#19 - The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. by Ron Chernow

Diving into Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. by Ron Chernow (https://a.co/d/iEFLpKT). This sweeping biography follows Rockefeller’s rise from humble beginnings to becoming the world’s richest man and the mastermind behind Standard Oil. Blending business brilliance, ruthless ambition, and deep philanthropy, it’s a powerful portrait of the man who shaped modern capitalism and left an enduring mark on industry and society.

00:00 Introduction to John D. Rockefeller

05:01 Rockefeller's Father and Childhood

10:23 Rockefeller as a Child

12:29 Rockefeller Raises $2,000 for Church Mortgage

14:26 Rockefeller's Job Search

17:16 Rockefeller's Early Career

18:27 18-year-old Rockefeller Builds a House

20:27 How Rockefeller Sells

22:50 14 Ideas

23:58 #1: Keeping Ledgers and Objective Data

27:37 #2: Ceaseless Search for Minor Improvements

30:50 #3: Control Costs

32:00 #4: Take Notes34:48

#5: Advantages of being green

36:45 #6: Hurry up the boys

38:24 #7: Long-term thinking

40:09 #8: Showmanship

42:28 #9: Tell the truth

45:04 #10: Hire talent as found, not as needed

47:03 #11: Turn Adversaries into Allies

48:41 #12: Delegation and Decentralized Command

51:11 #13: Talk last in meetings

52:34 #14: Excellence

56:03 Conclusion