Built, Not Born

A Self-Made Billionaire's No-Nonsense Guide for Entrepreneurs

By: Tom Golisano, Mike Wicks

Narrated by: Mike Terry

Tested and proven, no-nonsense advice on how to navigate risk and succeed in all phases of business ownership - written by Tom Golisano, self-made billionaire and founder of Paychex.

"Tom Golisano understands what it takes grow and thrive as a business owner at all levels, and Built, Not Born is full of practical insights for those who have made or are considering making the leap to starting a new business." (Tom Monaghan, founder, Domino's Pizza)

Tom Golisano understands the fears, risks, and challenges small-business owners face every day - he's lived it. He has launched and grown his own highly successful businesses and mentored dozens of entrepreneurs, helping them build their own successful companies.

Built, Not Born shows listeners:

• How going against the grain can be a great strategy for finding business opportunities and why it pays to question conventional wisdom.
• Why the pregnant pause can be an effective weapon in negotiations and when interviewing potential employees.
• Why a prenuptial or even a postnuptial agreement is critical to any business owner.
• What potential buyers and funding sources look for, and the best way to present a business plan.
• And finally, the key growth and leadership strategies that have helped Paychex sustain its incredible level of growth and profitability.

©2020 Tom Golisano and Mike Wicks (P)2020 HarperCollins Leadership

Critic reviews

"Tom Golisano is a creative business and philanthropic genius, with an eye for doing just the right thing at just the right time. Read this book to learn how to he does it and how you can do it too." (Tim Shriver, chairman, Special Olympics)

"Built, Not Born is sure to earn its place as the essential handbook for entrepreneurs and business owners of all types. Tom Golisano truly understands how to start, grow, and operate a successful business; his direct and practical approach to everyday challenges shows why he is one of this country's great entrepreneurs." (Joe Tucci, former chairman and CEO, EMC Corporation)

"Tom Golisano understands what it takes to grow and thrive as a business owner at all levels, and Built, Not Born is full of practical insights for those who have made or are considering making the leap to starting a new business." (Tom Monaghan, founder, Domino's Pizza)

strong story, semi-misleading character

Overall, these are good principles and business advice. The personal story is a helpful mnemonic and learning aid. Unfortunately, you get the early impression that the author is high integrity, which he shatters with personal anecdotes later in the second half of the book. It's still worth the listen for the solid guidance about business, but definitely not regarding all else in life.

success story I didn't know

great business history of a company that grew to be large. also a few life lessons.

witty, Informative, and Motivating

While this is no doubt a business book through and through, it was as captivating and readable as a novel. Every aspiring professional should read this.

Awesome book

This book is fantastic. It mixes detailed instruction with story after story. Great book. Just finished and going to listen again. I always get so much more second time around.

Some solid advice and some outdated

The advice on how to start or buy a business was very informative. Where I think this book shows it’s ’age’ is in the approach to hiring and managing people. Very outdated tropes rooted in command and control, white male dominated mindsets about running a business that won’t land in a modern company.

Most sense book on business I’ve ever read

Built, Not Born, is the most common sense book I’ve ever read on starting, investing or simply working in business.

Time well spent!

Powerful, practical advice for leaders &/or entrepreneurs. This is one of the best business books I’ve read or listened to.

great simple book

Great simple business building book with great insight from a very experienced entrepreneur. I also started a business in Rochester, NY, but only a few years ago. It was great to hear the expertise of someone from my area!

Tried and true - does it work for everyone?

This covers basics of entrepreneurship. An authoritative tone shows confidence gained by a lifetime of experience.

Great Book for Entrepreneurs

Just finished listening to Built not Born and I would highly recommend this a must read for any new or emerging entrepreneur. Tom shares a lot of great best practices from his 40+ years as an entrepreneur. Take advantage of his wisdom, follow his plan and don’t make the same mistakes he made and you should put yourself in a great position to win.