10 Great Reads to Help Grow Your Business
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.
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.
Latest from NAHBNow
Energy | Advocacy
Sep 16, 2025
Kansas City Builder Testifies Against Energy Code MandatesThe Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City (KCHBA) called on Congress today to oppose energy code mandates that raise the cost of housing and do very little to increase energy efficiency for home owners.
Economics
Sep 16, 2025
Builder Confidence Steady but Future Sales Expectations Hit Six-Month HighBuilder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes was 32 in September, unchanged from the August reading, according to the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) released today. While builder sentiment has hovered at a relatively low reading between 32 and 34 since May, builders expressed optimism that a more favorable interest rate climate could bring hesitant buyers off the sidelines in the final quarter of 2025.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Sep 16, 2025
Builder Confidence Steady but Future Sales Expectations Hit Six-Month HighBuilder sentiment levels remained unchanged in September but lower mortgage rates and expectations that the Federal Reserve will soon cut the federal funds rate led to higher future sale expectations in the coming months.
Economics
Sep 15, 2025
Shelter Inflation Continued to CoolInflation accelerated to a seven month high in August as tariff-related costs continued to pass through to consumers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) latest report. Core goods prices, which exclude volatile food and energy, rose by 1.5% in August, the fastest annual pace since May 2023.
Economics
Sep 15, 2025
Builders Stay Cautious as Single-Family Permits Extend DowntrendSingle-family housing permits slipped for the seventh month in a row, highlighting affordability headwinds and weak demand. While multifamily permits ticked up, the sector’s volatility leaves the outlook uncertain. The split underscores a housing market still under strain, with single-family softness weighing on broader growth prospects.