Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Speed is Life: Street Smart Lessons From the Front Lines of Business

Rate this book
Bob Davis, the founder and former CEO of Lycos, is one of the most successful businessmen of recent times. In five short and exhilarating years, he turned a $2-million investment into a $5.4-billion company, built an audience of 91 million people, and established the Internet's largest global network with a presence in an industry-leading 41 countries.

Speed Is Life is his story from the front lines of business—and his lessons can be applied to every company. He discusses how quickly companies must act in order to seize new opportunities; explains why size is important in a global economy; and highlights the critical importance of creating and extending a company's brand. The lessons he reveals are not narrowly drawn from or intended for Internet managers alone. The fact is, business—whatever business you are in—is first and foremost about making a profit, something he was able to accomplish even in his earliest days at Lycos. The way to do that, from Davis's perspective, is to be great at what you do, to make every moment with a customer a moment of truth, and to build a leading organization by attracting and hiring a world-class team.

But Speed Is Life is much more than a handbook on how to win. Davis also understands the limits of the much-hyped New Economy. And he understands that the future lies in the synergy between traditional companies and their Web counterparts. It is a fascinating first-hand look at the big picture by a man who helped paint it and is this year's must-read business book. Told in the no-nonsense, straight-from-the-hip approach that helped Davis make Lycos an industry dynamo, and illustrated with stories of Lycos's and other companies' successes—and failures—Davis offers an invaluable insider's perspective on how business works and how to stay one step ahead in today's ever more competitive world.

Speed Is Life will grip you, guide you, and inspire you.

224 pages, Hardcover

First published May 22, 2001

1 person is currently reading
13 people want to read

About the author

Bob Davis

10 books

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
1 (14%)
4 stars
3 (42%)
3 stars
1 (14%)
2 stars
2 (28%)
1 star
0 (0%)
No one has reviewed this book yet.

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.