-
Invention
- A Life of Learning Through Failure
- Narrated by: James Dyson
- Length: 11 hrs and 33 mins
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed

pick 2 free titles with trial.
Buy for $18.49
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Am I Being Too Subtle?
- The Adventures of a Business Maverick
- By: Sam Zell
- Narrated by: Sam Zell
- Length: 8 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Self-made billionaire Sam Zell consistently sees what others don't. From finding a market for overpriced Playboy magazines among his junior high classmates, to buying real estate on the cheap after a market crash, to investing in often unglamorous industries with long-term value, Zell acts boldly on supply and demand trends to grab the first-mover advantage. And he can find opportunity virtually anywhere - from an arcane piece of legislation to a desert meeting in Abu Dhabi.
-
-
Excellent story, but ....
- By David K. Robbins on 08-06-17
By: Sam Zell
-
Play Nice but Win
- A CEO's Journey from Founder to Leader
- By: Michael Dell, James Kaplan
- Narrated by: Michael Dell
- Length: 10 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1984, soon-to-be college dropout Michael Dell hid signs of his fledgling PC business in the bathroom of his University of Texas dorm room. Almost 30 years later, at the pinnacle of his success as founder and leader of Dell Technologies, he found himself embroiled in a battle for his company’s survival. What he’d do next could ensure its legacy — or destroy it completely.
-
-
Not perfect, but worth a listen
- By James S. on 11-09-21
By: Michael Dell, and others
-
Jony Ive
- The Genius Behind Apple's Greatest Products
- By: Leander Kahney
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The best-selling author of Inside Steve's Brain profiles Apple's legendary chief designer, Jonathan Ive. Jony Ive's designs have not only made Apple one of the most valuable companies in the world; they've overturned entire industries, from music and mobile phones to PCs and tablets.
-
-
Was hoping to get to know the man behind the name.
- By Idan B. on 06-15-14
By: Leander Kahney
-
The Story of Lululemon: Little Black Stretchy Pants
- By: Chip Wilson
- Narrated by: Chip Wilson
- Length: 10 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The unauthorized story of Lululemon. Chip Wilson’s part in this story comes from the learning of thousands of mistakes. He set the culture, business model, quality platform, and people development program and then got out of the way. Lululemon’s exponential growth, culture, and brand strength have few peers, and it is because of those employees who choose to be great. This book is also about missed opportunity - five years of missed opportunity. Chip was playing to win while the directors of the company he founded were playing not to lose.
-
-
Score settling second rate business advice
- By Amazon Customer on 07-13-19
By: Chip Wilson
-
Around the Corner to Around the World
- A Dozen Lessons I Learned Running Dunkin Donuts
- By: Robert Rosenberg
- Narrated by: Wayne Campbell, Robert Rosenberg
- Length: 8 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Robert Rosenberg took over as CEO of Dunkin’ Donuts in 1963, 13 years after the first restaurant was founded by his father William. In his remarkable 35-year run, he grew the company from $10 million in sales to over $2 billion with more than 3,000 outlets. Through his tenure, Robert learned important lessons on running and scaling a family business. Rosenberg shares his insider perspective on all the dramatic highs and lows that are part of the Dunkin’ Donuts story to guide you to your own success story.
-
-
Simple but good
- By Brian Sachetta on 01-25-21
By: Robert Rosenberg
-
Becoming Trader Joe
- How I Did Business My Way and Still Beat the Big Guys
- By: Joe Coulombe, Patty Civalleri - contributor
- Narrated by: Mark Smeby
- Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Joe Coulombe founded what would become Trader Joe’s in the late 1960s and helped shape it into the beloved, quirky food chain it is today. Realizing early on that he could not compete and win by playing the same game his bigger competitors were playing, he decided to build a store for educated people of somewhat modest means. In this way, Joe laid down a blueprint for other business owners to follow to build their own unique shopping experience that customers love, and a work environment that employees love being a part of.
-
-
Many mispronunciations
- By Maria Francesca on 06-26-21
By: Joe Coulombe, and others
-
Am I Being Too Subtle?
