Guy Kawasaki Quotes

Powerful Guy Kawasaki for Daily Growth

About Guy Kawasaki

Guy Kawasaki, an American author, evangelist, and speaker, was born on August 30, 1954, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Japanese-American parents who had been interned during World War II. Raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, Kawasaki developed a passion for technology at an early age. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Political Science and Industrial Design from the University of Maryland, College Park, and then went on to Stanford University to pursue graduate studies in Business and Product Design. It was during this time that he became involved with Apple Inc., where he worked under Steve Jobs as a Macintosh Evangelist. Kawasaki is best known for his role in promoting the Apple Macintosh computer, which earned him the nickname "The King of Evangelism." He has since applied this marketing philosophy to various other companies and products, most notably Google and Mercedes-Benz. In addition to his work as an evangelist, Kawasaki is a prolific author. His books include "Art of the Start," "Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions," and "The Art of Innovation," which offer insights into entrepreneurship, marketing, and innovation. Kawasaki's life and career have been significantly influenced by his experiences at Apple and his Japanese-American heritage. These influences are evident in his work, which often emphasizes the importance of simplicity, elegance, and a relentless focus on the user experience. Today, Kawasaki continues to be an influential figure in the tech industry, using his platform to advocate for entrepreneurs and share insights into business, technology, and innovation. His quote, "The best way to predict the future is to create it," encapsulates his innovative spirit and drive.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower."

This quote emphasizes the importance of innovation in leadership. A leader, as opposed to a follower, is someone who brings new ideas, creates novel solutions, and paves the way for progress. Innovation sets leaders apart by enabling them to tackle challenges effectively, anticipate changes in their environment, and make a lasting impact on their field or industry. It's not just about doing things differently but also about making a difference through fresh perspectives and groundbreaking actions.


"The goal is not to do business with everybody who needs what you have. The goal is to do business with people who believe what you believe."

This quote emphasizes that it's not effective or sustainable for a business to aim for broad customer acquisition, instead focusing on building relationships with customers who align with the company's values and mission. By doing so, businesses can create stronger, more loyal relationships that lead to mutual success and growth. In essence, it's about finding and catering to your ideal audience rather than trying to appeal to everyone indiscriminately.


"Articulate your vision clearly and simply, and don't be afraid of being rejected."

This quote by Guy Kawasaki emphasizes the importance of clarity and simplicity when communicating one's vision or idea. It encourages individuals to express their ideas in a straightforward manner that others can easily understand, without fearing potential rejection. In other words, he suggests that to successfully share an idea, it's crucial to articulate its essence clearly and succinctly, even if some people may not agree with or adopt the idea initially. By doing so, one can attract supporters, gain feedback, and ultimately progress in their endeavors.


"If you have built a better mousetrap, the world will beat a path to your door."

The quote implies that if an individual or business creates a superior solution (in this case, a better mousetrap), word-of-mouth and natural demand will lead people towards it, much like a crowd would follow the shortest path to a destination. In other words, innovation and excellence in product or service can drive success without excessive marketing efforts.


"The way we got to the moon was not by decrees from Washington but by empowering teams at NASA."

This quote emphasizes that the achievement of a monumental goal like reaching the moon wasn't solely a result of top-down governmental directives, but rather a product of enabling and empowering individual teams within NASA to innovate, collaborate, and execute their work effectively. It underscores the importance of team autonomy, creativity, and self-direction in achieving significant objectives, especially in scientific exploration and technological advancement.


Different parts of the world have different attitudes to failure. Arguably, it may take more courage to be an entrepreneur in Sydney, or Paris, or London, or Japan, or Singapore... but an entrepreneur sees the world for what it could be, not what it is.

- Guy Kawasaki

May, Attitudes, Japan, London

A large social-media presence is important because it's one of the last ways to conduct cost-effective marketing. Everything else involves buying eyeballs and ears. Social media enables a small business to earn eyeballs and ears.

- Guy Kawasaki

Small, Small Business, Media, Ears

Good people hire people better than themselves. So A players hire A+ players. But others hire below their skills to make themselves look good. So B players hire C players. C players hire D players, etc.

- Guy Kawasaki

Hire, Players, Below, Etc

If you look at my Twitter feed it is 99% links, but 1% is me responding and 1% of a big number is a big number.

- Guy Kawasaki

Look, Big, Feed, Responding

Smart, well-meaning people get it wrong when they start believing that the world owes them something and that the rules are different for them.

- Guy Kawasaki

Start, Them, Owes, Start Believing

The right algorithm is to put off seeking funds for as long as physically possible. And in an ideal world, a startup would never have to seek funds at all.

