13 Nonfiction Books for Work, Life, and What’s Next

Women’s History Month is a time to look back and honor the women who cleared the path we walk today. For leaders, this month is also a powerful reminder to look forward. History isn’t just something that has happened; it’s something that is actively being written right now.

If you want to know where business is headed in 2026 and beyond, follow the women holding the pens. These authors aren’t offering recycled “lean in” advice. They are the ones currently drafting the blueprints for how we handle workplace equity, women’s leadership, career sustainability, and financial empowerment.

We’ve curated this list of 13 must-read women in business titles releasing this year that are sure to leave a lasting impact on your workplace. Let’s meet the women writing the next chapter of work and life.

The Power Players

To change the future of business, we must first examine and transform the systems that run it. These three authors are moving past the “lean in” advice from the last decade and instead offering a high-level look at how we can rebuild corporate culture from the ground up. 

Janice Gassam Asare, PhD - Rise and Resist: How to Reclaim Workplace Equity and Justice

The Woman Behind the Book:

Dr. Janice Gassam Asare is an organizational psychologist and a recognized voice in equity and inclusion, translating research into real-world workplace change. Her insights for Forbes and Harvard Business Review have reached millions, and she currently serves as a consultant for global organizations, delivering over fifty speaking engagements a year. She brings academic rigor, but she doesn’t leave leaders stuck in theory.

Her book Rise and Resist is the tactical handbook we need to keep moving forward. She draws from the legacy of Black resistance movements while engaging modern tools (including ethical tech) to help organizations build equity strategies that last. This isn’t just about “checking a box”; it’s a revolutionary plan for leaders and advocates who want justice to outlive budgets, headlines, and shifting priorities. 

Stefanie O’Connell - The Ambition Penalty: How Corporate Culture Tells Women to Step Up—and Then Pushes Them Down

The Woman Behind the Book:

Stefanie O’Connell Cesar is an award-winning journalist who has spent her career investigating the complex intersection of money, power, and ambition. You’ve likely seen her work in Bloomberg or CNBC, or heard her as the host of the Webby Award–winning podcast Money Confidential. Through her Too Ambitious newsletter, she has become a leading voice for women who are ready to redefine what success looks like on their own terms. 

In her new book, The Ambition Penalty, Stefanie exposes the hidden costs women face for daring to want more. She debunks the myth that women simply lack "confidence" and instead provides leaders and allies with the data-driven talking points needed to recognize bias. It’s an essential guide for creating a culture where female ambition is supported and rewarded, rather than pushed down.

Emma Grede - Start With Yourself: A New Vision for Work & Life

The Woman Behind the Book:

Emma Grede is a definitive modern mogul. As the co-founder and CEO of Good American and a founding partner of SKIMS, she has built some of the most influential consumer brands of our time. Her journey from East London to the heights of global business proves that success and substance can go hand in hand.

If you’re tired of feeling like a bystander in your own career, Start With Yourself is the no-BS blueprint you’ve been waiting for. Emma identifies those stale, outdated rules about work-life balance and ambition, and shows you how to strike them from your mind. This book offers tangible, right-now solutions for managing your emotions and clarifying your ideas, encouraging you to push for wins and achieve success at the highest levels without ever apologizing for your dreams.

The Wellness & Wisdom Curators

True leadership isn't just about managing others; it’s about how we govern ourselves. These four authors move the focus inward, exploring how our personal narratives and instincts drive our professional impact.

Dr. Shadé Zahrai - Big Trust: Rewire Self-Doubt, Find Your Confidence, and Fuel Success

The Woman Behind the Book:

If you’ve spent time on LinkedIn Learning, you’ve likely seen Dr. Shadé Zahrai. A behavioral researcher, former corporate lawyer, and award-winning peak performance educator, Shadé is a powerhouse in the career development space. She has designed transformative programs for some of the world’s most recognizable brands, including Google, Microsoft, and JPMorgan, just to name a few. 

Even the most seasoned executives aren’t immune to self-doubt. Trust us, we get it! In fact, high-stakes environments often amplify this self-doubt. In Big Trust, Shadé argues that while you can’t simply “outperform” self-doubt, you can rewire it. She introduces a research-backed framework known as the Four A’s: Acceptance, Agency, Autonomy, and Adaptability. Big Trust is more than a book on confidence; it’s a manual for any leader ready to trade second-guessing for conviction. 

