A Practical Way to Get Rich...and Die Trying
A Memoir About Risking It All
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $18.00
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
John Roa
-
By:
-
John Roa
About this listen
"A scathingly honest memoir of entrepreneurship's dark reality... I would advise every entrepreneur - or anyone who dreams of becoming one - to read this book." (Eric Schurenberg, CEO, Fast Company and Inc.)
A young tech entrepreneur's memoir of building his hugely successful company and the mental and physical price he paid for it
At the age of 26, John Roa was an aspiring but struggling entrepreneur. He was broke, racking up debt, and ready to give up on his dream of being self-made. In a final effort, he founded the design firm ÄKTA, which quickly became one of the fastest growing startups in America, and just five years later, he sold it for a fortune to Salesforce, the largest company in San Francisco.
This is his account of rising from a self-described below-average student to becoming a poster boy for the successful young entrepreneur, while nearly destroying himself in the process. His journey is an absurd, twisting, and often comical story of talent, luck, rapidly changing technology, larger-than-life personalities, sex, gambling, and excessive alcohol and drug consumption - which ultimately took their toll, resulting in a spectacular burnout that he almost didn’t survive. As he healed in the aftermath, he began to question the ethos that had brought him to that dark place, and over time, came to realize how common these debilitating issues are in entrepreneurship, even if they are rarely discussed openly.
Rather than another glamorous rags-to-riches saga, A Practical Way to Get Rich...and Die Trying is a cautionary and deeply honest memoir about the price of success for ambitious young people, who are so often unprepared for the adversity, mental health issues, and abuse that can come along with "making it". It also serves as the foundation for a campaign of honesty and vulnerability, in an industry that currently lacks both.
©2020 John Roa (P)2020 Penguin AudioListeners also enjoyed...
-
Elon Musk
- By: Walter Isaacson
- Narrated by: Jeremy Bobb, Walter Isaacson
- Length: 20 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Elon Musk was a kid in South Africa, he was regularly beaten by bullies. One day a group pushed him down some concrete steps and kicked him until his face was a swollen ball of flesh. He was in the hospital for a week. But the physical scars were minor compared to the emotional ones inflicted by his father, an engineer, rogue, and charismatic fantasist.
-
-
megalomania on display
- By JP on 09-12-23
By: Walter Isaacson
-
The Premonition
- A Pandemic Story
- By: Michael Lewis
- Narrated by: Adenrele Ojo
- Length: 11 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For those who could read between the lines, the censored news out of China was terrifying. But the president insisted there was nothing to worry about. Fortunately, we are still a nation of skeptics. Fortunately, there are those among us who study pandemics and are willing to look unflinchingly at worst-case scenarios. Michael Lewis’ taut and brilliant nonfiction thriller pits a band of medical visionaries against the wall of ignorance that was the official response of the Trump administration to the outbreak of COVID-19.
-
-
Why not Michael Lewis?
- By Brian on 05-04-21
By: Michael Lewis
-
Number Go Up
- Inside Crypto's Wild Rise and Staggering Fall
- By: Zeke Faux
- Narrated by: Dan Bittner
- Length: 9 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 2021 cryptocurrency went mainstream. Giant investment funds were buying it, celebrities like Tom Brady endorsed it, and TV ads hailed it as the future of money. Hardly anyone knew how it worked—but why bother with the particulars when everyone was making a fortune from Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, or some other bizarrely named “digital asset”? As he observed this frenzy, investigative reporter Zeke Faux had a nagging question: Was it all just a confidence game of epic proportions? What started as curiosity—with a dash of FOMO—would morph into a two-year globe-spanning quest.
-
-
Phenomenal story
- By Michael on 10-05-23
By: Zeke Faux
-
Gambler
- Secrets from a Life at Risk
- By: Billy Walters
- Narrated by: Billy Walters
- Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Anybody can get lucky. Nobody controls the odds like Billy Walters. Widely regarded as “the Michael Jordan of sports betting,” Walters is a living legend in Las Vegas and among sports bettors worldwide. With an unmatched winning streak of thirty-six consecutive years, Walters has become fabulously wealthy by placing hundreds of millions of dollars a year in gross wagers, including one Super Bowl bet of $3.5 million alone. Competitors desperate to crack his betting techniques have tried hacking his phones, cloning his beepers, rifling through his trash, and bribing his employees.
