Black women entrepreneurs looking for inspiration, confidence and stronger leadership skills may want to add three books to their reading lists.
Adriana Ladouceur, creator of Bring Me Books, recommends Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes, The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson and The Sum of Us by Heather McGhee. Each book offers a different lesson about taking risks, creating opportunities and using success to help others.
Ladouceur has built a community of nearly 50,000 book lovers by sharing book recommendations and promoting Black authors on social media. However, she sees her work as more than being a book influencer. She considers herself a cultural advocate who uses literacy to bring people together and challenge negative narratives about Black and Brown communities.
Shonda Rhimes’ Year of Yes Encourages Black Women to Bet on Themselves
Ladouceur recommends Year of Yes for entrepreneurs and aspiring business owners who are afraid to put themselves out there. The book follows television creator Shonda Rhimes as she challenges herself to say yes to opportunities and experiences that once scared her.
Rhimes is known for creating major television hits such as Grey’s Anatomy. Yet Ladouceur points out that her success did not come without fear. Before becoming a household name, Rhimes struggled with putting herself in situations where she could face rejection.
“She was afraid of putting herself out there in case someone was going to say no,” Ladouceur explains.
The book shows how changing that mindset helped Rhimes become more confident and open to new opportunities. For Black women entrepreneurs, Ladouceur believes that lesson can apply to everything from launching a business to applying for grants or promoting a new idea.
Sometimes, the biggest obstacle is not a lack of talent. It is the fear of being told no. Year of Yes offers a reminder that taking a chance can create opportunities that would otherwise remain out of reach.
The Warmth of Other Suns Offers a Lesson in Leadership
Ladouceur’s second recommendation, The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson, takes a broader look at leadership and collective progress. The nonfiction book documents the Great Migration, when millions of Black Americans left the South for other parts of the United States in search of better opportunities.
The stories in the book also show that moving toward a better life did not mean leaving racism and discrimination behind. Black families encountered new challenges even after relocating, making the pursuit of freedom and opportunity an ongoing journey.
That message connects strongly with entrepreneurship, according to Ladouceur. Building a successful company or career is important, but she believes leadership should also create opportunities for other people.
“Success and your striving towards success is ongoing,” Ladouceur shares.
For Black women business owners, that can mean opening doors for others once they have walked through them. A successful entrepreneur can mentor another woman, create jobs, share resources or help someone else gain access to opportunities.
Ladouceur poses an important question for entrepreneurs: What does it look like to keep moving forward while leaving the door open for another Black woman to come through?
The Sum of Us Challenges the Idea That Success Is a Competition
The third recommendation is The Sum of Us by Heather McGhee. Ladouceur suggests the book for entrepreneurs who have been taught that getting ahead means pushing someone else down.
McGhee examines how racism and inequality can harm society as a whole. The book challenges the idea that communities must compete for limited opportunities and resources.
For Ladouceur, that message is especially important within the Black community. She rejects the idea that there can only be one successful person at the top.
“What’s better than one millionaire? Two.”
That philosophy offers a different way to think about Black entrepreneurship. Instead of treating another woman’s success as a threat, entrepreneurs can see it as another opportunity to strengthen the community.
The lesson is simple: one successful business can make an impact, but many successful businesses can create an even greater one. Collaboration, mentorship and shared opportunities can help more Black women build wealth and achieve their goals.
Bring Me Books Turned a Love of Reading Into a Community
Ladouceur’s recommendations are connected to her own experience with books. Her love of reading began after watching her mother regularly sit down with a book despite the demands of running a household.
However, reading became a major part of Ladouceur’s life during her teenage years. She recalls discovering My Brother’s Keeper by ReShonda Tate Billingsley and recognizing herself in the story.
“I recognized what it feels like to be seen in a book,” Ladouceur says.
Books later became a source of comfort during difficult periods, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Still, the isolation of reading alone pushed her to look for a way to connect with other readers.
She eventually began sharing book photos and ratings online. What started as a simple social media account gradually became a growing community as readers began commenting, exchanging recommendations and messaging her about what they were reading.
“I started this online community during the pandemic,” Ladouceur explains. “And it allowed me to find solace and comfort.”
Adriana Ladouceur Is Building a Reading Community Beyond Social Media
Bring Me Books has since grown beyond online conversations. Ladouceur partnered with Reading Rhythms to help create chapters in different cities, giving readers opportunities to connect in person.
The gatherings are different from traditional book clubs. Rather than requiring everyone to read the same book, attendees can talk about the books they are personally reading. The events also include time for silent reading and casual conversation.
That format allows people to connect without feeling pressured to follow a traditional book-club structure. Some readers have even traveled for hours to attend the gatherings.
Ladouceur’s community has therefore become about more than recommending books. It has created a space where people can discover stories, meet others and build relationships around a shared love of reading.
Reading Black Stories Can Help Black Women See Bigger Possibilities
Ladouceur also sees reading as a way to challenge how Black people are represented. Her support for Black authors is rooted in the belief that Black people deserve to see themselves at the center of stories.
“You can be the star of the show. You do not deserve to be pushed to the periphery,” Ladouceur says.
That message can be especially meaningful for Black women navigating business, leadership and other spaces where they may not always see themselves represented. Stories can provide examples of different possibilities while reminding readers that their experiences matter.
Ultimately, Ladouceur encourages readers not to choose books simply because everyone else is reading them. Instead, she wants people to discover the stories that genuinely speak to them.
Her three recommendations offer different lessons, but they share one central idea: success is not only about getting ahead. It is also about believing in yourself, opening doors for others and creating more opportunities along the way.