Dr. Cindy McGovern - The Permission Mission: Reclaiming the Power to Trust Your Own Voice

The Woman Behind the Book:

Known as the “First Lady of Sales®,” Dr. Cindy McGovern is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author and the CEO of Orange Leaf Consulting. She has made it her life’s work to "IN-power" people, especially women, to stop waiting for a seat at the table and start building their own. Her expertise isn't just in the mechanics of a deal, but in the psychology of the person making it.

In The Permission Mission, Dr. Cindy argues that conditioning women to be polite, agreeable, and compliant is exactly what costs us our voices and our choices in the workplace. For the business leader, this is a roadmap for advocating for what you want, from the living room to the boardroom, without shrinking or over-explaining. It’s a reminder that the only permission you truly need to lead is your own.

Beatrice Dixon - The Soul Instinct

The Woman Behind the Book:

Beatrice Dixon is the CEO and co-founder of The Honey Pot Company, a groundbreaking personal wellness brand that she built from a literal dream. As one of the few Black women to raise significant venture and private equity capital, Beatrice is a definitive voice in modern entrepreneurship. She has been recognized by Forbes, Inc., and Goldman Sachs as one of the most intriguing and influential founders in the industry today.

She shares her remarkable journey in The Soul Instinct, part memoir and part self-help, exploring how she relied on her "inner wisdom" to navigate a scrappy adolescence and build a global empire. For the professional reader, her story is a powerful testament to the idea that excellence is the baseline and that intuition is a competitive advantage. She proves that when you don't know how to do something, you should do it anyway, trusting your "soul instinct" to light the path.

Brandy - Phases: A Memoir

The Woman Behind the Book:

Brandy is a GRAMMY-winning legend, a "triple threat" who has captivated audiences for decades. From her era-defining sitcom, Moesha, to becoming the first Black Disney princess in Cinderella, she has earned the title of “The Vocal Bible.” With a career spanning over thirty years as a singer, producer, and actress, Brandy has navigated the highest peaks of stardom while remaining one of the most revered talents in the entertainment industry.

In Phases, she reveals the real story of her journey to discover her authentic self as a woman and an artist. This memoir is a fearless exploration of hope and resilience, offering a raw look at what it takes to make peace with the past. For leaders who often feel the pressure to project a "perfect" professional front, Brandy’s story serves as a vital reminder that true impact comes from the strength to be your most authentic self.

The Resilient Realists

In an “always-on” world, the "hustle-harder" mantra has officially reached its expiration date. For the modern professional, the new metric of success isn't just how high you can climb, but how long you can stay there without burning out. These three authors are providing the antidote to the grind, offering a refreshingly honest look at how to achieve peak performance while keeping your mental health and self-worth intact.

Jess Ekstrom - Making It Without Losing It: How to Stay Motivated in a World Where We Are Never Done

The Woman Behind the Book:

Jess Ekstrom is a powerhouse serial social entrepreneur and the bestselling author of Chasing the Bright Side. After successfully founding and exiting Headbands of Hope, she launched Mic Drop Workshop to empower women to own their stories as public speakers. A regular on The Today Show and Good Morning America, Jess is an expert at turning "bright ideas" into impactful realities.

In Making It Without Losing It, Jess delivers a refreshingly honest guide to chasing big goals without "setting your inner peace on fire." She introduces the “Arrived Mindset”, the radical idea that you are already enough, and provides eleven mindset-shifting pillars to help you rewire your brain and dodge burnout. This book is the ultimate manual for staying motivated and finding joy in the work, even in a world that feels like it’s never quite "done."

Emily Durham - Clock In: No-BS Advice for Getting Ahead in Your Career (Without Losing Your Mind)

The Woman Behind the Book:

Known to millions as “Emily the Recruiter,” Emily Durham is a recruiter turned career coach who has pulled back the curtain on the corporate world. Through her popular social media platforms and her hit podcast, Clock In, she provides the "no-filter" advice that job seekers and professionals actually need.

Clock In is a straight-shooting guidebook that teaches you how to optimize your professional presence and negotiate like a pro without making your career your entire identity. It’s an essential resource for anyone looking to work smarter, not harder, and thrive in their nine-to-five (and beyond) while keeping their mental health front and center.

