Business Books & Co.: Recent Episodes
David Kopec, David Short, Kevin Hudak
Join us each month as we discuss a popular business book. Each episode features a summary of the book's contents, key takeaway points, a discussion of its merits, and applications in the real world. Hosted by David Kopec, David Short, and Kevin Hudak.
Trader Joe's is an iconic American grocery chain. And yes, there was an actual Trader Joe. In this episode we interview Patty Civalleri, the co-author with Joe Coulombe of Becoming Trader Joe: How I Did Business My Way and Still Beat the Big Guys. Founded as a small chain in California in the 1960s, Trader Joe’s has gone on to become one the most unique and influential grocery retailers in the United States. Through that journey of growth, Joe Coulombe, its founder, battled government regulations, competitors, and many preconceived notions about how a grocery store should operate.
Show Notes* Becoming Trader Joe by Patty Civalleri and Joe Coulombe via Amazon * Patty Civalleri's Website * Patty Civalleri on X * Patty Civalleri on Instagram * Patty Civalleri on LinkedIn
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Edited by Giacomo Guatteri
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We discuss the 2017 memoir Am I Being Too Subtle?: Straight Talk From a Business Rebel by Sam Zell. Zell was the billionaire founder of Equity Residential, Equity International, and EQ Office. In addition he had controlling interests in several other large enterprises, perhaps most controversially Tribune Media. Am I Being Too Subtle? describes Zell’s upbringing, career, business philosophy, and success transforming troubled assets into productive capital.
Show Notes* Am I Being Too Subtle? by Sam Zell via Amazon
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Edited by Giacomo Guatteri
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Love him or hate him, Elon Musk is perhaps the most accomplished and influential leader in today's business landscape. Dive into the definitive biography, Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson, on our latest episode. Spanning 700 pages, this epic authorized account lays bare the polarizing man behind the innovations, exposing both triumphs and flaws. We dissect the biography's strengths and weaknesses, and discuss how it sheds light on the controversies encircling Musk. What insights does the book offer about Musk's persona, both personally and as a manager? Join us for an immersive exploration into Isaacson's detailed narrative, as we share our thoughts on the best book about this multifaceted personality.
Show Notes* Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson via Amazon * S3E1 Liftoff with Eric Berger * S3E6 The Founders with Jimmy Soni
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Edited by Giacomo Guatteri
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The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience by Carmine Gallo is a self-help book for anyone who regularly makes presentations. Whether you're an executive, analyst, marketer, or teacher this book will help you improve the impression you make on an audience. By utilizing the legendary keynotes of Steve Jobs as a model, the book presents tips, tricks, and technical techniques to make better slides, tell a better story, and captivate any crowd. We are pleased to be joined by the author of The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs, Carmine Gallo.
Show Notes* The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs by Carmine Gallo via Amazon * Carmine Gallo's Website * Carmine Gallo on X * Carmine Gallo on LinkedIn
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Edited by Giacomo Guatteri
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How the Internet Happened: From Netscape to the iPhone by Brian McCullough is a history of the companies, entrepreneurs, technologists, and financiers who launched the modern online world. Covering the years 1993 to 2008, this sweeping volume helps the reader understand not only who the important players were in fostering online communities, e-commerce, social networks, and connected mobile computing, but also the context from which they emerged. We are pleased to be joined by the author of How the Internet Happened, Brian McCullough.
Show Notes * How the Internet Happened: From Netscape to the iPhone by Brian McCullough via Amazon * Brian McCullough on Twitter * Techmeme Ride Home Podcast * Internet History Podcast * Ride Home Fund
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Edited by Giacomo Guatteri
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The Lean Startup by Eric Ries is a modern management classic. It's about bringing the scientific method to the forefront at the start of a new enterprise. Instead of following a classic waterfall development methodology, Ries emphasizes the importance of building quick MVPs that are easily testable based on actionable metrics. Although just a dozen years old, The Lean Startup philosophy has already gone from controversial to common wisdom. In this episode we’ll break down the key ideas and terminology that the book has popularized.
