Discover the Libray of Best Audiobooks in Bios & Memoirs, Business Leaders

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Title: You're Hired

Subtitle: How to Succeed in Business and Life

Author: Bill Rancic

Narrator: Bill Rancic

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 4 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-20-05

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 57 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Business Leaders

Publisher's Summary:

Then an opportunity came by he just couldn't pass up, a competition to test his own personal drive and street smarts against a talented pool of professional salesmen, marketers, and MBAs, where the prize was working side by side with the master of the deal himself, Donald Trump.

Being on The Apprentice made Bill Rancic an overnight celebrity. But his winning strategies were developed long before that, and in You're Hired, he uses examples from his own life to prove that the secrets of success can be found within us all.

Critic Reviews:

"For a loquacious 'how-I-did-it', Rancic's book debut is surprisingly satisfying." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

A good listen missing that little bit extra

Having been a fan of "The Apprentice" and of business people's biographies and autobiographies I decided to give this book a listen. While sounding similar to Trump's _Art Of the Deal_ in tone and content Rancic's reading was easy to listen to and the lessons to learn are solid one's that any one can use a gentle reminder of. The stories told of the original businesses that Rancic started up are fast paced and lacked the description that I would have preferred. Rancic's descriptions of business instincts being something that can not be taught but simply one has or doesn't have has clear effects on the description of decisions made and the general writing of this book. This is a sharp contrast to Louis V. Gerstner's _Who Says Elephants Can't Dance?_ where one received a description of the thought process that went into major decisions like his decision to take the job and major changes to IBM's infrastructure. That stated Rancic does provide ample examples as to how he learned strategies which he used in the first season of "The Apprentice" like the renting of space on rigshaws and the preparation that he made prior going into the live finale's boardroom debate. Interesting points that in my mind showed that he was the right choice for the Trump Organization.

Overall Rancic provided an easy to listen to book with interesting points of business acumen. I personally believe that as Trump's second book showed more of the process rather than the history of past successes that Rancic should move in this general direction if he chooses to write again.

Road map for would be entrepreneurs

Rancic recounts how he succeeded in his cigar business in a step by step fashion that would be invaluable for any entrepreneur starting or already struggling with their small/medium size business.

Lots of books give you high level advice on which directions to go, but leaves you hanging at the end of the book without any specific actions that you can take to put the theories into practice. Rancic's book, however, gives you specific examples of what to do so you can apply them in your business tomorrow.

Highly recommended.

Advice ok but not great

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

No

What didnt you like about Bill Rancics performance?

I think he should have hired a pro rather than read it himself.

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Title: Camp

Author: Michael D. Eisner

Narrator: Michael D. Eisner

Format: Abridged

Length: 3 hrs and 52 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-20-05

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 13 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Business Leaders

Publisher's Summary:

For those who have been there, there is no forgetting the sounds and smells of summer camp: of dusty playing fields, platform tents, and wood cabins; of mist rising off the water at dawn and the sparks of a Sunday night campfire sailing up into a cold night sky. Now Michael D. Eisner shares a deeply personal memoir of his own experiences at one remarkable Vermont summer camp, of the life lessons he learned there and how they helped turned him into the man he is today.

Camp is Eisner's ode to Keewaydin, a summer camp that was already a family tradition when he was a boy and that continues as a tradition today. As he recounts his experiences at Keewaydin, from his own first night away from home to his years as a counselor to an emotionally charged visit back as the father of a new generation of Keewaydin campers, Camp becomes a guide to growing up: learning to rely on yourself as you work in a team, competing to win but finding pride and growth in defeat, discovering the wonder of nature as well as the nature of the men and women who have gone before you. From a Saturday night dance at a nearby girls' camp to the portrait of Keewaydin's legendary leader, a strong young man in Eisner's youth and a proud octogenarian in his children's time, Michael D. Eisner shares anecdotes that are by turns heartwarming and hilarious, excruciating and tender. He talks about his family's commitment to helping less advantaged young people share Keewaydin's wonders, lifelong friendships that were forged there, and how moments from those summers return when he is hard at work in Hollywood or alone with his wife or children.