-
-
Good but
- By Amazon Customer on 08-30-23
By: Billy Walters
-
Midas Touch
- Why Some Entrepreneurs Get Rich - and Why Most Don't
- By: Robert T. Kiyosaki, Donald J. Trump
- Narrated by: John Dossett, Skipp Sudduth
- Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the tradition of their number-one blockbuster Why We Want You to Be Rich, the all-star team of best-selling authors Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki reunites to teach listeners what it takes to be successful and influential entrepreneurs in Midas Touch. What makes some business owners wildly successful? What separates the entrepreneurs who build businesses from ones who just seem to create more work for themselves? Here are answers.
-
-
Nothing New - But Great Motivational Speakers
- By Chad on 07-02-12
By: Robert T. Kiyosaki, and others
-
Contagious
- Why Things Catch On
- By: Jonah Berger
- Narrated by: Keith Nobbs
- Length: 6 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Why do some products get more word of mouth than others? Why does some online content go viral? Word of mouth makes products, ideas, and behaviors catch on. It's more influential than advertising and far more effective. Can you create word of mouth for your product or idea? According to Berger, you can. Whether you operate a neighborhood restaurant, a corporation with hundreds of employees, or are running for a local office for the first time, the steps that can help your product or idea become viral are the same.
-
-
A Primer on Viral & Memorable Marketing
- By Douglas C. Bates on 04-01-13
By: Jonah Berger
-
Elon Musk
- By: Walter Isaacson
- Narrated by: Jeremy Bobb, Walter Isaacson
- Length: 20 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Elon Musk was a kid in South Africa, he was regularly beaten by bullies. One day a group pushed him down some concrete steps and kicked him until his face was a swollen ball of flesh. He was in the hospital for a week. But the physical scars were minor compared to the emotional ones inflicted by his father, an engineer, rogue, and charismatic fantasist.
-
-
megalomania on display
- By JP on 09-12-23
By: Walter Isaacson
-
The Premonition
- A Pandemic Story
- By: Michael Lewis
- Narrated by: Adenrele Ojo
- Length: 11 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For those who could read between the lines, the censored news out of China was terrifying. But the president insisted there was nothing to worry about. Fortunately, we are still a nation of skeptics. Fortunately, there are those among us who study pandemics and are willing to look unflinchingly at worst-case scenarios. Michael Lewis’ taut and brilliant nonfiction thriller pits a band of medical visionaries against the wall of ignorance that was the official response of the Trump administration to the outbreak of COVID-19.
-
-
Why not Michael Lewis?
- By Brian on 05-04-21
By: Michael Lewis
-
Number Go Up
- Inside Crypto's Wild Rise and Staggering Fall
- By: Zeke Faux
- Narrated by: Dan Bittner
- Length: 9 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 2021 cryptocurrency went mainstream. Giant investment funds were buying it, celebrities like Tom Brady endorsed it, and TV ads hailed it as the future of money. Hardly anyone knew how it worked—but why bother with the particulars when everyone was making a fortune from Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, or some other bizarrely named “digital asset”? As he observed this frenzy, investigative reporter Zeke Faux had a nagging question: Was it all just a confidence game of epic proportions? What started as curiosity—with a dash of FOMO—would morph into a two-year globe-spanning quest.
-
-
Phenomenal story
- By Michael on 10-05-23
By: Zeke Faux
-
Gambler
- Secrets from a Life at Risk
- By: Billy Walters
- Narrated by: Billy Walters
- Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Anybody can get lucky. Nobody controls the odds like Billy Walters. Widely regarded as “the Michael Jordan of sports betting,” Walters is a living legend in Las Vegas and among sports bettors worldwide. With an unmatched winning streak of thirty-six consecutive years, Walters has become fabulously wealthy by placing hundreds of millions of dollars a year in gross wagers, including one Super Bowl bet of $3.5 million alone. Competitors desperate to crack his betting techniques have tried hacking his phones, cloning his beepers, rifling through his trash, and bribing his employees.
-
-
Good but
- By Amazon Customer on 08-30-23
By: Billy Walters
-
Midas Touch
- Why Some Entrepreneurs Get Rich - and Why Most Don't
- By: Robert T. Kiyosaki, Donald J. Trump
- Narrated by: John Dossett, Skipp Sudduth
- Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the tradition of their number-one blockbuster Why We Want You to Be Rich, the all-star team of best-selling authors Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki reunites to teach listeners what it takes to be successful and influential entrepreneurs in Midas Touch. What makes some business owners wildly successful? What separates the entrepreneurs who build businesses from ones who just seem to create more work for themselves? Here are answers.
