Quench Your Own Thirst

By: Jim Koch

Narrated by: Jim Koch

Length: 7 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's Summary

Founder of The Boston Beer Company, brewer of Samuel Adams Boston Lager, and a key catalyst of the American craft beer revolution, Jim Koch offers his unique perspective when it comes to business, beer, and turning your passion into a successful company or career.

In 1984, it looked like an unwinnable David and Goliath struggle: one guy against the mammoth American beer industry. When others scoffed at Jim Koch's plan to leave his consulting job and start a brewery that would challenge American palates, he chose a 19th-century family recipe and launched Samuel Adams. Now one of America's leading craft breweries, Samuel Adams has redefined the way Americans think about beer and helped spur a craft beer revolution.

In Quench Your Own Thirst, Koch offers unprecedented insights into the whirlwind ride from scrappy start-up to thriving public company. His innovative business model and refreshingly frank stories offer counterintuitive lessons that you can apply to business and to life.

Koch covers everything from finding your own Yoda to his theory on how a piece of string can teach you the most important lesson you'll ever learn about business. He also has surprising advice on sales, marketing, hiring, and company culture. Koch's anecdotes, quirky musings, and bits of wisdom go far beyond brewing.

A fun, engaging guide for building a career or launching a successful business based on your passions, Quench Your Own Thirst is the key to the ultimate dream: being successful while doing what you love.

©2016 C. James Koch (P)2016 Macmillan Audio

Great Story!

This book is not one that you want to read if you are looking for advice on starting or growing a business. While you may pick up some helpful insight here and there, it's not that kind of book. What it is is a real-life success story that recounts the good, the bad and the ugly of an entrepreneur starting and growing what would become an almost $1B business. Jim Koch narrates the book himself and talks in detail about his journey - including funny anecdotes along the way. He has truly gained my respect. I definitely recommend this book!

Good lessons for early entrepreneurs

Jim gives a fulfilling story about the fun, grit, and joy that come from starting your own passionate business. While it is geared towards entrepreneurs, I felt I related to his lessons as an average employee more than ever. Well worth the read!

A great story and inspirational!!

As a budding entrepreneur, this story really hit home with me. Jim paints an awesome picture of how he cultivated and nurtured his dream and grew it (with help from other of hard-working and dedicated individuals) to what it is today, a great company that is continually growing and innovating and making a positive difference to those around it. Thanks, Jim, for getting me even more excited about my own dream!!!

I learned nothing

This was a very long advertisement for Boston Beer Company. There were a few tidbits of business advice that you would learn in business 101. There is very little entertainment to the story but more a very detailed description of the products and which Jim sells. There's no way I can possibly knock Sam Adams considering it is the reason I drink craft beer... But, as mentioned before, there is no entertainment to this. If you read Tony Magee's story, or Sam Calagione's story, you'll get more of an entertainment value. You also may be able to learn a bit of a First-Class business advice.

Like sharing a beer at a pub

When I heard Jim Koch was releasing a book I immediately knew I needed to read it. When I discovered he was narrating his book I knew I needed the audiobook! I've always like the sound and cadence of Jim's voice from the old radio commercials for Samuel Adams I heard years ago. Listening to him recount his story is like sharing a beer in a pub with an old friend.

Jim Koch shares his story of starting his own company and busting ass to make Samuel Adams and the Boston Beer Company into what it is today. He also offers advice for would be entrepreneurs. It's a very fun and satisfying experience.

And now I want a beer. Sláinte!

Must read for all entrepreneurs.

Enjoy the story of Sam Adams and the Boston Beer Company. You’ll learn invaluable life and business lessons that will undoubtably aid you in whatever you pursue.

Inspirational Story

I came across this book as an existing fan of Samuel Adams, but was not really educated about the brand and its beginnings. I came away from the book truly a fan of the brand and the author's story. Jim Koch, who was already a successful business executive back in 1984, had the desire to do something more meaningful and start his own business. This is the story of his humble beginnings and ultimate success that certainly surpassed what he had initially envisioned when he started the company. I love the story about how Boston Lager was actually his family's mid-nineteenth century beer recipe and how he knew back then that there was a market for a great "Made in the USA" beer that could compete and better the imports that were considered the best beers back then.

This is not your typical business book that is filled with platitudes of useless information. Rather, it is an honest look at his humble beginnings and what it took to achieve success. He touches not only on the highs, but the reality of the lows and is not afraid to call himself out on any past mistakes. Jim narrates the book himself and provides a lot of humorous anecdotes, as well as fascinating stories along the way, which include having a gun pointed at him by a bar owner on a sales visit, as well as being threatened by the head of a major beer company.

I listened to the majority of this book through the course of a long road trip and was thoroughly entertained. Would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a realistic picture of what it takes to start a successful business, some insights into best business practices learned along the way, as well as to anyone who wants to learn the story of a true American Success.

Essential

this is an excellent book for any entrepreneur anyone involved in business and anyone who appreciates learning.

A truly inspiring story

Jim does an incredible job explaining the story of Sam Adams and how he was able to grow his brewery to incredible heights. If you’re interested in starting your own brewery, this book is a must read and must keep in your library to become successful!

fantastic

coming close to just starting it over to listen to it twice. Thank you Jim

Great story. Lots of advice for business owners

While many of the business tips aren't new, they are fantastically summarized into a fantastic story behind a highly successful business and man.