A rare glimpse into the inner life of an American corporate executive, Camp is an important personal chronicle of success: the kind of success that a child can find in a remote corner of the Vermont woods, and never ever leave behind.

Critic Reviews:

"A well-told story of the raw ingredients of growing up, free of bluster but full of brio.' (Kirkus Reviews)

Members Reviews:

Camp out

After listening to and enjoying James B. Stewart's excellent (5 star rating in my mind) book "Disney War" (also available from audible.com) I was tempted to listen to "Camp" out of curiosity to hear how someone who is now so disconnected from the real world as Eisner, started out in life. I shouldn't have bothered. Eisner is an empty spiritless character who babbles on about the roots of his own greatness - the book is not worth the money even if you get it free in a 2 for 1 offer!

Not worth the trip

If you've already listened to the excellent DisneyWars, you may be tempted to hear how a lame-duck CEO spins the lessons of teamwork learned at a camp. There's not enough personal revelation to make it interesting. Eisner's just passing off the twaddle, w/o ever getting into the earthy reality that kids learn at camp.

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Title: The Pampered Chef

Subtitle: The Story of One of America's Most Beloved Companies

Author: Doris Christopher

Narrator: Kimberly Farr

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 4 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-15-05

Publisher: Books on Tape

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 22 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Business Leaders

Publisher's Summary:

The Pampered Chef is the story of the vision, energy, hard work, and chutzpah that drove Christopher and her company to the height of success. She describes her early days as a "one-woman show", chronicles the company's gradual expansion, its challenges and growing popularity; and in the process offers invaluable advice and sound strategies on how to found and grow a business.

Today, as at the company's founding, achieving a better balance between work and family remains central to The Pampered Chef's mission. The Pampered Chef brings Christopher's recipe for success to women, and men, everywhere.

Includes a foreword by Warren Buffett and an exclusive interview with the auther and her daughter, Julie Christopher, who grew up in the business.

Members Reviews:

Pampered to Sleep

I've listened to 25 Audible books, most longer than this version, but this is the first and hopefully the last that I cannot possibly finish. I've tried, but just can't take it anymore. Pure torture. Maybe it's the narrator, who e-nun-ci-a-tes every syllable. Or maybe it's the author who writes every detail imaginable. It is this terrifying combo that leaves with me an image of Mrs. Brady or perhaps someone more 'perfectly' conservative without her humor or wit.

The innane detail and repetition of how much Jay, her husband, has done for her is boooring. She comes across as incredibly weak on one hand and utterly conservative on the other: it's pretty clear that Jay did everything except sell the stuff, and she starts the book by thanking not him, but God, for it all working out.

I bought this book hoping to hear an intersting story about how she started her business. The intro was great- written by Warren Buffet, who bought the company. If only Doris had been so concise. Or perhaps she was in her self-narrated abridged version (I'll never know)... Buffet says this was a great book worth reading and rereading- maybe he read the abridged version?

All that said, I'm obviously not very happy about wasting an audio credit on a book I can't bring myself to finish. Note, I've taken to fastforwarding a bit here and there just to fisnish it, but I find she's still going on about the same thing, minutes later. Kills me, just kills me.

JB tells us the most interesting thing in the intro- she started it on $3000 borrowed against Jay's life insurance policy. Now, I told you the best part, so save your money and time and get something else.

an inspiration

Ms Christopher's story is inspirational and uplifting. I loved this book!

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Title: The Pampered Chef

Subtitle: The Story of One of America's Most Beloved Companies

Author: Doris Christopher

Narrator: Doris Christopher

Format: Abridged

Length: 5 hrs and 1 min

Language: English

Release date: 07-08-05

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 6 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Business Leaders

Publisher's Summary:

The Pampered Chef is the story of the vision, energy, hard work, and chutzpah that drove Christopher and her company to the height of success. She describes her early days as a "one-woman show", chronicles the company's gradual expansion, its challenges and growing popularity; and in the process offers invaluable advice and sound strategies on how to found and grow a business.

Today, as at the company's founding, achieving a better balance between work and family remains central to The Pampered Chef's mission. The Pampered Chef brings Christopher's recipe for success to women, and men, everywhere.

Includes a foreword by Warren Buffett and an exclusive interview with the auther and her daughter, Julie Christopher, who grew up in the business.

