With so many business books on the market, how can you decipher between dead air and dead-on? We asked five gym owners to share their trusted tomes they used for building their cheer businesses. Read on to find out if they’ll work for you:

The Confidence Solution by Keith Johnson

Who swears by it: Kayla Wygal, West Virginia Cheer Academy

Years in Business: 2

Why the book spoke to her: “I chose the book because the title was exactly what I needed: a solution for my lack of confidence. I have a Master’s Degree in counseling psychology, so anything that mixed emotional well-being, personal success and business in one book was bound to be perfect for me. I knew I had all the skills, knowledge, experience and resources to make my gym great, but I wasn’t sure why I still felt so defeated by something I had put my whole life into.”

One piece of advice she took away: “If you own a gym, it’s probably because you have the ability to dream and do something you love. Confidence to be your own biggest fan when no one else likes what you’re doing is essential to keep going in this industry!”

Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson

Who swears by it: Tara Wieland, Michigan Storm

Years in Business: 2

Why the book spoke to her: “[It] was given to me after my son passed away. I had a really hard time adapting to all of the changes in my life at one time (I was also going through a divorce), and my aunt suggested that I read it.”

One piece of advice she took away: “People say all of the time that they don’t like change. But in all actuality, it’s the fear of the unknown that they don’t like. In 25 years, I’ve coached at schools, owned a gym, gone through two mergers that weren’t a good fit—and now I’m back to owning a program again. If I didn’t keep pushing through when things got difficult, or when someone had ‘moved my cheese’… I wouldn’t have made it as far as I have.” 

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

Who swears by it: Kyle Gadke, Spirit FX

Years in Business: 11

Why the book spoke to him: “A friend of mine that is an entrepreneur shared that it changed his life, and he is now a leading salesperson in the coffee industry. The book is a great motivation read for any self-starter. For me, it encouraged me to step outside of the box.”

One piece of advice he took away: “One of the quotes in the book that has stuck with me is: ‘There are two kinds of knowledge: general and specialized. General knowledge, unless organized and used for a purpose, is useless.’”

The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber

Who swears by it: Kelly Makay, HotCheer All Stars

Years in Business: 15

Why the book spoke to her: “I like that the book is meant to teach the small business owner to run like a franchise, even if you never plan to have more than one location. Creating systems within your business is so very important.”

One piece of advice she took away: “It reinforces that for a business to be successful many times, the owner must work more on the business than in it.”

Thou Shall Prosper by Rabbi Daniel Lapin

Who swears by it: Jessica Smith, Kentucky Reign

Years in Business: 4

Why the book spoke to her: “It changed my whole life as a business owner. If you go out every day and do good for others, you’ll be taken care of. It’s like a karma approach.”

One piece of advice she took away: “If you don’t have enough cash flow in your business, according to the book, then you have not impacted enough people. If people would take that to heart, it would change everything. The more kids I’m able to impact, the more certificates of appreciation I receive. Seeing money as a certificate of appreciation for what you’ve done is huge. That’s the biggest takeaway. That’s how you know you’re doing the right thing.”

–Karen Jordan