Business self-help books line the shelves of bookstores, but picking the right one that will actually change an entrepreneur’s working strategy can be tough.

In a special report Monday on small business, The Wall Street Journal asked seven entrepreneurs and business academics about which self-help books were truly helpful either in getting a business off the ground or helping it to running smoothly.

Here’s what they had to say—and none of these successful business owners mentioned anything about cheese or who might have moved it: