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

Student Chapters | Workforce Development

Dec 18, 2025

NAHB Welcomes 24 New Student Chapters to Help Build the Future

NAHB is proud to welcome 24 new student chapters in 2025. These chapters were created to enhance students' educational experiences, increase their exposure to the home building industry and connect them with their local HBAs.

Advocacy

Dec 17, 2025

House Panel Approves Major Housing Package

In a move that provides momentum for Congress to enact major housing legislation in early 2026, the House Financial Services Committee this week approved the Housing for the 21st Century Act. This bipartisan housing package takes much-needed steps toward addressing our nation’s critical lack of housing.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics

Dec 16, 2025

Job Market Shows Signs of Cooling in November

In November, job growth slowed, and the unemployment rate rose to 4.6%, its highest level in four years. At the same time, job gains for the previous two months (August and September) were revised downward. The November’s jobs report indicates a cooling labor market as the economy heads into the final month of the year.

Economics

Dec 15, 2025

Builder Sentiment Inches Higher but Ends the Year in Negative Territory

Builder confidence inched higher to end the year but still remains well into negative territory as builders continue to grapple with rising construction costs, tariff and economic uncertainty, and many potential buyers remaining on the sidelines due to affordability concerns.

Economics

Dec 11, 2025

Homeownership Rate Inches Up to 65.3%

The latest homeownership rate rose to 65.3% in the third quarter of 2025, according to the Census’s Housing Vacancy Survey (HVS).