Even the most successful entrepreneurs had to start somewhere. When it comes to groundbreaking technology, the people who became leading business executives often began as lone visionaries with nothing but an idea. Now that they’re global industry leaders, many of them have shared their amazing stories in memoirs. These tales of heartbreak and triumph will bring you along on the roller-coaster of success, all the while showing you the secrets of how business greats transformed their dreams into reality. Whether you’re an aspiring startup mogul or a small business hopeful, read on to find your next great inspiration!
Source Code isn’t another “how I built Microsoft” chronicle. It's a deeply personal origin story that reveals just how Bill Gates's childhood helped him grow into one of the most groundbreaking and influential founders in history. With remarkable candor and genuine warmth, Gates dives into his formative years as a young teen, shaped by his principled grandmother, his ambitious parents, close friendships, a tragic loss, and his own insatiable curiosity and innate drive to make an impact. Narrated by the duo of multi-time Audie Award finalist Wil Wheaton and the author himself, Source Code is a uniquely intimate look at a high-tech genius and surprisingly humble man.
Jack Ma's origins may have been humble, but his ambition and vision were world-class. Today, his online retail company, Alibaba, enjoys an 80% market share in China. Ma’s got big plans for the rest of the world, too, planning to provide everything from goods to entertainment to every country on Earth. Learn how he channeled his unique focus into one of the most successful companies in history.
Happiness is a new pair of shoes ... and a good boss! Narrating his own memoir about running Zappos, Tony Hsieh delivers his philosophy of fun, upbeat personal fulfillment through business to a world that needs to enjoy work more. Prepare for lots of wild tales of startup culture in this highly entertaining book!
Jay-Z’s influence in pop culture is far broader than most people realize. Not only is he an artist, he also owns clothing lines, perfume lines, a basketball team, and a media business empire that rivals anything else in the entertainment industry. Listen and learn how he went from the street to the boardroom.
Jeff Bezos doesn’t need much introduction. Amazon needs even less. But not everyone knows about the ambition and business strategy that turned an online bookseller into the internet’s most successful general store. The Everything Store not only describes rare details of Jeff Bezos’s life; it also reveals the secrets of how Amazon became one of the most valuable companies on the globe.
Patagonia is known across the globe for its environmental consciousness. Its founder, Yvon Chouinard, lives his truth in the great outdoors, running a company that he guides with his values. You don’t have to be an ecologist to love this audiobook’s vibrant soul! Let My People Go Surfing appeals as much to adventurous spirits as to business founders and leaders set on changing the world with their convictions.
Of course, every business needs to make a profit. But if your company isn’t people-oriented, then it’s not succeeding and not sustainable. Howard Schultz will tell you that Starbucks works because it’s more than just a money-making machine. Find out how he returned to his old job as CEO during the depths of the economic recession, determined to build something bigger than a cafe chain.
Student Maid was a great idea, but Kristen Hadeed was an inexperienced CEO. Years after she struggled to become the world-class business executive she is today, Hadeed has realized that all those early mistakes were what honed her most valuable skills. Follow her journey of personal development as she messes up again and again, learning all along. She’s living proof that success is the result of failure—lots and lots of failure!
Disney is one of the biggest names in entertainment with some of the buzziest IPs around: Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar, and more. But 20 years ago, Disney was in a much different spot and needed a massive push to reestablish itself as an industry giant. When Robert Iger took over as CEO in 2005, Disney was at a crossroads. His leadership would prove pivotal in propelling the company to a fivefold increase in value. In The Ride of a Lifetime, Iger lays out the leadership principles that led Disney to incredible success: optimism, courage, decisiveness, and fairness. Inspiring and honest, this memoir serves as a roadmap for anyone aspiring to take their company to incredible new heights while holding fast to values that matter.
When Netflix first launched as a DVD rental service back in 1998, no one could have imagined that it would grow into a dominant player in the entertainment space just a few decades later. But it would take a radical change in the way the company approached work to get there. In No Rules Rules, Netflix cofounder Reed Hastings reveals how his unconventional—and highly controversial—management style catapulted the company into the behemoth it is today. Based on interviews with Netflix employees throughout the years as well as stories from the author’s journey, this listen affirms the value of empowering people to be creative.
There’s no question that Indra Nooyi is a trailblazer. Born in India, Nooyi was the first immigrant and person of color to serve as CEO of a Fortune 50 company: PepsiCo. My Life in Full chronicles her upbringing in 1960s India and the forces that drove her to become one of the most innovative and impactful leaders this century. Sharing intimate, never-before-heard details about her struggles balancing her career ambitions with the demands of a growing family, Nooyi offers an unflinchingly honest account of what it took to lead PepsiCo and both the hard lessons and great joys that came with the challenges.
