Only Two Weeks Left
 
Take the Industry Pulse Check Today. Learn more
 

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

Business Management

Jun 02, 2026

How Builders Can Close the ‘Expectation Gap’ to Boost Referrals and Increase Sales

Across the home building and remodeling industry, a significant portion of referral business is lost — not because of poor construction quality, but because client expectations are not clearly established.

Economics

Jun 02, 2026

Economic Uncertainty Slows Single-Family Construction Across All Geographies

Single-family home construction declined across all geographic regions in the first quarter of 2026 due to economic uncertainty, high material costs and elevated interest rates, while multifamily construction showed growth in most areas, according to the latest findings from the NAHB Home Building Geography Index (HBGI).

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics

Jun 02, 2026

Slight Increase for Construction Job Openings

The number of open positions in the construction sector edged higher in April, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS).

Economics

Jun 02, 2026

HBGI Q1 2026: Single-Family Construction Slips Across All Geographies

Single-family construction declined across all geographies in the first quarter of 2026, according to the latest Home Building Geography Index (HBGI), as elevated interest rates, rising material costs, and labor shortages slowed home building activities at the start of the year. Meanwhile, multifamily construction remained broadly resilient, posting growth in most markets.

Economics

Jun 01, 2026

Private Residential Construction Spending Increases in April

Private residential construction spending was up 0.8% in April 2026, following the monthly gain of 0.6% in March. This increase was largely driven by gains in single-family, and home improvement spending. Moreover, total private residential construction spending was 1.7% higher than a year ago.