Everything I Needed to Know about Business ... I Learned from a Canadian

By Leonard Brody and David Raffa

"If you want to read about...fascinating can-do business builders by two razor-sharp doers themselves, this is the book. If you want to disprove the ugly myth that 'Canada' and 'entrepreneurial' do not compute in a single sentence, this is also the book. Open it up and get acquainted with a bevy of compelling characters who reveal how they've don it and get their tips on how you can do it, too." -- Edward Greenspon , Editor-in-Chief, The Globe and Mail "I am neither a businessman an entrepreneur, but this book gave me practical ideas on how to better cope in an industry that, like so many others, is changing at the speed of light. Brody and Raffa chronicle some amazing and inspirational Canadian success stories and in doing so offer valuable lessons on how to harness teamwork, creativity and - above all - passion into any workplace." -- Scott White , Editor-in-Chief, The Canadian Press LEARN THE FINE ART OF MANAGEMENT FROM LEADERS ADN ENTREPRENEURS AROUND THE WORLD... ...ALL OF WHOM HAPPEN TO BE CANADIAN. Lessons on teamwork from Homer Simpson? World-renowned architect, Moshe Safdie, on organizational design? Joe Boxer, guerilla marketer? How can vision turn a single Toronto motel into the global luxury Four Seasons chain? Isadore Sharp shares his insights. How can anybody sell a multimillion-dollar pharmaceutical company in just one week? Leslie Dan Tells you how he did it. Everything I Needed to Know About Business...I Learned From a Canadian offers first-hand insights, experience, and best practices from twenty-four business and culture leaders, all of whom have achieved excellence in a particular area of business, at home and on the world stage. Some are household names, others are barely known outside their own industry, but they all share the secrets of their amazing success. New to this Second Edition are four brand new chapters on luminaries such as Stewart Butterfield, the mind behind Flickr; and Graydon Carter, Editor-in-Chief of Vanity Fair. With additional mini-profiles of four entrepreneurial up-and comers, this new edition offers more advice and inspiration than ever. Each chapter features "5 Things You Need to Know" - the essential lessons from the leaders and entrepreneurs who have been there and done it all. You'll learn the best of business wisdom, get practical advice on company building, and discover how to prosper in one of the most challenging market environments in history. This book offers management lessons that are as entertaining as they are instructive, all built around the deep thoughts and insights of leaders who are the best in business. The authors are graciously donating all of their profits from the sale of this book in Canada to young Canadian entrepreneurs who are trying to make our world a better place.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0470159758
• ISBN13: 9780470159750
• Release Date: January 2009
• Publisher: Wiley
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.9" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Educational, a fun read and Canadian pride

Having enjoyed Mr. Brody's last book Innovation Nation, I was pleased to see him once again exposing the business world to the leadership and innovation found in Canada. This time with co-author David Raffa, they've produced an interesting and compelling exposé about Canadian business leaders and how our cultural uniqueness, perspective and spirit puts us at the leading edge. This is a great business resource everybody can learn from - and a fun read to boot. Made me proud to be a Canadian entrepreneur.

Engaging and well written.

It's not often I come across a business book this engaging and easy to read; and almost never one about Canadians. Brody's and Raffa's book is not only inspirational, but its lessons are cleverly intertwined with first hand accounts of truly successful business people. As an aside, by donating their profits from this book to Junior Achievement Canada, the authors may very well give rise to future Canadian business stars.

MUST Read

What an amazingly informative and enjoyable book this is. Couldn't put it down and made me ever so proud to be a Canadian!! Kudos to the authors! If you haven't already....buy this book - you will read it cover to cover and then find yourself skimming back through to reacquaint yourself with the valuable take-aways throughout.

Great Stuff

Wonderful book, really helped me understand the importance of building brand. Definitely worth a careful read. Nice stuff.

Best Business Book This Year

What an excellent read! The chapters are exceptionally insightful and they weren't the same old garbage that gets repeated in all the other business books. This was truly insightful and the fact that all of the "professors" were Canadian made it hit home even more. This book truly is better than an MBA.