- The Adventures of a Business Maverick
- By: Sam Zell
- Narrated by: Sam Zell
- Length: 8 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Self-made billionaire Sam Zell consistently sees what others don't. From finding a market for overpriced Playboy magazines among his junior high classmates, to buying real estate on the cheap after a market crash, to investing in often unglamorous industries with long-term value, Zell acts boldly on supply and demand trends to grab the first-mover advantage. And he can find opportunity virtually anywhere - from an arcane piece of legislation to a desert meeting in Abu Dhabi.
-
-
Excellent story, but ....
- By David K. Robbins on 08-06-17
By: Sam Zell
-
Play Nice but Win
- A CEO's Journey from Founder to Leader
- By: Michael Dell, James Kaplan
- Narrated by: Michael Dell
- Length: 10 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1984, soon-to-be college dropout Michael Dell hid signs of his fledgling PC business in the bathroom of his University of Texas dorm room. Almost 30 years later, at the pinnacle of his success as founder and leader of Dell Technologies, he found himself embroiled in a battle for his company’s survival. What he’d do next could ensure its legacy — or destroy it completely.
-
-
Not perfect, but worth a listen
- By James S. on 11-09-21
By: Michael Dell, and others
-
Jony Ive
- The Genius Behind Apple's Greatest Products
- By: Leander Kahney
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The best-selling author of Inside Steve's Brain profiles Apple's legendary chief designer, Jonathan Ive. Jony Ive's designs have not only made Apple one of the most valuable companies in the world; they've overturned entire industries, from music and mobile phones to PCs and tablets.
-
-
Was hoping to get to know the man behind the name.
- By Idan B. on 06-15-14
By: Leander Kahney
-
The Story of Lululemon: Little Black Stretchy Pants
- By: Chip Wilson
- Narrated by: Chip Wilson
- Length: 10 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The unauthorized story of Lululemon. Chip Wilson’s part in this story comes from the learning of thousands of mistakes. He set the culture, business model, quality platform, and people development program and then got out of the way. Lululemon’s exponential growth, culture, and brand strength have few peers, and it is because of those employees who choose to be great. This book is also about missed opportunity - five years of missed opportunity. Chip was playing to win while the directors of the company he founded were playing not to lose.
-
-
Score settling second rate business advice
- By Amazon Customer on 07-13-19
By: Chip Wilson
-
Around the Corner to Around the World
- A Dozen Lessons I Learned Running Dunkin Donuts
- By: Robert Rosenberg
- Narrated by: Wayne Campbell, Robert Rosenberg
- Length: 8 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Robert Rosenberg took over as CEO of Dunkin’ Donuts in 1963, 13 years after the first restaurant was founded by his father William. In his remarkable 35-year run, he grew the company from $10 million in sales to over $2 billion with more than 3,000 outlets. Through his tenure, Robert learned important lessons on running and scaling a family business. Rosenberg shares his insider perspective on all the dramatic highs and lows that are part of the Dunkin’ Donuts story to guide you to your own success story.
-
-
Simple but good
- By Brian Sachetta on 01-25-21
By: Robert Rosenberg
-
Becoming Trader Joe
- How I Did Business My Way and Still Beat the Big Guys
- By: Joe Coulombe, Patty Civalleri - contributor
- Narrated by: Mark Smeby
- Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Joe Coulombe founded what would become Trader Joe’s in the late 1960s and helped shape it into the beloved, quirky food chain it is today. Realizing early on that he could not compete and win by playing the same game his bigger competitors were playing, he decided to build a store for educated people of somewhat modest means. In this way, Joe laid down a blueprint for other business owners to follow to build their own unique shopping experience that customers love, and a work environment that employees love being a part of.
-
-
Many mispronunciations
- By Maria Francesca on 06-26-21
By: Joe Coulombe, and others
-
Shoe Dog
- A Memoir by the Creator of Nike
- By: Phil Knight
- Narrated by: Norbert Leo Butz, Phil Knight - introduction
- Length: 13 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this candid and riveting memoir, for the first time ever, Nike founder and CEO Phil Knight shares the inside story of the company's early days as an intrepid start-up and its evolution into one of the world's most iconic, game-changing, and profitable brands.