Show Notes * The Lean Startup by Eric Ries via Amazon
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Edited by Giacomo Guatteri
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This month we read How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. First published in the 1930s, How to Win Friends and Influence People is one of the most popular self-help books of all time. Carnegie’s suggestions for how to achieve the title’s objective are largely based on anecdotal wisdom, but the anecdotes are numerous and often hard to argue with. While some of the advice is old-fashioned, and much of it is common sense, the vast majority of the outlayed principles have stood the test of time. In this episode we systematically discuss every major principle in the book and explain how they have applied in our own lives.
Show Notes* How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie via Amazon
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Edited by Giacomo Guatteri
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Season 3 was a landmark season for our show. We read some amazing books and interviewed some award-winning authors. In this episode we discuss the highlights of Season 3. We pick the best and worst books we read. And we provide a behind the scenes look at our author interviews. Plus, we preview Season 4.
Show Notes* Season 3 Listener Survey via Google Forms * David Kopec on Return to the Little Kingdom via CFO Bookshelf * David Short on Nostr: npub1fl8yl9m9n6mn9c90drxhltylgph3vtcguzlzdq9uth4pd7nnnzgsyweqxm
Follow us on Twitter @BusinessBooksCo and join our Amazon book club.
Edited by Giacomo Guatteri
Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
Layered Money: From Gold and Dollars to Bitcoin and Central Bank Digital Currencies by Nik Bhatia is one of the most popular books in the world of bitcoin. But it's much more than that. The first half of the book is a history of monetary systems. This sets the stage for a dive into the world of bitcoin, including what makes it special and how it differs from the currencies that preceded it. Finally, Layered Money takes the reader through current developments in the Bitcoin world and how central banks will likely respond to it with their own digital currencies. We are pleased to be joined by the author of Layered Money, Nik Bhatia.
Show Notes * Layered Money: From Gold and Dollars to Bitcoin and Central Bank Digital Currencies by Nik Bhatia via Amazon * The Bitcoin Layer * Nik Bhatia on Twitter
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Edited by Giacomo Guatteri
Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. is an epic biography of the industrialist by acclaimed author Ron Chernow. Rockefeller was the founder of Standard Oil, a company that was notorious for its monopolization of the oil industry in the late 19th century. An adept businessman and talented strategist, Rockefeller was demonized throughout his career for his sometimes brutal tactics. During the latter half of his life, Rockefeller became America’s foremost philanthropist, establishing a pattern of giving that has been emulated by many later tycoons. In this episode we’ll discuss John D. Rockefeller’s life, work, the economics of the late 19th century oil industry, and the lasting legacy of Standard Oil.
Show Notes * Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. by Ron Chernow via Amazon * Ron Chernow via Wikipedia
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Edited by Giacomo Guatteri
Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It is considered one of the best books of all time on negotiation. Instead of focusing on economic theory or game theory, it focuses on practical techniques and psychological insight. Voss uses anecdotes from his career as an international hostage negotiator for the FBI to enliven the narrative while alternating with everyday business negotiation scenarios. We are thrilled to be joined by author Chris Voss to discuss his book.
Show Notes * Never Split the Difference by Chriss Voss via Amazon * The Black Swan Group * The Black Swan Group on Twitter * The Black Swan Group on YouTube
Follow us on Twitter @BusinessBooksCo and join our Amazon book club.
Edited by Giacomo Guatteri
Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
The Founders: The Story of PayPal and the Entrepreneurs Who Shaped Silicon Valley is a comprehensive portrait of the early era of PayPal—predominantly focused on the years between its founding in 1998 and its sale to eBay in 2002. A deeply researched and well written narrative, The Founders provides the backstory of the group of individuals who became known as “The PayPal mafia.” We are privileged to be joined by the book’s author, Jimmy Soni.
Show Notes * The Founders: The Story of PayPal and the Entrepreneurs Who Shaped Silicon Valley by Jimmy Soni via Amazon * Jimmy Soni's Website * Jimmy Soni on Twitter
Follow us on Twitter @BusinessBooksCo and join our Amazon book club.
Edited by Giacomo Guatteri
Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
King of Capital: The Remarkable Rise, Fall, and Rise Again of Steve Schwarzman and Blackstone by David Carey and John Morris is more than just a book about Blackstone—it’s a history of private equity. Carey and Morris explain the sometimes esoteric world of this segment of high finance. They recount its cycles of booms and busts from the 1980s through the 2010s, and explain how Blackstone navigated the sometimes tumultuous waters to ultimately become one of the most influential alternative investment management companies in the world. In this episode we explain the basics of private equity and discuss the history of the private equity as recounted in the book.
