From the Inside Flap
What do Bill Gates, Henry Ford, J. P. Morgan, Mary Kay Ash, and Wait Disney 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. While most of us have a general knowledge of these and other legendary figures, few know the details of their exceptional careers. Daniel Gross and the Editors of Forbes magazine, one of the world's foremost business publications, present twenty fascinating stories. You'll meet the personalities behind some of the best-known name brands in history, including McDonald's, Harley-Davidson, RCA, Merrill Lynch, Xerox, Wal-Mart, and Standard Oil, among others. Forbes Greatest Business Stories of All Time draws on a wealth of sources to offer this priceless collection. The book 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 a 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. Covering industries ranging from oil to cosmetics, from the eighteenth century up to the present, Forbes Greatest Business Stories of All Time celebrates larger-than-life ambition, inspired leadership, wheeling and dealing, and hard work. These tales are as entertaining as they are informative-an essential tool for business enthusiasts and anyone interested in how our modern commercial culture was built. Forbes Magazine Founded in 1917, Forbes has brought the nation's greatest business stories to readers for more than three quarters of a century. The magazine's unique brand of hard-hitting reporting, challenging the conventional wisdom, has made Forbes must-reading for successful executives. Published biweekly, every issue contains more than 50 concise, original stories, written from a top manager's perspective, about companies and the people who run them.
Daniel Gross was educated at Cornell University and holds a master's degree in American history from Harvard University. A freelance journalist, he has written about business, politics, and American history for many publications, including the Washington Post, New York Magazine, the New York Observer, the Boston Globe, Audacity, and the New Republic. He lives in New York City.
Forbes Magazine, Founded in 1917, Forbes has brought the nation's greatest business stories to readers for more than three quarters of a century. The magazine's unique brand of hard-hitting reporting, challenging the conventional wisdom, has made Forbes must-reading for successful executives. Published biweekly, every issue contains more than 50 concise, original stories, written from a top manager's perspective, about companies and the people who run them.
