
Diving into Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. by Ron Chernow (https://a.co/d/iEFLpKT). This sweeping biography follows Rockefeller’s rise from humble beginnings to becoming the world’s richest man and the mastermind behind Standard Oil. Blending business brilliance, ruthless ambition, and deep philanthropy, it’s a powerful portrait of the man who shaped modern capitalism and left an enduring mark on industry and society.
00:00 Introduction to John D. Rockefeller
05:01 Rockefeller's Father and Childhood
10:23 Rockefeller as a Child
12:29 Rockefeller Raises $2,000 for Church Mortgage
14:26 Rockefeller's Job Search
17:16 Rockefeller's Early Career
18:27 18-year-old Rockefeller Builds a House
20:27 How Rockefeller Sells
22:50 14 Ideas
23:58 #1: Keeping Ledgers and Objective Data
27:37 #2: Ceaseless Search for Minor Improvements
30:50 #3: Control Costs
32:00 #4: Take Notes34:48
#5: Advantages of being green
36:45 #6: Hurry up the boys
38:24 #7: Long-term thinking
40:09 #8: Showmanship
42:28 #9: Tell the truth
45:04 #10: Hire talent as found, not as needed
47:03 #11: Turn Adversaries into Allies
48:41 #12: Delegation and Decentralized Command
51:11 #13: Talk last in meetings
52:34 #14: Excellence
56:03 Conclusion