Entrepreneur ranks Brian Herriot's Time Freedom first in anti-hustle book list

Entrepreneur magazine put Brian Herriot’s new book, Time Freedom, at No. 1 on a list of five titles that rethink success beyond hustle culture. The book argues that financial freedom should lead to more control over time, and it offers a framework for leaving salaried work and building a flexible business.

Why it matters: - Entrepreneur magazine’s No. 1 pick gives Brian Herriot’s Time Freedom a wider audience at a moment when more readers are questioning hustle culture. - The book’s core idea is that success should be measured by time freedom, not just money or nonstop work. - Herriot frames the book as a practical guide for people who want to leave full-time jobs and build a business without burning out.

What happened: - Entrepreneur listed Time Freedom first in its Oct. 7 roundup, “5 Books That Redefine Success Beyond the Hustle.” - The list also includes Scott Galloway’s The Algebra of Happiness, Mandy Balak’s Chasing Enough, Tonya Dalton’s The Joy of Missing Out and Viktor E. Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning. - Entrepreneur highlighted the book’s premise that financial freedom should not be treated as the finish line. - Page Two published Time Freedom on Sept. 15.

The details: - Herriot says hustle culture has the formula backward because more hours and more effort do not automatically create a better life. - In Part 5 of the book, Herriot lays out two tools for people who want to work for themselves without overwork. - The first tool is a No-Hustle Transition to Entrepreneurship for people leaving salaried jobs. - Herriot says the transition starts with a proven service offering, not a brand-new idea. - He points to examples such as a social media marketer taking clients or a regional finance director working as a fractional CFO. - The transition also depends on a strong active network. - Herriot says reconnecting with 50 people over a year can help rebuild that network. - The third piece is the right entrepreneurial skills. - For a lifestyle-focused business, Herriot identifies customer service, sales and cash management as the key skills. - He suggests giving the transition up to a year while a paycheck still covers the bills. - The second tool is finding one “Catalyst” instead of trying to grind harder. - Herriot defines a Catalyst as the one strategic move only the business owner can make to create outsized growth. - He says a Catalyst usually comes from a skill, an idea or a relationship. - He says the best Catalyst is often tied to an unfair advantage and something the person enjoys doing. - Herriot says U.S. Census Bureau data show 519,793 one-person businesses earned more than $500,000 in 2022, up 52% from 2017. - Time Freedom is endorsed by Cal Newport, Héctor García and Mike Michalowicz. - The Next Big Idea Club named it its first September 2026 must-read in Personal Finance.

Between the lines: - The book is positioned against the idea that more effort always equals more success. - Herriot’s framework pushes readers toward selective focus, which is a direct counter to the “do more” logic common in entrepreneurship advice. - The Census data give the anti-hustle argument a business case: a one-person company can still scale meaningfully.

What’s next: - Herriot is available for interviews about building money confidence and creating a flexible work path. - He is also expected to keep promoting the book through The Time Freedom Podcast and related media appearances. - Brian Herriot is based in Alameda, California, and has founded three businesses. - His work has appeared in Entrepreneur and Fast Company. - More information is available in Entrepreneur’s list.