About the book
From a lone dime store in a poor cotton town, Sam Walton built Wal-Mart into the biggest retailer on earth, and in this autobiography, written with John Huey, he tells that story in his own words. Written in a candid, plain style, it is full of anecdotes and of the rules of the road he learned on both Main Street and Wall Street. Walton shares his philosophy of life along with practical business advice. Topics include competition, which he sees as good for business, teamwork over individual stars, the price of success, his unease with celebrity, and the heartland values his children were raised on: hard work, honesty, neighborliness and thrift.
It appears on a published list of books Jeff Bezos thinks everyone should read, and Walmart chief executive Doug McMillon said he goes back to it often.
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This book has 6 recommendations
Jeff Bezos (CEO/Amazon)
"In his autobiography, Walmart's founder expounds on the principles of discount retailing and discusses his core values of frugality and a bias for action — a willingness to try a lot of things and make many mistakes. Bezos included both in Amazon's corporate values," Brad Stone writes.
Doug McMillon (CEO/Walmart)
Here's a list of the top books that taught and inspired me this year. I go back to Sam Walton's book frequently and was struck, this year, by some common principles between Sam and General McChrystal. It seems they learned some similar things about what works when it comes to leading teams. For example, fostering a shared consciousness and empowering execution delivers results.
Gunhee Park (Co-Founder/Populum)
Sam Walton: Made In America is a great autobiography for any aspirational entrepreneur.
Recommended by Ola Olusoga (Co-founder/Populum)
Source: Interview with Ola Olusoga: How Books Have Guided His Path To Self-Discovery
Peter Reinhardt (CEO/Segment)
It gives you a sense of the Walmart founder's unceasing quest to learn and improve customer experience.
Daylon Soh (Product, Growth & Design Architect)
If I read a biography by a business titan or prime mover and he/she recommends a particular title, I would read it next. For example, I found out about Sam Walton's biography from Jeff Bezos quotes in The Everything Store by Brad Stone. They're both great books to read if you're in eCommerce or Retail, answering your earlier question.
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Jeff Bezos, Doug McMillon, Gunhee Park, Ola Olusoga, Peter Reinhardt, Daylon Soh
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Often recommended alongside
- How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie (2 shared recommenders)
- The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Tim Ferriss (2 shared recommenders)
- Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari (2 shared recommenders)
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey (2 shared recommenders)
- The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (2 shared recommenders)
- Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions by Dan Ariely (2 shared recommenders)
Appears in collections
Sources
- 12 Books That Jeff Bezos Thinks Everyone Should Read
- #ReadtoLead Facebook Social Media Campaign
- Gunhee Park (Populum co-founder) interview
- Interview with Ola Olusoga: How Books Have Guided His Path To Self-Discovery
- Summer Book Recommendations from the Smartest People We Know
- Daylon Soh, Product, Growth & Design Architect, Gives Insightful Advice on Choosing Your Books to Read