Members Reviews:

A Delightful History of The Pampered Chef

As an Independent Director with The Pampered Chef, I had a special interest in reading Doris Christopher's story of how her company came to be. Doris is a soft-spoken, elegant, graceful woman with high integrity and a strong work ethic. All of these personal characteristics are evident as you read this book. Her success was not immediate, but rather was achieved through discipline, focus and a commitment to her mission: to bring families around the dinner table by creating meals in 30 minutes with high quality kitchen tools. I love my association with this company who treat not only their customers and hosts with respect and top-notch service, but also treat their consultants with incentives and acknowledgment of their achievements regularly. The kitchen cooking parties are not only fun but informative for all who attend. This book is easy to read and contains great tips for beginning a business and achieving your dreams!

Great motivator

I admire Doris and her husband for building such an incredible successful company. What an accomplishment. It is a very motivating book and very helpful when you are starting your own business, too. I love that Dori's priorities were her family but at the same time she wanted to work. She did both with great passion and her husband was her greatest supporter. The perfect recipe for success. What I did not like about the book was the long introduction about Doris' whole life. Of course it is very interesting to know who she is, but I was more interested from a business point of view, therefore the personal story was too detailed for my taste.

Great read about a great company.

As an independent consultant with The Pampered Chef, I enjoyed reading the history of a great company. Doris started out with a simple idea to help her family, and has turned it into a multiply million dollar company.

Five Stars

Very encouraging to see a company that has grown but still tries to hold on to it's values.

More inspiring than informative.

An inspiring success story, for sure. Written with a lot of heart. I bought it hoping for more insight into the nuts and bolts of building a multi-level business (as the supplier, not a team-builder/consultant) and didn't find very much of that information here.

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Title: Who Says Elephants Can't Dance?

Subtitle: Inside IBM's Historic Turnaround

Author: Louis V. Gerstner

Narrator: Edward Herrmann

Format: Abridged

Length: 6 hrs and 17 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-23-04

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 66 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Business Leaders

Publisher's Summary:

Enter Lou Gerstner. The presumption was that Gerstner had joined IBM to preside over its continued dissolution into a confederation of autonomous business units, effectively eliminating the corporation that had invented many of the industry's most important technologies. Instead, Gerstner took hold of the company, making the bold decision to keep it together, defiantly announcing, "The last thing IBM needs right now is a vision."

Told in Lou Gerstner's own words, this is a story of an extraordinary turnaround, a case study in managing a crisis, and a thoughtful reflection on the computer industry and the principles of leadership. Summing up his historic business achievement, Gerstner recounts high-level meetings, explains the no-turning-back decisions that had to be made, and offers his hard-won conclusions about the essence of what makes a great company run.

Critic Reviews:

"A well-rendered self-portrait of a CEO who made spectacular change on the strength of personal leadership." (Publishers Weekly)

"Edward Herrmann's pacing and understated connection with the material in this memoir makes the audio seem compact and relaxed. The writing is also outstanding, lacking excessive pride or self-congratulation....An essential volume for anyone interested in technology, large organizations, or IBM's miraculous rebirth under Gerstner's leadership." (AudioFile)

Members Reviews:

Organization in transformation

Gerstner's review of his leadership at IBM is compelling and suitable for audio format. I enjoyed being guided through the story of a successful major change effort in a well-known organization. Most change efforts are not this successful. I am left wondering how insiders in the Big Blue feel about the same years in transition.

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Title: The Big Bing

Subtitle: Theories on the Origins of the Business Universe

Author: Stanley Bing

Narrator: Stanley Bing

Format: Abridged

Length: 5 hrs and 40 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-29-04

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 2.5 of 5 out of 19 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Business Leaders

Publisher's Summary:

In one essential volume, here is all you need to know to master your career, your life, and when necessary, other weaker life forms.

Critic Reviews:

"Twenty years of columns by business humorist Bing from Fortune and Esquire add up to a very funny look at the contemporary executive." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Boring and self-obsessed

I got this book after really enjoying "21 Dog Years : Doing Time @ Amazon.com" by Mike Daisey. Covering similar topics, Bing's first-person account of cubicle- and business-life is nevertheless self-absorbed and never truly pulled me. It's too bad that Bing's second chapter educates the listener on b.s.ing... otherwise I might have stayed with it a little longer!