-
-
Just read it. (or listen, whatever)
- By Dan D on 07-07-16
By: Phil Knight
-
How to Get Rich
- One of the World's Greatest Entrepreneurs Shares His Secrets
- By: Felix Dennis
- Narrated by: Roy McMillan
- Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Felix Dennis is an expert at proving people wrong. Starting as a college dropout with no family money, he created a publishing empire, founded Maxim magazine, made himself one of the richest people in the UK, and had a blast in the process. How to Get Rich is different from any other book on the subject because Dennis isn't selling snake oil, investment tips, or motivational claptrap. He merely wants to help people embrace entrepreneurship, and to share lessons he learned the hard way.
-
-
A picture is worth his 1,000 words
- By Jerry Fletcher on 09-18-21
By: Felix Dennis
-
Build
- An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making
- By: Tony Fadell
- Narrated by: Tony Fadell, Roger Wayne
- Length: 11 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Tony Fadell led the teams that created the iPod, iPhone, and Nest Learning Thermostat and learned enough in 30+ years in Silicon Valley about leadership, design, startups, Apple, Google, decision-making, mentorship, devastating failure, and unbelievable success to fill an encyclopedia. So that’s what this book is. An advice encyclopedia. A mentor in a box. Build is full of personal stories, practical advice and fascinating insights into some of the most impactful products and people of the 20th century.
-
-
Best guide for start up founders, ever!!!
- By Curly Beard on 05-28-22
By: Tony Fadell
-
Sam Walton
- Made in America
- By: John Huey, Sam Walton
- Narrated by: Henry Strozier
- Length: 10 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Meet a genuine American folk hero cut from the homespun cloth of America's heartland: Sam Walton, who parlayed a single dime store in a hardscrabble cotton town into Wal-Mart, the largest retailer in the world. The undisputed merchant king of the late 20th century, Sam never lost the common touch. Here, finally, inimitable words. Genuinely modest, but always sure of his ambitions and achievements. Sam shares his thinking in a candid, straight-from-the-shoulder style. In a story rich with anecdotes and the "rules of the road" of both Main Street and Wall Street, Sam Walton chronicles the inspiration, heart, and optimism that propelled him to lasso the American Dream.
-
-
Capitalism Is The Way
- By Nathan Ruff on 04-14-19
By: John Huey, and others
-
Unreasonable Hospitality
- The Remarkable Power of Giving People More than They Expect
- By: Will Guidara
- Narrated by: Will Guidara
- Length: 8 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Will Guidara was twenty-six when he took the helm of Eleven Madison Park, a struggling two-star brasserie that had never quite lived up to its majestic room. Eleven years later, EMP was named the best restaurant in the world. How did Guidara pull off this unprecedented transformation? Radical reinvention, a true partnership between the kitchen and the dining room—and memorable, over-the-top, bespoke hospitality.
-
-
A Stratification What it Means to Be of Service
- By Amazon Customer on 10-31-22
By: Will Guidara
-
When the Heavens Went on Sale
- The Misfits and Geniuses Racing to Put Space Within Reach
- By: Ashlee Vance
- Narrated by: Ashlee Vance, Robert Petkoff
- Length: 18 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Through immersive and intimate reporting, When the Heavens Went on Sale reveals the spectacular chaos of the new business of space, and what happens when the idealistic, ambitious minds of Silicon Valley turn their unbridled vision toward the limitless expanse of the stars. This is the tale of technology’s most pressing and controversial revolution, as told through fascinating characters chasing unimaginable stakes in the race to space.
