Customer Reviews

Nobodies to Somebodies: How 100 Great Careers Got Their Start

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This work has practical strategies on how to succeed in building
businesses. His focus is to transition the reader from the
practical everyday needs to pay current expenses to conquering the
world later. The author asks us to focus on a larger mission or
goal first. He describes strategies to "trail blaze". There are
times when the "random walk" brings us to a successful outcome.
The book cautions us when to stay in a business and when to go.
There are times when a career change can be positive. Failure can
bring on the conditions precedent for us to consider why we failed and develop strategies for success. The author provides a valuable treatise on the practical aspects of pursuing business
at virtually every level. The acquisition is well worth the price
if you implement some of the strategies enunciated.

I'm a Stanford alum who has spent the past few years pursuing life in the technology sector and am currently considering the next steps along my own career path (e.g. business school vs. jobs, etc). As such, I've been actively seeking insightful perspectives on how others have successfully managed their careers and, ultimately, found their life's calling. This book was especially pertinent and interesting to me because it's based on 100 interviews of big-shot leaders, what they were like in their 20s and 30s and how they made choices about their own life's direction at critical junctures.

In breadth and depth, the author interviewed an impressive list of people for this book. In business, he focused on CEOs; in politics, Senators and Governors; in the arts, Emmy, Oscar, Tony, Pulitzer, and Grammy winners; in science, Nobel Prize winners; and in the non-profit world, heads of organizations like Habitat for Humanity, Teach For America, and the Sierra Club. His question to these people was, "What did you do when you were young, anonymous, and poor, to prepare yourself for the great success that's followed?" We've all been there, looking towards the future, which is why I really valued this approach.

Whereas most mainstream business books focus on the big achievements or notable headlines in people's lives, this one is focused on what matters now - the moments of choice in my young adult life. As you'll read, the book distills 14 key lessons across the interviews. Breaking these lessons down into 3 sections - "Finding One's Calling", "Chasing the Dream", and "Using a Little Magic" - the author covers topics like finding mentors, striking work-life balance, timing career moves and deciding the right career moves that are right for yourself. Naturally, I was more interested in stories pertaining to the business world than, say, some of the political intrigues, so not all of the stories applied.

Overall, though, the author did a great job of letting the big-shots' stories shine through in vivid color - rough edges and all. There were a lot of interesting twists to these people's life stories that I hadn't expected. For example, I enjoyed reading about how Reebok's CEO got his start as a box mover in a warehouse. And, apparently, the current CEO of Best Buy almost got fired from his first job. A lot of wisdom can be gained reading about the fits and starts some of these interviewees experienced moving through their careers. Even the pinnacles of success had to start somewhere...

Because some people might have their life paths already set and be cruising towards set goals, this book won't necessarily be for everyone. For me, though, it was a great read, because it helped me see how others handled the crossroads at which I find myself now. I'll probably enroll in business school this fall, and I'm looking forward to applying some of the book's lessons to the next couple of years.

This book has valuable information for ambitious young people. It can help them relax because it shows that there is no one way to success. It can help them relax if they are worried because it shows that the most succesful people were worried when in their twenties. It can help them work intelligently because it shows that the important thing in early jobs is to learn everything one can especially the fundamentals. Also one should try to ask as many probing questions as one can- sometimes silently and sometimes to others. The book can also help teachers and counselors because it tells them things to tell young people who are about to leave school and enter the work force.

I didn't know about this book until I heard the NPR interview with the author. He sounded like an interesting guy, so I gave it a try. It's definitely worth a read for people like me who are looking for a little meaning in their careers!

The book is different from other career manuals in a couple basic ways. The main thing is its focus on leaders' formative experiences. The author does a great job telling stories about what CEOs and Nobel Prize winners, etc were like when they were younger. We see not just their great successes, but also their early failures. My personal favorite was a story about Brad Anderson, the CEO of Best Buy. He apparently took his first job selling stereos just so that he could listen to music at work, and he almost got fired! Hearing about that kind of thing gives me inspiration in my own life. I'm in my mid thirties trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up, and it was very interesting to see how many big shot leaders didn't figure out their own paths until later.

A second key difference in "Nobodies to Somebodies" is that it covers 14 lessons that the author drew from his interviews, but the tone is not stuffy or academic. Most career books bore me, but this one kept me engaged with story after story about the 100 leaders interviewed. By the time I finished reading, I felt like I knew a couple of these people myself. I am planning to use the appendix and find some other books on these people, because they really seemed fascinating.

This is a great modern day version of some trailblazing research conducted two decades ago at the Center for Creative Leadership documented in the Lessons of Experience. Peter not only captures interesting stories and lessons behind 100 successful people, but he also breaks them down into some commonalities and critical lessons. At the core of it all is successful people are learning agile - meaning they adapt to change and handle first time experiences better than others and also glean lessons from those experiences. They are self aware and open to continuous development. This is a great book for Human Resources practitioners, people interested in a good leadership read and/or parents who want to inspire their college age kids.

I've never written a review before, but I wanted to in this case because this book provided insights I didn't expect. I read this one just to try something new and I was happy to get quite a lot out of it. It's a unique twist on the "secrets to success" books out there, in that the writer is so young, so I think that causes his fresh style of writing. I guess that's what I like about the book - fresh writing style, fresh ideas, and a nice overall perspective on life and business success.

I received the request for the review. However, I have yet to receive my order which is now over a month old??

An outstanding and easy to read guide to learn how to get what you want in life. Although money is not everything, successful people can find a path to maximize their potential AND gain sizeable increases in their bank account. If you don't mind working hard to get ahead, can believe in yourself, and look for ways to identify paths to greatness, read this book!

Imagine a workplace seminar taught by the top executives of Fortune 1000 companies or best-selling authors, Nobel Prize laureates and Tony award-winning performers. Such a workshop may seem like a dream, but author Peter Han fulfills it. He gives you quality time with 100 "somebodies" who used to be "nobodies," some of the sharpest minds in business, government, academia, the arts and nonprofit leadership. These executives, elected officials, scientists and entertainers explain how they rose to the top (even if they were directionless as "twenty-somethings") and they offer thoughtful advice about attaining success. Han compiles their counsel into 14 interesting, useful career lessons. However, the book might have been even more helpful if he had included additional information on a few specific management topics such as coping with discrimination and politics in the workplace. Nevertheless, we recommend Han's analysis of his close-up conversations with 100 achievers and welcomes this collection of valuable advice.

In Nobodies to Somebodies, Peter Han introduces us to 100 known leaders and shares with us their evolution from anonymity to fame. Winners all (Nobelists, humanists, Pulitzer prizewinners, CEOs, politicians, academics, non-profit founders for the benefit of humankind, artists, and more), they have focus, talent and work ethic to drive and sustain them -- whatever their domains of success.

Without being a how-to book, Nobodies to Somebodies should inspire contemporary, ambitious twenty- and thirty-somethings to develop the discipline and self-knowledge, seize the opportunities, and take the chances that will allow them to become Somebodies.