- Guy Kawasaki

Right, Ideal, Ideal World, Funds

At the end of my life, is it better to say that I empowered people to make great stuff, or that I died with a net worth of $10 billion? Obviously I'm picking the former, although I would not mind both.

- Guy Kawasaki

My Life, Died, Net Worth, Great Stuff

People are forgiving of v 1.0 of a product if it's truly innovative and useful. Then you can get away with a lot. But if you're merely marginally improving the status quo, then you better be rock solid.

- Guy Kawasaki

Away, Quo, Lot, Status Quo

The most important thing is that you hire people who complement you and are better than you in specific areas. Good people hire people better than themselves. So A players hire A+ players.

- Guy Kawasaki

The Most Important, Hire, Complement

Don't worry, be crappy. Revolutionary means you ship and then test... Lots of things made the first Mac in 1984 a piece of crap - but it was a revolutionary piece of crap.

- Guy Kawasaki

Worry, Means, Crappy, Mac

The most powerful way to convince the interviewer that you can do the job is to show how much you already know about the industry, the company, and the products/services of the company. In other words, enchant the interviewer with how much you already know.

- Guy Kawasaki

Other, Show, Powerful Way, Interviewer

The good news about entrepreneurship is that your fate is in your hands. The bad news is that your fate is in your hands!

- Guy Kawasaki

Fate, Hands, News, Entrepreneurship

I've been all over the world meeting with companies and startups and entrepreneurs. And I tell you, they are more similar than different.

- Guy Kawasaki

Over, Been, Similar, Startups

I think that no one, or very few, are born as good presenters. It's a skill that you learn. The key is the 10/20/30 rule: 10 slides given in 20 minutes using no font smaller than 30 points. If people just adhered to this rule, they would double or triple the quality of their presentations.

- Guy Kawasaki

Very, Slides, Smaller, Triple

What I learned from my kids is that the greatest joy in life is not from material trappings, power, or visibility. The greatest joy comes from your kids. Nothing is even close to my kids in terms of bringing me joy.

- Guy Kawasaki

Nothing, Visibility, Learned, Trappings

If you provide enough value, then you earn the right to promote your company in order to recruit new customers. The key is to always provide value.

- Guy Kawasaki

Enough, New, Always, Recruit

Evangelism is selling a dream.

- Guy Kawasaki

Dream, Selling, Evangelism

When you enchant people, your goal is not to make money from them or to get them to do what you want, but to fill them with great delight.

- Guy Kawasaki

Goal, Want, Them, Delight

Most venture capitalists won't read a business plan unless the entrepreneur is introduced to them by a contact.

- Guy Kawasaki

Most, Introduced, Read, Capitalists

Entitlement is the opposite of enchantment.

- Guy Kawasaki

Opposite, Enchantment, Entitlement

I would like my kids to inherit a world where people succeed because of merit and hard work, not entitlement, and where people accept others for what they are and not try to change them.

- Guy Kawasaki

Work, Change, Like, Entitlement

When I was getting my education, I fell in love with the writings of Peter Drucker. He was my hero. I had a naive belief that when I became a manager, it was going to be like Peter Drucker's books. That is, I was going to be the effective executive. I was going to talk to people about their goals. I was going to help them actualize.

- Guy Kawasaki

Love, Education, Became, Goals

Many Android users aren't aware of some the things that Android can already do such as supporting the enforcement of companywide security policies, encrypting phone data and providing e-mail and calendar widgets that update in real-time. Our job is to help people and businesses discover and use these features.

- Guy Kawasaki

Data, Some, Providing, Supporting

It's hard to name a person who is unpopular who has influence.

- Guy Kawasaki

Name, Person, Hard, Unpopular

When I finally got a management position, I found out how hard it is to lead and manage people.

- Guy Kawasaki

People, Finally, Got, Manage

The A-listers and the A+ listers, are reporting the news, they're not making it.

- Guy Kawasaki

News, Making, Reporting

My perspective is this: my allegiance is to the best product for my needs. For a computer, this means Macintosh. For phone and tablet, this means Android.

- Guy Kawasaki

Product, Needs, Means, Tablet

It doesn't matter whether the Dow is 5000 or 50,000. If you're an entrepreneur, there is no bad time to start a company.

- Guy Kawasaki

Start, Bad, Bad Time, Entrepreneur

If you're an entrepreneur and you think that the president makes a difference to your business, you should stay at your current job.

- Guy Kawasaki

Business, Think, Makes, Entrepreneur

Social media allows me to pick my times for social interaction.

- Guy Kawasaki

Social, Pick, Times, Social Media

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