The best 29 Growth Hacking books

Growth Hacker Marketing charts a major departure from traditional marketing practices, relying heavily on the use of user data and smart product design. This book illustrates how today’s top technology companies, such as Dropbox and Instagram, have used this strategy to gain millions of users.

• Anyone looking to build a start-up company
• Anyone who works in advertising or marketing industries
• Executives who want to leverage cutting-edge business techniques

Positioning has become one of the most renowned, best-selling books about marketing strategies in the last few decades. It describes a revolutionary marketing concept developed by the authors in the 1970s after it became clear that classic advertising was no longer effective due to an increase in media and competition. Positioning focuses on how to position your product in the market to become an industry leader.

• Anyone who wants to read one of the most influential books on marketing
• Anyone who wants to create and market a product successfully
• Anyone interested in the function of modern advertising and how it’s portrayed to the customer

Brainfluence (2012) explores the unconscious thoughts and motivations that influence our decision-making process, and offers tips and tricks on how savvy marketers can exploit them. By understanding the mechanisms that cause us to buy (or not buy), you can increase your sales while keeping your customers happier.

• Marketers, managers and business owners, as well as those in the nonprofit sector
• People whose jobs depend on making sales
• Anyone interested in how to best get their message across

Build for Change (2014) sheds light on the changing relationships between customers and businesses. By explaining the inner workings of customer loyalty and highlighting the importance of new technological developments, these blinks equip businesses with the tools they need to create a powerful and sustainable customer base.

• Anyone working in a company with direct customer contact
• Businesspeople or CEOs who work together with IT specialists
• Anyone interested in the symbiosis between digitization and customer services

Today, ownership is out. Consumer trends show that more and more consumers want temporary access, not permanent ownership. And within this changing landscape, membership-oriented businesses are king. The Membership Economy (2015) outlines key strategies and tactics based on real-world examples for successfully building a membership organization.

• Business-owners of all stripes
• Leaders and managers who want to attract more members to their company
• Entrepreneurs interested in successfully building a membership-oriented business

We’ve all heard success stories of start-ups attracting millions of users and earning billions of dollars virtually overnight. Startup Growth Engines (2014) shows us what all these companies have in common: a new approach called “growth hacking”. These blinks reveal how your business can use viral marketing techniques, freemium business models and other growth engines to rapidly achieve business success.

• Business students eager to learn more about start-ups
• Aspiring entrepreneurs looking for inspiration
• Business owners hoping to boost growth

Rocket (2015) is an inside look at the success of brands like Starbucks and Victoria’s Secret, whose rapid rise had nothing to do with luck. These blinks share the proven science of brand building that propelled companies like these to such impressive growth and immense success.

• Founders and CEOs looking to grow their small business or start-up
• Young entrepreneurs
• Brand developers and marketers

Value Proposition Design (2014) is a comprehensive guide to designing compelling products and services. Real value comes from empathizing with customers to find out what everyday jobs and tasks they need help with. However, coming up a product that helps customers complete these jobs and tasks is only the beginning.

• Aspiring or current entrepreneurs
• Anyone interested in innovation and value creation

Hacking Growth (2017) provides online business owners with a game plan for taking their company to the next level. Sean Ellis and Morgan Brown give readers a step-by-step guide through a dynamic and endlessly repeatable process that will spark growth and transform any sluggish business into a vibrant, growing enterprise teeming with loyal customers.

• Entrepreneurs and CEOs
• Business students
• Anyone hoping to grow a business

Growth IQ (2018) answers the million-dollar question of how to make your business grow. Full of practical advice, tips and strategies gleaned from today’s top entrepreneurs and their firms, this is the ultimate guide to making smart decisions that’ll help early-stage firms get off the ground or rejuvenate stagnating giants.

• Start-up owners
• Business strategists
• Aspiring entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs in a rut

Get Different (2021) is a practical guide for entrepreneurs who want to leverage their market strategies and set themselves apart from the competition. Using an established framework, it offers step-by-step guidance on how to turn a marketing experiment into a strategic plan that gets you noticed and generates leads.

