Overview
The greatest adventure archetype of American life may not be that of the superhero, secret agent, or Indiana Jones–style archeologist . . . but instead, that of the entrepreneur. Since colonists first landed on the shores of Jamestown in 1607, this country has been founded on the ideals of capitalism, free enterprise, and a spirit of healthy competition that encourages business innovation and success.
Yet who are the men and women who pioneered the greatest business ventures in American history . . . and what can we learn from them? American Entrepreneur presents the epic story of America’s entrepreneurs and the economy they created. The book weaves together historical analysis and economic theory with the inspiring human stories of the incredibly diverse individuals who came from all walks of life to pursue their visions of business success, including:
• Andrew Carnegie, who went from being a child laborer in a textile mill to becoming one of the richest men ever to live in the United States
• Bill Gates and Paul Allen, who left college to make personal computers more accessible, and whose development of Microsoft Windows ultimately changed the world
• P. T. Barnum, who founded the Barnum & Bailey Circus when he was 70 years old
• John W. Nordstrom, who started a Seattle shoe store in 1902 after his adventures in the Klondike gold mines, and whose family eventually took the company public as one of the most successful and admired clothing and shoe stores in the world
• Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, a Seventh-Day Adventist who ran a health sanitarium and provided specialized cereal products for his patients in Battle Creek, Michigan
• Ray Kroc, a 52-year-old paper cup salesman, who saw great potential in the McDonald brothers’ hamburger restaurant and built the largest fast-food empire in the world
• Jerry Yang and David Filo, two graduate students who transformed their attempt to keep track of their favorite websites into a company called Yahoo!
• Michael Ilitch, the son of Macedonian immigrants, who played shortstop for pro baseball’s Detroit Tigers farm team before opening the first Little Caesars pizza restaurant
• H. Ty Warner, a salesman’s son who dropped out of college and took to the road selling a line of stuffed animals he developed called Beanie Babies
It is undeniably an adventure to start a business, and the greatest risk takers in that adventure are entrepreneurs. This is the epic story of America’s entrepreneurs, all the way from the first settlers to the “New Economy” of today.
Synopsis
The greatest adventure archetype of American life may not be that of the superhero, secret agent, or Indiana Jones–style archeologist . . . but instead, that of the entrepreneur. Since colonists first landed on the shores of Jamestown in 1607, this country has been founded on the ideals of capitalism, free enterprise, and a spirit of healthy competition that encourages business innovation and success.
Yet who are the men and women who pioneered the greatest business ventures in American history . . . and what can we learn from them? American Entrepreneur presents the epic story of America’s entrepreneurs and the economy they created. The book weaves together historical analysis and economic theory with the inspiring human stories of the incredibly diverse individuals who came from all walks of life to pursue their visions of business success, including:
• Andrew Carnegie, who went from being a child laborer in a textile mill to becoming one of the richest men ever to live in the United States
• Bill Gates and Paul Allen, who left college to make personal computers more accessible, and whose development of Microsoft Windows ultimately changed the world
• P. T. Barnum, who founded the Barnum & Bailey Circus when he was 70 years old
• John W. Nordstrom, who started a Seattle shoe store in 1902 after his adventures in the Klondike gold mines, and whose family eventually took the company public as one of the most successful and admired clothing and shoe stores in the world
• Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, a Seventh-Day Adventist who ran a health sanitarium and provided specialized cereal products for his patients in Battle Creek, Michigan
• Ray Kroc, a 52-year-old paper cup salesman, who saw great potential in the McDonald brothers’ hamburger restaurant and built the largest fast-food empire in the world
• Jerry Yang and David Filo, two graduate students who transformed their attempt to keep track of their favorite websites into a company called Yahoo!
• Michael Ilitch, the son of Macedonian immigrants, who played shortstop for pro baseball’s Detroit Tigers farm team before opening the first Little Caesars pizza restaurant
• H. Ty Warner, a salesman’s son who dropped out of college and took to the road selling a line of stuffed animals he developed called Beanie Babies
It is undeniably an adventure to start a business, and the greatest risk takers in that adventure are entrepreneurs. This is the epic story of America’s entrepreneurs, all the way from the first settlers to the “New Economy” of today.
Editorials
From the Publisher
"…provides readers with fresh insight into the past and a hopeful vision of the future." --ForeWord Magazine
“A history of America told through the lens of our most innovative businessmen, AMERICAN ENTREPRENEUR, is an informative collection of biographies.” -- San Francisco Book Review
“A great book to read.” -- “The Entrepreneur” column by syndicated columnist Marc Kramer
“…offers a crash course in the history of U.S. business…you'll leave with a much better understanding of the 400 years of America's capitalist experiment.”
-- Forbes.com