-
-
Nothing New - But Great Motivational Speakers
- By Chad on 07-02-12
By: Robert T. Kiyosaki, and others
-
Contagious
- Why Things Catch On
- By: Jonah Berger
- Narrated by: Keith Nobbs
- Length: 6 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Why do some products get more word of mouth than others? Why does some online content go viral? Word of mouth makes products, ideas, and behaviors catch on. It's more influential than advertising and far more effective. Can you create word of mouth for your product or idea? According to Berger, you can. Whether you operate a neighborhood restaurant, a corporation with hundreds of employees, or are running for a local office for the first time, the steps that can help your product or idea become viral are the same.
-
-
A Primer on Viral & Memorable Marketing
- By Douglas C. Bates on 04-01-13
By: Jonah Berger
-
Adversity for Sale
- Ya Gotta Believe
- By: Jeezy
- Narrated by: Jay Jenkins
- Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
To Jeezy’s legion of fans, his name is synonymous with hustle, grit, and the integrity to go out there and achieve your dreams. In his first book, Adversity for Sale: Ya Gotta Believe, Jeezy shares never heard stories of what it took for him to beat the odds and get out of the streets, his mindset he carefully honed to get an edge, and the lessons that changed his life and business.
-
-
Couldn’t turn it off!!
- By Anonymous User on 09-11-23
By: Jeezy
-
Am I Being Too Subtle?
- The Adventures of a Business Maverick
- By: Sam Zell
- Narrated by: Sam Zell
- Length: 8 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Self-made billionaire Sam Zell consistently sees what others don't. From finding a market for overpriced Playboy magazines among his junior high classmates, to buying real estate on the cheap after a market crash, to investing in often unglamorous industries with long-term value, Zell acts boldly on supply and demand trends to grab the first-mover advantage. And he can find opportunity virtually anywhere - from an arcane piece of legislation to a desert meeting in Abu Dhabi.
-
-
Excellent story, but ....
- By David K. Robbins on 08-06-17
By: Sam Zell
-
The Greatest Salesman in the World
- By: Og Mandino
- Narrated by: Mark Bramhall
- Length: 2 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The runaway bestseller with more than four million copies in print! You too can change your life with the priceless wisdom of ten ancient scrolls handed down for thousands of years.
-
-
Great book to revisit and listen to
- By Terry on 11-02-16
By: Og Mandino
-
Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter
- By: Curtis 50 Cent Jackson
- Narrated by: Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson
- Length: 8 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In his early 20s, Curtis Jackson, known as 50 Cent, rose to the heights of fame and power in the cutthroat music business. A decade ago, the multi-platinum selling rap artist decided to pivot. His ability to adapt to change was demonstrated when he became the executive producer and star of Power, a high-octane, gripping crime drama centered around a drug kingpin's family. The series quickly became "appointment" television, leading to Jackson inking a four-year, $150 million contract with the Starz network - the most lucrative deal in premium cable history.
-
-
The King of PETTY to Coach of the Chess team
- By Yas on 04-29-20
-
Shoe Dog
- A Memoir by the Creator of Nike
- By: Phil Knight
- Narrated by: Norbert Leo Butz, Phil Knight - introduction
- Length: 13 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this candid and riveting memoir, for the first time ever, Nike founder and CEO Phil Knight shares the inside story of the company's early days as an intrepid start-up and its evolution into one of the world's most iconic, game-changing, and profitable brands.
-
-
Just read it. (or listen, whatever)
- By Dan D on 07-07-16
By: Phil Knight
-
Big Money Energy
- How to Rule at Work, Dominate at Life, and Make Millions
- By: Ryan Serhant
- Narrated by: Ryan Serhant
- Length: 6 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Big Money Energy is the feeling you get when you encounter someone who is massively succeeding at life. They're the ultimate picture of self-confidence. There's no bravado, no bragging - they know they have BME and so does everyone else. You get Big Money Energy by being 100% committed to making your vision a reality...and that vision has to be BIG.
-
-
Good book but nothing new
- By Daniel on 02-26-21
By: Ryan Serhant
-
Twelve Pillars
- By: Jim Rohn, Chris Widener
- Narrated by: Braden Wright
- Length: 2 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This extraordinary novel by Jim Rohn and Chris Widener will inspire you to take your life to the next level and beyond. It will challenge and encourage you to become the best you can be! Twelve Pillars blends together the fundamental principles and teachings of Jim Rohn into the unique tapestry of a fictional account that imparts the secrets to success in life.
