Success Biographies

Sipping Dom Pérignon Through a Straw is an inspirational and truly intersectional memoir from global humanitarian and disability-justice advocate Eddie Ndopu—a queer, Black wheelchair user. Ndopu’s incredible story begins with his childhood being raised by a single mother fleeing Apartheid South Africa before rocketing through every boundary put in front of him—because of his disability, his ethnicity, and his sexuality—to eventually hold official positions at both the United Nations and the World Economic Forum.

Ian Purkayastha is New York City's leading truffle importer and boasts a devoted clientele of top chefs nationwide, including Jean-Georges Vongerichten, David Chang, Sean Brock, and David Bouley. But before he was purveying the world's most expensive fungus to the country's most esteemed chefs, Ian was just a food-obsessed teenager in rural Arkansas - a misfit with a peculiar fascination for rare and exotic ingredients. The son of an Indian immigrant father and a Texan mother, Ian learned to forage for wild mushrooms from an uncle in the Ozark hills.

Obroni and the Chocolate Factory is Steven's chaotic, fascinating, and bemusing journey to create a successful international business that aspired do a bit of good in the world. This book is at once a penetrating business memoir and a story about imagining globalism done right. Wallace's picaresque journey takes him to Ghana's residence for the head of state, to the Amsterdam offices of a secretive international cocoa conglomerate, and face-to-face with key figures in the sharp-elbowed world of global trade and geopolitics.

The Accidental Millionaire is the memoir of Gary Fong, would-be slacker who revolutionized wedding photography, inventor of popular photography aids, entrepreneur, contrarian, bon vivant and a man who really, really didn't want to become a doctor. A first-generation Chinese-American, Gary was raised in one of Los Angeles' least-desirable neighborhoods and was forced to deal in his own quirky and often very funny way with the burdens of poverty, crime and his parents' relentless aspirations.

The most memorable quotes, proverbs, and insights from Wilde have been collected by Boris Mullayev, a passionate fan of his writings. Wilde's words strike a chord with both the rebellious hearts of the Victorian era and the ancient souls of today, touching on everything from the depths of love's mysteries to the complexity of life's journey and the desire of success.

Being on The Apprentice made Bill Rancic an overnight celebrity. But his winning strategies were developed long before that, and in You're Hired, he uses examples from his own life to prove that the secrets of success can be found within us all.

From being a little girl in a village in China with polio to a tech executive at Apple, Libo Cao Meyers has had quite a journey in life—a journey steeped in rich family legacy and powered by determination, growth, and love. Over the years and the miles, she’s embraced her differences and has allowed no one—including herself—to set limitations on what she’s able to accomplish. But just because she’s been successful doesn’t mean it’s been easy. Not by a long shot.

The Cinderella Monologues Edition shares a collection of true stories from real-life Cinderellas to inspire, energize, encourage, and empower those who have had similar experiences. Most women have a version of a Cinderella tale to tell. Once these stories are told, the healing begins, along with the opportunity to help others.

Behind the Success: Everyday Routines of 50 Global Icons Ever wondered how tennis champion Naomi Osaka kickstarts her morning? Or how creative visionary Virgil Abloh found moments of zen amidst his whirlwind schedule? Perhaps you're curious about the secrets behind Kobe Bryant's unparalleled discipline. Daily Routines Vol. 2 offers a captivating journey into the day-to-day lives of some of the world’'s most remarkable individuals. It sheds light on how they navigate their hours, from sun up to sun down, to strike a balance between monumental responsibilities and personal well-being. Join ...

"One day, one of Bozana's Skojo's friends told her she was 'a good poor'. Bewildered by the words at first, Bozana gradually came to realize they really did describe her - someone who was never overcome by adversity, but who fixed up her hair, put on a little lipstick and her 'game face' to work her way out of any difficulties that fate tossed her way. She realized it was a strategy for living that could apply to any situation.

Johnny Quinn shares his “wild dream” of playing in the NFL, being crushed after getting cut three times, losing $2.6 million in contracts, and blowing out his knee. At age 30, when most professional athletes are considered “over the hill”, Johnny was competing for Team USA in the sport of bobsled at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. We all experience failure at some level; Quinn equips us to embrace change, accept risks, and learn to push through barriers, to live life on purpose.

Larry had dreamed of sailing around the world ever since he first stepped foot into a sailboat at the age of 13. He held onto that dream for 30 years, until one day he realized that "it's now or never". He left his corporate job, trading his comfortable executive life for adventure. A true story memoir packed with lessons from the ocean that served as a teacher of seamanship, personal strength, growth, leadership, and perseverance, while Larry and his crew discovered themselves, and the world.

Here is the rags-to-riches story of the man who sliced, diced, and julienned his way into our hearts and wallets—Ron Popeil—packed with hands-on, nuts-and-bolts guidance on how anyone with a product idea can make big money.

It is both interesting and inspirational to hear of the great lengths that an individual has gone to achieve success. This is the reason many flock to motivational seminars and conferences; it is the reason we listen to speeches and read autobiographies and biographies of people we consider great. Their stories provide the inspiration we desperately needed and the opportunity to learn or relearn the way to success.

In our culture, there is a premium placed on finding our passion, as though somehow once we've found it, our lives will finally start to come together as we've always imagined. We've held onto these beliefs about passion and have made daily and even life-changing decisions based on the principle of following our passion.

What does it take to leave behind the only life you've ever known? In Ripping Off the Mask, Joseph Lee shares his raw, unfiltered journey from the notorious Desire Housing Projects of New Orleans to becoming a successful tech CEO and devoted father. Born into a world of adversity, gang violence, and systemic inequities, Joseph’s path was nearly written—until one mother’s extraordinary sacrifice changed everything. Pulled from the chaos of the streets to a new life in Fort Washington, Maryland, Joseph began a powerful transformation.

Aardman Animations was founded in 1972 by Peter Lord and David Sproxton. Joined by animator Nick Park in 1985, Aardman pioneered a quirky, lovable style of stop-motion animation and is behind a string of unforgettable award-winning hits including Chicken Run, the highest-grossing stop-animated film of all time, and the Wallace & Gromit series. With A Grand Success!, Lord, Sproxton, and Park tell the inside story of the 45-year history of Aardman.

When in the mid-1950s Andy Williams reached a low point in his career, singing in dives to ever-smaller audiences, the young man from Wall Lake, Iowa, had no inkling of the success he would one day achieve. Before being declared a national treasure by President Ronald Reagan, Williams would chart 18 gold and three platinum albums, headline at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas for more than 20 years, and host an enormously popular weekly television variety show.

In 2011, Venus was diagnosed with Sjogren's syndrome, an autoimmune disease which causes uncomfortable symptoms such as dry eyes and mouth, achiness and fatigue. But the diagnosis did not hold her back - in fact, she grew wiser and stronger. Venus has always believed that it shouldn't be hard to be healthy, which is why in STRIVE, she introduces listeners to the strategy that has allowed her to reach any goal she has ever set for herself much faster with less effort or stress.

In The Warrior Code, entrepreneur, philanthropist, reality star, and retired gunnery sergeant Tee Marie Hanible serves up 11 principles to awaken your inner badass and thrive in the face of adversity. With insightful honesty and wisdom and set against the backdrop of Tee’s life, The Warrior Code will help you understand that things can beat us back from realizing our true potential...but the key is finding the way to realize one’s own innate strength.