• Business owners seeking new leads
• Marketing professionals and enthusiasts 
• New entrepreneurs

The Cold Start Problem (2021) explains what network effects are, how they work in practice, while illustrating them with real-world examples, from companies like Zoom, Airbnb and Uber. From getting tech companies off the ground in the 21st century, to the population dynamics of meerkats, The Cold Start Problem is an in-depth look at the way networks develop and interact with each other.

• Startup leaders looking for rapid growth 
• Established CEOs looking to reawaken sluggish companies
• Anyone interested in network dynamics

The Pumpkin Plan (2012) presents a simple yet powerful strategy to help you grow your business and stand out in any industry. Through real-life examples and practical tips, you’ll learn how to identify and focus on your most profitable clients, streamline your operations, and create a company culture that fuels growth.

• Owners of small businesses looking to grow
• Entrepreneurs seeking sustainable success
• Startup founders needing a roadmap

$100M Offers (2021) is a guide to creating Grand Slam Offers – big-ticket products or services that sell themselves. By breaking down the psychology of pricing and perceived value, Alex Hormozi teaches readers how to differentiate and optimize their offer until it’s irresistible. 

• Those launching their first business
• Serial entrepreneurs
• People working in sales or marketing. B

Traffic Secrets (2023) reveals an explosive truth: your dream customers are primed and ready. Learn how to analyze your target audience, locate their hotspots, and capture them with evergreen growth-hacking strategies. This game-changing guide unveils precise techniques for driving consistent traffic to your funnels, laying the foundation for unstoppable online growth.

• Starving startups
• E-commerce entrepreneurs
• Online course creators

Expert Secrets is an accessible, intelligent roadmap to building a business using your unique knowledge and skills. Think you don’t have the qualifications, degrees, or certifications you “need” to start a business? You’re not alone, but you are wrong –⁠ in fact, anyone with the right amount of passion can start and run a thriving business, with the helping hand of a few expert secrets.

• Those with a passion for a particular subject
• Aspiring entrepreneurs
• Business owners searching for a leg up

The Voltage Effect (2023) will show you help how to thrive in the rapidly changing business landscape through the hidden power behind scaling. Unlock the four secrets that are your key to scalability success.

• Ambitious entrepreneurs seeking exponential growth
• Seasoned business leaders navigating scaling challenges
• Curious minds exploring organizational dynamics

12 Months to $1 Million (2020) serves as your catalyst for creating a seven-figure business within just a year. By uncovering a mixture of pragmatic strategies and hard-earned wisdom, it places you, the aspiring entrepreneur, in the driving seat. Your journey to financial independence and business success starts here.

• Aspiring entrepreneurs seeking practical strategies for financial independence
• Existing business owners aiming to scale their ventures
• Individuals interested in e-commerce and product innovation

10x Is Easier Than 2x (2023) is part call to action, part step-by-step guide to a life beyond your wildest dreams. You’ll first be introduced to why 10x is simpler, better, and more fun than 2x, then given a clear road map for immediate implementation.

• Burned-out entrepreneurs and business leaders  
• High achievers wanting to take their personal and professional lives to the next level
• Anyone seeking direction or motivation

Strategy Sprints (2022) is a deep-dive into the world of strategic innovation and accelerated business growth. The focus is on out-of-the-box methods for making your business stand out, mastering your time, nurturing customer relationships, and ensuring steady growth. It’s an inspiring journey that empowers you to break free from the ordinary and make your mark in the business realm.

• Forward-thinking entrepreneurs seeking rapid business growth
• Aspiring strategists looking for modern, effective methodologies
• CEOs desiring to innovate and streamline their business operations

Amp It Up (2022) uncovers the transformative leadership principles essential for unlocking unparalleled enterprise growth. By revealing strategies for sidestepping common pitfalls and costly restructures, it emphasizes the power of aligning teams with critical goals, shattering the chains of mediocrity, and fostering a culture of urgency and intensity. It’s an essential playbook for leaders aiming to elevate their organization to unparalleled success without the need for external consultants or drastic overhauls.