Waste of Money...

The author relates his ideas of how corporate life works, and doesn't work - based on his experience. He uses a potty mouth to describe most of his experiences, and ends up ruining the whole tape with that and short insight.

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Title: Bell Labs

Subtitle: Life in the Crown Jewel

Author: Narain Gehani

Narrator: Stow Lovejoy

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 17 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-25-03

Publisher: Silicon Press

Ratings: 2.5 of 5 out of 58 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Business Leaders

Publisher's Summary:

Bell Labs: Life in the Crown Jewel tells the fascinating story of the transition Bell Labs is undergoing as it adapts to new business conditions. After AT&T's break up in 1984 as part of the settlement of a government anti-trust lawsuit, the boom years of basic research started to end. A much smaller AT&T, still a giant company, was thrust into the competitive world. The change, slow at first, picked up pace in the 1990s following the next breakup of AT&T, which created Lucent, Bell Labs' new parent. After a few good years, Lucent found itself in financial difficulty in a very tough telecommunications market. Lucent responded by breaking up into smaller companies, which led to a smaller Bell Labs. Lucent's worsening financial condition forced it to downsize with Bell Labs sharing the pain. Bell Labs is now being forced to move faster and further towards helping Lucent's business needs.

Moving from university-style (basic) research to industrial (applied) research is much more difficult than going from industrial research to basic research because industrial research puts constraints on scientists while basic research frees them to explore new frontiers. Bell Labs researchers, who once were free to focus on innovation, research excellence, and prizes, now have to worry about business relevance. The culture of lifetime employment is gone and the pendulum has swung from basic to applied research.

Critic Reviews:

"Fascinating and highly recommended." (Midwest Book Review)

Members Reviews:

Boring couldnt finish listening

I was hoping to hear a fascinating tale about all the incredible work that went on at Bells Labs and maybe a few interesting antidotes about quirky researchers, but all that was offered was an extremely dull account of the authors tenture at Bell Labs. The author managed to make any attempt at an interesting story hopelessly flop by over-explaining unimportant details and assuming that his readers were on a completely different intellectual level (i.e. completely beneath him).

I found myself continuing to listen just to see if the book really didn't get any more interesting (it didn't)...

It's too bad, because I am quite sure that the Author met and interacted with fascinating people and Bell Labs certainly did a great deal of interesting work (this book doesn't do any of it justice)

Don't waste you money!

Boring and Bad Narration

As many people have already pointed out, this is a rather dull book. The conflict between 'long term research' vs. profitability is relentlessly repeated. There is a lot of discussion about personnel issues and company politics that exist in all organizations.

The only positive thing I have to say is: If you were interested in Bell Labs minutae, this is your book.

In addition to being boring, the quality of narration is low. It is full of awkward pauses and hesitations, mispronunciations and overlooked punctuation. Example: The narrator frequently pronounces 'programming languages' as though they are two separate entities -- as in, 'Bell Labs was interested in operating systems, programming, languages and compilers' (written as spoken). Problems like these exist throughout the audiobook.

Could have been great - but not

This could have been a great book about a special organization if it had dealt with the history of the Bell Labs.

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Title: Perfect Enough

Subtitle: Carly Fiorina and the Reinvention of Hewlett-Packard

Author: George Anders

Narrator: Rick Adamson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 45 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-13-03

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 67 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Business Leaders

Publisher's Summary:

Perfect Enough is the definitive account of her daredevil bid to remake HP with a record-shattering $20 billion acquisition of archrival Compaq Computer. It is a story with unexpected heroes, courage in the face of disaster, and a struggle so fierce that it could only be settled in a courtroom showdown. Not since the late 1980s, when Wall Street operatives battled over the fate of RJR Nabisco, has a takeover drama so decisively moved beyond the business pages and become an enduring passage in American History.

