Forbes, 6-26-2016 -- Everybody has a favourite book, a tome that has been a source of inspiration or influence, and entrepreneurs are no different, except that their top reads tend to be business books that have often helped guide them through their start-up journey.

Dale Carnegie’s ‘How to Win Friends & Influence People’, Jim Collins’ ‘Good to Great’, and The E-Myth Revisited Michael E. Gerber, are among the most popular, if not the most predictable titles adorning a founder’s bookshelf, but many others have proved equally insightful and impactful in shaping the business lives of some successful entrepreneurs.

Nikki Hollier gave up a successful career in IT to go it alone with her garden design business Styling Homes and Gardens, and the book that helped her through the transition is ‘The Breakthrough Experience’ by John Demartini.

She says: “It helped define my business by clarifying my thoughts, ambitions and values, but mainly it helped me to deal with the emotional side of being my own boss after being in the corporate world of IT for 20 years, and to handle the highs and lows and understand the balance between the two.”

Hollier, who became an award-winning garden designer within a year of starting up, had faced a dilemma familiar to many entrepreneurs; should she remain in IT and use her skills, or follow her heart and passion for creativity?