organize & Operate a Small Business in Australia is one of the top Australian business textbooks.
The author explores how to:
- identify viable business opportunities
- scale a business
- leverage export possibilities
How to Organize & Operate a Small Business in Australia suits entrepreneurs who want to start a company. Experienced business owners will also get new insights into scaling their firms. The book presents practical first-hand experiences with exceptional clarity.
John English is an author and associate professor at the University of Tasmania. He has founded and managed many businesses and published 26 books on the small business industry.
Notable quote: “To operate a successful small business, you need to have a solid plan that outlines your goals, strategies, and tactics.”
Get How to Organize & Operate A Small Business in Australia.
10. From Hire to Fire and Everything In Between: Managing the Employee Life Cycle – Hire, Manage, Well Being & Exit by Natasha Hawker
From Hire to Fire and Everything In Between explains the dynamics of employee management. The book is one of the must-read Australian business management books for Australian business owners. You will understand how to build your team, maximize human resources, and manage output. The resource will also teach you how to navigate human resources issues to avoid legal infractions. In addition, Natasha Hawker outlines principles to help you prevent bullying and sexual harassment.
The book shares Hawker’s 9-Step Employee Life Cycle. This cycle reveals the basic principles in human resources for seamless employee management.
Hawker is an Australian employment expert and author. She has worked in employee relations for 25 years, with a 12-year stint at Accenture. Hawker aims to help business leaders hire and lead effective teams.
Notable quote: “To hire the right people for your business, you need to have a clear understanding of your company culture, values, and goals.”
Get From Hire to Fire and Everything In Between.
11. Real Communication: How to Be You and Lead True by Gabrielle Dolan
Many employers need help communicating with employees and clients. Real Communication demonstrates why employers must overcome such communication apathy. Gabrielle Dolan emphasizes that transparency and authenticity are increasing in demand. You will learn to communicate in a way that feels authentic to your business. Proper business communication helps business leaders connect with customers and employees. The book shows how to communicate better, improve engagement, and manage organizational changes.
Dolan is an expert in leadership and business storytelling. She is one of Australia’s top speakers and trainers in business storytelling. With over five business books, Dolan shares her wealth of experience in brand storytelling.
Notable quote: “Real communication is about being authentic and genuine in your interactions with others.”
Get Real Communication.
12. Negotiate Your Worth: Become a Powerful Business Negotiator by Discovering the Characteristics You Share with Aussie Animals by Sam Trattles
Negotiation is an essential skill every business owner requires to succeed. Many business owners lack the know-how and confidence to negotiate their worth. Sam Trattles explores eight characteristics that can make you a master business negotiator.
The book has a self-assessment tool to determine your negotiation skills. In addition, the practical exercises and negotiation toolkit will help boost your confidence.
Trattle has had a successful marketing career in Australia and the UK. She acted in senior roles in multinational companies and has negotiated deals worth over $500 million. She approaches business negotiations strategically and pragmatically.
Notable quote: “Negotiation is not just about getting what you want. It’s about finding a mutually beneficial solution that satisfies all parties involved.”
Get Negotiate Your Worth.
13. Killer Thinking: How to Turn Good Ideas into Brilliant Ones by Tim Duggan
Killer Thinking challenges you to develop your mind to recognize and create great ideas. The book outlines a simple technique for identifying ideas worth pursuing based on the author’s K.I.L.L.E.R. framework. Rightfully, the author posits that many facets of life and business need fresh ideas. He suggests that you can learn to identify and turn good ideas into brilliant ones by mastering creativity. Understanding what makes an idea good is crucial.
Hence, Tim Duggan argues that great ideas have the following attributes:
- kind
- impactful
- loved
- lasting
- easy
- repeatable
Beyond identifying great ideas, business leaders must also learn to develop and execute them well. Thankfully, both skills are teachable.
Tim Duggan explains the eight steps to integrate killer thinking into your life. Killer Thinking offers 13 exercises for greater efficiency in business and everyday life.
Duggan is an entrepreneur and author who resides in Sydney. He has cofounded many digital ventures. In his first book, Duggan discussed how business leaders could make their businesses loved by all. He sits on the Griffin Theatre and the Australian Digital Publishers Alliance boards.
Notable quote: “The best ideas often come from combining seemingly unrelated concepts and perspectives.”
Get Killer Thinking.
14. Four Voices: Managing Love, Loyalty, Family Wealth and Succession through the Generations by John Vamos
Four Voices discusses the sustainability of family businesses from one generation to another. Experts say that most family businesses would fail by the third generation. John Vamos brings a refreshing perspective by offering a comprehensive solution to this disorder.
For a business to be sustainable across generations, Four Voices pays attention to the following:
- what the business needs
- what the individual family members need
- what the general family needs
- what the community needs
Answering the above questions helps you balance between family and business. The answers will also put governance and stewardship in place.
