Crush It!

Gary Vaynerchuk's family wine store grew from a local shop into a national industry leader, a $4 million business that became a $60 million one, and he promoted it through Twitter, Facebook and other social media. A video camera also let him build a personal brand. He argues that the internet now makes it possible to turn a hobby or obsession into a living. The guide moves step by step from finding a passion to running it as a business that makes money, and shows business owners how to raise their sales online. It reached the New York Times hardcover advice best-seller list in 2009.

Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh endorsed it, describing Vaynerchuk as an entrepreneur who found how to combine passion with business. CoSchedule co-founder Garrett Moon said it made a real difference before he took the leap into entrepreneurship.