Stephen A. Schwarzman's Debut Book Released Today - What It Takes: Lessons in the Pursuit of Excellence

The First Book from Famed Financier and Statesman, Provides a Playbook for Achieving Success in Both Work and Life

News provided by

Sep 17, 2019, 09:00 ET

NEW YORK, Sept. 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- On sale today, September 17, 2019, What it Takes: Lessons in the Pursuit of Excellence is the first book from business legend, Stephen A. Schwarzman, Chairman, CEO and Co-founder of Blackstone. Pulling from Schwarzman's 50-year career in finance, the book provides a practical blueprint for anyone wanting to learn how to make an impact as a leader, learn and adapt from failures, build a thriving team and generally achieve success in both work and life regardless of industry, discipline or level of experience.

Through powerful anecdotes and lively storytelling, the book unveils the hard-learned and invaluable lessons from Schwarzman's life and career that includes creating one of the world's largest investment firms — a company that itself has helped grow hundreds of businesses around the world in support of pensioners and other leading investors. The result, is an empowering, entertaining and inspiring read that provides readers with the tools necessary to think best about ambition, scale, risk and opportunity in order to achieve excellence in their lives.

To learn more about What it Takes, please visit: https://readwhatittakes.com/.

Endorsements for What it Takes

Jack Welch, Former Chairman and CEO of General Electric: "What It Takes is a must-read book, filled with the experiences of one of the great business success stories of the last thirty years – Blackstone. In the book, Steve Schwarzman chronicles his and Blackstone's journey to the top of global business. The book is filled with fresh insights and personal experiences that everyone – from students to CEOs – will relate to and learn from."

Ray Dalio, Founder, Co-CIO and Co-Chairman of Bridgewater Associates: "The real story of what it takes from a man who could turn dreams into realities."

Mary Barra, Chairwoman and CEO of General Motors: "Steve's life lessons challenge me to think bigger and move even faster. His insights apply to both our work and personal lives, and his leadership has always embodied the principle of doing what is right, even when it is hard. Steve challenges us all to be better leaders, better citizens, better people."

Henry A. Kissinger, Former U.S. Secretary of State and National Security Advisor: "A series of thoughtful reflections derived from the author's extraordinary life, which has already left its mark on the worlds of finance, politics, and education and made each the better for it. In this brief and insightful volume, Schwarzman has identified several key qualities required for excellence in any field, including a tireless sense of curiosity, a tolerance for risk, and an eye for humble detail."

John Kerry, Former U.S. Secretary of State and U.S. Senator for Massachusetts: "Stephen Schwarzman has lived the American dream: a self-made icon in his field, turned philanthropist, who has long worked with creativity and vision to deepen relationships between individuals and countries. Steve shares the full measure of his personal journey with us in What It Takes – part memoir, part playbook for success in any field. Humble, candid, funny, and real, Steve offers wisdom and the gift of much-needed common sense chapter by chapter and experience by experience. A great read!"

Eric Schmidt, Former CEO and Executive Chairman of Google: "From his start as an entrepreneur working in his family's linen store in 1950s Philadelphia, Steve Schwarzman has made towering contributions to finance, relations between the U.S. and China, and computing, including a seminal investment in AI research that will help establish the age of intelligence. Steve always takes the long view and then helps move us in the direction that will pay the greatest dividends. This book reveals how he has achieved the rarest kind of leverage in multiple fields."

Janet Yellen, Former Chair of the Federal Reserve: "What It Takes is a must-read, inspirational account of how Stephen A. Schwarzman built Blackstone into one of the world's top global asset management companies and leveraged his resources, know-how, and vision to spearhead bold philanthropic programs and provide trusted advice to a generation of political leaders around the globe."

Mark Carney, Governor of the Bank of England: "In his new book, Steve relives his vast and varied experience at the center of a (thick) slice of US and global financial history. In the process, he sets out a number of timeless lessons for business and life. This story literally has what it takes: the anecdotes, the insights and, most of all, the values to guide the next generation of entrepreneurs."

Contacts:
Ryan FitzGibbon, Prosek Partners
646-818-9234, [email protected]

Jordan Rodman, Simon & Schuster
212-698-7433, [email protected]

SOURCE Blackstone