-
-
Sets the foundation for the upcoming rocket boom
- By daniel kreigh on 05-27-23
By: Ashlee Vance
-
The Everything Store
- Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon
- By: Brad Stone
- Narrated by: Pete Larkin
- Length: 13 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Amazon.com started off delivering books through the mail. But its visionary founder, Jeff Bezos, wasn't content with being a bookseller. He wanted Amazon to become the everything store, offering limitless selection and seductive convenience at disruptively low prices. To do so, he developed a corporate culture of relentless ambition and secrecy that's never been cracked. Until now.
-
-
Did you know how bad it is to work for Amazon?
- By Shamu from New York on 12-07-13
By: Brad Stone
-
The Ride of a Lifetime
- Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company
- By: Robert Iger
- Narrated by: Jim Frangione, Robert Iger
- Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Robert Iger became CEO of The Walt Disney Company in 2005, during a difficult time. Competition was more intense than ever, and technology was changing faster than at any time in the company’s history. His vision came down to three clear ideas: Recommit to the concept that quality matters, embrace technology instead of fighting it, and think bigger - think global - and turn Disney into a stronger brand in international markets.
-
-
Joins “Shoe Dog” as required biographies.
- By Matt S. on 01-02-20
By: Robert Iger
-
The Founders
- The Story of Paypal and the Entrepreneurs Who Shaped Silicon Valley
- By: Jimmy Soni
- Narrated by: Jonathan Todd Ross
- Length: 18 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Today, PayPal’s founders and earliest employees are considered the technology industry’s most powerful network. Since leaving PayPal, they have formed, funded, and advised the leading companies of our era, including Tesla, Facebook, YouTube, SpaceX, Yelp, Palantir, and LinkedIn, among many others. As a group, they have driven twenty-first-century innovation and entrepreneurship. Their names stir passions; they’re as controversial as they are admired.
-
-
Wonderful, Engaging & Insightful
- By Ismael Becerra on 02-26-22
By: Jimmy Soni
-
Authentic
- A Memoir by the Founder of Vans
- By: Paul Van Doren
- Narrated by: Tony Alva
- Length: 8 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Paul Van Doren is the founder of Vans - the shoe company beloved by skateboarders, creatives, and fans everywhere for its laid-back, colorful SoCal vibe, and famous for its people-oriented company culture. How did Van Doren establish a family shoe business that evolved into a globally recognized brand with annual revenue of more than four billion dollars? A blue-collar kid with no higher education and zero retail experience, Van Doren leveraged a knack for numbers, a genius for efficiency, and the know-how to make a great canvas tennis shoe into an all-American success story.
-
-
Van Doren
- By Phillip V. on 05-18-21
By: Paul Van Doren
-
Let My People Go Surfing
- The Education of a Reluctant Businessman - Including 10 More Years of Business Unusual
- By: Yvon Chouinard, Naomi Klein
- Narrated by: Christopher Grove, Yvon Chouinard
- Length: 7 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In his long-awaited memoir, Yvon Chouinard - legendary climber, businessman, environmentalist, and founder of Patagonia, Inc. - shares the persistence and courage that have gone into being head of one of the most respected and environmentally responsible companies on earth. From his youth as the son of a French Canadian blacksmith to the thrilling, ambitious climbing expeditions that inspired his innovative designs for the sport's equipment.
-
-
Good presentation, though a little preachy
- By Jim Perkins on 05-25-17
By: Yvon Chouinard, and others
-
Liftoff
- Elon Musk and the Desperate Early Days that Launched SpaceX
- By: Eric Berger
- Narrated by: Rob Shapiro
- Length: 9 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The dramatic inside story of the first four historic flights that launched SpaceX - and Elon Musk - from a shaky startup into the world's leading-edge rocket company.
-
-
Excellent. Would make a good movie.
- By Andrew Dodson on 03-04-21
By: Eric Berger
Publisher's Summary
Dyson has become a byword for high-performing products, technology, design, and invention. Now, James Dyson, the inventor and entrepreneur who made it all happen, tells his remarkable and inspirational story in Invention: A Life, "one of the year's most relevant and revelatory business books" (The Wall Street Journal).
