The Whole Story: Adventures in Love, Life, and Capitalism

by John Mackey

Whole Foods Market’s Cofounder and CEO for 44 years, John Mackey offers an intimate and provocative account of the rise of this iconic company and the personal and spiritual journey that inspired its remarkable impact.

The growth of Whole Foods isn’t just a business success story—it’s the story of a retail, cultural, and dietary revolution that has forever changed the industry and the way we eat. After more than four decades at the helm, John Mackey is ready to share never-before-told tales of the people and passions behind the beloved brand.



The Whole Story invites readers on the adventure of building Whole Foods Market: the colorful cast of idealists and foodies who formed the company’s DNA, the many breakthroughs and missteps; the camaraderie and the conflict, and the narrowly avoided disasters. Mackey takes us inside some of the most consequential decisions he had to make and honestly shares his regrets looking back. 



Beyond the Whole Foods story, Mackey also dives into his:
• Spiritual journey: from Christianity to New Age mysticism, Eastern wisdom, and life-changing awakenings through psychedelics
• Political and intellectual development: from countercultural co-op dweller to libertarian and Conscious Capitalist
• Philosophical and ethical awakenings: especially with regard to animal welfare and the tension between his personal values and industry practices
• Personal passions: most notably, his love of long-distance, ultra-light backpacking on the great trails of our country and planet

For the millions of people who know and love Whole Foods, Mackey’s story is a candid look at the fellowship and meaning born of a shared mission and how an inimitable entrepreneur shepherded a startup hippy food store into the market-leading international brand it is today.

Genres: Business, Biography, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Food, Entrepreneurship, Memoir

368 pages, Hardcover

Published May 21, 2024

About the author

John Mackey is an entrepreneur and the co-founder and visionary of Whole Foods Market. In his 44 years of service as CEO, the natural and organic grocer grew from a single store in Austin, Texas, to 540 stores in the U.S., U.K., and Canada, with annual sales exceeding $22 billion. Mackey co-founded the Conscious Capitalism Movement and co-authored a New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-selling book titled “Conscious Capitalism: Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business” and follow up, “Conscious Leadership: Elevating Humanity through Business.” He is also the co-author of “The Whole Foods Diet: The Lifesaving Plan for Health and Longevity” and “The Whole Foods Cookbook: 120 Delicious and Healthy Plant-Centered Recipes.” Mackey currently serves on the board of directors for Conscious Capitalism, The Motley Fool, CATO Institute, The Institute for Cultural Evolution, and the Students for Liberty and is pursuing his next business venture, Love.Life.

Reviews

[Chip Huyen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is engaging. Each chapter has a storyline with clear stakes, challenges, and lessons learned. I liked the origin story of how everyone thought of their store as "hippie food store" (it was the 70s!), and they had to make sure that no, it wasn't just a store for hippies, but everyone should eat natural and healthy food.

The business plot is balanced out with an unusual spirituality subplot, where he's not shy about discussing things that many business books would consider taboos, such as the dreams he had about his wife before they met that convinced him she was his soulmate. Or how he and his coworker were slave and owner in their past lives.

Overall, the book is very well written, but perhaps too well written. Either the author has an exceptional internal moral compass, or he has spent a lot of time justifying his past decisions.

The most interesting chapter was the second-to-last chapter about Amazon, where he wrote like he didn't care about offending anyone anymore.

[Trevor Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was fine. I liked hearing the story of a small natural foods store growing into the massive success that it is today. There is no doubt that Mackey is an interesting and unique individual. One part Dead Head, one part Adam Smith, and one part green grocer. He has some very innovative ideas and it was so interesting to be in the thoughts of such a dreamer.

I did find some elements of the book annoying though. First, it was so polished. I felt like I was reading a book written by a politician about to run for office. He always made amazing decisions. He was so affable in every instance. Even problems were able to roll right off his back, while he moved through to the next one. It’s possible this is the case, but the story seems to lack the grit of small business ownership. Second, his spiritual asides were redundant and, let’s face it, strange. He spends pages on pages talking about how everything is love, everything in the universe (Holocaust?, War? Cancer?). Towards the end of the book he is deep into Ayahuasca journey and realizes that he is love, and that he is perfect. Oof…when you take God’s descriptors as your own, you run into some issues.