-
-
Twelve Pillars
- By Rudeboy on 01-04-19
By: Jim Rohn, and others
-
The Ride of a Lifetime
- Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company
- By: Robert Iger
- Narrated by: Jim Frangione, Robert Iger
- Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Robert Iger became CEO of The Walt Disney Company in 2005, during a difficult time. Competition was more intense than ever, and technology was changing faster than at any time in the company’s history. His vision came down to three clear ideas: Recommit to the concept that quality matters, embrace technology instead of fighting it, and think bigger - think global - and turn Disney into a stronger brand in international markets.
-
-
Joins “Shoe Dog” as required biographies.
- By Matt S. on 01-02-20
By: Robert Iger
-
That Will Never Work
- The Birth of Netflix and the Amazing Life of an Idea
- By: Marc Randolph
- Narrated by: Marc Randolph
- Length: 11 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the tradition of Phil Knight's Shoe Dog comes the incredible untold story of how Netflix went from concept to company—all revealed by cofounder and first CEO Marc Randolph. From idea generation to team building to knowing when it's time to let go, That Will Never Work is not only the ultimate follow-your-dreams parable, but also one of the most dramatic and insightful entrepreneurial stories of our time.
-
-
Cut off at the end of chapter 18
- By Penny posey on 09-25-19
By: Marc Randolph
-
Your Next Five Moves
- Master the Art of Business Strategy
- By: Patrick Bet-David
- Narrated by: Patrick Bet-David
- Length: 8 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the creator of Valuetainment, the number-one YouTube channel for entrepreneurs, and “one of the most exciting thinkers” (Ray Dalio, author of Principles) in business today, comes a practical and effective guide for thinking more clearly and achieving your most audacious professional goals.
-
-
Mediocre; few actionable take-aways.
- By Michael on 10-31-20
-
Man Up
- How to Cut the Bullshit and Kick Ass in Business (And in Life)
- By: Bedros Keuilian
- Narrated by: Bedros Keuilian
- Length: 4 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Author Bedros Keuilian, founder and CEO of Fit Body Boot Camp and known as the "hidden genius" behind many of the most successful brands and businesses throughout multiple industries, will teach you how to break out of the sea of mediocrity, get singularly focused on your purpose, and do what it takes - not only to achieve but dominate your goals.
-
-
Good overview, but nothing new or groundbreaking
- By jbloore on 06-13-19
By: Bedros Keuilian
-
How I Built This
- The Unexpected Paths to Success from the World's Most Inspiring Entrepreneurs
- By: Guy Raz
- Narrated by: Guy Raz
- Length: 10 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Great ideas often come from a simple spark: A soccer player on the New Zealand national team notices all the unused wool his country produces and figures out a way to turn them into shoes (Allbirds). A former Buddhist monk decides the very best way to spread his mindfulness teachings is by launching an app (Headspace). A sandwich cart vendor finds a way to reuse leftover pita bread and turns it into a multimillion-dollar business (Stacy’s Pita Chips).
-
-
GET THIS BOOK!
- By Mattye LaSuer on 01-16-21
By: Guy Raz
Critic reviews
"A Practical Way to Get Rich and Die Trying is a scathingly honest memoir of entrepreneurship’s dark reality - the crushing stress, the minuscule odds of success, the trauma of failure that is always peering over most founders' shoulders. As editor of Inc. magazine, I followed John Roa's successful rise at ÄKTA. To learn from this book what was really going on in his heart and his company at that time is powerful and sobering. I would advise every entrepreneur - or anyone who dreams of becoming one - to read this book. There’s no better way to understand how immensely challenging the entrepreneurial path really is, and what heroes the people who undertake that journey truly are." (Eric Schurenberg, CEO, Fast Company and Inc.)
"I thought I would be reading a story about a friend and successful entrepreneur. What I got instead was One of the most honest and well-articulated narratives that I've ever read on the rollercoaster that comes along with success in our modern culture. John's vulnerability and security shine through as he gives a genuine insight into his journey of success that also reflects upon the necessary resilience to persevere through tough times as a leader, and make the journey all the more rewarding. I would encourage every leader, entrepreneur and coach to read this immediately." (Sean McVay, head coach, LA Rams)
"Business memoirs are so often heroic accounts of innovation, growth, and crushing the competition that it’s gratifying to encounter a book like Roa's A Practical Way to Get Rich, which turns the standard narrative on its head by looking at the personal costs of success rather than just its benefits. Roa's deep but hilarious look at his own failures and missteps can serve as a caution and inspiration to a generation of upcoming entrepreneurs." (Mario Lopez, actor and TV host)
Related to this topic
-
How Money Became Dangerous
- The Inside Story of Our Turbulent Relationship with Modern Finance
- By: Christopher Varelas, Dan Stone
- Narrated by: Roger Wayne
- Length: 14 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From a veteran of the trade, a provocative and entertaining voyage into the turbulent heart of modern money that sheds new light on the rise of our threatening and complicated financial system, how money became our adversary, and why finding a new course is crucial to a healthy society.
