Leadership Biography

Imagine being born into a world where fitting in was never an option. Michele Sullivan, one of the most powerful women in philanthropy, was born with a rare form of dwarfism. Meaning she has spent her entire life looking up. As the first female president of the Caterpillar Foundation, she has...

“How do you eat an elephant?” the old joke goes. Answer? “One bite at a time.” How do you get through failure and pain? It’s the same way you eat an elephant or a New York deli sandwich - one bite, one day at a time. These raw stories of what went wrong on Phil's way to success serve as a reminder not to rush your way through the sloppy parts of life. They’ll challenge you to slow down and learn all you can from the whole messy process. When life serves up a Failure Sandwich, do you refuse to take a bite? Insist this is not what you ordered?

In Willing & Abel, Mike Abel, one of the founding partners of multi-award-winning advertising agency M&C Saatchi Abel, reveals the secret sauce behind the company’s success by sharing lessons hard-learned at the coalface of business, leadership, and creativity over the last 30 years. Ethics and empowerment, trust and value, gut instincts and tough decisions - this is what it takes to build a business that is future-fit come rain, shine, pandemics, or government corruption.

Open a door into the complex and active mind of Sharper Image founder, Richard Thalheimer. This successful entrepreneur shares stories about creating his visions, taking risks, sharing rewards, cultivating generosity, and showing respect, as well as knowing there always is a way to solve every problem.

Growing up in poverty-stricken rural South Carolina, Tim Mercer wasn’t exactly set up for entrepreneurial success. Despite the odds stacked against him, he would go on to found the technology consulting business Intelibox, growing the company to a multimillion-dollar business. But Bootstrapped Millionaire is not only the true rags-to-riches story of one man’s life; it’s also an inspirational guide to budding entrepreneurs hoping to reach similar heights.

Success Reinvention will take you behind the scenes of one of the foremost thought leaders of our time. As an innovative entrepreneur, a brilliant medical doctor, and visionary leader, Dr. Castro's recipe for success will allow you to break through even the most difficult obstacles and setbacks in life. When you listen to this audiobook and take action, you will find that your dreams manifest into reality, and your success is always in your control to invent and reinvent at every stage of your life.

Candid conversations with top leaders around the world on how they approached pivotal moments in their careers.

Not everyone will have the chance to chase and seize Colombian cocaine cartel smuggling boats, assist in post-9/11 security in New York City, keep the peace between warring mountain tribes in Southeast Asia, or build and run successful American manufacturing companies. But everyone has the chance to become their very best self and build a bulletproof life of their own!

There are not many successful entrepreneurs who will enthusiastically break off in the middle of a multi-million pound deal to have a huge snowball fight in the car park with their finance director. But then, Mark Mills is not just any successful entrepreneur. Whether organizing one of his infamous summer Christmas parties, flying to New York to find a new business idea, or staying up all night to celebrate a successful deal, Mark Mills has always believed in the absolute importance of having fun in business. And not just for him, but for his employees, customers, and suppliers, too.

Asia’s growing economic clout is starting to reshape global business rules that have been molded by Western multinationals for many decades. The region’s rising star, Vietnam, is now flexing its economic muscles, and Competing with Giants tells the story of its transformation from war ruin to dynamic nation through the experiences of Tân Hiệp Phát (THP), the drinks company founded by Phương Uyên Trần’s family. Told through the eyes of the daughter who watched her parents overcome numerous obstacles to achieve success, the book offers a primer for others to follow suit.

Bury My Heart at Conference Room B harnesses the awe-inspiring insights of Slap's life-changing management workshops. The book is a powerful tool for creating emotional commitment in managers. That means unchecked, unvarnished devotion to the company.

Have you ever imagined what it would be like to earn millions while you sit on the beach and enjoy your life? In The Unemployed Millionaire, you'll learn why it's no longer a pipe dream but a real possibility. The lowering of trade barriers and the emergence of the Internet have made it possible for almost anyone to set up a business from anywhere.

At some point in our lives, most of us have been affected by caring adults whose advice, guidance, and example made a difference. In The Person Who Changed My Life, individuals who have distinguished themselves in their fields write about the men and women who served as their mentors.

Jim McNerney was one of Jack Welch's top protégés at General Electric and a finalist to replace the retiring Welch as CEO. McNerney lost that competition in 2001, but since then he has emerged as one of the most effective leaders of his generation.

A Sportsman's Life is the story of a man, his company, and his love of the outdoors, his commitment to conservation, and his infectious enthusiasm for the good life. This memoir is a great listen for any angler or hunter—and even for those of us who just want to dress like one.

Nolan Bushnell founded the groundbreaking gaming company Atari, the restaurant chain Chuck E. Cheese's, and two dozen other companies. He also launched Steve Jobs' career, along with those of many other brilliant creatives over the course of his five decades in business. In his eagerly awaited first book, Bushnell explains how to find, hire, and nurture the people who could turn your company into the next Atari or the next Apple.

Reed Hastings is one of the world's foremost business leaders. As co-founder, chairman and CEO of Netflix, he has built one of the largest media and entertainment companies on the planet, with an estimated personal net worth of $3.6 billion. A notable philanthropist, he has served on the boards of Facebook, Microsoft and a number of non-profit organisations. This concise but detailed biography provides an overview of Hastings' career trajectory, providing insights into his success.

This book provides a detailed, step-by-step account of how fraud can be committed in the construction industry, narrated through the experiences of Robert, a former project manager who orchestrated a sophisticated scheme to siphon funds using a fake vendor. Combining his personal story with actionable insights, Robert reveals the vulnerabilities that allow fraud to thrive, the devastating consequences of unethical behavior, and the strategies businesses can adopt to protect themselves.

Ever wondered what it takes to rise from near-death to extraordinary success? This book is for anyone looking for inspiration, resilience, and powerful business insights. Uncover the dual journey of Antonio Iozzo, who battled addiction while rising as a visionary leader, providing you with the strength to overcome your own challenges. Get inside the mind of a CEO managing a multibillion-rand empire while facing a crippling addiction, so you can apply these lessons to your personal and professional life.

In Aim High: Chart Your Course and Find Success, Deborah James shares her personal and professional challenges, outcomes, strategies for success, and the problem-solving principles she used to overcome the daunting pressures, threats, and challenges that come with rising to the top of the US Armed Forces. As a supplement to her storytelling, Bain and Company, a top-tier management consulting firm, offers research and statistics that prove James's insights have widespread impact.