Other than that, I enjoyed the book. It didn’t wow me, but I was drawn into it.

[Nandita Damaraju · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the privilege of treating Whole Foods like a pantry for 4 good years, when I lived right next to one. I love randomly walking around in Whole Foods and I discovered this book during one such visit to Whole Foods. The book is about John Mackey, a college dropout, co-founded Whole Foods in 1980 and transformed it from a small store in Austin into a global grocery chain renowned for high-quality produce. 

Mackey’s narrative delves into his personal journey, including his own aspirations, insecurities, inner demons, romantic explorations, and curiosities. His unapologetic embrace of capitalism, coupled with a deep spiritual inclination and a passion for nature, really resonated with me. His commitment to delivering quality produce to consumers is evident throughout the book.

At times, the autobiography felt like a defense against past controversies involving Whole Foods, and certain sections read like Mackey’s unfiltered streams of consciousness particularly around the leadership changes over the course of his tenure as CEO. Although, I felt a little sad to read about the circumstances under which Whole Foods was bought by Amazon. These aspects slightly detract from the overall coherence, hence the 4/5. But, for those interested in the life of an unapologetic capitalist who is spiritually minded, nature-loving, and dedicated to providing high-quality food, this is a wonderful autobiography.

[Tyler Hoffman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn’t appreciate how acquisitive WF was. They basically bought out all their competitors, culminating with the acquisition of Wild Oats.

Also didn’t appreciate that the Amazon sale was precipitated by pressure from activist investors.

A bit long, but worth reading. Thanks to Isaiah for the rec.

[Erin Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was most interested in learning about the inner details of the Amazon purchase of Whole Foods—that part was good. Not surprisingly, the CEO and founder stated his regrets about selling to Amazon.

This book could have done without some of the political tangents he goes on. He seems a little…annoying? lol. But nonetheless I appreciated his vision and the origin story of Whole Foods! It started in a Victorian house in Austin, which…I mean, cool!

I am admittedly a fan of Whole Foods. So only right that I know its story now. If you’re a fan too, you will probably enjoy this in the same ways that I did.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Learning the intricacies of how Whole Foods transformed from a hippie Austin start-up to a $22B-grossing national phenomenon was fascinating. Love me some boardroom drama! With a side of public health. 😍

However, Mackey talks WAY too much about his failed romantic relationships lol 🫠and weird spiritual adventures. His overall life takeaway - learned during drug-fueled spiritual breathwork - is that “I am perfect” and “everything is love.” 🫥🫥🫥 Count me out for that privileged self-deification.

Otherwise, great business story!

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this thought-provoking book by John Mackey, a self-proclaimed 'smart-ass,... passionate libertarian,... unabashed capitalist,... philosopher, and... provocateur '. I couldn't put it down and was intrigued and inspired by his story, even if I didn't agree with all of his philosophy.

[Sowmya V · Rating 3 out of 5]

First half was super interested, then it just became a bunch of chapters dedicated to clearing the air about anything negative about whole foods!

[Alex Gravina · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really well written and readable book. The story is interesting and the author does a good job of consistently balancing the story of Whole Foods with that of their life.

[Heather Bixby · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5-4 ⭐️

Overall, this was an enjoyable read. The memoir follows Mackey’s business journey chronologically from the beginning and also provides snippets of his personal and spiritual experiences along the way.

I enjoyed the chapters that focused on Mackey’s life and adventures and felt like they added to the overall story. I am not well versed in business, so having small intervals between discussions of investors, board meetings, etc. was a welcome respite at times.

It’s a lengthy audiobook (14.5 hrs), but the story was informative and the audiobook was well done. I had to listen to it in small doses in order for it to keep my attention.

Thank you to NetGalley, RB Media, and Ascent Audio for an advanced audiobook copy of this memoir.

[Austin Siikarla · Rating 3 out of 5]

I genuinely don't know how I feel about *The Whole Story* as a book or John Mackey as a person. Everything feels full of contradictions, yet his opinions are grounded and don't feel contradictory once you dig a little deeper.