-
-
Must read
- By Craig M. Stratton on 02-08-20
By: Christopher Varelas, and others
-
Black Founder
- The Hidden Power of Being an Outsider
- By: Stacy Spikes
- Narrated by: Stacy Spikes
- Length: 8 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the award-winning entrepreneur USA Today named one of the twenty-one most influential Blacks in technology comes an empowering, bracingly honest, entertaining blueprint for success in life and work—including the true story of what really happened to MoviePass—straight from the cofounder and former CEO himself.
-
-
An Epic Journey
- By Amazon Customer on 10-04-24
By: Stacy Spikes
-
Often Wrong, Never in Doubt
- Unleash the Business Rebel Within
- By: Donny Deutsch, Peter Knobler
- Narrated by: Peter Knobler
- Length: 5 hrs and 13 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Often Wrong, Never in Doubt is an inspirational book from one of America's most colorful and exciting entrepreneurs. Donny Deutsch lays out the core principles that propelled him to create tremendous wealth, build a huge and influential business, and become a national personality.
-
-
Deutsch is cool!
- By Michael on 10-27-05
By: Donny Deutsch, and others
-
Play Nice but Win
- A CEO's Journey from Founder to Leader
- By: Michael Dell, James Kaplan
- Narrated by: Michael Dell
- Length: 10 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1984, soon-to-be college dropout Michael Dell hid signs of his fledgling PC business in the bathroom of his University of Texas dorm room. Almost 30 years later, at the pinnacle of his success as founder and leader of Dell Technologies, he found himself embroiled in a battle for his company’s survival. What he’d do next could ensure its legacy — or destroy it completely.
-
-
Not perfect, but worth a listen
- By James S. on 11-09-21
By: Michael Dell, and others
-
Chronicles of a Fashion Buyer
- The Mostly True Adventures of an International Fashion Buyer
- By: Mercedes Gonzalez
- Narrated by: Mercedes Gonzalez
- Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Fashion is a business of smoke and mirrors, notorious for crushing the souls of most who dare to be part of the industry. Go on a global expedition with New York City-based fashion buyer, strategist, and consultant, Mercedes Gonzalez, as she learns that there is no glamour in fashion and that only cutthroat corporate espionage prevails. From politicking with blood diamond dealers and Russian kingpins to living in indigenous villages, she has relied on her street smarts and fear of her uncle in order to outwit the industry tyrants at their own game.
-
-
Very Enagaging
- By Rainbow on 07-31-23
-
Winging It: Stop Thinking, Start Doing
- Why Action Beats Planning Every Time
- By: Emma Isaacs
- Narrated by: Emma Isaacs
- Length: 6 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Women are notorious over-preparers and underestimators when it comes to their own readiness to try something new. But as Emma teaches, what most often holds us back are our own fears, excuses, and doubts. With her revolutionary manifesto, Winging It, Emma shares a rallying cry for all women to “do the things that scare you, build your wealth, make an impact, fail lots, and get up and try again”.
-
-
Good advice
- By Amanda Schmidt on 05-28-21
By: Emma Isaacs
-
How Money Became Dangerous
- The Inside Story of Our Turbulent Relationship with Modern Finance
- By: Christopher Varelas, Dan Stone
- Narrated by: Roger Wayne
- Length: 14 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From a veteran of the trade, a provocative and entertaining voyage into the turbulent heart of modern money that sheds new light on the rise of our threatening and complicated financial system, how money became our adversary, and why finding a new course is crucial to a healthy society.
-
-
Must read
- By Craig M. Stratton on 02-08-20
By: Christopher Varelas, and others
-
Black Founder
- The Hidden Power of Being an Outsider
- By: Stacy Spikes
- Narrated by: Stacy Spikes
- Length: 8 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the award-winning entrepreneur USA Today named one of the twenty-one most influential Blacks in technology comes an empowering, bracingly honest, entertaining blueprint for success in life and work—including the true story of what really happened to MoviePass—straight from the cofounder and former CEO himself.
-
-
An Epic Journey
- By Amazon Customer on 10-04-24
By: Stacy Spikes
-
Often Wrong, Never in Doubt
- Unleash the Business Rebel Within
- By: Donny Deutsch, Peter Knobler
- Narrated by: Peter Knobler
- Length: 5 hrs and 13 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Often Wrong, Never in Doubt is an inspirational book from one of America's most colorful and exciting entrepreneurs. Donny Deutsch lays out the core principles that propelled him to create tremendous wealth, build a huge and influential business, and become a national personality.
