by Ashlee Vance is only the second biography I have held in my hands, but I was particularly looking forward to this one. This visionary has been causing a sensation for decades. He has the potential to change our world sustainably, which he has already done to a large extent. Because that is his declared goal. Tesla, Paypal and SpaceX are just three of the projects mentioned in the subtitle of this book. With these alone, this businessman has changed electronic payment on the web, mobility on our roads, and our vision of space travel forever.
Elon Musk, who contrary to the perception of many out there has South African and not US roots, became a multiple billionaire through his business activities. In the process, he went all-in time and again, risking everything to push things forward that many claimed were impossible. It is precisely this that spurs him on and everything he touches seems to turn to gold, even if he has been on the verge of failure on one or two occasions. According to Forbes, he is also one of the most influential people in the world. For me, rightly so, because his way of thinking and tackling things has also left its mark on me.
At the age of 12, he was already developing video games to sell to computer magazines and, despite a secure place at university, left Stanford University after a few days to build up an Internet company instead at a time when few had recognized the potential of this new medium.
"Some call him the Da Vinci of the 21st century." I wouldn't go that far, perhaps, but there's no doubt that we already owe him a great deal, and he's certainly unconventional.
"When I die, I would like to think that humanity still has a bright future ahead of it. If by then we have solved the problem of renewable energy and are recognizably on our way to becoming a multi-planetary species with a self-sustaining civilization on another planet, then that would be really good in my eyes."
Elon Musk
The book is the very personal and in-depth behind-the-scenes story. It tells about all his business activities, the good and bad years, his relationships and his childhood and his escape from South Africa until today. After this book, the reader will definitely see things with different eyes, understand one or the other move better and know how to take Musk.
To all his critics, I would like to say at this point that you should be aware of what drives him. Unlike a Mark Zuckerberg, he doesn't want to help us share baby photos, he wants to save humanity from extinction. He is not a CEO chasing wealth, he is about making the world a better place. He has thus set his sights on something much more significant.
"Maybe I read too many comics as a child. Comics somehow always seem to be about saving the world. I got the feeling that you should try to make the world a better place because the opposite wouldn't make sense."
Elon Musk
"Musk played the entrepreneur game at the highest level and worked the press and investors like few others can. Did he exaggerate and offend people in the process? Clearly yes - but with spectacular results."
Ashley Vance
The author has managed to conjure up a really successful book from the life of this fascinating man. Literarily, it is very beautifully written and superbly researched. We also hear the opposing side and their objections to Musk. We read about his failures, as well as his successes, and family-wise we also get a good idea of his parenthood. A few private photos round out the picture and make this book a very good publication that I can recommend not only to all Tesla shareholders.
Personally, I believe that it will do every entrepreneur and visionary good to read this book, because it is a story of big dreams, long dry spells and the irrepressible will to persevere. However, I would like to end the whole thing with a quote from the book:
"What's fascinating is that Musk is still willing to lose everything."
Ashley Vance