Conscious capitalism but sell your company to Amazon? Health for all but not healthcare for all? Wages don't equal health but his own wellness business costs ~$3,000 a month? He cares so deeply about what he puts in his body but most drugs are okay. Love is always perfect but he loved his first partner too little and his second partner too much.

The worst contradiction is actually my own: I strongly disliked the book, yet I'm extremely glad I read it.

[Olimpia Onelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since moving to the US, I came to love Whole Foods and enjoyed learning about its history - the founder tried to reconcile his vision for success in a capitalist world and his core beliefs around healthy food and animal welfare. Less gripping than other entrepreneurs' biographies but still a very interesting read.

[Jung · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Mackey’s journey, as explored in "The Whole Story: Adventures in Love, Life, and Capitalism", delves deep into his personal and entrepreneurial evolution. In the early 1970s, a pivotal moment occurred when Mackey, feeling directionless after dropping out of college, took a small dose of LSD, which led to a profound experience of interconnectedness. While this risky episode isn’t something he recommends, it triggered a realization about the unity of all things, fundamentally reshaping his worldview. The newfound sense of purpose steered him toward communal living and vegetarianism, ultimately laying the groundwork for what would become Whole Foods Market.

Mackey’s early ventures were modest and filled with challenges. In 1978, alongside his girlfriend Renee, he opened SaferWay, a small natural foods store. With limited capital and no prior business experience, they borrowed money from family and friends, living in the store to save on expenses. SaferWay, a combination grocery store and café, was a bold idea but fraught with difficulties. Mackey’s initial lack of understanding of business fundamentals meant struggling with inventory management and pricing strategies. With foot traffic low, due to the store’s out-of-the-way location, profits were hard to come by. This tough period, however, was a turning point, as Mackey began studying business principles and gaining insight into the competitive landscape.

Mackey’s perseverance and learning from early setbacks led him to form a partnership with Craig Weller and Mark Skiles, owners of a rival health food store. This collaboration in 1980 birthed Whole Foods Market, which, at 10,500 square feet, was far bigger than SaferWay’s humble beginnings. However, success didn’t come easily. A devastating flood in 1981 destroyed $400,000 worth of inventory, nearly bankrupting the store. Yet the community, a cornerstone of Whole Foods’ culture, came together to rebuild, teaching Mackey the value of fostering strong relationships.

From there, Whole Foods Market grew rapidly. By 1984, the company opened its first store outside Austin, expanding into Houston. This success marked the beginning of a period of aggressive expansion. Rather than building new stores from the ground up, Whole Foods often acquired established natural food stores, allowing them to grow while retaining their unique culture. This strategy worked well, and in 1992, Whole Foods went public, further accelerating its expansion.

Mackey continued to innovate, introducing specialized departments in stores, such as bakeries and cheese shops, and launching the 365 Everyday Value brand to offer more affordable organic products. Whole Foods’ influence on the natural foods market was significant, and the company set industry standards for organic and natural products. The company’s growth wasn’t without its challenges, though. Whole Foods faced criticism for high prices, labor practices, and its environmental impact. In response, Mackey continually worked to address these issues, introducing transparency in product labeling, supporting local producers, and reaffirming the company’s commitment to sustainability.

The antitrust battle in 2007 surrounding Whole Foods’ acquisition of Wild Oats Markets was another significant hurdle. While the Federal Trade Commission argued that the merger would create a monopoly, Mackey defended the move as essential for Whole Foods’ growth. This period also saw Mackey embroiled in a personal controversy over anonymous posts he made online about his competitors, which led to an investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Despite these setbacks, Mackey’s leadership and the company’s resilience allowed Whole Foods to continue thriving.

By the time Amazon acquired Whole Foods in 2017 for $13.7 billion, the company had firmly established itself as a leader in the organic food movement. Mackey’s vision of conscious capitalism, which emphasizes serving all stakeholders, not just shareholders, was integral to the company’s philosophy. Whole Foods became known for its innovative employee benefits and its commitment to social responsibility, with initiatives like the Whole Planet Foundation providing microcredit loans to small entrepreneurs and supporting local food producers.

