Bloomberg by Bloomberg

Bloomberg by Bloomberg presents Michael Bloomberg's first-hand account of creating Bloomberg L.P. and building his business empire. The narrative follows his path from Salomon Brothers partner through the founding and expansion of his financial information and media company. Bloomberg shares the management philosophy and business strategies that guided his company's growth into a global enterprise. He details the development of the Bloomberg Terminal and explains how his team identified and filled crucial gaps in financial data services. The book provides insights into Bloomberg's leadership style and corporate culture, including his views on innovation, customer service, and hiring practices. His account covers both successes and setbacks in the company's evolution. This memoir serves as both a business manual and a study of entrepreneurial vision, demonstrating how market understanding and technological advancement can intersect to create institutional change. The themes of disruption and persistence run throughout the narrative, illustrating the impact of focused leadership on an entire industry.

Readers describe the book as a straightforward account of Bloomberg's business principles and path to success. Many appreciate his direct writing style and detailed explanations of how he built his company from scratch. Likes: - Clear business lessons and management insights - Behind-the-scenes look at Bloomberg LP's early days - Practical advice on customer service and innovation - Candid discussion of failures and mistakes Dislikes: - Self-congratulatory tone throughout - Limited personal revelations or vulnerability - Some readers found it too focused on Bloomberg's accomplishments rather than actionable advice - Several note it feels dated (original 1997 publication) Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (2,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (180+ reviews) "More of a playbook than an autobiography" - common reader sentiment "Worth reading for entrepreneurs but prepare for lots of ego" - frequent review theme "Could have been half as long with the same message" - repeated criticism

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🔷 Michael Bloomberg wrote this book while serving as CEO of Bloomberg L.P., and he refused to accept any payment or royalties from its publication. 🔷 The Bloomberg Terminal, which revolutionized financial data delivery, was created after Bloomberg noticed that Wall Street traders lacked real-time market information – a gap he discovered while working at Salomon Brothers. 🔷 Before founding his multi-billion dollar company, Bloomberg was fired from Salomon Brothers in 1981 and received a $10 million severance package, which he used as seed money to start his business. 🔷 The book reveals that Bloomberg initially wanted to name his company "Innovative Market Solutions," but was convinced to use his own name by early clients who already knew him from his Wall Street days. 🔷 Despite being one of the world's wealthiest people when the book was written, Bloomberg still took the subway to work regularly during his early years as CEO, a habit he maintained even as Mayor of New York City.