Insanely Simple

The Obsession that Drives Apple's Success

By: Ken Segall

Narrated by: Ken Segall

Length: 7 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's summary

To Steve Jobs, Simplicity was a religion. It was also a weapon.

Simplicity isn’t just a design principle at Apple - it’s a value that permeates every level of the organization. The obsession with Simplicity is what separates Apple from other technology companies. It’s what helped Apple recover from near death in 1997 to become the most valuable company on Earth in 2011.

Thanks to Steve Jobs’ uncompromising ways, you can see Simplicity in everything Apple does: the way it’s structured, the way it innovates, and the way it speaks to its customers. It’s by crushing the forces of Complexity that the company remains on its stellar trajectory.

As ad agency creative director, Ken Segall played a key role in Apple’s resurrection, helping to create such critical marketing campaigns as Think Different. By naming the iMac, he also laid the foundation for naming waves of i-products to come.

Segall has a unique perspective, given his years of experience creating campaigns for other iconic tech companies, including IBM, Intel, and Dell. It was the stark contrast of Apple’s ways that made Segall appreciate the power of Simplicity - and inspired him to help others benefit from it.

©2012 Ken Segall (P)2012 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"A blueprint for running a company the Steve Jobs way...should be required reading for anyone interested in management and marketing." (The Times, London)

"Gets inside Apple’s branding and marketing to explain its directness and power." (Financial Times)

"Required reading." (The Observer)

Highly Recommend

Full of great examples and reflections about marketing, product and how to to focus on what matters when you’re building something.

If you expect a lot of buzz words and a superficial playbook of successful people, this book it’s not for you.

Simple Is Good

What made the experience of listening to Insanely Simple the most enjoyable?

Stories about Steve Jobs and Apple

What other book might you compare Insanely Simple to and why?

Walter Isaacson's book on Steve Jobs. Insanely Simple is a good supplement to it, a more detailed take on Steve's decision making.

What does Ken Segall bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The confidence in narration. Probably because he's narrating a life he lived and wrote.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Here's To The Crazy Ones.

Any additional comments?

Good stories on management and business strategy. Give this a try even if you despite Apple for whatever reason. This could be the Insanely Simple reason to change your mind.

Loved it!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely - especially if interested in the background to Apple and Steve Jobs.

Any additional comments?

Loved the simplicity tips that can work in any business.

CEO, Engineer, or marketing person you need this.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This book can show anyone in business how to use the 'simple stick'

What did you like best about this story?

Things are too complicated. Simple is better, but simple is HARD. This book has a lot of great examples on not only how but most importantly WHY.

Any additional comments?

If you are in business or just want to learn how to simplify life, this one is for you. Yes it's about Steve Jobs and Apple but that is the benchmark to use in how to do things the simple way.

Very Well Done

This was a great follow up to listening to Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. It seemed to get into a specific component of the Steve Jobs story and add to it in a way that was compelling and different.

A complex concept :) illuminated by great stories

I am a designer working in Silicon Valley. As the most senior design manager at my company, I am motivated by the concepts in this book and appreciate that they were vividly delivered through case studies. I found something relevant to my work in every chapter. Additionally, hearing the author read his written words is a plus.

Simply inspiring

Part biography part instructional, inspirational and simple to understand. Thank you Ken for a great story and useful advice for any business or life improvement student.

Great story

Great behind the scenes story for apple fans and fans of Steve Jobs as well as an inspiring book that teaches how simplicity can be a powerful business force.

Great book! good for Entrepreneurs and Entrepreneurship students

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I'm a student currently taking a class of Entrepreneurship and I would recommend this book to anyone who wish to become an entrepreneur one day. It contains the key factors of why Apple is so successful as the largest startup company in the world!

What did you like best about this story?

I love how Steve always keep things simple. Simplicity is in Apple's DNA because every structure of the company is simplified to the minimal so Apple can function and produce the most creative work at the shortest amount of time. The theory is: greater amount of people in the meeting means greater amount of ideas, but doesn't guarantee better ideas. However, only the essential small group of smart people guarantee bester and more creative ideas. The only down pit of this method is that the CEO really has to know everything about the projects so he can decide who to go and stay. It sounds like an obvious thing for CEO to know everything but it seems like most big companies’ scale is too large that CEO cant even touch it, which is another reason to keep the company small and simple, because this way everyone knows what they are doing.

Which scene was your favorite?

One scene when Steve is in a meeting with his essential workers and an agency company, a girl was invited by someone to join the meeting. Steve asked her why she is here and she answered that she is here only because she is invited. The girl never appear in the meetings again.

Simply a great Listen!

I would like to know if Ken has a recommended follow up to Insanely Simple.