As Mackey prepared to step down in 2022, his legacy was already cemented. Whole Foods Market had not only revolutionized the grocery industry but also influenced broader conversations about corporate social responsibility and ethical business practices. Mackey’s journey from a small health food store in Austin to leading an international chain of organic supermarkets is a testament to his ability to balance profitability with purpose.

Ultimately, "The Whole Story" showcases Mackey’s belief in the power of aligning personal values with business goals. His success with Whole Foods Market is rooted in his ability to adapt, innovate, and stay true to his principles. Through crises and challenges, Mackey demonstrated that a company could thrive by building strong relationships with employees, customers, and communities. His vision of conscious capitalism has left a lasting impact, inspiring a new generation of entrepreneurs to pursue business as a force for good.

[Trevor Noon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Normally a sucker for these books but just couldn't get hooked. Interesting story, but certainly something that is more of a 10 minute video for me rather than reading all the way through. Great company and founder though!

[Notael Elrein · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun book about spirituality, and capitalism. A health conscious person decides to run a company while he is not that corcerned for the ethics he has started out as a vegetarian. Later convinced by activists he went vegan, but the company stayed bigger than it's leader and did not adapt the plant based lifestyle. I do believe that the company wouldn't have reached the heights being solely plant based. They employed a huge variety of laid back people.

It is really fun to hear the owner's personal journey especially hearing how at the very start he was dipping toes into existentialism. It makes me feel comforted that other people have such huge character changes and go through huge character development that others don't even recognize as a posibility. He is a very open person, and displays his expression, and character openly, and doesn't care much about how he is perceived by others. He is focused on the goal, the mission, the best interest of the values he set out. It's just really fun to hear the story and perspective of such a person who is leaning towards play, and creativity. Businesses can be very artistic when they aren't playing at the biggest fields. It's cool to see how spirituality helps a person to stay at the top of their game and it is warming to see someone who reads books about everything they encounter. Specialized knowledge is important.

The book has it's slow moments and the writer is not a perfect human being by any means although he does say that he is at the end of the book haha! What he means by it is the spiritual truth that we are doing our best. It also has really exciting and big moments because it is literally about this huge health company buying out everyone around them and making such big decisions I had never had to face in my life. The scale, the impact this person had is enormous, and most importantly this book shows how interpreting an actions of a company and it's owner is so mysterious. I have been focusing on my own impact, and give myself feedback instead of focusing on others. Hearing what assumptions others make of you when your work gets on such a massive scale is humbling because what are all these people even on about? What are they imagining and why are these companies, their CEO's on people's minds 24/7? The way our society functions is mysterious and not ideal, our collective consciousness is not that high.

I really like living through plant based succesful people haha. They focus on different things, and form their thoughts differently. They are brave, and live life on their own terms. It is inspiring. I picked this book for my vegan book club, and I am glad I did. There are not many vegan business books that I am aware of even though they are some. I feel since vegan products are a business worth billions there should be more books from these business owners. Maybe I wasn't looking careful enough. Before looking up into all the businesses I had the idea that most vegan people would be in it for the animals, but since seeing how there's so much money that can be made with vegan processed products now I see that it is natural that some people want to go viral and be the poster people for this movement. There are so many motives that people have for selling just whole foods actually, and this book shows it. Some go for it for health, some because they are foodies, and some because of values. This book grapples with so much you can't put into words basically because the scale is just so big haha. While reading this I had my own realisation that people who were posting similar content like me had their own aspirations and goals way different from mine. I will read more spiritual books again haha.

This was so enlightening, and like a big dose of energy, it made me look what values do I stand for, and what is important for me. I can really only discern myself, and hope that other people tag along. If they do not I will discern myself some more haha.

[Paul Sand · Rating 4 out of 5]

A checkout from Portsmouth (NH) Public Library. Appropriate, because Portsmouth is the only New Hampshire town with a Whole Foods Market. I picked it up based on the recent mini-review from Katherine Mangu-Ward in Reason.

