Inside the Minds of Founders: The Most Recommended Books of 2025

📖 Growth Capital Podcast — Special Episode (Part 1) 📖

What do today’s founders, operators, and investors actually read when the stakes are high?

In the first part of our special year-end two-part episode of the Growth Capital Podcast, Justin Dixon breaks down the most recommended books of 2025, based on insights shared by private equity leaders, CEOs of PE-backed companies, and startup founders throughout the year.

These aren’t trend-driven picks — they’re battle-tested books that shape how leaders think about:

• Scaling companies
• Building strong teams
• Making hard decisions
• Developing habits that compound
• Navigating uncertainty with clarity

📚 Books featured in this episode:

• The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
• Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss
• Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey Moore
• Who Not How by Dan Sullivan
• Atomic Habits by James Clear
• Good to Great by Jim Collins
• The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni

Whether you’re leading a PE-backed business, building your first startup, or investing in growth-stage companies, this episode offers a practical reading roadmap grounded in real operator experience.

👉 Listen now and let us know in the comments: What book had the biggest impact on you this year?
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