The CEQO® Bookshelf: A Reading Guide for Equestrian Entrepreneur®
Not every great lesson came from a course or a coach.
Some came from dog-eared pages, highlighted lines, and quiet hours off the grid.
Books have helped me understand things even the best classrooms didn’t teach—how we make money decisions, what shapes our pricing, and why certain strategies work.
Others have offered a much-needed break: a window into a different world when my own felt too loud or too heavy.
This guide isn’t here to “fix” your business.
It’s here to offer you tools, insights, and space to think differently—just like it did for me.
💸 Finance, Profit & Business Strategy
Profit First by Mike Michalowicz
This book outlines a practical framework for prioritizing profit, encouraging business owners to set it aside first instead of hoping there’s something left over. While I don’t follow this method word-for-word, I do integrate the concept into the Profit Plans I build with clients.
We look at what profit means for their business—whether that’s savings for taxes, paying themselves more consistently, or setting aside money for growth—and then create a structure that works with their specific goals, revenue patterns, and seasonal rhythms. For equestrian entrepreneurs with variable income, this approach brings clarity and control.
Rich as F*ck by Amanda Frances
This book focuses on money mindset, especially the emotional and energetic relationship we have with receiving and earning. In equestrian spaces, I’ve seen so many women hold back when it comes to raising prices or expanding their income because of deeply ingrained beliefs around what’s “acceptable.”
Reading this reminded me how important it is to question those beliefs. Inside CEQO® Mentorship, I work with clients to build pricing and profit strategies, but often the real work is helping them feel safe and confident earning more. This book isn’t for everyone, but if you’re exploring the internal side of business and money, it can offer a powerful reframe.
Selling the Price Increase by Jeb Blount
This is a straightforward guide to navigating one of the trickiest parts of entrepreneurship: telling your clients you’re raising your rates. It offers scripts, structure, and reasoning to help you stay grounded and professional, even when the conversation feels personal.
For equestrian entrepreneurs who rely on long-term client relationships or work in close-knit communities, this can be especially helpful. I use similar strategies with clients when we’re mapping out new pricing and want to communicate changes clearly and respectfully. If you’ve delayed raising your rates because you’re worried about how it will land, this one can give you tools to move forward with confidence.
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Financial consistency didn’t come from overhauling my business in one go. It came from a small habit: every Monday morning, I’d check my bank accounts. That turned into journaling my balances, which evolved into mapping out my week. Eventually, those check-ins became full money meetings where I update my bookkeeping, move money, review my budget, and reflect on where I’m feeling stuck or supported.
In CEQO® Mentorship, I help clients create their money routines—simple, repeatable habits that turn financial chaos into clarity. This book provides structure for building those habits, no matter what stage of business you’re in. It’s not flashy, but it’s one of the most helpful resources I’ve used when creating systems that stick.
Fiction Favourites (Because Rest Matters Too)
Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas
This series follows Celaena Sardothien—later revealed as Aelin Galathynius—as she transforms from assassin to queen. Her story is one of grit, grief, strength, and strategy. She doesn’t just survive what’s thrown at her—she rebuilds, and she rises.
Aelin is flawed and layered, driven and vulnerable. She leads not because it’s easy, but because she knows she must. That kind of leadership, the kind that holds power, emotion, and responsibility all at once, is something many equestrian entrepreneurs will recognize in themselves.
Reading her journey reminded me of the women I work with every day. Those navigating pressure, holding space for others, and building something that asks everything of them.
And honestly, it’s just a really great series. You deserve something outside of horses and business to look forward to. The Sarah J. Maas universe is a perfect place to start. It offers escape, inspiration, and space to rest your mind while still feeling deeply seen.
Final Words from the CEQO® Office
This list isn’t a set of rules I live by or a collection of holy grails.
But each of these books offered something—a theory, a framework, a perspective—that I’ve carried into my business or life in some way.
Some ideas stuck fully, others showed up in small shifts. That’s the thing about growth: you don’t have to take it all to move forward. You get to take what you need and leave the rest.
These books reflect strategies that work, and you can apply them as deeply or as lightly as you want. Whether it’s changing how you price your services, building a weekly habit, or just permitting yourself to want more, there’s something here for you to pull from.
I’ll be sharing more from my library as we go, but this is the start.
I’m made up of all the horses, places, and people I’ve met along the way—and that includes who I’ve met in books, too.
Let this list remind you that you’re allowed to build a business that reflects all of who you are. And sometimes, the right sentence on the right page is exactly what gets you there.
All Things Equestrian Dreams and Revenue Streams,
Christa Myers
