The Self-Made Billionaire Effect

How Extreme Producers Create Massive Value

By: John Sviokla, Mitch Cohen

Narrated by: Erik Synnestvedt

Length: 6 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

Imagine what Atari might have achieved if Steve Jobs had stayed there to develop the first massmarket personal computer. Or what Steve Case might have done for PepsiCo if he hadn't left for a gaming start-up that eventually became AOL. What if Salomon Brothers had kept Michael Bloomberg, or Bear Stearns had exploited the inventive ideas of Stephen Ross? Scores of top-tier entrepreneurs worked for established corporations before they struck out on their own and became self-made billionaires. People like Mark Cuban, John Paul DeJoria, Sara Blakely, and T. Boone Pickens all built businesses - in some cases, multiple businesses - that are among today's most iconic brands. This fact raises two profound questions: Why couldn't their former employers hang on to these extraordinarily talented people? And why are most big companies unable to create as much new value as the world's roughly 800 self-made billionaires?

John Sviokla and Mitch Cohen decided to look more closely at self-made billionaires because creating $1 billion or more in value is an incredible feat. Drawing on extensive research and interviews, the authors concluded that many of the myths perpetuated about billionaires are simply not true. These billionaires aren't necessarily smarter, harder working, or luckier than their peers. They aren't all prodigies, crossing the billionaire finish line in their 20s. Nor, most of the time, do they create something brand-new: More than 80 percent of the billionaires in the research sample earned their billions in highly competitive industries. The key difference is what the authors call the "Producer" mind-set, in contrast with the far more pervasive "Performer" mind-set. Performers strive to excel in well-defined areas, and are important. But Producers are critical to any company looking to create massive value because they redefine what’s possible, rather than simply meeting preexisting goals and standards.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

©2014 John Sviokla and Mitch Cohen (P)2014 Gildan Media LLC

Critic reviews

"The first billion is the hardest. I know from experience. If you are interested in giving it a shot, The Self-made Billionaire Effect is a good starting point. Great research. Great stories. Great opportunity." (T. Boone Pickens, Chairman, BP Capital Management)

Waste of time!

A whole lot of NOTHING - everything they say is all from a 30,000 foot overview and nothing specific. Example: "billionaires often make something out of nothing, they are hard working and often outwork everyone. They are "producers not consumers, like you." LIKE WTF OF COURSE THEY ARE! I WANT TO KNOW THE DETAILS INSIDES AND OUT. NOT A BASIC UNDERSTANDING THAT ANYONE THAT READ ANY BOOK ON SUCCESS COULD HAVE.

Maybe this would be good for a newbie to business but its very very basic and dry with no actual insight.

IF YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW ADVICE FROM BILLIONAIRES AND HOW TO BUILD COMPANIES YOURSELF....READ A BOOK BY A BILLIONAIRE EX: "Zero to One" - Peter Theil (self-made billionaire, founder of PayPal, Palateir+ and is super in-depth written beautifully.

Good message, lacks quality

It was a good book, and simply that. The idea of performer vs. producer is touched on over and over. Great examples and stories, but lacks quality information about becoming a producer. Not until the end does it get really into detail about producers and how to cultivate them. Interesting, but not a must buy.

Good, but could have been better.

I wish there were more examples of billionaire characteristics vs comparing producers and performers almost the whole time.

Great read for all entrepreneurs

This book really outlines what it takes to be a high producer and a high performer to reach the stage of billionaire status

PRODUCERS VS PERFORMERS

PRODUCERS VS PERFORMERS. This is informative from multiple levels, wether to identify in yourself if you are a PRODUCERS VS PERFORMER or as a ceo which person to seek out and allow to grow in your organization from a PRODUCERS VS PERFORMER standpoint

Very Helpful!!

Based on good research.. helps to identify the Billionaire traits in you and others you might need to add to your team.. Very Helpful!!
Recommended to me by Tai Lopez

Every corporation needs this

Every corporation should have their CEOs and everyone in their C suite listen to or read this, every entrepreneur these things in mind as they’re building their teams.

why doesn't every corporation require this ??

best way to figure out whats been done wrong. clearly, the authors were diligent and logical

good

some good information repetitive not a lot of new information throughout the book could have been half as loud

Think like a Producer

A great book that looks at the difference in mindset between performers and producers. Full of insight and an entertaining read.