• Good to Great to Gone

  • The 60-Year Rise and Fall of Circuit City
  • By: Alan Wurtzel
  • Narrated by: James Patrick Cronin
  • Length: 12 hrs and 25 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (99 ratings)

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Good to Great to Gone  By  cover art

Good to Great to Gone

By: Alan Wurtzel
Narrated by: James Patrick Cronin
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Publisher's summary

How did Circuit City go from a Mom and Pop store with a mere $13,000 investment, to the best performing Fortune 500 Company for any 15-year period between 1965 and 1995, to bankruptcy and liquidation in 2009? What must leaders do not only to take a business from good to great, but to avoid plummeting from great to gone in a constantly evolving marketplace?

Alan Wurtzel, son of Circuit City founder Sam Wurtzel, took over as CEO in 1972 and implemented a successful long-term strategy that simplified the company by unloading unsuccessful acquisitions, expanded the few winning divisions, and preserved the distinct employee culture his father created, positioning the company for unprecedented success. For almost 50 years, Circuit City was able to successfully navigate the constant changes in the consumer electronics marketplace and meet consumer demand and taste preferences. But with the subsequent decline and ultimate demise of Circuit City in 2009, Wurtzel had the rare perspective of a former company insider in the role of an outsider looking in.

Believing that there is no singular formula for strategy, Wurtzel emphasizes the "Habits of Mind" that influence critical management decisions. With key takeaways at the end of each chapter, Wurtzel offers advice and guidance to ensure any business stays on track, even in the wake of disruption, a changing consumer landscape, and new competitors.

Part social history, part cautionary tale, and part business strategy guide, Good to Great to Gone: The 60 Year Rise and Fall of Circuit City features a memorable story with critical leadership lessons.

©2012 Alan Wurtzel (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about Good to Great to Gone

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Memories...

I really enjoyed this work. As a former employee, it brought back some fond memories...

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2 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Great!

I may be biased since I worked as a Store Director for Circuit City for 7 years. I always knew at store level the decisions that affected our business. What was so surprising to hear were the decisions that were made at a corporate level, behind the scenes. So many opportunities for this great company to recover, were squandered. Circuit City will always remain near and dear to my heart.....I learned so much... And those learnings have helped me continue to be successful in my career. Such a shame though!

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    5 out of 5 stars

Honest Analysis Of A Once Great Company

There was a book by a former automotive executive filled with excuses and blaming of other companies for his failure. This author did not do that and I appreciate it. He analyzes the rise and fall of a company he helped build and then destroy and explains how they built it up and then what they did wrong which ultimately lead to its fall.

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An Amazing Case Study!!!

This was one of the best business case studies I've ever listened to. The story lives up to the title in embodying the principals laid out in the two Jim Collin's books, Good to Great and How the Mighty Fall. Although sad to listen through the second half of the book, it was a perfect outline of the various consequences that could form from bad management decisions. I really learned a lot in this one.

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It's a must read for businesses trying to change

It's a must read for businesses trying to change with out losing their way.

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As a former CCSI employeeI found this interesting.

Brings back memories good bad and indifferent. so many small and not so small things wrecked a once great company to work for.

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Amazing

Beautiful and Sad - the only words that fit; a documentary played out on a stage, in which the outcome is pre-determined yet you cheer for the doomed protagonist hoping salvation comes....but it doesn’t. Every CEO and entrepreneur should study Wurtzel’s teachings.

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Good book

4 stars is a good book for me and took a few learnings, it is a mix of business and the circuit city story.

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Great business story

This book is a great look at the rise and fall of an American business, and the opportunities and pitfalls that face a business over its life span. It tells the story of how a company can have enormous success, then fall victim to bad management that leads to its ultimate downfall. A great listen.

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Fantastic read for people with retail and/or business interest

Having worked at Circuit City in the late 90s/early 00s, it was extremely interesting to hear the behind the scenes stories of what was going on.

Having read a lot of business case studies, it was fascinating to hear how management made blunder after blunder and ran the business into the ground. It really put my more recent work experience into perspective.

Some of the “lessons” can be repetitive and annoying, but other than that, I greatly enjoyed this audiobook.

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