Zero to One by Peter Thiel
A must-read that challenges founders to build something truly new instead of competing in crowded markets. Encourages bold thinking, long-term strategy, and belief in original ideas.
The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz
A raw and practical book about surviving the realities of building a startup. Offers reassurance, mindset tools, and concrete lessons from a founder who’s lived through it.
Y Combinator Library
A free and respected collection of startup guides, founder stories, tactical advice, and launch strategies from the startup accelerator behind Airbnb, Stripe, and Dropbox.
Founders at Work by Jessica Livingston
Candid interviews with iconic startup founders like Steve Wozniak (Apple) and Max Levchin (PayPal), showing the real and messy journey behind major companies. Makes success feel human and achievable.
Strategyzer’s Business Model Canvas
A simple but powerful visual tool for organizing a startup idea into a full business model. Makes the process of “how to actually start” feel clear and manageable.
The Almanack of Naval Ravikant
A deeply reflective book on building wealth, thinking clearly, and designing a life through leverage and ownership. Highly inspirational for founders who want more than just a business.
Microsoft Power Automate
Automation platform that integrates with Microsoft 365 and hundreds of third-party tools. Helps startups automate business processes and improve workflow efficiency.
Good to Great by Jim Collins
Widely respected business book that explains how companies achieve lasting success through disciplined leadership and smart operational focus.
The Lean Product Playbook by Dan Olsen
Essential reading for founders building their first product. Walks you through finding product-market fit, iterating features, and using customer feedback strategically.
Maker’s Row
A U.S.-based platform for finding trusted manufacturers for apparel, furniture, and accessories. Strong vetting and startup-friendly supplier tools.
StartProto
Streamlines in-house manufacturing workflows for hardware startups. Built specifically for makers moving from prototype to production at a small scale.
Y Cobinator Pitch Deck Design
A clean, proven structure for startup pitch decks used by hundreds of successful YC companies. Breaks down the design and what to include.
DocSend by Dropbox
Securely share your pitch deck with potential investors and track which pages they view and for how long. Helps you improve your pitch and follow up more effectively.