Built, Not Born by Tom Golisano Summary
Overview of Built, Not Born
From zero to $28 billion: Tom Golisano's "Built, Not Born" reveals how true entrepreneurship requires less risk than traditional careers. Named one of America's top 10 bosses by Forbes, Golisano shares the counterintuitive strategies that transformed a $3,000 investment into an empire.
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Key takeaways
The Myth of the Self-Made Billionaire and the Discovery of Opportunity
What if everything you believed about building a billion-dollar company was wrong? Tom Golisano started with $3,000 and a credit card in 1971, targeting the customers everyone else ignored-small businesses too insignificant for the industry giants to bother with. No MBA, no venture capital, no Silicon Valley hype. Just a contrarian bet that the "little guys" mattered. Today, Paychex processes paychecks for one in twelve private-sector American workers and is worth $28 billion. Warren Buffett called it "the best business I've ever seen." Yet Golisano's path defies every ruthless stereotype of entrepreneurship. He never owned more than 50% of his own company, refused golden parachutes, and built an empire on a radical premise: fair deals where everyone wins create more wealth than zero-sum games. His story challenges a fundamental assumption-that reaching the top requires stepping on others. We've been sold a comforting lie: employment equals security. But when Eastman Kodak in Rochester shed 50,000 jobs-dropping from 60,000 employees to fewer than 10,000-that illusion shattered for tens of thousands of families. Unlike a business, you can't sell your job. You can't pass it to your children. And when it disappears, you're left with nothing but a resume and severance package. Natural entrepreneurs see the world through a different lens. Standing in line at a Cuban cigar factory, most people admire the craftsmanship. Golisano calculated sourcing costs, output rates, and profit margins. This analytical obsession emerged early-collecting newspapers with a red wagon at ten, creating schemes to sell bowling lane tickets to impatient customers at fifteen. When a postal job let him finish his eight-hour route by noon but expected him to stretch it out, he realized government work wasn't for him. The lesson? Some people are wired to question systems rather than accept them. But entrepreneurship isn't just for natural-born hustlers. Some discover it through necessity after job loss. Others recognize a market gap they're uniquely positioned to fill. Golisano's best friend Gene initially turned down the chance to become a Paychex partner, unable to see potential in payroll processing while comfortably running his tire store. After a final pitch in 1977, Gene took the Cincinnati territory and did well financially. Had he joined in 1971, he'd have become exponentially wealthier. You don't have to love what you're selling-you just have to recognize the opportunity. The entrepreneurial path demands resilience when crises inevitably strike. Early in Paychex's history, new software failed during a Fourth of July weekend, threatening their ability to deliver payrolls. Golisano worked seven straight days, sleeping on his office floor, while friends delivered payrolls by car and motorcycle. Exhausted and ready to quit, his wife Gloria told him: "You can't quit. Just keep putting one foot after another." That advice carried him through. The rewards-being your own boss, creating something lasting, contributing to the economy, choosing your industry-far outweigh the inevitable hardships.
The Power of One Page and the Math That Matters
The Recurring Revenue Revolution and Hidden Profitability
Sales Reality and Overcoming Objections
The Human Element and Cultural Advantage
The Art of the Fair Deal and Strategic Negotiation
The Exit Strategy and Legacy of Shared Success
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
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"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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