Show Notes * King of Capital via Amazon
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Edited by Giacomo Guatteri
Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
In The Hard Thing About Hard Things, venture capitalist Ben Horowitz recounts lessons he learned about how to run a Silicon Valley startup, largely from his time as the CEO of Loudcloud, which later became Opsware. Horowitz provides specific advice about hiring, firing, managing emotions, handling growth, deciding whether or not to sell, and everything in-between. His thoughts are sometimes unconventional and often punctuated by relevant anecdotes from his experience as a CEO or venture capitalist.
Show Notes * The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz via Amazon
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Edited by Giacomo Guatteri
Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
Instant: The Story of Polaroid covers the rise, heyday, and decline of Polaroid Corporation. It has a particular focus on the personality and management style of Edwin Land, Polaroid’s innovative and dynamic founder, who was an inspiration to Steve Jobs. Polaroid’s niche in the marketplace and the strategic mistakes that led to Polaroid’s decline are other major themes of the book. We were pleased to be joined by the book’s author, Christopher Bonanos, for an interview about his work.
Show Notes * Instant: The Story of Polaroid by Christopher Bonanos via Amazon * Christopher Bonanos on Twitter * Flash: The Making of Weegee the Famous by Christopher Bonanos via Amazon
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Edited by Giacomo Guatteri
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Measure What Matters, by venture capitalist John Doerr, is about OKRs—Objectives and Key Results—an approach to goal setting. Doerr evangelizes the use of OKRs and explains how they can help any organization better align its direction and continually evaluate its success. OKRs are a simple concept, but the book elucidates them with many anecdotes about their use in varying organizations, including startups, large corporations, and charities. We discuss the key takeaways from the book and how they're applicable to our careers. By the end of the episode you'll have a strong understanding of OKRs.
Show Notes * Measure What Matters by John Doerr via Amazon * S1E1 High Output Management * S1E13 Only the Paranoid Survive
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Edited by Giacomo Guatteri
Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
We interviewed Eric Berger, the author of Liftoff: Elon Musk and the Desperate Early Days That Launched SpaceX. It's about the journey of grit, resilience, and unbridled optimism that turned a scrappy startup into the premier space company of the 21st century. Eric utilized full access at SpaceX to get the inside story from employees and Elon Musk himself. Most of the book focuses on the exciting early period of SpaceX from 2002 - 2009 when there were experimental rockets, tropical islands, and even some explosions.
We also welcomed our new co-host, Kevin Hudak, and learned more about his background. Welcome to the show, Kevin!
Show Notes * Liftoff: Elon Musk and the Desperate Early Days That Launched SpaceX by Eric Berger via Amazon * Eric Berger on Twitter * Eric Berger at Ars Technica
Follow us on Twitter @BusinessBooksCo and join our Amazon book club.
Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
Over the past year we've read some fantastic books... and some that were not so fantastic. In this episode we break down the best and worst books of season 2. We also discuss our picks by category including entrepreneurship, career, and story. Finally, we have a meta discussion about the show and say goodbye to our valued co-host, Eli.
Show Notes * List of Read Books * Eli's Dog's Instagram
Follow us on Twitter @BusinessBooksCo and join our Amazon book club.
Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
Amazon Unbound is the story of how Jeff Bezos has managed his business empire over the past decade. It picks up where author Brad Stone’s last Amazon book, The Everything Store, left off circa 2013. Stone chronicles Bezos’s incredible attention to detail on Amazon projects like the Echo and the Fire Phone, as well as his stewardship of The Washington Post and Blue Origin; and controversies from his personal life. We get an inside look into the trials, triumphs, and tribulations of this living legend and the organizations he runs.
Show Notes * Amazon Unbound by Brad Stone via Amazon * Eli's Dog's Instagram
Follow us on Twitter @BusinessBooksCo and join our Amazon book club.
Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
This month we read Radical Candor by Kim Scott, a people management guide developed through Scott’s years of working as a manager in high tech. Scott led the AdSense, YouTube, and DoubleClick teams at Google and served as a faculty member at Apple University. Radical Candor is about fostering relationships where people sincerely care about one another but are also able to challenge each other directly. The book is a guide to developing these relationships in the workplace while avoiding the traps of ruinous empathy, manipulative insincerity, and obnoxious aggression. We discuss the key takeaways from the book and how they relate to our own career experiences.
Show Notes * Radical Candor by Kim Scott via Amazon * Season 1, Episode 3: Trillion Dollar Coach * Eli's Dog's Instagram
Follow us on Twitter @BusinessBooksCo and join our Amazon book club.
Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
This month we read Brick by Brick: How LEGO Rewrote the Rules of Innovation and Conquered the Global Toy Industry by David C. Robertson and Bill Breen. After facing lackluster growth in the 1990s, iconic toy brand LEGO undertook a program of radical innovation under a turnaround artist CEO. Unfortunately, the turnaround resulted in an even worse situation, with LEGO facing a deficit so large in 2003 that it threatened the survival of the company. Brick by Brick is about how LEGO turned around the turnaround by focusing on its core product and thoughtfully choosing sustainable innovation initiatives. Today, LEGO is one of the most valuable brands in the world.
We were privileged in this episode to be joined by special guest Cory Cunningham, Senior Manager of Global Insights at The LEGO Group. Cory's opinions were his own and not representative of his employer.
Show Notes * Brick by Brick: How LEGO Rewrote the Rules of Innovation and Conquered the Global Toy Industry by David Robertson and Bill Breen via Amazon * Radical Candor by Kim Scott via Amazon * Gold Diggers: A Novel by Sanjena Sathian via Amazon (Eli's plug)
Follow us on Twitter @BusinessBooksCo and join our Amazon book club.
Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
When Hema Hattangady became the CEO of Bangalore, India based Conzerv in 1996, it was a struggling producer of energy meters. Over the next decade Hattangady led the transformation of Conzerv from a family-owned enterprise with $1 million in revenue into one of India’s leading energy management corporations. In 2009 the company was acquired by Schneider Electric. In Lift Off, Hattangady tells the story of Conzerv’s transformation.
Show Notes * Lift Off: The Story of Conzerv by Hema Hattangady and Ashish Sen via Amazon * Brick by Brick: How LEGO Rewrote the Rules of Innovation and Conquered the Global Toy Industry by David Robertson and Bill Breen via Amazon
Follow us on Twitter @BusinessBooksCo and join our Amazon book club.
Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
No Filter: The Inside Story of Instagram by Sarah Frier covers Instagram’s rise from a two-person startup to the second largest social network in the world. Along the way, Frier explores Instagram influencers, the network’s effect on teens, and its sometimes rocky existence within the confines of its parent company, Facebook. Frier had significant access to key players in the story and chose to spotlight the relationship between Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. We discussed the book, its key takeaways, and our own use of Instagram.
Show Notes * No Filter by Sarah Frier via Amazon * Instagram via Wikipedia * David K's Review of No Filter * Article about Sanjena Sathian's Novel 'Gold Diggers' going to TV
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Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
Shoe Dog is a memoir by Phil Knight, the founder of Nike. Knight recounts building Nike on a shoestring budget by importing shoes from a Japanese manufacturer, battling banks and supply issues to grow the company, innovating with their own designs, and sustaining the morale of a motley crew of colleagues through the process. We discuss Knight’s powerful memoir and its insight into entrepreneurship, managing growth, and finding your mission in life.
Show Notes * Shoe Dog via Amazon * Phil Knight via Wikipedia
Follow us on Twitter @BusinessBooksCo and join our Amazon book club.
Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention by Reed Hastings and Erin Meyer goes into the details of Netflix's corporate culture of "Freedom and Responsibility." Hastings and Meyer relate how Netflix achieved this culture, and espouse its many supposed benefits. It includes some controversial policies (or lack thereof) and harsh realities for employees. In this episode we discuss the tenets of Netflix's corporate culture, including talent density, candor, no approvals required, and more. We relate them to our own experiences, and discuss their applicability to businesses other than Netflix.