Looming in the background for the entire story are the ghosts of Dave Packard and Bill Hewlett. The two men will forever be American heroes; they founded Hewlett-Packard in a Palo Alto garage during the Great Depression and built it into what was widely known as "the best outfit on earth." Some of the book's most searingly emotional scenes come when Carly Fiorina and Bill Hewlett's oldest son, Walter, fight to the point of exhaustion about which of them is truly the rightful heir to the founders' legacy.

In Perfect Enough, Anders draws on unparalleled access to Hewlett-Packard insiders and board members, including dissident Walter Hewlett, to write about a takeover battle that rocked Wall Street, stunned the computer industry, and is still being digested today. It is a spellbinding chronicle of hope, ambition, betrayal, despair, and family pride.

Members Reviews:

Perfect Enough (Unabridged)

This is a well-researched book on the history and current happenings of the Hewlett-Packard company from its beginning to the recent events surrounding the merger with Compaq and beyond. It especially highlights the challenges facing the IT industry today. It also describes the particular challenge of moving a company established by two individuals in the 1930's and built with strong values into a company that can survive in today's business environment with employees who are from a different generation than in the early stages of the company's development. This gives some insight into some of the challenges faced today by modern companies where the balance of employee programs with the need for company achievement and productivity is not always possible to be completely in alignment and requires careful management and leadership skills.

It highlights Carly Fiorina's character and steadfastness in moving HP towards the merger of the two companies. I think that the book was weakened by the constant praise of Fiorina. Her strength of character comes out through the story but there was some interpretation of her style which seemed to be packaged for the right approval and I found this a bit irksome.

Overall a good book and well worth the read.

A must read for HP people, past and present!

A must read for present and former HP/Agilent people. Regardless of your opinion of Carly, the author captures the HP many of us loved. The book does not paint over the fact that HP needed change to survive and hopefully prosper. I for one am grateful to have worked there and appreciate the book?s articulation of my companies? rich history.

Interesting facts, but totally biased presentation

Very interesting content centered around a key period of HP company history written just at the time the Compaq merger happened.

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Title: Elon Musk: 46 Fascinating Facts About the Mastermind Real Life "Iron Man", CEO, Billionaire, Entrepreneur, Visionary & Renaissance Man

Author: Ashton Marshall

Narrator: Jason Lovett

Format: Unabridged

Length: 37 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-24-15

Publisher: Ashton Marshall

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 11 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Business Leaders

Publisher's Summary:

Elon Musk is the face behind PayPal, SpaceX, Tesla Motors, and SolarCity - he's founded multiple businesses worth in excess of a billion dollars each, has faced naysayers, adversity and critics time after time and yet he continues to propel forward with massive success.

Members Reviews:

Money better spent on a coffee!!

What would have made Elon Musk: 46 Fascinating Facts About the Mastermind Real Life "Iron Man", CEO, Billionaire, Entrepreneur, Visionary & Renaissance Man better?

Save your money all the reader does is read out facts found on Wikipedia.

Just seemed like a summary of the proper book

Could potentially be a wonderful story. A brilliant man and his story written in a very basic format.

A disappointing book!

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Title: Donald Trump

Subtitle: A Biography of the Mogul Turned Presidential Candidate

Author: Benjamin Southerland

Narrator: Scott Clem

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 10 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-04-15

Publisher: Benjamin Southerland

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 16 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Business Leaders

Publisher's Summary:

Learn about the inspirational story of Donald Trump.

In Donald Trump: A Biography of the Mogul Turned Presidential Candidate, you will learn about the life, career, and ambitions of Donald Trump. In this biography, you will listen about about Donald Trump's incredible life story. Trump has had an extremely successful career as a real estate developer, entertainer, and now politician. He has always been known for his larger-than-life personality and displays of wealth. Trump had a privileged upbringing and eventually took over his family's real estate company. During his business career, he built some of New York City's most iconic buildings. He became a household name from his show The Apprentice, which is where he developed his catchphrase, "you're fired!". He has of course gone through controversy in his life, such as his bankruptcies and failed marriages. Trump has always been politically involved, but never ran as a candidate until the 2016 presidential race. He has shaken up the race with his brashness and disdain for political correctness. Listen to this biography to gain insight on the life of this potential next US president.

Here is a preview of this biography:

Members Reviews:

informative.

Would have liked more quotes from donald trump included in the narration. but overall, good.