Copy This!: Lessons from a Hyperactive Dyslexic who Turned a Bright Idea Into One of America's Best Companies [Paperback]

Paul Orfalea (Author), Ann Marsh (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 30, 2007

Bill Moyers said this about Paul Orfalea after reading Copy This!: "If I could live my life over again, I would sit at his feet and listen to everything he has to say." And David Brancaccio, host of NOW on PBS, wrote: "As the host for a decade of a daily business program, I had to read what seemed like every business book published in the English language. It is, therefore, with authority that I can say Paul Orfalea’s book is wonderful, heartbreaking, and profoundly useful."

Now in paperback, Copy This!, Paul Orfale's memoir of turning lemons into lemonade, is wise, personal, funny, unflinchingly honest, and filled with wisdom, business lessons, and his inspired Orfalea Aphorisms. It's the story of how a struggling kid who could barely read, write, or sit still managed to grow a 100-square-foot copy shop named Kinko's into a $1.5 billion empire that Fortune named one of the best places in America to work. And it's the story of an individual who saw his learning disabilities—ADHD and dyslexia—as learning opportunities, which molded the homegrown, compassionate culture that allowed Kinko's to thrive, and guided the behavior of a CEO who had no choice but to think different. A terrifically entertaining read from a born storyteller, but with the hardcore guts of true business acumen, Copy This! will blow fresh air into the thinking of any manager, entrepreneur, executive, or business owner.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The now-retired founder of Kinko's mixes autobiographical anecdote with large doses of business advice in this candid, conversational account of his entrepreneurial rise. With the help of coauthor Marsh, Orfalea replicates much of the usual business wisdom, like customers come first and keep your co-workers happy and motivated. More original are his autobiographical sections, which explain how a man with dyslexia, an uncontrollable temper and a mistrust of authority managed to grow a tiny California copy shop into a $2-billion-a-year company. His difficulties gave him "learning opportunities," he explains. "They propelled [him] to think differently," he says, and to develop "an unorthodox, people-centered, big-picture business model" that relied heavily on the intelligence and skill of his franchise managers. Orfalea's exuberant and irreverent attitude—he freely admits to cheating in school and relying on others to get him through college—will entertain many readers, and his sanguine acceptance of his dyslexia will inspire many others. (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School–What's to become of a hyperactive boy with dyslexia who can't sit through a full lesson and who spends more time in the principal's office than in class? If he is Paul Orfalea, he turns potentially overwhelming challenges into strategic opportunities and grows up to nurture a small copying firm into a $2-billion-a-year operation called Kinko's. This effervescent memoir tells how he did it, not least by making the most of his advantages--including intelligence, imagination, pep, and a close extended family of Lebanese-American origins--and by realizing early on that his reading, writing, and attention problems meant that he needed others to help him achieve his dreams. His unconventional, team-based approach to business and his can-do philosophy for success are explained in 12 entertaining chapters called Lessons. Each one offers numerous cogent tips from the author as well as recollections and comments contributed by longtime colleagues. Written with wit and style, this book offers much to inspire readers with obstacles to overcome or who march to a different drummer.–Starr E. Smith, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 226 pages
• Publisher: Workman Publishing Company (March 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761143858
• ISBN-13: 978-0761143857
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,123,019 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More Than Meets The Jaundiced Eye, September 14, 2005

By 

Dean Zatkowsky (Ojai, CA, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Copy This! : Lessons from a Hyperactive Dyslexic who Turned a Bright Idea Into One of America's Best Companies (Hardcover)

As a longtime coworker who still works with Paul, I want to address a frequent criticism of this book: that it offers no new and earth-shattering business wisdom.

That kind of thinking permeates business and media; they would rather have new ideas than good ideas, they would rather be exciting than effective.

Every twenty years or so, someone has to remind us that quality matters, values matter, and the biggest secret of all: you should be nice to your customers and coworkers. Paul's values and methods may be found in other business books, but they will still seem absurd and dangerously revolutionary to the ruthless, greedy bastards who still dominate America's boardrooms.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I can't love it more, November 30, 2005

By 

red hat (Palo Alto, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Copy This!: Lessons from a Hyperactive Dyslexic Who Turned a Bright Idea into One of America's Best Companies (Audio CD)

This book is so excellent that I am recommending it to all my friends. I finished the tapes first, then bought the book and read through the whole book again.

He talked about so many enlightening points that they don't teach you in school. His real life experiences made fascinating stories. I enjoyed his book more than Jack Welch's which I also liked. I found what he highlighted in the book is more applicable to normal people like myself. It is also a fun book to read with lots of funny anecdotes, highly recommended.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Inspirational, but repetitive., October 26, 2005

By 

Donald T. Kinstler (Bailey, NC USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Copy This! : Lessons from a Hyperactive Dyslexic who Turned a Bright Idea Into One of America's Best Companies (Hardcover)

The book is one of many I have read by self-made business people. It gives a historical account of the rise of Kinko's sprinkled with ample nuggets of Mr. Orfalea's philosphy and business principles.

It also (*very* unusual in these typically self-stroking autobiography/business tomes) covers the author's problems with anger management and openly discusses his psychological shortcomings. I feel the author's willingness to acknowledge his ugly side lends a tremendous credibility to his story -- unlike others in this class (Trump, Welch, Etc.), Paul doesn't pretend he is a God Who Walks the Earth.

The book, (and the author's business acumen) tend to be more touchy-feely a la "Ben and Jerry's" story than the pragmatic discussions of the "How I did it and Why" found in books such as "Dave's Way" by Dave Thomas or "Winning" by Jack Welch.

If you enjoy these types of entrepreneur-oriented books, have (or love someone who suffers from) Dyslexia, or are a Kinko's co-worker, you will find value in reading this book. Others may find the minutea of the chronological story of Kinko's and the frequent reminders of his Dyslexia to be somewhat dull.