As KMW notes, this is a mashup of "a business book, a spiritual journey, and a personal journal." John tells his story of starting his first "natural food" store with his then-girlfriend out of a Victorian house in Austin, Texas. (Dubbed "Safer Way", get it?) And, oh so gradually, developing the chain of Whole Foods Markets that grew and thrived under his leadership. His personality is an interesting mix of far-out hippie and button-down no-nonsense libertarian capitalist.

He discusses his admiration for Friedrich Hayek and Milton Friedman early on, and touches on his attitude toward free markets and voluntary exchange throughout. (He says "win-win-win" a lot.) Occasionally this led to conflict. For example, he refers to his 2009 WSJ op-ed on healthcare policy, on which the editors attached a headline more partisan than he would have preferred: The Whole Foods Alternative to ObamaCare. It also featured Margaret Thatcher's classic quote: "The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." (Back in 2009, I blogged about the op-ed and the resulting controversy quite a bit, for example here, here, here, and here.)

John also writes of his opposition to unionization efforts, another thorn in the side of his largely-progressive customer base. He was largely successful in denying the unions. ( The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union was successful in unionizing one (1) store in Philadelphia earlier this year, long after John left the company.) And there were conflicts with regulators, pretty bogus in his telling: the SEC, the FTC, even local "weights and measures" bureaucrats.

There's also a lot of discussion of John's efforts to keep Whole Foods aligned with his vision, navigating the stormy waters of the biz: venture capitalists, IPOs, activist investors, fractious board members, and so on. It all culminates with Whole Foods selling out to Amazon in 2017, which eventually leads to John's decision to part ways with his baby.

There are a lot of good yarns along the way. One early-days supplier of hand-wrapped baked goods to the first Whole Foods store was quite popular, until one new employee declares during a taste test: "This is a Sara Lee muffin!" And a surprise visit to the supplier's "bakery" discovers, yup, a "pile of empty Sara Lee boxes".

The hippie side is well-represented too. John's pretty fond of psychedelics: MDMA, psilocybin, LSD. (Although he says there was a 25-year period where he didn't take them in a "significant" amount.) He's into meditation and breathing, etc. Hey, whatever gets you through, man.

A final interesting (to me) note: John notes the dichotomy between "foodies" (his term) and "health nuts" (my term). He's the latter, and at some point he goes full vegan, but he's aware that Whole Foods had appeal to both factions. So Whole Foods sold "animal products" (meat, dairy), although John did not buy them.

So other than John's paean to his favorite smoothie recipe, there's not a lot here about really enjoying food.

[Online Eccentric Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

This is an easy-to-read account that, for the most part, focuses on the founding and growth of Whole Foods Market. There are philosophical discussions in between as well as discussions about his athletic activities and relationships. Yes, there is a rant at the end about the 'evils of socialism' but for the most part, this is a nice biography.

The book is fairly chronological and begins with the author soul searching, doing drugs, and trying to figure out the meaning of life in his early 20s. He'll say many times in the book of how tired he became of being labeled a hippie but it is pretty hard to discount that he was the cliché of that definition/it informed so much of the person he would become. Fortunately, after the philosophical musings about life and love from the drug induced stupors, he goes into how he came about the founding of "Safer Way" - the forerunner of Whole Foods.

From there, the book gets very interesting: discussions of government interference, building and destroying colleague relationships, mergers and acquisitions, union agitation, multi day hikes, and the women with whom he shared his life. The underlying theme through it all is that he had a driving desire to grow his company - likely stemming from being a very competitive person.

I found a lot of the book to be fascinating: while I did not always agree with his world view, it is always a pleasure to read when the author can give his points good discussions on the nature of business. Admittedly, I could probably do without the hippie philosophizing, religion discussions, and the pages dedicated to long hiking treks - but they are a part of the makeup of the man. He is a person of his time and place, growing up in the 1970s with all that entails.

As with so many biographies, the author always seems so perplexed by those who turn against him. It always seems to be explained by greed and that it was inexplicable that someone would just dislike him. But certainly being in big business is never easy and there are some good lessons here about how to (and how not to) do things. Certainly, one has to respect that he worked hard to ensure people had healthier alternatives and more ecological friendly options when shopping for groceries.