Brooke Taylor - Healing the Success Wound: Align Your Ambition, Find Lasting Career Fulfillment, and End the Cycle of Never-Enough

The Woman Behind the Book:

Brooke Taylor is a premier Career Coach and speaker who previously served as a Marketing Lead at Google. She has transformed the careers of over 5,000 female leaders at companies like McKinsey, Goldman Sachs, and Uber. Brooke is the first to identify and name the “Success Wound”, the insatiable need for external validation that many high-achievers struggle with, and has become a global spokesperson on the topic.

Brooke Taylor knows this "Success Wound" firsthand, as it nearly ruined her own career at Google. In her book Healing the Success Wound, she offers a revelatory five-step process to help you untether your value from your net worth. By moving toward “Aligned Ambition,” readers learn how to achieve a state of harmony and fulfillment that comes from internally-guided success rather than external pressure.

The Legacy Architects

Impact is measured by the foundations we leave behind. These authors provide the strategic blueprints for financial autonomy, generational wealth, and collective security. They remind us that true power isn’t just about the influence we wield today, but the stability we secure for the future.

Vivian Tu - Well Endowed: The Secrets to Strategic Spending, Building a Financial Foundation for You and Your Family, and Creating Lasting Generational Wealth

The Woman Behind the Book:

A former Wall Street trader turned global financial educator, Vivian Tu is the CEO and founder of Your Rich BFF. With over 10 million followers and honors on the Forbes 30 Under 30 and TIME100 lists, Vivian has transitioned from the trading floor to becoming the Chief of Financial Empowerment at SoFi. She continues to demystify the world of finance through her top-charting podcast, Networth and Chill.

In Well Endowed, Vivian moves beyond the fundamentals to help you navigate the high-stakes financial decisions of your thirties and beyond. She offers the "insider savvy" needed to tackle complex topics like prenups, strategic homeownership, and the nuances of life insurance. Most importantly, she provides a roadmap for building generational wealth that supports your family without sacrificing your values. It’s a guide to making your money work harder so you can live a life that is rich in every sense of the word.

Amanda Holden - How to Be a Rich Old Lady: Your Guide to Easy Investing, Building Wealth, and Creating the Wild, Beautiful Life You Want

The Woman Behind the Book:

After years in investment management, Amanda Holden realized she wanted to do more than just help rich men get richer. She founded Invested Development to bring "radical clarity" to the world of investing, teaching over 25,000 students how to build wealth with humor and compassion. Known to her passionate fanbase as @dumpster.doggy, Amanda has worked with major organizations like Bloomberg and Dropbox to champion financial literacy for women.

How to Be a Rich Old Lady is the antithesis of a lecture from a "crypto bro." It reads like a text from your smartest friend, focused on setting up an automated investing strategy so you can stop thinking about money and start living your life. It’s not just about numbers on a spreadsheet; it’s about the relief of knowing you’ve built a foundation strong enough to support your wildest dreams.

Rana Abdelhamid - Get Home Safe: A Guide to Self-Defense and Building Our Collective Power

The Woman Behind the Book:

Rana Abdelhamid is a blackbelt, a Harvard Kennedy School graduate, and the founder of Malikah, a non-profit dedicated to the safety and power of marginalized communities. A survivor and community organizer who has served on the board of Amnesty International USA and run for U.S. Congress, Rana’s work has been recognized by Forbes and Teen Vogue. Her life’s work is centered on transforming vulnerability into collective strength.

In Get Home Safe, Rana provides a bold and urgent roadmap that redefines what it means to be "safe." She moves past the idea that vulnerability is a fact of life, instead offering a revolutionary framework that combines physical self-defense with economic safety and community organizing. This book is a rallying cry for every woman to reclaim her power and fight the systems that enable violence.

Empowering the Next Generation of Leaders

These are just some of the voices that aren't just writing books; they are drafting the blueprints for a more resilient, equitable, and empowered future. If you’re looking to empower your people and bring these transformative perspectives into your organization, our team is here to help. Reach out to our team today to request a quote on any of these high-impact titles for your next team development initiative, book club, or corporate event. Let’s build the future of your business together, one page at a time.