Famously, over a four-year period, James Dyson made 5,127 prototypes of the cyclonic vacuum cleaner that would transform the way houses are cleaned around the world. In devoting all his resources to iteratively developing the technology, he risked it all, but out of many failures and setbacks came hard-fought success. His products - including vacuum cleaners, hair dryers and hair stylers, and fans and purifiers - are not only revolutionary technologies, but design classics. This was a legacy of his time studying at the Royal College of Art in the 1960s, when he was inspired by some of the most famous artists, designers, and inventors of the era, as well as his engineering heroes such as Frank Whittle and Alex Issigonis.
In Invention: A Life, Dyson reveals how he came to set up his own company and led it to become one of the most inventive technology companies in the world. It is a compelling and dramatic tale, with many obstacles overcome. Dyson has always looked to the future, even setting up his own university to help provide the next generation of engineers and designers. For, as he says, “everything changes all the time, so experience is of little use”.
Whether you are someone who has an idea for a better product, an aspiring entrepreneur, whether you appreciate great design or a pause-resisting story, Invention: A Life offers you inspiration, hope, and much more.
What listeners say about Invention
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Shogun
- 09-25-21
Inspiring
I read his first book, and bought this as soon as I heard about it. Great listen, lots of wisdom to apply in the building of my own business and the products my team and I create. Thanks for the great insight into your life, triumphs and set backs James. Keep inventing. (And please make a fridge will you? )
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Aboey
- 10-04-21
great to hear from the inventor and founder himsel
lovely to hear the voices of his wife and son. got to know the man behind the biz and inventions. truly incredible his journey. I went out and got a dyson vaccum after listening to his story.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- George Kittridge
- 09-20-21
Remarkably inspirational
Truly a life well lived. Encouraging and empowering at a time when the world needs it more than ever
As a young entrepreneur myself James Dyson has become a newfound role model and hopefully one day Mentor.
I cannot wait to submit my passion and skills to such righteous causes as Dyson has and be a force/ engine for improving our world through compassionate business practices and engineering solutions
Thank you to the producer, thank you To James himself, and thank you to Guy Raz and the team at NPR’s “how I built this” for having James Dyson on and bringing me to this truly inspirational life story
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 03-05-23
Great entrepreneur. Horribly boring book
Dyson is a remarkable entrepreneur but this has no storyline, no interesting lessons or frameworks or anything that make it interesting. It is just a highlight reel of Dyson's life. There is no self-reflection on anything he might have done wrong or mistakes he might have made.
There are no lessons to learn from if you are an entrepreneur or business owner as you might get in Cable Cowboy about John Malone. There are no harrowing stories like you get in Phil Knight's Shoe Dog.
This book was made for Dyson as a PR exercise. If you care deeply about the intricacies of engineering of a vacuum cleaner, there might be some things of interest in here.
It's unfortunate given how great of an entrepreneur he is.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Nicolai Bak Jensen
- 12-09-22
Great look into the Dyson story
Great book, the only thing is the jump in the timeline which is a bit hard to follow on audio.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Abel
- 12-08-22
Great entrepreneurial story
Authentic story of ups and downs of building something inspiring. So much that I didn’t know about the history and mission behind dyson.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Brian
- 12-02-22
Great story but painful to listen
great story but, I hate to say, the lisp on the "s" sound is painful to hear to often and deep.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Cary P. Pfeffer
- 11-22-22
A surprise for a non-engineer
Having no real connection to the UK, manufacturing or engineering I found this to be an amazing story. A story of family love and commitment, extreme determination and persistence that is hard to imagine. Very surprised by this book. (And I have a new vacuum on the way!)
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- NSP
- 09-27-22
Talk about Perseverance!
I am a person who loves reading biographies, as I find that every successful person in life has had to overcome hardships, challenges, and disappointment. Dyson is no exception., His drive to succeed is inspirational and it's cool to hear his story directly from him. I always say the most amazing thing about Audible, is that these incredible people are reading their book to you!
The only negative could be the tendency for him to talk about all the amazing things Dyson is doing now, but hey, if I built this company I would probably want to do the same.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- RB Player
- 04-22-22
great listen
history I didn't know ... products I didn't know about ... cares about people & the environment!
