As the year turns, the prognostications flow and as the world continues to experience massive tumult, what lies ahead seems all the more pressing and mysterious. Even better than expert opinion, a look to history always has something to teach us about the present. Follow the link for some books that can teach us how to find some bearings in what will no doubt be another confusing year.
Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller Sr. | Ron Chernov
The father of all of American businessmen, it seems almost irresponsible to not know his story. It’s an especially interesting read now as we live in such parallel times with “trust-busting” becoming a cause-célebre in Washington. Perhaps even more interesting than the building of Standard Oil is the creation of the Rockefeller Foundation and modern-day philanthropy.
The Widow Clicquot: The Story of a Champagne Empire and the Woman Who Ruled It | Tilar J. Mazzeo
This book is a fascinating story of how one woman shepherded her in-laws’ vineyard through the French Revolution, the Napoleonic Wars and subsequent revolutions and restorations to create arguably the most famous champagne on the planet. She was a great innovator in logistics and manufacturing and was one of the pioneers of modern day branding. It is no accident that sparkling wine is now irrevocably tied to luxury and celebration.
No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention | Reed Hastings & Erin Meyer
Netflix is ending the year with total market domination. No Rules Rules, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings’s new book, isn’t really about how the tech company took over Hollywood, but more like an HR manifesto. Their corporate culture has long been famous for its unconventional management, most famously they invented the unlimited vacation policy back in 2003 and also pioneered the slogan, “Adequate performance gets a generous severance.” This book is for anyone who fantasizes about the perfectly operating company or just wants some insight as to how current management is doing everythingl wrong.
The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company | Robert Igor
A more traditional corporate memoir, Igor experienced and oversaw a number of mergers and has some interesting insight into the do’s and don’ts of merging corporate cultures. There are some enjoyable anecdotes including one that takes place in Snowmass.
Post Corona: From Crisis to Opportunity | Scott Galloway
This book isn’t history, technically, but a good analysis of the pandemic’s effect on business. Galloway is a lot to take with his relentless bombast and insistence on making the word “rundle” happen, but the man makes interesting insights. If you don’t agree with his politics, those paragraphs are easily skimmed. Here’s what he has to say about Tesla:
I’ve said for years (and been wrong) that Tesla is overvalued. Now I prefer to say that it is “fully valued.” Keeps the hate mail down. Yes, Musk is a genius. Yes, Tesla has changed the world for the better through alternative energy. However, at the end of the day, it’s bending steel, and that’s not a business that can support a (double checking my notes) 128 times multiple of EBITDA.
