
A Practical Way to Get Rich...and Die Trying
A Memoir About Risking It All
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Narrated by:
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John Roa
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By:
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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...
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GET THIS BOOK!
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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)
Great story from an unsympathetic character
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Felt This.
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driving.
Spot on!
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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
Dive Deep
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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!”
Love this book so much! So raw and real
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Insight into a world unknown
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a very down to earth tale
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If you are an entrepreneur...
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Use caution with my review...
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Gave this book a chance
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