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
The Story of Lululemon: Little Black Stretchy Pants
- By: Chip Wilson
- Narrated by: Chip Wilson
- Length: 10 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The unauthorized story of Lululemon. Chip Wilson’s part in this story comes from the learning of thousands of mistakes. He set the culture, business model, quality platform, and people development program and then got out of the way. Lululemon’s exponential growth, culture, and brand strength have few peers, and it is because of those employees who choose to be great. This book is also about missed opportunity - five years of missed opportunity. Chip was playing to win while the directors of the company he founded were playing not to lose.
-
-
Score settling second rate business advice
- By Amazon Customer on 07-13-19
By: Chip Wilson
-
Play Nice but Win
- A CEO's Journey from Founder to Leader
- By: Michael Dell, James Kaplan
- Narrated by: Michael Dell
- Length: 10 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1984, soon-to-be college dropout Michael Dell hid signs of his fledgling PC business in the bathroom of his University of Texas dorm room. Almost 30 years later, at the pinnacle of his success as founder and leader of Dell Technologies, he found himself embroiled in a battle for his company’s survival. What he’d do next could ensure its legacy — or destroy it completely.
-
-
Not perfect, but worth a listen
- By James S. on 11-09-21
By: Michael Dell, and others
-
Becoming Trader Joe
- How I Did Business My Way and Still Beat the Big Guys
- By: Joe Coulombe, Patty Civalleri - contributor
- Narrated by: Mark Smeby
- Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Joe Coulombe founded what would become Trader Joe’s in the late 1960s and helped shape it into the beloved, quirky food chain it is today. Realizing early on that he could not compete and win by playing the same game his bigger competitors were playing, he decided to build a store for educated people of somewhat modest means. In this way, Joe laid down a blueprint for other business owners to follow to build their own unique shopping experience that customers love, and a work environment that employees love being a part of.
-
-
Many mispronunciations
- By Maria Francesca on 06-26-21
By: Joe Coulombe, and others
-
Call Me Ted
- By: Ted Turner, Bill Burke
- Narrated by: Ted Turner
- Length: 14 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
An innovative entrepreneur, outspoken nonconformist, and groundbreaking philanthropist, Ted Turner is truly a living legend, and now, for the first time, he reveals his personal story. From his difficult childhood to the successful launch of his media empire to the catastrophic AOL/Time Warner deal, Turner spares no details or feelings and takes the reader along on a wild and sometimes bumpy ride.
-
-
Under-hyped
- By loix on 12-21-08
By: Ted Turner, and others
-
Covert Cows and Chick-fil-A
- How Faith, Cows, and Chicken Built an Iconic Brand
- By: Steve Robinson
- Narrated by: Milton Bagby
- Length: 7 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
During his 34-year tenure at Chick-fil-A, Steve Robinson was integrally involved in the company’s growth - from 184 stores and $100 million in annual sales in 1981 to over 2,100 stores and over $6.8 billion in annual sales in 2015 - and was a firsthand witness to its evolution as an indelible global brand. In Covert Cows and Chick-fil-A, Robinson shares behind-the-scenes accounts of key moments.
-
-
Like an encyclopedia being read
- By Dave on 11-29-19
By: Steve Robinson
-
Invested
- Changing Forever the Way Americans Invest
- By: Charles Schwab
- Narrated by: Fred Sanders
- Length: 11 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this deeply personal memoir, Schwab describes his passion to have Main Street participate in the growing economy as investors and owners, not only earners. Schwab opens up about his dyslexia and how he worked around and ultimately embraced it, and about the challenges he faced while starting his fledgling company in the 1970s. A year into his grand experiment in discounted stock trading, living in a small apartment in Sausalito with his wife, Helen, and new baby, he carried a six-figure debt and a pocketful of personal loans.
