Wise Guy audiobook cover - Lessons from a Life

Wise Guy

Lessons from a Life

Guy Kawasaki

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Biography & Memoir

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Wise Guy
Family & Roots+
Education & Mentorship+
Career Pivots+
The Apple Years (Part 1)+
Saving Apple (Part 2)+
Parenting Lessons+
Surfing & Lifelong Learning+
Actionable Advice+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8
Why did Guy Kawasaki's father insist he attend Stanford instead of Occidental College?
  • A. Occidental College did not offer a psychology major.
  • B. Stanford was significantly cheaper than Occidental College.
  • C. He wanted Guy to get an excellent education rather than focus on playing sports.
  • D. He wanted Guy to stay close to his extended family in California.
Question 2 of 8
What valuable lesson did Guy learn from his brief time in law school and subsequent work in the jewelry business?
  • A. Quitting a prestigious path can lead to discovering the fundamental art of salesmanship.
  • B. Advanced degrees are completely unnecessary for a successful career in the tech industry.
  • C. Law school provides the best foundation for understanding complex corporate contracts.
  • D. Working in a small family business is always safer than entering the volatile corporate world.
Question 3 of 8
What was Guy's primary role as a 'software evangelist' during his first stint at Apple?
  • A. To write the foundational code for the first Macintosh operating system.
  • B. To convince skeptical software and hardware manufacturers to create compatible products for Apple.
  • C. To travel the world selling Macintosh computers directly to individual consumers.
  • D. To manage the internal engineering teams and ensure product deadlines were met.
Question 4 of 8
Why did Guy Kawasaki leave Apple to become the CEO of the independent software firm ACIUS?
  • A. He was fired by Steve Jobs for failing to meet his quarterly sales quotas.
  • B. He wanted to publish a relational database called 4th Dimension after Apple abandoned it to appease a rival company.
  • C. He realized that the personal computer industry was a passing fad and wanted to return to the jewelry business.
  • D. He was offered a highly lucrative contract by Microsoft to lead their new software division.
Question 5 of 8
How did Guy help Apple survive during his second 'tour of duty' in the mid-1990s when the company was struggling?
  • A. He invented the colorful, all-in-one iMac to attract a younger demographic.
  • B. He negotiated a massive financial bailout from a consortium of rival tech companies.
  • C. He created an opt-in email list called EvangeList to maintain the loyalty and morale of Apple's existing user base.
  • D. He restructured the company's management by laying off thousands of underperforming employees.
Question 6 of 8
What profound lesson about empathy did Guy learn through his son Nate?
  • A. He learned the importance of patience by teaching Nate how to play the piano.
  • B. He realized he shouldn't judge others until walking in their shoes after experiencing a simulation of Nate's dyslexia.
  • C. He discovered that children need strict discipline to overcome severe academic challenges.
  • D. He learned that pushing children to attend Ivy League schools often leads to deep resentment.
Question 7 of 8
What did learning to surf at the age of 62 teach Guy about acquiring new skills?
  • A. Natural talent is the most important factor when trying to master a complex physical activity.
  • B. Older adults should stick to activities they already know to avoid physical injury and public embarrassment.
  • C. Natural talent is overrated; success comes from hard work, determination, and listening to experts.
  • D. Using traditional, established equipment is the only way to truly master a new sport.
Question 8 of 8
According to the book's final actionable advice, what is the most effective way to land your dream job?
  • A. Sending out as many job applications as possible to increase your statistical odds.
  • B. Hiring a professional resume writer to make your application stand out to algorithms.
  • C. Fostering connections and building your personal network.
  • D. Pursuing multiple advanced degrees to ensure your academic qualifications are unmatched.

Wise Guy — Full Chapter Overview

Wise Guy Summary & Overview

Wise Guy (2019) tells the story of entrepreneur and best-selling author Guy Kawasaki’s life. Born into an ambitious Japanese family living in Hawaii, he went on to shine as one of Apple’s leading lights after dropping out of law school. Kawasaki has seen it all. In these blinks, he guides readers through his ups and downs and the lessons he’s picked up along the way as a student, tech guru, parent and sixty-something surfer.

Who Should Listen to Wise Guy?

  • Self-starters and the entrepreneurially minded
  • Digital pioneers
  • Anyone who loves inspiring true stories

About the Author: Guy Kawasaki

Best-selling author, revered Silicon Valley venture capitalist and marketing guru Guy Kawasaki first made a name for himself in the 1980s as a “software evangelist” for Apple. He later went on to found his own software company, serve as a brand ambassador to Mercedes Benz and advise Motorola. Guy’s previous books include The Macintosh Way (1990), The Art of the Start (2004) and Enchantment (2011).

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