“No need for degrees”
Jim Collins’ career over the years.
8 (or 9) books over a lifetime, with 3 bestsellers. First one written at 34.
A researcher at heart, though never deliberatively earned a PhD. Was apprenticed and mentored by a Stanford professor, Porras.
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1980 (22yrs): graduates Math at Stanford
1980-1981: McKinsey (18months)
Meets two partner/researchers
1981 (23yrs): Returns to Stanford for MBA
1983(25yrs): graduates & joins HP (18months)
vows to “never work for a company again”
1983-1988: no records
looks like entrepreneuring & supporting his wife to win the Ironman World Championship, which she does in 1985
1988 (30yrs): entrepreneurship teacher at Stanford
1992 (34yrs): distinguishing teaching award
1992 (34yrs): first book, with a co-author, Beyond Entrepreneurship
based on the course material
1994 (36yrs): first bestseller, Built To Last
1995 (37yrs): builds management laboratory
multi-year research projects with 21+ research assistants in his former elementary school building
funded by book royalties, speaking fees, executives engagements, interns from student research teams
teaches/advises executives via Socratic dialogue, mostly corporates & social sector
simultaneously does some non-verified work as senior executive for CNN International, or for social sector organizations as: Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Girl Scouts of the USA, Leadership Network of Churches, the American Association of K-12 School Superintendents and United States Marine Corps
2001 (43yrs): second bestseller, Good To Great
2005 (47yrs): appended Good To Great for Social Sectors
2005-2009: research on the mighty & great by choice
2009 (51yrs): third bestseller, How The Mighty Fall
gets a profile in the New York Times
2011 (53yrs): book Great By Choice
2012-2013 (54yrs): Leadership mentorship position at US Military
2013-2019: research on flywheel
named one of 100 Forbes greatest living business minds in 2017
2019 (61yrs): book Turning The Flywheel
2020 (62yrs): updates Beyond Entrepreneurship
2020-2026: research life book
featured in Stanford alumni
2026 (68yrs): book What To Make Of A Life
