The Creator's Code

The Six Essential Skills of Extraordinary Entrepreneurs

By: Amy Wilkinson, Amy Wilkinson - introduction

Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell

Based on in-depth interviews with more than 200 leading entrepreneurs, a business executive and senior fellow at Harvard's Center for Public Leadership identifies the six essential disciplines needed to transform your ideas into real-world successes, whether you're an innovative manager or an aspiring entrepreneur.

How do some people turn ideas into enterprises that endure? Startup founders and business leaders young and old are taking advantage of the new, fast-paced, interconnected world and turning small notions into big business. But why do some people succeed when so many others fail? Now, Amy Wilkinson is the first to develop a comprehensive theory that explains how these new iconoclasts gain traction to achieve lasting results.

Wilkinson conducted rigorous, lengthy interviews with today's most dynamic entrepreneurs including the founders of eBay, AirBnB, Yelp, LinkedIn, Chipotle, Spanx, Zipcar, Jetblue, PayPal, Gilt Groupe, and Revolution Foods, among others. The Creator's Code shows how these entrepreneurial creators built their companies. It delves into the belief of Elon Musk, founder of Tesla Motors, SpaceX, and Solar City, that "people are too self-limiting", reveals how AirBnB founder Joe Gebbia overcame obstacles to reach what he calls "Ramen Profitability", explains Stella & Dot founder Jessica Herrin's dictum that "there are no jobs on the unicorn farm", and shows how "Maryland's sweatiest football player", Kevin Plank, turned his somewhat comical problem into Under Armour, a $2 billion global sports brand.

The men and women you'll meet in this audiobook prove that entrepreneurship is accessible to everyone, and that by practicing six disciplines you can produce unexpected, creative, and wildly meaningful results.

©2015 Amy Wilkinson. All rights reserved. (P)2015 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

Incredible

This book is highly recommended for anyone with an entrepreneurial or intrapreneurial mind. Great stories and examples!

great book

I really enjoyed it. It contains really excellent insights. And, it allowed me to see what it really takes to make it!

Not original but useful

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Creator's Code?

It does not add anything original to the research, but the stories are inspiring.

What aspect of Cassandra Campbell’s performance would you have changed?

The cadence of the constant Howard Cosell imitation is extremely grating. Not sure I can finish listening.

decent book

I found the parts about how people have started popular businesses 6o be interesting. Good read...I did zone out a bit, a little bored at points but then it caught my attention again.

Great book!

Very well done. Interesting and informative all the way through. I've already recommended it to multiple friends.

Super book for all business people.

Super book for all business people. Every Creator interviewed was awesome and something to learn.

Required Reading for Business Owners (and Dreamers

If you've started, own, operate, or aspire to leading an organization, YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK.

Amy Wilkinson has done a masterful job a of identifying the skills required to excel in business today. Not only are her observations accurate, they are highly actionable. She frames each (highly researched) insight with colorful stories from her interviews with more than 200 successful entrepreneurs (Musk, Skoll, Levchin, Rahman, Blakely...) to exemplify her identified skills in practice. It's a wonderful and captivating read that gives insight and prospective to what it takes to survive and thrive in today's changing marketplace.

One of the initially unidentified values this book brings is the humanization of great modern entrepreneurial demi-gods. It's very reassuring to hear stories about the early struggles for EBay, Tesla, UnderArmor, Spanx to made only a few. It's highly motivational to know that all 'Start Ups' experience turmoil and thankfully Amy has written this book to help aspirational Entrepreneurs learn from and build off the work of these exemplary leaders.

Thank you Amy - and happy reading!

A good primer and reminder

If you could sum up The Creator's Code in three words, what would they be?

It's a good primer and reminder of concepts and strategies that some successful entrepreneurs use to rule our lives. Like all books of this nature, things are greatly simplified, but overall I find it to be very useful.

What did you like best about this story?

The bio on Elon Musk is incredible. I knew a little about this man but now I can appreciate his genius.

What about Cassandra Campbell’s performance did you like?

Good voice and tempo, no complaints.

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

Elon Musk almost losing everything but pushing through immense obstacles anyway. Worked out well for him.

Inspirational!

This was a fun book to listen to. Especially if your feeling not good enough to “create” that thing you have been dreaming of. I found this book very inspirational and left feeling like I to can accomplish what others have. The difference between me and them is only action not taken. I have what it takes and after listening to this book you will know if you have it too! Enjoy!

Great - the basic attributes for entrepreneurship

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

This is a must read for anyone who is stepping into entrepreneurship. The author describes the essential attributes required for entrepreneurship while explaining many success stories. One of the obvious questions that the beginners often come across is "what if we fail", and this book tells on how to fail safely. Excellent read.

What other book might you compare The Creator's Code to and why?

I would compare it with "Disciplined Entrepreneurship", where the complete process is broken down into 24 steps. But in this book the author has focused on six essential skills that a person must have in order to be successful. The two books complement each other well.

Any additional comments?

Amy Wikinson you have done an in depth research to come up with this awesome book. Very well done.