The 10 Best Brand Books by Brand Builders
Your StarryEyed team comprises brand wayfinders who’ve driven success at some of the world’s best-loved companies.
That’s why our strategies work in the real world and our favorite books are written by people who’ve actually built iconic brands.
Before we partnered with Chick-fil-A, we picked up Covert Cows and Chick-fil-A by CMO Steve Robinson. It became a team fav and inspired us to seek out more books like it.
Here are the top 10 that we are reading and rereading now.
Covert Cows and Chick-fil-A by Steve Robinson
Former CMO, Chick-fil-A
Read for: Building a brand with consistency and soul.
The behind-the-scenes story of how a humble, regional brand became a cultural institution with purpose (plus, how the cute cows were born!). A must-read to inspire internal alignment and enduring brand integrity.
2. Let My People Go Surfing by Yvon Chouinard
Founder, Patagonia
Read for: Embedding ethical values into brand DNA.
More manifesto than manual, it’s proof that when purpose is real, it drives performance and loyalty. A clear example of how staying weird, principled, and mission-led can lead to global relevance that can’t be replicated.
3. Setting the Table by
Danny Meyer
Founder, Union Square Hospitality Group
(Shake Shack, Gramercy Tavern)
Read for: Operationalizing hospitality as brand strategy.
This book proves hospitality can be a competitive advantage, which is why brand positioning must always be activated across the complete brand experience, including Product, Place, Promotions and especially People.
4. Made From Scratch by Kent Taylor
Founder & CEO, Texas Roadhouse
Read for: Scaling brand love through frontline focus.
A story about creating one of the highest-performing casual dining chains in America. The secret? Listen to your teams, stay close to the details, and remember culture and consistency matter as much as menu and margins.
5. The Challenge Culture by Nigel Travis
Former CEO, Dunkin’ Brands
Read for: Leading brand growth through constructive tension.
A compelling case for fast decision-making and team empowerment, Travis grew Dunkin’ into a global powerhouse by adapting to consumer shifts and doing what so many are afraid to do: engaging in productive conflict.
6. Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara
F
ormer Co-owner, Eleven Madison Park
Read for: Turning guest obsession into brand-defining behavior.
One of the most inspiring books for CMOs in hospitality, retail, or experience-driven brands, Will shows how elevating the ordinary can create brand magic. He made EMP the #1 restaurant in the world doing the unexpected.
7. Shoe Dog by
Phil Knight
Co-founder & Former CEO, Nike
Read for: Moving through the craziness of brand building.
A crash course in risk, resilience and refusing to give up, Knight shares how Nike started with financial risk, creative tension and persistence. Great inspo for founders and leaders who need to be reminded you should just do it.
8. That Will Never Work by
Marc Randolph
Co-founder & First CEO, Netflix
Read for: Early-stage innovation and thinking under pressure.
A compelling look at Netflix before it was Netflix, this has been called the "ultimate follow-your-dreams parable.” It’s also a brilliant case study about positioning, testing, and letting go, even when the customer says “no.”
9. Made in America by
Sam Walton
Founder, Walmart
Read for: Operational excellence and customer-first thinking.
Still underrated, this book is full of no-nonsense insight from a founder who built the world’s largest retailer by focusing on value, execution, and humility. It’s not sexy, but you have to admit it’s a strategy that continues to scale.
10. Onward by Howard Schultz
Former CEO and Chairman, Starbucks
Read for: Reclaiming brand purpose to ensure relevance.
A front-row look at Schultz’s return to Starbucks and the fight to reconnect brand, culture, and customer experience after rapid growth diluted the brand (the first time around… might be time for a revised and expanded edition!).