Show Notes * No Rules Rules via Amazon * Erin Meyer via Wikipedia * Reed Hastings via Wikipedia * Netflix vs. the World documentary via Amazon * David Kopec's Review of No Rules Rules
Follow us on Twitter @BusinessBooksCo and join our Amazon book club.
Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
Data Domain was an innovator in the data backup market, and Frank Slootman was its CEO from 2003 until its acquisition in 2009 by EMC. Data Domain used a technique known as data deduplication to make hard disks a viable backup medium for replacing traditional tape based backup solutions. Slootman wrote Tape Sucks as a series of short advice vignettes from one successful startup CEO to others managing high growth ventures. In each short chapter Slootman tackles one subject and tries to get his point across with an anecdote from Data Domain. In this episode we discuss Tape Sucks, Data Domain, and Slootman's advice.
Show Notes * Tape Sucks via Amazon * Data Domain via Wikipedia * Magnetic tape data storage via Wikipedia * Data deduplication via Wikipedia * Amp It Up! a blog post on LinkedIn by Frank Slootman mentioned in the episode * On Taking Criticism David Kopec's blog post that he plugged in the episode
Follow us on Twitter @BusinessBooksCo and join our Amazon book club.
Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
Stephanie Shirley has been a pioneer all of her life. After coming to England as a child refugee from Nazi Germany, she started one of the first software consulting firms, Freelance Programmers. But it was first in a number of other ways too. It was almost entirely run by women, despite discrimination against women in the technology industry. Its business model, employing women in their free time to do programming tasks, was a predecessor to today's "gig economy." In her memoir, Let It Go, Shirley not only recounts her entrepreneurship journey, but also her concurrent personal struggles including bringing up her child with severe developmental difficulties. Shirley went on to become one of the leading figures in philanthropy in Britain. Shirley concludes her memoir by explaining her philanthropic philosophy and the strategies that have tied her many successes together. In this episode, we discuss this raw, honest, and profound memoir.
Show Notes * Business Books & Co. on Twitter * Business Books & Co. Amazon Book Club * Stephanie Shirley via Wikipedia * Let It Go on Amazon * Stephanie Shirley TED Talk * David Kopec's Review of Let It Go
Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
This month we read Creativity Inc. by Ed Catmull and Amy Wallace. Ed Catmull was the cofounder and longtime president of Pixar. Part memoir and part advice for managers of creatives, Creativity Inc. tells the story of Pixar from dream to animation powerhouse. Then it gets into Catmull’s strategies for managing Pixar’s creative success. We discuss the history of Pixar, our key takeaways from the book, and instances of its lessons in our own careers.
Show Notes * Creativity Inc. on Amazon * Ed Catmull on Wikipedia * Follow us on Twitter * Join Our Amazon Book Club
Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
Daymond John is best known as an investor on ABC’s Shark Tank, but he is also the award winning fashion designer who founded the multi-billion dollar brand FUBU. In The Power of Broke, Daymond explains the strategies that helped him start FUBU, with almost no resources, out of his mom’s house in Hollis, Queens. He then examines the stories of other entrepreneurs who started from nothing.
In our season 2 opener, we welcome our new co-host, Eli. We discuss the key lessons Daymond is trying to impart. Finally, we recall our favorite (and least favorite) entrepreneurship stories from the book.
Show Notes * The Power of Broke via Amazon * Daymond John on Wikipedia * Insights from The Power of Broke by David Short * Eli's Travel Blog * MacHeist on Wikipedia * Dart for Absolute Beginners via Amazon * Creativity Inc. via Amazon
Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
We recap the qualities of some of the books we read over the last year in Season 1 of Business Books & Co. Each of us discuss our favorite and least favorite books. We say goodbye to one of our co-hosts, but we will be back next month to start Season 2!
You can find our book list from the last year on our website.
Other books we recommended:
- Made in America recommended by David Short
- One from Many recommended by David Short
- Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter recommended by Molson
- Alchemy recommended by Molson
- Game Over recommended by David Kopec
- Creative Selection recommended by David Kopec
Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
- Only the Paranoid Survive This month we read the 1997 book Only the Paranoid Survive by Andy Grove. Grove was the long-time storied CEO of Intel. Only the Paranoid Survive is about strategic inflection points in a business. Grove explains how to detect these events, how to respond to them, and recites some war stories. We discuss the book, some strategic inflection points in our own industries, and the computer business during Grove's tenure at Intel.