-
-
Seeing through the entrepreneur’s eyes
- By Gregory Albiani on 10-14-19
By: Charles Schwab
-
The Story of Lululemon: Little Black Stretchy Pants
- By: Chip Wilson
- Narrated by: Chip Wilson
- Length: 10 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The unauthorized story of Lululemon. Chip Wilson’s part in this story comes from the learning of thousands of mistakes. He set the culture, business model, quality platform, and people development program and then got out of the way. Lululemon’s exponential growth, culture, and brand strength have few peers, and it is because of those employees who choose to be great. This book is also about missed opportunity - five years of missed opportunity. Chip was playing to win while the directors of the company he founded were playing not to lose.
-
-
Score settling second rate business advice
- By Amazon Customer on 07-13-19
By: Chip Wilson
-
Play Nice but Win
- A CEO's Journey from Founder to Leader
- By: Michael Dell, James Kaplan
- Narrated by: Michael Dell
- Length: 10 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1984, soon-to-be college dropout Michael Dell hid signs of his fledgling PC business in the bathroom of his University of Texas dorm room. Almost 30 years later, at the pinnacle of his success as founder and leader of Dell Technologies, he found himself embroiled in a battle for his company’s survival. What he’d do next could ensure its legacy — or destroy it completely.
-
-
Not perfect, but worth a listen
- By James S. on 11-09-21
By: Michael Dell, and others
-
Becoming Trader Joe
- How I Did Business My Way and Still Beat the Big Guys
- By: Joe Coulombe, Patty Civalleri - contributor
- Narrated by: Mark Smeby
- Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Joe Coulombe founded what would become Trader Joe’s in the late 1960s and helped shape it into the beloved, quirky food chain it is today. Realizing early on that he could not compete and win by playing the same game his bigger competitors were playing, he decided to build a store for educated people of somewhat modest means. In this way, Joe laid down a blueprint for other business owners to follow to build their own unique shopping experience that customers love, and a work environment that employees love being a part of.
-
-
Many mispronunciations
- By Maria Francesca on 06-26-21
By: Joe Coulombe, and others
-
Call Me Ted
- By: Ted Turner, Bill Burke
- Narrated by: Ted Turner
- Length: 14 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
An innovative entrepreneur, outspoken nonconformist, and groundbreaking philanthropist, Ted Turner is truly a living legend, and now, for the first time, he reveals his personal story. From his difficult childhood to the successful launch of his media empire to the catastrophic AOL/Time Warner deal, Turner spares no details or feelings and takes the reader along on a wild and sometimes bumpy ride.
-
-
Under-hyped
- By loix on 12-21-08
By: Ted Turner, and others
-
Covert Cows and Chick-fil-A
- How Faith, Cows, and Chicken Built an Iconic Brand
- By: Steve Robinson
- Narrated by: Milton Bagby
- Length: 7 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
During his 34-year tenure at Chick-fil-A, Steve Robinson was integrally involved in the company’s growth - from 184 stores and $100 million in annual sales in 1981 to over 2,100 stores and over $6.8 billion in annual sales in 2015 - and was a firsthand witness to its evolution as an indelible global brand. In Covert Cows and Chick-fil-A, Robinson shares behind-the-scenes accounts of key moments.
-
-
Like an encyclopedia being read
- By Dave on 11-29-19
By: Steve Robinson
-
Invested
- Changing Forever the Way Americans Invest
- By: Charles Schwab
- Narrated by: Fred Sanders
- Length: 11 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this deeply personal memoir, Schwab describes his passion to have Main Street participate in the growing economy as investors and owners, not only earners. Schwab opens up about his dyslexia and how he worked around and ultimately embraced it, and about the challenges he faced while starting his fledgling company in the 1970s. A year into his grand experiment in discounted stock trading, living in a small apartment in Sausalito with his wife, Helen, and new baby, he carried a six-figure debt and a pocketful of personal loans.
-
-
Seeing through the entrepreneur’s eyes
- By Gregory Albiani on 10-14-19
By: Charles Schwab
-
My Father's Business
- The Small-Town Values That Built Dollar General into a Billion-Dollar Company
- By: Cal Turner Jr., Rob Simbeck
- Narrated by: Cal Turner Jr.