-
-
Deutsch is cool!
- By Michael on 10-27-05
By: Donny Deutsch, and others
-
Play Nice but Win
- A CEO's Journey from Founder to Leader
- By: Michael Dell, James Kaplan
- Narrated by: Michael Dell
- Length: 10 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1984, soon-to-be college dropout Michael Dell hid signs of his fledgling PC business in the bathroom of his University of Texas dorm room. Almost 30 years later, at the pinnacle of his success as founder and leader of Dell Technologies, he found himself embroiled in a battle for his company’s survival. What he’d do next could ensure its legacy — or destroy it completely.
-
-
Not perfect, but worth a listen
- By James S. on 11-09-21
By: Michael Dell, and others
-
Chronicles of a Fashion Buyer
- The Mostly True Adventures of an International Fashion Buyer
- By: Mercedes Gonzalez
- Narrated by: Mercedes Gonzalez
- Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Fashion is a business of smoke and mirrors, notorious for crushing the souls of most who dare to be part of the industry. Go on a global expedition with New York City-based fashion buyer, strategist, and consultant, Mercedes Gonzalez, as she learns that there is no glamour in fashion and that only cutthroat corporate espionage prevails. From politicking with blood diamond dealers and Russian kingpins to living in indigenous villages, she has relied on her street smarts and fear of her uncle in order to outwit the industry tyrants at their own game.
-
-
Very Enagaging
- By Rainbow on 07-31-23
-
Winging It: Stop Thinking, Start Doing
- Why Action Beats Planning Every Time
- By: Emma Isaacs
- Narrated by: Emma Isaacs
- Length: 6 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Women are notorious over-preparers and underestimators when it comes to their own readiness to try something new. But as Emma teaches, what most often holds us back are our own fears, excuses, and doubts. With her revolutionary manifesto, Winging It, Emma shares a rallying cry for all women to “do the things that scare you, build your wealth, make an impact, fail lots, and get up and try again”.
-
-
Good advice
- By Amanda Schmidt on 05-28-21
By: Emma Isaacs
-
Hopping Over the Rabbit Hole
- How Entrepreneurs Turn Failure into Success
- By: Anthony Scaramucci
- Narrated by: Anthony Scaramucci
- Length: 6 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Hopping Over the Rabbit Hole chronicles the rise, fall, and resurgence of SkyBridge Capital founder Anthony Scaramucci, giving you a primer on how to thrive in an unpredictable business environment. The sheer number of American success stories has created a false impression that becoming an entrepreneur is a can't-miss endeavor - but nothing could be further from the truth. Hopping Over the Rabbit Hole gives you the skills, insight, and mindset you need to be one of the winners.
-
-
Scaramucci is Key to Making America Great Again
- By Cynthia on 07-24-17
-
High-Hanging Fruit
- Build Something Great by Going Where No One Else WIll
- By: Mark Rampolla
- Narrated by: Mark Rampolla
- Length: 6 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Mark Rampolla filled a notebook with potential start-up ideas, his wife asked him some tough questions. What about this idea is exciting, beyond the possibility of a profit? How will it fit into a life that makes you and your family happy? How will it change the world? Eventually Mark found his great idea: coconut water. He had seen the developing world use coconut water, but this valuable resource was being discarded in the US. While taking on the beverage industry was a big goal - high-hanging fruit - it was worth the risk.
-
-
10 Chapter Infomercial
- By KIM WILLIAMSON on 02-16-20
By: Mark Rampolla
-
How to Win at the Sport of Business
- If I Can Do It, You Can Do It
- By: Mark Cuban
- Narrated by: Charles Constant
- Length: 2 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Using the greatest material from his popular Blog Maverick, Cuban has collected and updated his postings on business and life to provide a catalog of insider knowledge on what it takes to become a thriving entrepreneur. He tells his own rags-to-riches story of how he went from selling powdered milk and sleeping on friends' couches to owning his own company and becoming a multibillion-dollar success story.
-
-
Short and precise.
- By Mariam on 04-27-15
By: Mark Cuban
-
All In
- How Great Leaders Build Unstoppable Teams
- By: Mike Michalowicz
- Narrated by: Mike Michalowicz
- Length: 7 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
ALL IN is the pinnacle book in Mike Michalowicz's Entrepreneurship Simplified series, setting the standard for building high-performing teams in today’s challenging work environment. Whether dealing with remote work, flex schedules, or generational divides, ALL IN provides a proven framework for recruiting top talent, transforming underperformers into superstars, and cultivating a culture where every employee is as dedicated as an owner.