Show Notes * Andy Grove on Wikipedia * Only the Paranoid Survive on Amazon * The Right to a Nonconsensus Opinion by Molson Hart * Products & Payments by David Short * Kopec Explains Software by David Kopec
Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
- Zero to One We discuss the 2014 book Zero to One by Peter Thiel. In Zero to One, Thiel, a cofounder of Paypal and Palantir, as well as an early investor in Facebook, describes what conditions make for a great startup. Part history lesson, part economics lesson, and part business advice, Zero to One is a succinct book full of powerful ideas.
Show Notes * Zero to One via Amazon * Peter Thiel via Wikipedia
Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
- Iacocca: An Autobiography Lee Iacocca was responsible for the introduction of iconic Ford products like the Mustang and Thunderbird. He rose in the ranks to become President, second only to Henry Ford II. As CEO of Chrysler during the early 1980s, he saved the company from bankruptcy and introduced the minivan. He was one of the biggest celebrity executives during the Reagan era. We discuss his autobiography, in which he recounts his life’s journey from the son of Italian immigrants to the height of the business world.
Show Notes * Iacocca: An Autobiography by Lee Iacocca with William Novak (via Amazon) * Lee Iacocca (via Wikipedia)
Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
- The Ride of a Lifetime The Ride of a Lifetime is a 2019 memoir about Bob Iger’s journey at Disney. It begins by relaying Iger’s time climbing the corporate ladder, and then does a deep dive into his fifteen years as the company’s CEO, with a focus on acquisitions and mergers. We discuss Iger’s career, the key lessons he learned, and the mergers of Disney with Pixar, Marvell, Lucasfilm, and Fox.
Show Notes * The Ride of a Lifetime via Amazon * Bob Iger on Twitter * Bob Iger on Wikipedia * Bob Iger on Bill Simmons Podcast * Bob Iger with Oprah * Bob Iger on Tim Ferris's Podcast
Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
- Coronavirus Special Episode In this special non-book episode, we discuss the unprecedented effects on the business community that the Coronavirus crisis is having and how our society is approaching it. Note that the three of us are not public health experts, doctors, or epidemiologists. Nothing that we discuss should be construed as medical advice. We are instead taking on this episode from the perspective of well-informed citizens. We focus more on the business, societal, and economic aspects of the crisis than the medical side. We critique the government’s response and compare it to responses from other countries and the private sector.
The three of us want to thank the doctors, nurses, and the rest of the medical community who are on the front lines!
Show Notes * CDC Coronavirus Information * Michael Osterholm on the Joe Rogan Podcast via YouTube * Deadliest Enemy: Our War Against Killer Germs by Michael Osterholm and Mark Olshaker via Amazon * Marc Lipsitch on Twitter * Helen Branswell on Twitter * Hector Torres on Twitter
Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
- Founders at Work Founders at Work is a 2009 compilation of interviews with startup founders by Y Combinator founding partner Jessica Livingston. Interview subjects include the founders of famous brands like Apple, PayPal, and Adobe, as well as lesser known founders with equally remarkable stories. In this episode we discuss recurring themes of the interviews, founders that offered particular insight, and broad takeaways from the entire volume.
Show Notes * Founders at Work on Amazon * Jessica Livington on Twitter * David Kopec's review of Losing the Signal * Venture Capital - Silicon Valley Ponzi Scheme - Chamath Palihapitiya via YouTube
Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
- Setting the Table Setting the Table is a 2006 autobiographical book on management in the hospitality industry by noted restaurateur Danny Meyer. It tells the story of Meyer building his restaurant empire, and recounts many of the lessons he learned along the way. We discuss key takeaways from the book, the book's applicability to management more generally, and our own experiences at Meyer's restaurants.
Show Notes * Setting the Table via Amazon * Danny Meyer via Wikipedia * Union Square Hospitality Group * Shake Shack
Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
Ogilvy on Advertising Ogilvy on Advertising is a 1983 book of advertising advice from award winning industry veteran David Ogilvy, the namesake of the advertising agency Ogilvy. It includes advice about working in the advertising industry, developing ads, and appealing to consumers. We discuss key insights from the book and our own experiences in advertising.