Vamos has worked with top business dynasties in Australia with experience in family wealth and succession. After 35 years of experience in the industry, Vamos operates as the father of business coaching. He has worked as a strategic facilitator for Australia’s top 200 companies.
Notable quote: “Without trust, there can be no collaboration, no innovation, and no growth.”
Get Four Voices.
15. Service Habits: 21 Habits to Transform Your Service Culture by Jaquie Scammell
Service Habits reminds leaders of why they must build lasting relationships. Excellent communication is a crucial part of your organizational systems and strategies. Service Habits will teach you to be an empathetic, communicative leader and a great decision-maker. You will learn to be a better listener while upholding your company’s values. The book’s principles are the results of thorough research and proven practices.
Jaquie Scammel trains business leaders and employees on achieving effortless engagements. She has worked with thousands of leading Australian companies across various industries. Her company, ServiceQ, caters to organizations in healthcare, finance, and retail organizations. Scammell has over two decades of experience helping companies build sustainable cultures.
Notable quote: “Service is not a one-time event. It’s an ongoing process. It requires continuous improvement and a commitment to excellence.”
Get Service Habits.
16. The Barefoot Investor: The Only Money Guide You’ll Ever Need by Scott Pape
The Barefoot Investor is a highly regarded personal finance book. First published in 2016, this book has undergone some revisions to keep up with the changing clime of the finance world.
Scott Pape’s book offers readers a detailed guide to organizing their finances and building wealth.
This financial guide covers various aspects of personal finance, including:
- budgeting
- saving
- investing
- reducing debt
The author simplifies complex financial concepts for readers. This easy-to-understand style makes the book accessible to a wide range of readers. Pape also provides practical and relatable recommendations for readers.
The Barefoot Investor is a bestseller in Australia. The book has a global rating of 4.8/5 from over 7,300 reviews on Amazon, where it is the number one bestseller in professional accounting books. The book is ideal for businesspeople and investors.
Notable quote: “If you try to do a million things, you’ll do none.”
17. Small Business For Dummies – Australia & New Zealand by Veechi Curtis
Small Business for Dummies is perfect for first-time entrepreneurs. The book walks you through how to start your company with a business plan in place. You will also learn how to develop a marketing plan and establish an online presence. This resource teaches you how to create a business blueprint that guarantees success in Australia and New Zealand. The book also helps you identify your unique selling point to attract customers.
The book has chapters for retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers. Veechi Curtis helps you identify your dream customers and what customers expect. You will also learn how to recruit the right employees for your organization.
Veechi Curtis is an accountant, journalist, and consultant who works with small businesses. She helps emerging companies leverage technology and manage their finances better.
Notable quote: “Success in small business requires a combination of hard work, dedication, and a willingness to take calculated risks.”
Get Small Business For Dummies – Australia & New Zealand.
18. Right Seat Right Table: An Outsider’s Guide to Securing the Ideal Board Role by Paul Smith
Right Seat Right Table discusses the changes happening in top leadership positions. Boardrooms have become less mysterious and are transparent and digitized.
Paul Smith outlines the practical steps to secure your ideal board role. You will learn from impactful board members how to optimize for your industry. The book also teaches you how leaders think and how to be effective and efficient.
Smith is a business expert and trainer. His journey in corporate governance started early, and he has chaired many boards. He founded the Future Directors Institute to empower and turn professionals into leaders.
Notable quote: “Networking is critical to securing a board role.”
Get the Right Seat, Right Table.
19. Leadership Hacks: Clever Shortcuts to Boost Your Impact and Results by Scott Stein
Evolving trends in business demand more responsibility and accountability from business leaders. Yet, these leaders still struggle with familiar issues such as competition, deadlines, and the changing environment. Leadership Hacks teaches you how to stop struggling with schedules and deliveries. The book provides tactics to help you deliver results despite raging distractions. You will identify the major bumps in your operations and streamline your processes for better results.
Leadership Hacks‘ principles apply to your team, organizations, and personal life. Scott Stein explains how to harness technology for effective communication and delegation. Leadership Hacks is easy to read and can fast-track your productivity.
Stein is an expert in leadership training. He has trained thousands of leaders to integrate effective growth strategies. Additionally, he has worked with global brands and agencies at all levels of interaction.
Notable quote: “Continuous learning is key to effective leadership.”
Get Leadership Hacks.
Conclusion
The principles in Australian business books apply to global entrepreneurs and leaders. The books cover entrepreneurship and how to build a business from scratch. If you are already a business owner, then you will learn how to hire, generate revenue, and scale. Professionals can also use the insights to grow their careers and generate winning ideas.
Many Australian business authors are also acclaimed speakers and business coaches. These authors mostly draw from years of expertise in specific fields and industries. With stories and examples drawn from real-life scenarios, you will gain actionable insights into building a successful business in Australia and beyond.
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