As I continue on my entrepreneurial journey, I’ve been revisiting some of my favorite business books, each one teaching valuable lessons on what leads to lasting success. These books have helped guide me through the challenges of business leadership and have shown me what makes the best companies thrive. Through these readings, I’ve found common themes that match my own experiences and ideas about building a business.
Shoe Dog
One of the books I’ve gone back to is Shoe Dog by Phil Knight. This memoir tells the story of how Nike became one of the most famous brands in the world. Knight started by selling Japanese running shoes out of his car and eventually grew Nike into a global powerhouse. His story shows how important persistence, taking risks, and always innovating can be. Nike’s success didn’t happen overnight and came with plenty of challenges, but it was the loyalty of a team that believed in his vision, even during hard times, that helped Nike succeed. It’s a reminder that sticking to your vision and taking calculated risks can lead to unexpected rewards.
Working Backwards
Another book that shaped my thinking is Working Backwards by Colin Bryar and Bill Carr. This book shares Amazon’s unique approach to growth—starting with the customer and working backward. Instead of reacting to what the market wants, Amazon starts by imagining what the final product will look like and works backward from there. This strategy, along with practices like “two-pizza teams” and strong leadership principles, has helped Amazon grow while staying innovative. The book teaches us that focusing on customer needs and always finding new ways to improve can lead to long-term success.
Good to Great
In Good to Great, Jim Collins explores why some companies succeed in the long run while others don’t. Through research, Collins identifies the key differences between good companies and great ones: disciplined people, focused strategies, and strong leadership. He argues that greatness doesn’t happen by accident—it comes from making thoughtful, consistent decisions that align with a clear vision. For leaders, the lesson is that success isn’t about luck—it’s about sticking to your values and working hard over time.
Lessons
These books all share a common theme: a focus on building better, trying new things, and constantly improving. This mindset is different from companies like Blockbuster, Kodak, Nokia, and Yahoo, which didn’t adapt to changing times. Instead of embracing change, they held on to their past successes and failed to shift when the market changed.
For example, Blockbuster sued Netflix to protect its DVD rental business, not realizing the huge shift toward streaming. Kodak held on to its film patents, even though it invented the digital camera, and resisted digital photography. Nokia fought Apple with lawsuits, instead of updating its phone technology. And Yahoo spent time suing Facebook, rather than adjusting to the rise of social media and online ads.
These companies made the same mistake: they chose lawsuits over innovation. They didn’t recognize that the world was changing, and instead of evolving with it, they tried to protect the past. This failure to adapt led to their downfall.
When a company relies too much on legal action rather than innovation, it often signals that they’re losing their edge. Companies that succeed are the ones that embrace change, invest in new ideas, and take risks to stay ahead.
Reflection
As I reflect on these lessons, I remember how important it is to build a company that is always ready to innovate and adapt. At my own business, AdmiralBridge, we focus on creating solutions that solve real problems, whether that’s by developing new software or responding to what our clients need. The companies that succeed in the long run are the ones that keep improving and innovating, no matter how successful they’ve been before.
The road to greatness isn’t about staying comfortable—it’s about constantly pushing forward, adapting to new changes, and embracing challenges. As I continue building AdmiralBridge, I know that staying focused on the future and learning from both successes and failures is key to lasting growth.
Thank you for following along on this journey. I’m excited to share more as we continue to grow and innovate.
Let’s keep building for the future.