The author does go into things done wrong - e.g., earning the derisive 'Whole Paycheck' sobriquet that dogged the company in the 2000s. The book ends not long after the Amazon buyout and his ousting/leaving the company. I respected that he didn't use the book as a promotional vehicle for his new venture and instead left it up to the reader to explore that on their own.

In all, some fascinating business information here as well as a great perspective on the late baby boomer generation and how the idealism and then pessimism of the 1970s (as well as the drug and counterculture) influenced the creation of a health foods empire. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

[Cheyenne · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0/5.0⭐

The Whole Story: Adventures in Love, Life, and Capitalism by John Mackey offers a comprehensive account of the rise of Whole Foods Market and Mackey's personal and spiritual journey. With a runtime of 13 hours and 6 minutes, it truly is the whole story.

As a business management major, I was vaguely familiar with John Mackey, but I got a better glimpse through an episode of the Freakonomics podcast titled 'How to Succeed by Being Authentic (Hint: Carefully)'. I highly recommend it as a starting point before diving into this book, to grasp Mackey's thinking style and see if his ideas resonate with you and if you can handle some of his political rantings. If they do, this audiobook is a good suit for your commute.

I particularly enjoyed his reflections of how much compromising of himself, or backing off his own ideals, he was wanting to do to make space for others in his businesses, and to grow said businesses. Mackey is quite eccentric but very logical in explaining his thinking.

I always find it interesting if when a business leader accomplishes something that their team or others were unsure of or thought was impossible, what lessons they take from that. That is, do they jump to the notion of, 'Oh, no one thought I could do it, I'm a genius, they're wrong,' which you certainly don't learn anything from as a reader. Or, are they of the mindset of, 'Okay, we were playing with fire a little bit there, that was an uphill battle, we really came together and made that work, what do we change for next time?' Mackey certainly strikes me as the latter, emphasizing relationships, collaboration, and personal mistakes in this memoir rather than basking in his successes.

Thank you to RB Media, Ascent Audio, and Netgalley for the advanced copy.

[Ana-Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having recently moved to the US, I was curious to read about Whole Foods Market and how it came into existence. I enjoy shopping there because I think the quality of the food is the closest I can find to what we have in Europe and the retail experience is enjoyable. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately - depending how you look at it) the book is not as exciting as actually shopping in a Whole Foods supermarket.

I expected I would understand in depth the Whole Foods philosophy, their culture and what exactly made them successful over all the other natural stores of the last decades. The author talks about being “experts at cutting back bureaucracy and tightening up operations” but what does that actually mean? How did they apply that in practice? He talks about Whole Foods having been decentralized and focused on bottom-up empowerment during his tenure as CEO but there aren’t many examples of this in the book.

In general, the biggest problem is that there are way too many topics, none of them being addressed in depth:
- A chronological telling of how the company grew (mostly) through acquisitions
- A personal biography of the cofounder focusing on his love life, his hobbies and core beliefs
- A story of leadership and what it takes to become an effective leader and to maintain your power (especially in the context of leading a public company)
- A telling of how he fully embraced being a capitalist, giving it his own flavor and calling it “conscious capitalism”

I’m giving it 3 stars because I enjoyed reading about all of the above. I would have enjoyed it even more if it was less topics, but covered thoroughly.

[K2 ----- · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Needed an editor.

I almost stopped reading it but am glad I stuck to it. It was inconsistent and at times a real CEO's chance to "set the record straight" from his point of view.

Often while reading this I wondered what others in the room might have said.

He recounts his mother's disappointment in his career choice that never left her. Later in the book, he applauds his parents' undying support, huh? It was obvious in places how hurt he was by other's perceptions of him and how hard he felt he was trying.

He lost me when he was hiking the AT and had cars meet him so he could sleep in hotels and dine in restaurants and spoke of it as if it was the full experience. Any reader will realize how lost CEOs get in CEOs world and lose touch with reality. Their egos are big, their visions often their own alone.

It was an interesting read about his journey from his early days and the many challenges including early on a 100 year flood, to a company that was acquired by Amazon and some of his regrets about that.

