Shake the World

September 12, 2011
Reilly, president of a talent management firm, interviews some of today’s most celebrated entrepreneurs, business owners, technology experts, educators, artists, and philanthropists in America to look for themes and commonalities in their successes in this tough economic climate. He shares insights from leaders like Tony Hsieh of Zappos, Blake Mycoskie of Tom’s, Shawn Fanning of Napster to argue that if there is a blueprint for success, it is in relentlessly following one’s personal passion, linking it to social justice, and embracing philanthropy, thereby creating not only meaningful work but also a meaningful personal life. It’s a tall order, but Reilly’s tone is pleasantly idealistic and his lively style will engage young readers with its hopeful message that there are innovative alternatives to a traditional corporate career path. For Gen X or older readers who can get past the tacit inference that this generation is the first to face massive socioeconomic shifts or embrace social change, the interviews with young leaders offer insights into the mindset of the Millennials and how recent economic forces are changing the way they view work and life.

November 15, 2011
A mixture of job-search recommendations, self-help advice, anyone-can-succeed-in-business inspiration and mini-biographies of young entrepreneurs. Reilly is president of The Guild Agency Speakers Bureau and Intellectual Talent Management, where he brands and markets individuals with reputations as cutting-edge thinkers. While reflecting on his own youthful success, the author decided to interview other young outside-the-box entrepreneurs, most of whom have found a way to combine philanthropy with for-profit capitalism. Interview subjects include Blake Mycoskie of TOMS, Jessica Jackley of ProFounder, Chad Troutwine of Veritas Prep, and Tony Hsieh of Zappos. The insights are mingled in chapters whose themes are sometimes difficult to discern. While Reilly touches on the occasional early-in-life failures of his interview subjects as a demonstration of how failure can build character, he is primarily uncritical of those subjects and sometimes seems starry-eyed as he chronicles their generosities. The author makes the obvious but worthwhile point that none of the subjects was born to greatness, and he posits that their humility in the wake of success might have been a lifelong quality that contributed greatly to individual success. The book is especially relevant because, as Reilly notes, economic recessions can accelerate entrepreneurial ventures as those out of work seek fresh paths into the capitalistic culture. The pursuit of graduate and law degrees often makes sense during economic downturns. However, those credentials are not an automatic ticket to success--sometimes what has been conveyed in classroom settings stifles innovative thinking. Abstract, sometimes cryptic platitudes studded with inspirational gems.

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

December 1, 2011
It's a grim time out there, with millions of unemployed or underemployed, out of work for months if not years, whether newly minted college graduates or corporate veterans. Having interviewed a good handful of entrepreneurs (as well as drawing on his own youthful success as the proprietor of a speakers' bureau), Reilly is ready to share his take on what makes career changers succeed. He is, for the most part, talking to twenty- and thirtysomethings, although a few of his observations are truly age related. Some of his recommendations, in a nutshell, include take risks when there's little to lose; check company culture before interviewing, especially those advertising profit with purpose; follow your passion; learn from failures. His sources include Chat Troutwine, of Veritas Prep; Blake Mycoskie, of Tom's of Maine; and Mickey McManus, of MAYA Design. The writing is a bit stiff and overengineered, but there is no denying that his enthusiasm and spirit are contagious and might just provide a good boost to the weary job seeker.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)