-
-
Outstanding
- By Lance Lawshe on 06-27-24
By: Mike Michalowicz
-
This Is Not a Fashion Story
- Taking Chances, Breaking Rules, and Being a Boss in the Big City
- By: Danielle Bernstein
- Narrated by: Danielle Bernstein
- Length: 4 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Danielle Bernstein spent her youth shopping at discount department stores, getting boozy in suburban backyards, and proposing marriage to every boy she dated. By age 19, she was a college dropout living in a West Village shoebox with three roommates and only six months to prove that her blog, @WeWoreWhat, could become a full blown career...or else board the train back to her mom's house. This Is Not a Fashion Story is the down and dirty tale of how a Long Island-born teenager became one of the most recognizable names in fashion.
-
-
Waste of time
- By Leena on 05-18-20
-
It's Your Move
- My Million Dollar Method for Taking Risks with Confidence and Succeeding at Work and Life
- By: Josh Altman
- Narrated by: Josh Altman
- Length: 6 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Josh "the Shark" Altman has achieved extraordinary success in a traditional industry and in the most competitive real estate market in the country - all without being "discovered" or catching the proverbial big break. He worked for it. He figured it out. He failed. He learned. He wrote his own script. The key to his success? Confidence - informed, intelligent, calculated confidence. Calculated confidence means training yourself in your chosen field, knowing it so well that you can trust your gut instincts to guide you toward the best possible option.
-
-
Overall a good book but recommend a title change
- By Reginald on 06-19-18
By: Josh Altman
-
Mentor to Millions
- By: Kevin Harrington, Mark Timm
- Narrated by: Kevin Harrington, Mark Timm
- Length: 5 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Kevin Harrington, one of the original "sharks" of the TV hit Shark Tank, and serial entrepreneur Mark Timm take you on a journey that radically redefines what it means to truly succeed - at work, at home, and in every area of life.
-
-
Listen at 1.4x
- By Mark Fry on 09-26-20
By: Kevin Harrington, and others
-
Total Focus
- Making Better Decisions Under Pressure
- By: Brandon Webb, John David Mann
- Narrated by: Johnathan McClain, Brandon Webb
- Length: 7 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Over his four deployments as a Navy SEAL sniper, Brandon Webb learned all about performing while experiencing heart-pounding stress. After returning to civilian life, he started his first business venture - and failed miserably. He realized that his big mistake was neglecting to apply what he already knew about focus under pressure. By drawing on the lessons of his SEAL training and early business struggles, Webb went on to build a second business, a media network called Hurricane.
-
-
Biography/ sales pitch.
- By Dennis on 01-10-18
By: Brandon Webb, and others
-
Ahead of the Curve
- Two Years at Harvard Business School
- By: Philip Delves Broughton
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 10 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 2004 Philip Delves Broughton abandoned a post as Paris bureau chief of the London Daily Telegraph to join 900 other would-be tycoons on the Harvard Business School's plush campus. With acute and often uproarious candor, he assesses the school's success at teaching the traits it extols as most important in business: leadership, decisiveness, ethical behavior, and work/life balance.
-
-
On one breath.
- By Atkins on 05-17-22
-
Unlabel
- Selling You Without Selling Out
- By: Marc Ecko
- Narrated by: Todd Haberkorn, Marc Ecko
- Length: 8 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Instructive as it is innovative, Unlabel will empower you to channel your creativity, find the courage to defy convention, and summon the confidence to act and compete in any environment. This blueprint will teach you how to grow both creatively and commercially by testing your personal brand against the principles of the Authenticity Formula. Marc Eckō shares the bruising mistakes and remarkable triumphs that reveal the truth behind his success, growing from a misfit kid airbrushing T-shirts in his parents' garage to the bold creator of two hugely successful branded platforms.
-
-
...So Real, It Should Be Illegal
- By 2Fresh on 01-20-16
By: Marc Ecko
-
Working Together
- Why Great Partnerships Succeed
- By: Michael D. Eisner, Aaron R. Cohen
- Narrated by: Rick Adamson, Michael D. Eisner (introduction and epilogue)
- Length: 7 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Dig deep and you will find the most compelling argument for working together: Happiness. In business there are always unique individual achievers, but pull down the veil and you'll often find someone alongside them. Michael Eisner does just that in Working Together. Using his own collaboration with Frank Wells at Disney as a launching point for examining other famously successful partnerships, Eisner offers us an intimate and deeply personal look at some of the most rewarding business partnerships.