He writes many times about his long journey as a seeker and mentions A Course in Miracles, dabbling with drugs, and his breathwork. He also mentions how some of his co-workers tired of his attempts to take them along in his journey and the eye rolls he received. I was left to wonder how that roller coaster ride was.

It could have been a four-star book if it had someone there to help him better craft the book, but perhaps his ego could not accept that process.

I could not think of anyone in my friend circle I would recommend the books to which is an interesting test of a book.

[Joseph Quijas · Rating 4 out of 5]

For context, this book is just as much an autobiography, if not more, than it is a story of Whole Foods Market. That said, I appreciated that John spared us a long narrative of his childhood.

There was a lot of very interesting business information in here. I loved reading about John Mackey's experiences navigating business expansion after business expansion.

I was expecting to read a simple isolated narrative decision as to why whole foods was sold to amazon. However, the reasoning is complex and goes as far back to whole foods first expanding out of Texas and acquiring the help of venture capital. At certain points, big money is needed, and an entrepreneur must hope for similar minded investors that aren't pushy about which the direction the business goes. Whole foods (eventually becoming a publicly traded company) was way too exposed to activist shareholders that enforced a strong bully-like presence. A savior with deep pockets was needed ultimately needed and amazon heeded that call.

I suppose the other aspect that sticks with me the most is John Mackey himself. I mostly appreciate how he conducts himself. I don't necessarily believe that it was appropriate for him to be so publicly outspoken about his beliefs. I was also surprised at how much time he spent away from the core of Whole Foods while being the CEO. It makes sense that there were several strong attempts to push him out of his position by his colleagues.

Overall, this was a great read if you can deal with John's very exposed personality and beliefs.

[Marisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Whole Story" is an interesting story written by John Mackey, one of the founders and the former CEO of the Whole Foods Market. This story begins in the 1970s when John Mackey is a young twenty-something, unsure of what to do with his life. He spends some time living in a cooperative housing situation and gets into vegetarianism and opens up his first health food store. The story continues on as John partners with others and continues to grow his brand while staying true to his "conscious capitalism" ideals. This book tells John’s story about his personal and spiritual journey while telling the story about how he grew his business, often going against the grain, especially in the early days, when health food was considered to be some kind of hippie fad. John Mackey may be unusual in some of his beliefs and business practices, but make no mistake. This is the story of a capitalist, one who grew his business and became wealthy by buying up all of the smaller health food stores along his way, eventually selling to Amazon. In this book, Mackey is logical in explaining Whole Foods’ growth and the way he conducted his business.

This book may interest those who are in the field of business. The audiobook is over 13 hours but it was easy to listen to. Thank you to the publisher for the advance audiobook in exchange for my honest review

[Elisabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would say my favorite thing about this book was listening to someone fully convinced he could change the world, and really taking himself as far as he could in that pursuit. While I strongly disagree with a few of his political ideologies, I respect that he came to them after careful thought and reading, while also including his heart in the matter.

I got something really nice out of the book - insight into how to genre blend your career. Having participated in a good amount of career related discourse, I find discussion of genre blending (as in, bringing your authentic self to a board meeting, even when that boardroom is filled with venture capitalists and your authentic self is a cargo-shorts-wearing, long-haired, psychedelics-consuming, we-are-all-love-believing CEO) in business literature is quite rare. That being said, I have to ask myself about the ethics of financially supporting someone with real power to change my world for the worse.

I would say if you are able to get the book for free or second-hand it is definitely worth the read. However I now better understand Mackey as a true Thatcherite at heart. While he himself seems like a fun dinner party guest, and a great close friend to have - every purchase is a vote and I feel like I financially supported a political ideally I wish I had not.

[Suhel Banerjee · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Whole Story" is a candid memoir from the co-founder and former CEO of Whole Foods Market. John Mackey chronicles the organic growth of the natural foods company, balancing his starry-eyed ideals with the pragmatic demands of running a successful business.