Show Notes * Ogilvy on Advertising via Amazon * David Ogilvy via Wikipedia * Brain Flakes via Amazon * David Kopec on The Local Maximum
Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
- Hackers & Painters Hackers & Painters is a collection of essays by noted entrepreneur, programmer, and founder of startup incubator Y Combinator, Paul Graham. Graham touches on social, business, and cultural issues related to technology and entrepreneurship. We discuss our key takeaways from the book, pose questions to each other that it ponders, and learn about Molson's experience testifying before congress.
Show Notes * Hackers & Painters via Amazon * Paul Graham's Home Page * Y Combinator * Lisp via Wikipedia * Molson Testifying at Congress about Big Tech via YouTube
Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
- Made in Japan: Akio Morita and Sony Akio Morita was the co-founder of Sony and one of the most influential Japanese business people of the 20th century. We analyze his 1986 autobiography, Made in Japan. Made in Japan explains what made Sony so successful and also spends a good deal of time contrasting Japanese and American business practices. We have a wide ranging discussion on the contents of Made in Japan, and how Morita’s thoughts apply in a modern context.
Show Notes * Made in Japan (Amazon) * Akio Morita (Wikipedia) * Sony (Wikipedia) * Steve Jobs wanted Sony VAIOs to run OS X (The Verge) * How Did George Soros Break the Bank of England (Investopedia) * Hikikomori (Wikipedia) * Hackers and Painters (Amazon) * Little tech companies speak out about Amazon (Youtube)
Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
- Trillion Dollar Coach: The Leadership Playbook of Silicon Valley's Bill Campbell We analyze the 2019 book Trillion Dollar Coach: The Leadership Playbook of Silicon Valley's Bill Campbell. Trillion Dollar Coach is the story of a former football coach turned fortune 500 CEO, who became the mentor to some of the most notable business leaders of our time. The book, written by some of his mentees, including the former CEO of Google, Erich Schmidt, covers a brief outline of his life and his executive coaching strategies.
Show Notes * Trillion Dollar Coach by Eric Schmidt, Jonathan Rosenberg, Alan Eagle (Amazon) * Bill Campbell (Wikipedia) * To Pixar and Beyond by Lawrence Levy (Amazon) * Startup: A Silicon Valley Adventure by Jerry Kaplan * Made in Japan: Akio Morita and Sony (Amazon)
Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast in your podcast player of choice, leave us a rating on iTunes, and follow us on Twitter @businessbooksco.
Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
- Ross Perot: My Life & The Principles for Success This 1996 pseudo-autobiography was written by Ross Perot during his second presidential campaign, but you won't find any politics within it. Although it's clearly written through a "please the public" lens, the focus of this book is Perot's business career. The first half tells Perot's life story through the founding of his company EDS. The second half outlines general principles for success in business.
In this episode we discuss the book's highlights, its most important takeaways for a business career, and areas where it fell short. We dedicate this episode to the memory of Ross Perot, who sadly passed away last month (July, 2019). Next month, we'll be reading Trillion Dollar Coach: The Leadership Playbook of Silicon Valley's Bill Campbell.
Show Notes * My Life & The Principles for Success by Ross Perot * Ross Perot on Wikipedia * Electronic Data Systems on Wikipedia * Trillion Dollar Coach: The Leadership Playbook of Silicon Valley's Bill Campbell by Eric Schmidt, Jonathan Rosenberg, and Alan Eagle
Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast in your podcast player of choice, leave us a rating on iTunes, and follow us on Twitter @businessbooksco.
Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
- High Output Management by Andy Grove On our premiere episode, we discuss the management classic High Output Management by the late, great, former Intel CEO Andy Grove. We provide some of Andy's key takeaways regarding industrial organization, key management skills, handling employee issues, and managing meetings. We also debate how applicable some of this classic's insights are in the modern world.
Show Notes * Purchase High Output Management (Amazon) * Andy Grove (Wikipedia) * Intel (Wikipedia) * ViaHart * Edison Litigation Financing * David Short (Twitter) * Molson Hart (Twitter) * David Kopec (Twitter) * Ross Perot Autobiography (Next Month's Book)
Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com
