Apr 03, 2020
Looking over the books I read in 2019, some of the best were business biographies. I loved reading how various businesses evolved from struggling small startups to hugely successful companies. The common theme in these books is to persevere despite the many setbacks you encounter on the path to building something great.
The links below are all to ebooks and audiobooks.
Steve Jobs By Walter Isaacson Everyone knows Steve Jobs and he needs little introduction. This book takes you through his life from before his birth to his death in 2011. He had a mercurial personality, but you see how Apple could never have been the company it was without him. His creativity and absolute perfectionism are what made Apple what it is today. It’s a big book, but Walter Isaacson is a masterful storyteller and his writing style keeps you turning the pages.
Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future By Ashlee Vance Elon Musk is another very well-known figure, and I must admit that I knew very little about him before reading this biography. Ashlee Vance does a great job portraying a man with a vision for the future. His ideas seem crazy at times, but he has such a conviction in them that he ends up succeeding despite the many hurdles and setbacks.
Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike Shoe Dog - Audiobook By Philip Knight This book was one of my books of 2019. Written by Phil Knight, the founder of Nike, he tells his story in such an honest and heartfelt way that I couldn’t help but become a fan of the Nike brand. Phil faced numerous hurdles and spent many years struggling to keep his company afloat, but his perseverance and hard work payed off in the end. An engaging and well written autobiography that will easily keep you turning the pages until the end.
Please share business biographies you have read in the comments box.
The blog post was contributed by Marlene at Nepean Centrepointe.