How They Blew It

"How They Blew It" is a series of eye-popping tales of entrepreneurs and business leaders who went from corporate gurus to financial disaster zones in rapid and humiliating fashion. Full of surprising details and mind-blowing sums of money, it looks at the characteristics of these leaders and the fine line between hero and zero. "How They Blew It" is about the people at the heart of these business catastrophes. It is about what drives them to succeed and then to fail. It is a compelling examination of the rights and wrongs of each case and it seeks to get into the minds of the people behind the business disasters and ask 'Why the hell did they do that?'. By examining how business ventures can go so badly wrong, you can learn to avoid those mistakes in the first place. Jamie Oliver has a wonderful turn of phrase and that rare ability to bring business to life. Richard Tyler, The Daily Telegraph In this timely yet disturbing book, journalist Jamie Oliver and recruitment expert Tony Goodwin present a rogues gallery of entrepreneurs and CEOs who have disgraced themselves and destroyed their companies...The authors lightly, charmingly depict the lives of these corporate desperados, offering lessons other leaders can draw from their stories. Washingtonpost.com, October 2010. Sixteen business leaders dissected with autopsy-like precision to explain how such remarkable business people all did something unbelievable - they totally blew it. All share similar traits... HR magazine, December 2010 In a reflection of the times we live in, when are heroes are increasingly being found to have feet of clay, the authors (one of them being a journalist and the other an entrepreneur) bring a lot of experience and empathy towards the Icarus-like saga of 16 business leaders who built empires of epic proportions on the back of their unrelenting ambition and grit, only to see their businesses vaporise around them in no time. Financial Express, September 2010 How They Blew It is an excellent book, written by people that really know business and entrepreneurship. It is not intended to show you how to blow it, though. It is mostly intended to give you the hints on how to avoid following in the footsteps of the people that have. Continuity, Insurance and Risk, September 2010 Of itself, the collection of stories in interesting, and encouraging for those who like to see others fall from a high place. But it also has significant value as a lesson for business...Being an entrepreneur is all about risk taking - but the stress here is on a calculated risk. Brianclegg.blogspot, July 2010 ...they have delivered a readable, well-referenced enticement to those who are in business or who are contemplating a business venture. Perhaps the biggest lesson to be gleaned from How They Blew it is that an overdose of hubris can be a lethal business partner Foreword Reviews, October 2010 Foreword Reviews 20101001