How They Did It: Billion Dollar Insights from the Heart of America

Inspired by Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich, author Robert Jordan invited 45 of the most successful entrepreneurs from the American heartland to multi-author a book in 90 minutes. The goal was simple, to allow these founders to tell the world how they did it. This book provides a quick jolt of inspiration for anyone starting a new venture of undertaking a bold plan. The book can be read in two ways: as a fast read with advice and inspiring quotes from the founders, or as a more detailed discussion with the founders explaining in more detail as to how they hit their home runs. Founder Joe Mansueto shares how he started Morningstar in his apartment in Chicago Illinois and grew the company to serve 7 million customers. Raj Soin talks about founding MTC with $1,700 in Columbus Ohio, surviving without cash and eventually selling to BAE for $425 million. Rock Mackie, founder of TomoTherapy in Madison Wisconsin, had to lay off all his employees at launch but eventually went on to a billion-dollar IPO. They and many more founders share their secrets with the goal of encouraging the next generations of entrepreneurs. You don't have to wonder how these empires were built any more. These creators of $42 billion in value tell you their secrets in their own words.