• Entrepreneurs looking to scale their startups and find invaluable insights for fostering exponential growth
• Corporate leaders seeking to reinvigorate their teams and discover strategies to break through stagnant performance barriers
• Business students aiming to understand real-world applications of growth principles and benefit from a tech industry titan’s experiences

Sol Price: Retail Revolutionary & Social Innovator (2012) is a deep-dive into the life and legacy of Sol Price, a pivotal figure who reshaped consumer behavior in the United States and across the world. Authored by his son, it illuminates Price's disruptive retail strategies that birthed FedMart and Price Club, and spotlights his steadfast commitment to employee welfare and customer value, a practice that became an ethical cornerstone of his expansive business empire.

• Those curious about the mechanics of the retail industry and its evolution
• Aspiring entrepreneurs looking for inspiration and insight 
• Philanthropists interested in understanding how successful individuals like Sol Price used their wealth for social good

Elevate Your Team (2023) presents a framework to optimize team performance and drive company growth, while safeguarding employees against burnout. By implementing this strategy, leaders can guide their teams to reach their full potential, so that both they – and their company – thrives.   

• Leaders seeking sustained business growth
• Managers wanting to optimize team performance
• Directors looking for a new framework for success

80/20 Sales and Marketing (2013) hands you a magic lens so you can zoom in on what truly matters in your business. Uncover how to focus just 20 percent of your efforts to unlock 80 percent of your profit. Get ready to amplify your impact and ditch the grind.

• Entrepreneurs seeking efficient growth strategies
• Salespeople optimizing client outreach
• Marketers refining campaign effectiveness

The Founder’s Mentality (2016) explores the essential role a strong, clear “founder’s” mentality plays in the sustained growth and health of a company. It outlines how businesses can avoid common growth-related pitfalls by maintaining an insurgent mission, a frontline obsession, and an owner’s mindset.

• Entrepreneurs navigating early stages of growth
• Established business leaders seeking renewed growth
• Small business owners facing expansion challenges

High Growth Handbook (2018) reveals how to confidently lead through high-growth periods by shifting your focus from everyday tasks to big-picture strategy. You’ll learn to empower your team and make effective decisions that guide the organization forward. This guide helps you refine your leadership style and adapt as your company grows, ensuring you’re well-prepared for the challenges ahead.

• CEOs seeking to enhance their leadership skills
• Entrepreneurs interested in rapid business growth
• Board members aiming for effective company governance

7 Principles of Transformational Leadership (2017) explores the mindset shifts necessary for leaders to inspire passion, innovation, and growth within their organizations. It focuses on  seven key principles that help individuals and teams break free from complacency and achieve remarkable results. Drawing from real-world business experiences, it offers clear, practical strategies for building a culture of continuous improvement and high performance.

• Aspiring leaders seeking to inspire growth and innovation
• HR professionals focused on leadership development strategies
• Anyone striving for personal and career growth

The Science of Scaling (2025) presents a psychological framework for growing your business further and faster than you might expect. This new mental model helps you break through stagnation by changing how you set goals, make decisions, and simplify your focus. You’ll learn how to apply the three-part framework to remodel your business and achieve seemingly impossible results in radically short timelines.

• Ambitious entrepreneurs seeking rapid, nonlinear business growth
• Established leaders wanting to break through company-wide stagnation
• Founders needing a simple framework to achieve strategic clarity

Organizational Physics (2012) applies the laws of thermodynamics, motion, and evolution to business management. By viewing your organization as an energy system, you can reduce internal friction and align structure with strategy. The framework helps you identify the right leadership style for each stage of your company’s lifecycle, ensuring sustainable execution.

• Entrepreneurs looking for a scientific framework to scale their startups
• CEOs struggling to align their teams and execute strategy
• Managers who want to reduce internal friction and boost productivity