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I write about books, business, habits, and ideas that age well — the kind of insights that compound over time.

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Entrepreneurship — Lessons from building and studying businesses
Books — Notes, reflections, and curated reading lists
Friday Five — A weekly dispatch of five things worth your time

Latest Articles

  • Sam Zemurray’s Innovation: How Bold Risk-Taking Built a Banana Empire

    Sam Zemurray’s Innovation: How Bold Risk-Taking Built a Banana Empire

    “If at first the idea is not absurd, then there is no hope for it”. – Albert Einstein Taking Risks Sam Zemurray’s innovation and willingness to defy convention redefined the banana industry. He was a calculated risk-taker. Whenever he spotted an edge, he pounced. The edge he exploited allowed him to win market share, pay off…


  • September Reading List: 4 Best Books I Read in September 2025

    September Reading List: 4 Best Books I Read in September 2025

    This month, I leaned hard into entrepreneurship in my September Reading List: 4 Best Books I Read in September 2025. I started my September reading list with Make Something Wonderful: Steve Jobs in His Own Words—a collection of his speeches, interviews, and emails revealing the man behind Apple’s success. Next, I read The Fish That…


  • The Sam Zemurray Hustle: From Bananas to Empire

    The Sam Zemurray Hustle: From Bananas to Empire

    “Things may come to those who wait…but only the things left by those who hustle.” – Elbert Hubbard Early Philosophy & the Sam Zemurray Hustle Samuel Zemurray was driven by the same force that pulled countless immigrants into the American dream—a hunger to climb. That Sam Zemurray hustle defined his life—he wanted more and wouldn’t wait…


  • Steve Jobs Leadership Lessons from Make Something Wonderful

    Steve Jobs Leadership Lessons from Make Something Wonderful

    “Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion.” — G.W.F. Hegel Steve Jobs leadership lessons: Vision & Idealism One of the most enduring Steve Jobs leadership lessons was his ability to view technology through a liberal arts lens—a human-centered perspective. In Make Something Wonderful, Jobs used the Macintosh as an example. Its desktop…


  • Steve Jobs on People, Passion, and Culture: Building Apple’s Core Values

    Steve Jobs on People, Passion, and Culture: Building Apple’s Core Values

    “Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion.” — Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel Steve Jobs on People and Culture Hire A-players and develop them. Build a culture where passionate debate thrives. Align everyone around shared values and mission. It may sound like advice from a powerhouse football team—but it’s how Apple operated…


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Michael McHugh
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