The book traces Mackey's journey from opening a small natural foods store to building Whole Foods (originally called Safer Way, ha!) into a grocery giant. It explores the tension between Mackey's New Age philosophies (he was a proper hippie and a business tycoon at the same time) and the hard-nosed realities of the corporate world. We get an intimate look at Mackey's personal life and his evolving relationship with his more pragmatic father, who helped provide financial backing and business acumen. Lots of details about his various romantic relationships as well.

Highly readable and often humorous, "The Whole Story" provides a unique insider's perspective on the rise of the natural and organic food movement. Mackey's willingness to grapple with his contradictions makes for a compelling and thought-provoking business memoir.

[Serena · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Mackey… entrepreneur, vegan, health-conscious, hippy, fan of MDMA, and 44-year CEO of Whole Foods. This story far exceeded my expectations. How interesting can John Mackey be? Well, I was not ready.

John tells a chronological history of the Whole Foods grocery store we know today, speckled with stories about John’s youth and personal life in a very well organized and interesting story. Without any business education, John’s grit and connections helped him turn a small co-op into the major chain Whole Foods over several decades.

I really enjoyed the audio book and learning about John and the chain’s journey from inception to publicly traded company; through acquisitions and expansions; through coups and alliances; to Amazon.

Thank you to Netgalley for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Megan Beathard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mackey is an interesting person - an advocate for veganism, meditation, and infusing business decisions with love while also being a critique of big government, and champion of free markets and capitalism. Some parts were a little wild for me - describing his experiences doing molly and holotropic breathing and realizing “he is love and he is perfect” were a bit much. He also seemed a little defensive during some of his more challenging times, but I suppose the point of an autobiography is a chance to defend your opinion of certain events. Overall, enjoyed the journey of the company’s creation and growth. Hearing about the circumstances that prompted the Amazon sale was disappointing although I also found some of the acquisitions of the smaller local stores to be a bummer as well. All is fair in love and business, I suppose.

[Mohammad Al-ubaydli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honest about many mistakes, this is very useful

The author is refreshingly honest about many mistakes. He talks about asking the love of his life for an open relationship when he was 28. He lost her. He is very detailed about problems with investors at different stages including post-IPO, and post-acquisition, stages founders rarely get to be transparent about. He is honest about the constant insecurity about being a CEO, often in the face of attacks and challenges for his position, and which he has to defend himself against. Really educational book for any founder.

PS I enjoyed him narrating the audiobook, but it was amusing that he acted out the voices of people in the stories, including women which he tries to soften his voice for. I’m not sure that was the best decision, but actually it’s another honest mistake he makes which makes you like him more.

[Brendan Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Whole Story by John Mackey is an amazing read that really stands out in the business world. Mackey’s journey to success isn’t your typical corporate story – it’s all about following a path that’s authentic to his values and vision. His story of building Whole Foods from the ground up is inspiring, especially considering how unconventional his approach was. What I love about this book is how he emphasizes purpose over profit, showing that success doesn’t have to come at the expense of doing the right thing. Mackey’s hard work, resilience, and focus on creating a conscious business come through on every page. If you're looking for motivation or a fresh perspective on success, this book is definitely worth reading!

[Mir Shahzad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary:

Mackey’s journey with Whole Foods Market demonstrates the power of aligning personal values with business goals, like his commitment to natural foods and conscious capitalism. Mackey’s success came from his ability to adapt and innovate, turning crises into opportunities and continuously evolving his business model. His emphasis on building strong relationships with employees, customers, and communities proved crucial in weathering challenges and fueling growth. Ultimately, Mackey’s legacy shows that businesses can be both profitable and socially responsible, paving the way for a new generation of conscious entrepreneurs.

[Alex Yauk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice little memoir. I was interested in Mackey individually more than Whole Foods as a store, as I’d seen him around in libertarian circles a couple of times. Which, I’d say, is a pretty unique place to be as the founder/CEO of a health/organic food store.

Conscious Capitalism is an interesting concept, and while I don’t agree with all of Mackey’s conclusions, I can respect his approach. The book actually made me more interested in shopping at Whole Foods rather than less - despite Mackey distancing himself somewhat post-Amazon sale.

Cheers to independent thinkers that live out their principles!