- Length: 10 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Longtime Dollar General CEO Cal Turner, Jr. shares his extraordinary life as heir to the company founded by his father Cal Turner, Sr. and his grandfather, a dirt farmer turned Depression-era entrepreneur. Cal's narrative is at its heart a father-son story, from his childhood in Scottsville, Kentucky, where business and family were one, to the triumph of reaching the Fortune 300 - at the cost of risking that very father/son relationship. Cal shares how the small-town values with which he was raised helped him guide Dollar General from family enterprise to national powerhouse.
-
-
THE BEST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ!
- By Rick Caldwell on 06-19-18
By: Cal Turner Jr., and others
-
The Founders
- The Story of Paypal and the Entrepreneurs Who Shaped Silicon Valley
- By: Jimmy Soni
- Narrated by: Jonathan Todd Ross
- Length: 18 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Today, PayPal’s founders and earliest employees are considered the technology industry’s most powerful network. Since leaving PayPal, they have formed, funded, and advised the leading companies of our era, including Tesla, Facebook, YouTube, SpaceX, Yelp, Palantir, and LinkedIn, among many others. As a group, they have driven twenty-first-century innovation and entrepreneurship. Their names stir passions; they’re as controversial as they are admired.
-
-
Wonderful, Engaging & Insightful
- By Ismael Becerra on 02-26-22
By: Jimmy Soni
-
In-N-Out Burger
- A Behind-the-Counter Look at the Fast-Food Chain That Breaks All the Rules
- By: Stacy Perman
- Narrated by: Loren Lester
- Length: 10 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It's the untold story of the renegade burger chain that evokes a passionate following unlike any other. In fast-food corporate America, In-N-Out Burger stands apart. Begun in a tiny shack in the shadow of World War II, this family-owned chain has steadfastly refused to franchise or be sold. It is a testament to old-fashioned values and reminiscent of a simpler time when people, loyalty, and a freshly made, juicy hamburger meant something.
-
-
Flowery Promo Piece
- By Melissa on 02-22-10
By: Stacy Perman
-
Around the Corner to Around the World
- A Dozen Lessons I Learned Running Dunkin Donuts
- By: Robert Rosenberg
- Narrated by: Wayne Campbell, Robert Rosenberg
- Length: 8 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Robert Rosenberg took over as CEO of Dunkin’ Donuts in 1963, 13 years after the first restaurant was founded by his father William. In his remarkable 35-year run, he grew the company from $10 million in sales to over $2 billion with more than 3,000 outlets. Through his tenure, Robert learned important lessons on running and scaling a family business. Rosenberg shares his insider perspective on all the dramatic highs and lows that are part of the Dunkin’ Donuts story to guide you to your own success story.
-
-
Simple but good
- By Brian Sachetta on 01-25-21
By: Robert Rosenberg
-
Becoming Steve Jobs
- The Evolution of a Reckless Upstart into a Visionary Leader
- By: Brent Schlender, Rick Tetzeli
- Narrated by: George Newbern
- Length: 16 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There have been many books - on a large and small scale - about Steve Jobs, one of the most famous CEOs in history. But this book is different from all the others. Becoming Steve Jobs takes on and breaks down the existing myth and stereotypes about Steve Jobs. The conventional, one-dimensional view of Jobs is that he was half genius, half jerk from youth, an irascible and selfish leader who slighted friends and family alike.
-
-
"Design is How it Works" -SJ
- By Cynthia on 03-29-15
By: Brent Schlender, and others
-
A Man for All Markets
- From Las Vegas to Wall Street, How I Beat the Dealer and the Market
- By: Edward O. Thorp, Nassim Nicholas Taleb - foreword
- Narrated by: Edward O. Thorp
- Length: 16 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The incredible true story of the card-counting mathematics professor who taught the world how to beat the dealer and, as the first of the great quantitative investors, ushered in a revolution on Wall Street.
-
-
A life of a genius
- By Oleksiy Volovik on 05-08-17
By: Edward O. Thorp, and others