As I See It: The Autobiography of J. Paul Getty

J. Paul Getty's autobiography recounts his rise from the son of a self-made oilman to becoming the richest private citizen in America. Written with the bluntness of a man who had five wives and outworked every competitor, the book lays out his philosophy of entrepreneurship: concentrate fully on one business, reinvest everything, keep a fortress of cash, and think on a large scale. It is both a personal story and a compendium of operating principles built over a lifetime in the oil fields.

David Senra dedicated episode #352 to Getty's autobiography, pulling out the traits that defined the great entrepreneurs. Getty believed "entrepreneurs are people whose mind and energies are constantly being used at peak capacity." He advised fellow founders to "reinvest in your business. Keep a fortress of cash. Use debt sparingly" — and to avoid becoming like William Randolph Hearst. "A hatred of failure has always been part of my nature and one of the more pronounced motivating forces in my life," Getty wrote. "Once I have committed myself to any undertaking, a powerful inner drive cuts in and I become intent on seeing it through to a satisfactory conclusion." Senra stressed Getty's belief in concentration: "The great entrepreneurs I know have devoted their minds and energy to building productive enterprises over the long term. They concentrated on expanding and making their companies more efficient."