-
-
Interesting to see what all partners had in common
- By Amazon Customer on 06-01-13
By: Michael D. Eisner, and others
-
Double or Nothing
- How Two Friends Risked It All to Buy One of Las Vegas' Legendary Casinos
- By: Tom Breitling, Cal Fussman
- Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor
- Length: 7 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
If Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn had come of age at the end of the 20th century looking for an all-American adventure, they probably would've headed for Vegas. However, they'd have been hard-pressed to go on a wilder ride than the one taken by Tom Breitling and Tim Poster to the top of the famed Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino. Call them the Odds Couple.
-
-
A look at lives of 2 guys who bought casino
- By Eric A, on 01-05-21
By: Tom Breitling, and others
What listeners say about A Practical Way to Get Rich...and Die Trying
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 10-18-20
Great story from an unsympathetic character
This is an entertaining story as told by a stereotypical "soy boy" Millennial "tech bro." While most entrepreneurs, particularly younger ones, will find useful elements, the author comes across as a wimpy, "poor little man couldn't handle the pressures of success." I tuned out as soon as he started whining about "toxic masculinity" and finished the book strictly for entertainment value.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 09-30-20
Felt This.
This was an amazing story!! Heard of John on a Podcast I follow and was super intrigued about his story. So glad I got the audible version to listen to him tell it. While I can't relate on the scale of his journey I can relate to the amount of personal sacrifice in a personal and career journey. Emotional, funny and honest. Great Read!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- D.
- 04-03-21
Spot on!
The is an amazing story, no detail left out. As an entrepreneur, it hits home as well as addresses the importance of mental health and self care in a very subtle way at the end. I was captivated and couldn’t stop reading/listening. I read chapters in the book and listened to other chapters while
driving.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 09-30-20
Dive Deep
Refreshing take on the shadows of business success. Understand the message beyond the narrative. Wild stories were necessary.
I discovered John from a podcast ad and jumped into his story. After two episodes I had to read the book. Highly recommend if you are business thirsty or have been plagued by mental fatigue from your working world
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Sabriya Dobbins
- 10-03-20
Love this book so much! So raw and real
This book is finally the breath of fresh air that I have been looking for! As a startup founder, I am so sick of the world trying to create this vision of how an entrepreneur should act and feel. Literally it has been isolating and frustrating! Finally someone is really to share the mental health battle, the deep down fears, and the emotional battles. It’s exactly what I need to read instead of all of these books that glamorize entrepreneurship.
John thank you for truly taking the time to write a book that captures the REAL truths of running and business and not that “work and grind til you die motivational read!”
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jenny
- 05-19-22
Insight into a world unknown
As a small business owner I’m interested in the entrepreneurs of these fast growing companies. Mr. Roa shares his story in depth. I appreciate his candor though he speaks of the ugly parts of his past with a bit of ego. This is a straight narrative from the beginning of his entrepreneurial life to the sale of his business. The biggest issue I have is that Roa isn’t a great audiobook narrator. He accents odd words and emphasizes most words. A different narrator would have been easier to follow and would have kept me a bit more invested. Overall though, I’m happy to have heard this story.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Reeka
- 09-21-20
a very down to earth tale
about some meteoric and astronomical circumstances and catapults to riches. I'm glad the book wasn't filled with anecdotes and successtories quotes, but I would have liked to have heard more about the doubts and times that weren't great. I appreciate the highlight that stress can have on someone in their life and what pursuing the Almighty dollar can do to somebody.. thanks for telling the story.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 10-24-20
If you are an entrepreneur...
If you are an entrepreneur stop reading this and buy the book. As one myself I wish I had read this book in the first year of starting my company. John Roa unveils the ugly truth of entrepreneurship while providing you practical advice on how to handle major key decisions and the mental weight of entrepreneurship. It’s not all butterflies and roses. I’m not saying this book will suddenly turn you into a amazing CEO, what I am saying is this book provides a lot of life experience of someone who has been there and was able to exit with millions. He shares his insights on how he made decisions and the weight of those decisions had on his mental state. The nuggets of gold in this book are more like diamonds. 10 out of 10 recommend.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- MHS
- 10-20-20
Use caution with my review...
...because I held out as long as I could giving this book a chance. Ultimately unable to make it through the first quarter of this book.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Richard
- 04-08-21
Gave this book a chance
Nothing great or unusual here. Just another 'poor' me from a rich kid who never really had to work for it.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!