Forbes Greatest Business Stories of All Time (Paperback)

~ Forbes Magazine Staff (Author), (Author) "As the richest person in America during the Revolutionary War, Robert Morris was commonly known by the single name that encompassed his profession, his accomplishment,..." (more)
Key Phrases: New York, Mary Kay, American Express (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Historian and journalist Daniel Gross has produced a collection of profiles of corporate high-achievers that is exceptionally informative, extremely entertaining, and endlessly inspiring. In Forbes Greatest Business Stories of All Time, Gross examines 20 pioneering risk-takers who refused to compromise and were ultimately rewarded for their efforts. From the richest man in America during Revolutionary times (Robert Morris) to its richest man today (Bill Gates), the book tracks industrialists, corporate kings, financiers, and visionaries, including J. P. Morgan, Walt Disney, Ray Kroc, and Mary Kay Ash in a manner that shows why all are worth studying.

Product Description

What do Bill Gates, Henry Ford, J. P. Morgan, Mary Kay Ash, and Walt Disney all have in common? Uncompromising vision, a willingness to take risks, and exceptional business acumen. Not only did these individuals amass great fortunes, they revolutionized the business world and helped shape society as we know it. Theirs are just a few of the stories collected in this anthology of commercial ingenuity.

Drawing on a wealth of sources, this priceless collection brings to life extraordinary achievements, many of them forgotten or little known: how Robert Morris, the preeminent merchant of the eighteenth century, financed the American Revolution with his personal credit; how Ray Kroc used a shrewd real estate strategy to turn a faltering hamburger franchise operation into the McDonald's fast food empire; and how Mary Kay Ash built a billion-dollar direct sales cosmetics company by preaching a message of economic empowerment to women.

Enlightening and fascinating, Forbes(r) Greatest Business Stories of All Time celebrates larger-than-life ambition, inspired leadership, wheeling and dealing, and hard work.

Forbes is a registered trademark of Forbes Inc. Its use is pursuant to a license agreement with Forbes Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (August 7, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471196533
• ISBN-13: 978-0471196532
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #30,318 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well written stories on people who have inspired the Future, July 19, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Forbes Greatest Business Stories of All Time (Hardcover)

A great book about the people who made a real difference in shaping the present that we live in and influencing the future as it will become.

From Robert Morris to Bill Gates; the books takes you on a promonade into their kingdoms. Explaining to the reader many valuable information about each "tycoon's" personality, enterprise, industry, and the general business environment in his particular era.

I personally enjoyed the chapters on David Ogilvy, Ray Croc, Sam Walton, Walt Disney, Joseph Wilson, Henry Ford and Harley Davidson.

The book portrays many successful personalities and companies that will be of interest to people in varying specializations within Business.

An enjoyable read and a good reference.

Also read "Lessons from the Top" and "Radical Marketing"

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Insightful Summaries, May 10, 2000

By	Leng Ho Keat (Singapore) - See all my reviews

I found the stories in the book very interesting. They covered a a wide spectrum of industries and spanned over a long time frame. The stories clearly illustrated the most important business figures of the particular time and industry.

However, I thought the stories were lacking in detail to make it truly a great read. After reading the book, I felt that I was introduced to the great figures in business. But to know them better, I have to read another book.

For example, I knew something about Henry Ford before reading the book. In the story about Henry Ford, I found it superficial. However, in other stories that I was not familiar with the protagonist, like McGowan, I found the story illuminating. I never knew the telecommunications business could be so interesting.

As such, I recommend this book to people who wants to know some of the greatest people in business. But to those who want to find out about the secrets to their success, the answer will lie in other more detailed books.

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars They Really Are, January 11, 2000

By	Robert Morris (Dallas, Texas) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Forbes Greatest Business Stories of All Time (Hardcover)

Each chapter offers a profile of a major contributor to the evolution of American business history, beginning with one of my ancestors, Robert Morris (America's "first real businessman"), and concluding with Bill Gates ("Microsoft's cofounder and guiding spirit"). In between, Gross and his associates also examine other great leaders such as McCormick, Rockefeller, Morgan, Ford, Merrill, Sarnoff, Disney, Johnson, Ogilvy, Kroc, Wilson, Ash, Walton, and McGowan as well as major corporations such as American Express, Intel, Harley-Davidson, and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. The reader is told, "This book is about heroes" and it really is.

Using the most effective strategies and devices of a storyteller, the authors examine biographical information within an historical context, sustaining interest with anecdotes while providing insights as to the causes and effects of each subject's accomplishments. For Morris, essentially the economic survival of thirteen colonies during their struggle for independence. For McCormick, the industrialization of agriculture. For Rockefeller, the creation and development of the modern corporation. For Morgan, saving a nation's financial system. For Ford, mass-producing affordable personal transportation. For Merrill, broadening the base of stock ownership to include those, among others, for whom the Ford Motor Company manufactured automobiles. Each of the other "heroes" discussed made equally important contributions.

A brief review such as this can only suggest (albeit inadequately) the wealth of information to be found in Greatest Business Stories of All Time. The prose has snap, crackle, and pop. The focus is crystal clear. The lessons to be learned from the careers examined are of incalculable value. Although this book will be of interest to almost anyone, it will have special importance for school, college, and university students who may sometimes wonder if there are any "secrets to success." The answer is yes. The specifics are to be found in the lives of those who are discussed in Greatest Business Stories of All Time.