Walk through the business section of any bookstore, and you’ll see many CEO memoirs sharing personal experiences about entrepreneurship and leadership.
Not just the high-profile names like Bill Gates, Richard Branson, Howard Schultz, Phil Knight, or Yvon Chouinard—but also a long list of lesser-known CEOs, founders, and executives who’ve chosen to write their story.
Why are there so many? And more importantly, why do so many people read them?
These books offer something that business articles, interviews, or keynote speeches often can’t: a firsthand look at leadership. They take readers inside moments of pressure, doubt, and decision-making. Some are written while the CEO is still leading their company, while others are written after they have stepped down. While they may cover similar milestones, their tone and goals tend to differ.
A CEO’s memoir written while still leading their company often serves various purposes: it tells a story, but also helps shape reputation and influence. These books can enhance a company’s image, showcase the CEO’s leadership style, attract media attention, and generate business opportunities.
One clear example of this is Michael Dell, CEO of Dell Technologies. He wrote Play Nice But Win: A CEO’s Journey from Founder to Leader not only to tell his personal story but to support the company’s brand and long-term strategy. When the book was published, Dell Technologies had already transformed from a PC manufacturer into a comprehensive IT solutions provider. By telling the story himself, Dell was able to update people’s perception of the company and explain the decisions behind its evolution.
He presents himself as a thoughtful, forward-looking leader—not just the company’s founder, but someone guiding change with long-term vision. His openness about behind-the-scenes challenges and boardroom battles also builds trust. Readers gain a rare insight into corporate life and the thought process behind major decisions. By naming the book after the company’s internal motto—“Play nice but win”—he reinforces Dell’s culture and values. While it is a personal memoir, the book clearly plays a strategic role in how Dell and his company are perceived.
Other CEOs wait until they’ve stepped away before writing. These memoirs tend to be more personal, honest, and reflective. While they also boost a company’s brand, they are written to make sense of what the leader lived through and leave something lasting behind.
Phil Knight, founder and former CEO of Nike, is a strong example. He wrote Shoe Dog years after leaving his role, not as a corporate playbook, but as a way to reflect on his past. The book is introspective and often raw, full of uncertainty, ambition, setbacks, and deeply personal reflections. Knight doesn’t present himself as a polished business hero. He writes as someone who was still trying to figure it all out, long after success had arrived.
He opens the book by revisiting the uncertainty of the early days, well before any major product launches or financial success. That sets the tone for what follows: a story about chasing meaning, dealing with failure, and holding on to a dream that seemed almost impossible to achieve.
Although Shoe Dog has undoubtedly contributed to Nike’s brand story, its real power lies in its emotional honesty. Knight didn’t write it just to shape his legacy; he also wrote it to understand it.