Across 19 episodes of Table Talk, we asked guests and business family leaders what books shaped their journey? Their answers ranged from operations classics to unexpected picks on mental health and ancient wisdom. Here's our countdown of 15 essential reads for business families this winter.
#15 The Goal by Eliyahu Goldratt
Rohit Gupta (Rohit Group) calls it foundational: "It's such an easy read, but it's so foundational to how one can look at businesses."
#14 Traction by Gino Wickman
The EOS system has fans at Poppy Barley, ServiceMASTER Restore, and Sunco Communications. Kevin Miller, second generation owner and manager at ServiceMASTER notes it moved them from "responding to fires" to building real planning rhythms with team meetings.
#13 Scaling Up by Verne Harnish (and its predecessor, Rockefeller Habits)
Sarah Baptiste of ArrKann Trailer & RV calls it "mind-blowing," but what made the difference was how she used it with her whole team. The book transformed strategic planning to executable weekly actions because it was a shared commitment with built-in accountability.
#12 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing by Al Ries & Jack Trout
Lindsay Dodd of Cashco Financial credits it with his most valuable business insight: "Own your category, become synonymous with it."
#11 Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
Recommended by Tim Latimer of Cashco who used it to "build a mission statement" early in his career, and Geoff Badger of Badger Investment Group.
#10 Setting the Table by Danny Meyer
Teresa Spinelli of Italian Centre Shop values its people focus: "It was really about including your team and considering them—they're your only asset"
#9 The Foundation by Joel Fleishman
Malcolm Burrows of Aqueduct Foundation recommends this critical look at what philanthropic foundations could do better. Essential reading for families thinking about charitable structures and giving strategies.
#8 Legacy by James Kerr
Franco Lombardo of Veritage calls it "the best leadership book I've read in 20 years." It draws lessons from New Zealand's All Blacks rugby team, which has maintained an 80%+ winning record for 25 years through 15 guiding principles.
#7 Every Family's Business by Tom Deans
Still selling 50,000+ copies annually after 15 years. Deans challenges families to consider whether children should purchase the business at market value rather than receive it as a gift.
#6 The Bhagavad Gita
Rohit Gupta calls this ancient Hindu text "transformational" for leadership: "It has foundational philosophical discussions about how to make decisions. Sometimes you have to do things that are not popular, but they're necessary evils."
#5 Prediction Machines by Ajay Agrawal, Joshua Gans & Avi Goldfarb
Dr. Vikas Mehrotra, Dean of the Alberta School of Business, recommends this read for understanding AI's impact on business decisions.
#4 Psychedelic Medicine by Richard Louis Miller
Ryan Collins of Collins Steel recommends this for its perspective on mental health and the history of psychiatric treatment—a topic more business families are discussing openly.
#3 The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz
Justine Barber of Poppy Barley calls it "my therapy book" for navigating layoffs, turnarounds, and rough patches: "I always go back to that when I'm in a rough period with the company."
#2 Good to Great by Jim Collins
The most frequently mentioned book across our 19 episodes, recommended by VETS Group, Poppy Barley, Italian Centre Shop, and Scandinavian Building Services. Kendall Barber captures why it endures: "Every time I feel stuck in the company, I go back and read Good to Great." Built to Last and Great by Choice were also recommended.
#1 Lost Connections by Johann Hari
Geoff Badger of Badger Investment Group, ABFI’s Signature Event Legacy Partner, grew emotional sharing his recommendation: "…my brother took his own life about eight years ago now…our family, like many, has had a long history of dealing with addiction and mental health... I was reading the book when my brother passed away, unfortunately, and I wish I'd brought it 10 years before." Geoff sends copies to families in his network facing similar struggles. That was his number one book recommendation and it is ours for 2025 too.
Watch the full Table Talk episodes on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts to hear these leaders share their complete stories.
Table Talk returns in 2026 with new conversations featuring business family leaders. Know a family business with a story worth sharing? Want to join us at the table? Reach out to ABFI for more.
