Guy Kawasaki author photo
Image via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Guy Kawasaki

Born: August 30, 1954 – Honolulu, Hawaii, United States

Guy Kawasaki is a Silicon Valley entrepreneur, marketing specialist, and author recognized for his pioneering work in technology evangelism, notably for Apple’s Macintosh computer line. He has written over fifteen books, including The Art of the Start and Wise Guy, which have influenced entrepreneurship and marketing practices globally.

Biography & Author's Journey

Guy Kawasaki was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1954, and grew up in the working-class neighborhood of Kalihi. Raised by parents of Japanese descent, his early years were marked by an emphasis on discipline and a strong work ethic, values that would inform much of his later professional journey. After graduating from ‘Iolani School in 1972, Kawasaki attended Stanford University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. A brief stint at law school convinced him that his interests lay elsewhere, leading him to complete an MBA at UCLA Anderson School of Management by 1979.

Show More

Quotes

quote
Pursuing your passions makes you more interesting, and interesting people are enchanting
-The Art of the Start
quote
Ideas are easy. Implementation is hard
-The Art of the Start
quote
Don’t wait for perfection. Good enough is good enough. There is time for refinement later. It’s not how great you start – it’s how great you end up
-Guy Kawasaki Quotes for Entrepreneurs
quote
Don’t worry, be crappy
-The Art of Innovation
quote
The purpose of a pitch is to stimulate interest, not to close a deal
-The Art of the Start
quote
Entrepreneurship is about doing, not learning to do
-Guy Kawasaki Quotes for Entrepreneurs
quote
If you want to make a good first impression, smile at people. What does it cost to smile? Nothing. What does it cost not to smile? Everything, if not smiling prevents you from enchanting people
-Gracious Quotes: Guy Kawasaki
quote
If you wait until you have the perfect product or person, it may be too late
-Guy Kawasaki Quotes for Entrepreneurs
quote
Everyone would love to have a large and growing market, perfected technology, and infinite capital. Under those conditions, anyone can be an entrepreneur. The question is what you are willing to do and can you do when the conditions are far from perfect
-Gracious Quotes: Guy Kawasaki
quote
Life is too short to work with people who you don’t like
-Guy Kawasaki Quotes for Entrepreneurs

Discover more

Garry Tan's Books for Visionary Builders
BOOKS

Garry Tan's Books for Visionary Builders

Discover Y Combinator CEO's picks for mastering startups, strategy, and meaningful living.

BeFreed team

Books Recommended by Steve Job
BOOKS

Books Recommended by Steve Job

Explore the favorite reading list recommended by Steve Jobs—books on innovation and disruption that shaped one of history’s boldest thinkers.

BeFreed team

苹果公司

苹果公司

LEARNING PLAN

苹果公司

苹果公司不仅是科技巨头,更是创新与商业美学的代名词。本方案适合企业家、产品经理及设计爱好者,旨在揭示其从产品设计到生态战略的成功密码。

1 h 46 m4 Sections
Naval Ravikant’s Top Take on Early-Stage Startups and Investments
BOOKS

Naval Ravikant’s Top Take on Early-Stage Startups and Investments

Books recommended by Naval Ravikant to achieve financial freedom through VC-backed startups.

BeFreed team

Tech, Innovation, Leadership & Wealth focus

Tech, Innovation, Leadership & Wealth focus

LEARNING PLAN

Tech, Innovation, Leadership & Wealth focus

This comprehensive plan is designed for aspiring entrepreneurs and leaders who want to bridge the gap between technical innovation and financial success. It provides a roadmap for those seeking to master the intersection of business building, high-performance leadership, and sustainable wealth creation.

3 h 58 m4 Sections
Bio, Memoir, Innovation & Tech

Bio, Memoir, Innovation & Tech

LEARNING PLAN

Bio, Memoir, Innovation & Tech

This plan bridges the gap between personal narrative and technical disruption, ideal for aspiring entrepreneurs and leaders. It offers a unique blend of human-centric biography and strategic innovation frameworks to foster a visionary mindset.

3 h 27 m4 Sections
Tech, Biographies & Inspiration

Tech, Biographies & Inspiration

LEARNING PLAN

Tech, Biographies & Inspiration

This learning plan bridges the gap between technical proficiency and the visionary leadership required to succeed in the modern economy. It is ideal for aspiring entrepreneurs and tech professionals who want to combine coding skills with the mental frameworks of world-class innovators.

3 h 12 m4 Sections
How to Start a Successful Tech Startup

How to Start a Successful Tech Startup

LEARNING PLAN

How to Start a Successful Tech Startup

This plan is essential for aspiring founders looking to transform a raw idea into a scalable business. It provides a structured roadmap for entrepreneurs, product managers, and innovators aiming to navigate the high-stakes tech landscape.

2 h 20 m4 Sections

Community Voices

"Guy Kawasaki is a prominent Silicon Valley venture capitalist and marketing specialist known for his work with Apple’s Macintosh line"

ReadersVibe

"Guy Kawasaki was one of the original Apple employees responsible for marketing the Macintosh computer in 1984"

ReadersVibe

"Guy Kawasaki is credited with pioneering the concept of 'evangelism marketing' in Silicon Valley"

Wikipedia

"Guy Kawasaki has written seminal business books including The Art of the Start and Enchantment"

Penguin Random House

"Guy Kawasaki is widely regarded for offering practical, tactical, and radical advice for making a difference in the world"

Audible

"Guy Kawasaki’s extensive bibliography cements his reputation as a leading authority in tech entrepreneurship and innovation"

ThriftBooks

"Guy Kawasaki’s insights as a tech titan and bestselling author continue to influence entrepreneurs worldwide"

Audible

"Guy Kawasaki has written seventeen books since 1987, shaping the thinking of startup founders and marketers"

Guy Kawasaki Books

FAQs about this page

From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco

BeFreed Brings Together A Global Community Of 1,000,000 Curious Minds

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA
platform
comments
12
likes
117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum
platform
comments
12
likes
108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
platform
comments
254
likes
17

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful
platform
comments
96
likes
4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon
platform
comments
201
thumbsUp
16

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn
platform
comments
37
likes
483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA
platform
comments
12
likes
117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum
platform
comments
12
likes
108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
platform
comments
254
likes
17

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful
platform
comments
96
likes
4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon
platform
comments
201
thumbsUp
16

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn
platform
comments
37
likes
483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA
platform
comments
12
likes
117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum
platform
comments
12
likes
108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
platform
comments
254
likes
17

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful
platform
comments
96
likes
4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon
platform
comments
201
thumbsUp
16

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn
platform
comments
37
likes
483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu
platform
star
star
star
star
star
1.5K Ratings4.7
Start your learning journey, now