#613

Mentioned in 32 episodes

Hard Drive

Bill Gates and the Making of the Microsoft Empire

Book • 1993

This book is a detailed exposé of Bill Gates' life and the early days of Microsoft.

The authors follow Gates from his childhood as an unkempt thirteen-year-old computer hacker to his present-day status as the most powerful and feared player in the computer industry.

The book provides a balanced analysis of Gates' business triumphs and his driven personality, including his singular accomplishments, brattiness, arrogance, and hostility.

It also delves into the intense atmosphere at Microsoft, the company's strategic positioning, and key events such as the partnership with IBM and the development of MS-DOS and Windows.

Mentioned by

Mentioned in 32 episodes

Mentioned by

David Senra

as the best Bill Gates biography he's read.

#275 Paul Graham

Mentioned by

David Senra

in relation to Bill Gates's focus and the importance of concentration.

#295 I had dinner with Charlie Munger

Mentioned by

David Senra

to draw a parallel between Bill Gates' business strategies and Daniel Ludwig's.

The Invisible Billionaire: Daniel Ludwig

Mentioned by

David Senra

, highlighting Bill Gates's deep industry knowledge in his younger years.

#366 Mr. Beast Leaked Memo

Mentioned by

David Senra

when comparing Sam Walton to Bill Gates.

#354 Sam Walton: The Inside Story of America's Richest Man

Mentioned by

David Senra

as a nearly perfect biography of Bill Gates.

#265 Becoming Steve Jobs: The Evolution of a Reckless Upstart into a Visionary Leader

Mentioned by

David Senra

as one of his favorite biographies, focusing on Bill Gates' early life and the founding of Microsoft.

#290 Bill Gates

Mentioned by

David Senra

in comparison to the biography of Bill Gates.

#254 John D. Rockefeller: The Founding Father of the Rockefellers

Mentioned by

David Senra

in the context of comparing Rick Rubin's entrepreneurial journey with the story of Bill Gates and Paul Allen.

#245 Rick Rubin (In the Studio)

Recommended by

David Senra

as one of the best biographies he's read, highlighting Bill Gates' early entrepreneurial journey.

I Met Charlie Munger and Discovered How Billionaires Really Think

Recommended by

David Senra

as a chronicle of Bill Gates' rise in the tech industry.

#140 Bill Gates (the Making of the Microsoft Empire)

Mentioned by

David Senra

as a biography of Bill Gates, focusing on his early life and career.

David Senra: Podcasts With Billion-Dollar Potential, What Separates Good From Great, and More

Mentioned by

David Senra

to draw a parallel with Bill Gates' business strategies.

#292 Daniel Ludwig (The Invisible Billionaire)

Mentioned by

David Senra

as a sequel to "Hard Drive."

#239 The Wright Brothers

Mentioned by

David Senra

as an example of how business approach affects outcomes, focusing on Bill Gates' strategies.

#293: Ray Kroc (The Making of McDonald's)

Mentioned by

David Senra

in relation to Bill Gates' experience at Harvard.

#263 Land's Polaroid: A Company and the Man Who Invented It

Mentioned by

David Senra

while discussing Bill Gates' early career and sales strategies.

#284 Andrew Carnegie and Henry Clay Frick

Mentioned by

David Senra

in relation to Bill Gates' experience at Harvard.

#182 Warren Buffett (The Making of an American Capitalist)

Mentioned by

David Senra

in relation to early career anxieties and uncertainty about the future.

#148 John D. Rockefeller (Autobiography)

Recommended by

David Senra

as a favorite book about Bill Gates and Microsoft.

#172 Elon Musk (Early Days of SpaceX)

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