Inspirational Business Memoirs About Entrepreneurs
We often meet entrepreneurs and business leaders at the pinnacle of their success. When we do, it’s easy to forget there used to be a day when each successful entrepreneur was, too, a beginner. This reminder serves as a wake-up call that there are many paths toward success. And when leaders are brave enough to give people a peek into their tracks, it’s also a call for us to be brave enough to recognize that we can do the same. In this inspirational and empowering business memoir collection, you will meet everyone from fashion icons to corporate superstars to social entrepreneurs. Each of them carved a unique path to find their way, and perhaps in one of their stories, you will find a way to create your own.
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Add to BookshelfWildflower
by Aurora James
Named one of the most anticipated books of 2023 by Harper’s Bazaar, Aurora James’s memoir is sure to inspire. James is the creative director and founder of the luxury accessories brand Brother Vellies, founder of the Fifteen Percent Pledge, and vice chair of the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Yet James’s path is unlike one you’ve heard before — from modeling at a young age, getting arrested and dropping out of high school to forging a new path, revolutionizing the fashion world, and redirecting $10 billion in annual revenue to Black and BIPOC brands. Hers is a story you must listen to. Empowering and full of heart, Wildflower will teach you that it is possible to overcome the odds and create your own avenue for success.
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My Life in Full
by Indra Nooyi
Indra K. Nooyi served as CEO and chairman of PepsiCo from 2006 to 2019 and, in that time, redefined what it means to be an exceptional leader. Her memoir, My Life in Full, is a moving tribute to her transformational success and a blueprint for 21st-century prosperity. Throughout the book, you’re guided through Nooyi’s life to see what led her to become the first immigrant and the first woman of color to run a Fortune 50 company. Despite resistance and many sacrifices, Nooyi persevered through every turn and transformed PepsiCo along the way. Packed with grace, grit, and good humor, My Life in Full will leave you both smiling and inspired.
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$28.00Buy from Other Retailers:
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Brazen
by Julia Haart
How does one escape an extremist religious sect and become the CEO and co-owner of a modeling agency? You’ll have to read Brazen to find out. In this memoir, you follow Julia Haart — star of the Netflix reality series My Unorthodox LIfe — in her journey from housewife to shoe designer to running the modeling agency, Elite World Group. Not only is this a story of escaping one world to create your own, but it’s also a reminder that it’s never too late to make a change. Haart was forty-two when she took the courage she’d been collecting and changed her life. Within seven days of her escape, Haart launched a shoe brand. And within nine months? She was at Paris Fashion Week. Tommy Hilfiger calls this memoir “an irresistible read.”
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$28.99Buy from Other Retailers:
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The Ride of a Lifetime
by Robert Iger
When Robert Iger returned to Disney in 2022, stocks — and celebrations — rose; this memoir will explain why. In The Ride of a Lifetime, Iger shares the ideas and values he embraced while reinventing one of the world’s most beloved companies and inspiring the people who bring the magic to life. Named both a Time’s 100 Most Influential People of the Year and Time’s 2019 Businessperson of the Year, Iger is no doubt one of the most innovative and successful CEOs of our era. His memoir gives you unparalleled access to his success story and will help you write your own by understanding his principles for true leadership.
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$30.00Buy from Other Retailers:
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More Than Enough
by Elaine Welteroth
More Than Enough is part manifesto, part memoir, from the revolutionary editor who infused social consciousness into the pages of Teen Vogue. In her biography, Elaine Welteroth shows us how to come into your own — on your own terms. Throughout her empowering story, Welteroth unpacks lessons on race, identity, and success through her journey to show you how to claim space no matter what room you’re in. Named “an essential read for women in the workplace today” by Refinery29, there’s a very good chance this memoir will inspire you to shatter ceilings, break barriers, and, most importantly, claim your enough-ness.
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Thirst
by Scott Harrison
How did Scott Harrison go from a life of drugs, alcohol, and models to building one of the world’s most trusted and admired nonprofits? Thirst is Harrison’s story of going from the top nightclub promoter in New York City at the age of 28 to founding a charity that has since brought clean drinking water to over 10 million people worldwide. This gritty memoir is the story of someone who asked themselves, “What would the exact opposite of my life look like?” and then made it happen. Perfect for social entrepreneurs and anyone wanting to be inspired by a story of redemption and second chances.
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$20.00Buy from Other Retailers:
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American Dreamer
by Tommy Hilfiger and Peter Knobler
Tommy Hilfiger is one of the most respected brands in the fashion world and has become synonymous with all-American style. But did you know that Hilfiger grew up one of nine kids in a working-class family, suffered from dyslexia, and flunked his sophomore year of high school? There’s much to discover about what made Hilfiger a business and pop culture icon. Within American Dreamer, Hilfiger takes us behind the scenes of every decision — and every mistake — he’s ever made, along with advice on leadership, business, team-building, and creativity. This tale of grit and glamor is the perfect read for fashionistas and business gurus alike.
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$32.00Buy from Other Retailers:
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Do the KIND Thing
by Daniel Lubetzky
Consider this your handbook for success in business, life, and building a more compassionate world. Do the KIND Thing is brought to you by the visionary founder and CEO of KIND Healthy Snacks, who aimed to defy the conventional wisdom that snack bars could never be both tasty and healthy, convenient and wholesome. Daniel Lubetzky’s memoir is not only a New York Times bestseller, but it’s also a look at how one can create a “not-only-for-profit” business that sells great products and helps make the world a better place. Thankfully, Lubetzky never let go of that vision, and this memoir illustrates his journey to achieving his dream and shows other social entrepreneurs how they, too, can improve their bottom line and change the world.
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$27.00Buy from Other Retailers:
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Thrive
by Arianna Huffington
Thrive is a wake-up call that our current definition of success is killing us. Part memoir, part-self-help book Thrive will help you rediscover what matters as you ascend the career ladder. Drawing on her own experiences and folding in insights derived from science and psychology, Huffington makes a case for redefining success — and adding well-being, wisdom, and wonder into the mix. Huffington talks candidly about her own challenges in this deeply personal book while inspiring us to make transformative changes that’ll lead to more happiness — both in business and life. Pick this memoir up if you want to know how to thrive.
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$17.99Buy from Other Retailers:
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The Work
by Wes Moore
Today, most know Wes Moore as the governor of Maryland, but many years ago, he was a kid living out a difficult childhood in the Bronx and Baltimore — and trying to find his way as an adult. From the acclaimed author of The Other Wes Moore, this memoir is the story of how a young man traced a path through the world to find his life’s purpose. Inside, Moore shares the lessons he learned from people he met along the way, including twenty-first-century change-makers who’ve inspired him in his search for meaning. In his now second New York Times bestseller, The Work shares powerful lessons about self-discovery, service, and risk-taking — that led Moore toward a new definition of success.
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