10 Great Reads to Help Grow Your Business

Young Professionals Committee
Published
Contact: Rachel Mackenzie
[email protected]
Director, Membership
(202)266-8639

NAHB’s Young Professionals (YP) compiled a list of books that have helped inspire their careers and grow their businesses. These 10 books make great gifts for the upcoming holiday season, or purchases for yourself to get ahead of the competition.

The list features books on various topics, such as culture-setting reads like “Unreasonable Hospitality” by Will Guidara.

“This topic is very related to home building,” said YP Committee Chair Robert Carroll. “We can excel by recognizing our role in creating experiences around our very emotional and personal transactions. This book creates cultural language to move your sales process from transactional to relational.”

Also featured is “Behind Your Back” by Bradley Hartmann, a book about what purchasing managers say when you leave the room.

“Hartmann is a former area purchasing manager for Pulte Homes, and provides insight to how purchasing managers approach their jobs and how they handle relationships with colleagues,” said Wes Robbins, vice president and partner at W Robbins & Company, LLC. Robbins found the book valuable to those looking for insider knowledge on selling to large-volume builders, especially to learn what is and is not important.

Read the full list of books.

Additionally, NAHB’s Young Professionals are celebrating their end-of-year virtual happy hour on Friday, Dec. 13, at 4 p.m. ET. Members are invited to discuss their favorite books from the year, play games and meet fellow YPs. Holiday attire is welcome. Register now.

Subscribe to NAHBNow

Log in or create account to subscribe to notifications of new posts.

Log in to subscribe

Latest from NAHBNow

Economics

Apr 01, 2026

Builders Respond to Affordability Challenges with Buyer Incentives and Innovative Designs

During New Homes Month in April, the home building industry is responding to market conditions by constructing homes that balance price and meet modern home buyer needs. According to U.S. Census Bureau and National Association of Realtors data, newly built homes are typically priced at or below existing homes, offering buyers more options in today’s challenging housing market.

Codes and Standards | Land Development | Housing Affordability | Multifamily

Mar 31, 2026

NAHB Forming Working Group on Building Codes for Missing Middle Housing

NAHB is forming a joint working group to foster development of NAHB’s long-term vision for “missing middle” housing and establish positions in the short term on building codes and other issues related to these housing types.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics

Mar 31, 2026

Soft Construction Labor Market Shows Decline for Open Positions

The number of open positions in construction in February was down year-over-year, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS).

Economics

Mar 30, 2026

NAHB HBGI: Micro Markets Lone Bright Spot for Single-Family Building in Fourth Quarter

Single-family construction declined further in the fourth quarter in all but sparsely populated micro counties, according to the NAHB Home Building Geography Index (HBGI).

Economics

Mar 26, 2026

State/Local Property Tax Revenue Rises Past $210 Billion in the Fourth Quarter

Property tax revenue collected by state and local governments rose for the ninth consecutive quarter according to the Census Bureau’s quarterly summary of state and local tax revenue.