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Wiser Guy: Life-Changing Revelations and Revisions from Tech's Chief Evangelist
A collection of honest, humorous, and heartfelt stories from a Silicon Valley icon
Wiser Guy is Guy Kawasaki’s dynamic update of Wise Guy, delivering a fresh collection of stories that combine humor, humility, and the wisdom gained from five more years of life—and 250 episodes of the Remarkable People podcast.
This new edition reflects Guy’s continued evolution, enriched by deep conversations with luminaries such as Jane Goodall, Steve Wozniak, Stephen Wolfram, Angela Duckworth, and Julia Cameron.
These interviews have broadened his perspective and deepened the relevance of his advice—transforming Wiser Guy into more than just a memoir; it’s a collaborative, cross-generational conversation about purpose, resilience, and leadership.
Whether you’re launching your career, building a company, navigating uncertainty, or simply striving to grow, Wiser Guy is a practical and inspiring guide. It offers candid reflections and actionable insights from Guy and the remarkable minds who have influenced him—creating a roadmap for living a more meaningful, impactful life.
Wiser Guy is Guy Kawasaki’s dynamic update of Wise Guy, delivering a fresh collection of stories that combine humor, humility, and the wisdom gained from five more years of life—and 250 episodes of the Remarkable People podcast.
This new edition reflects Guy’s continued evolution, enriched by deep conversations with luminaries such as Jane Goodall, Steve Wozniak, Stephen Wolfram, Angela Duckworth, and Julia Cameron.
These interviews have broadened his perspective and deepened the relevance of his advice—transforming Wiser Guy into more than just a memoir; it’s a collaborative, cross-generational conversation about purpose, resilience, and leadership.
Whether you’re launching your career, building a company, navigating uncertainty, or simply striving to grow, Wiser Guy is a practical and inspiring guide. It offers candid reflections and actionable insights from Guy and the remarkable minds who have influenced him—creating a roadmap for living a more meaningful, impactful life.
224 pages, Hardcover
Published August 18, 2025
1 person is currently reading
5 people want to read
About the author
Guy Kawasaki
93 books2,650 followersI was born in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1954. My family lived in a tough part of Honolulu called Kalihi Valley. We weren’t rich, but I never felt poor-because my mother and father made many sacrifices for my sister and me. My mother was a housewife, and my father was a fireman, real estate broker, state senator, and government official during his long, distinguished career.
I attended Iolani School where I graduated in 1972. Iolani is not as well known as its rival, Punahou because no presidents of the U. S. went there, but I got a fantastic and formative education there. (Punahou is “USC,” and Iolani is “Stanford”—but I digress.) I pay special tribute to Harold Keables, my AP English teacher.He taught me that the key to writing is editing. No one in the universe would be more shocked that I have written ten books (or one book ten times) than Harold Keables.
After Iolani, I matriculated to Stanford; I graduated in 1976 with a major in psychology—which was the easiest major I could find. I loved Stanford. I sometimes wish I could go back in time to my undergraduate days “on the farm.”
After Stanford, I attended the law school at U.C. Davis because, like all Asian-American parents, my folks wanted me to be a “doctor, lawyer, or dentist.” I only lasted one week because I couldn’t deal with the law school teachers telling me that I was crap and that they were going to remake me.
The following year I entered the MBA program at UCLA. I liked this curriculum much better. While there, I worked for a fine-jewelry manufacturer called Nova Stylings; hence, my first real job was literally counting diamonds. From Nova, its CEO Marty Gruber, and my Jewish colleagues in the jewelry business, I learned how to sell, and this skill was vital to my entire career.
I remained at Nova for a few years until the the Apple II removed the scales from my eyes. Then I went to work for an educational software company called EduWare Services. However, Peachtree Software acquired the company and wanted me to move to Atlanta. “I don’t think so.” I can’t live in a city where people call sushi “bait.”
Luckily, my Stanford roommate, Mike Boich, got me a job at Apple; for giving me my chance at Apple, I owe Mike a great debt. When I saw what a Macintosh could do, the clouds parted and the angels started singing. For four years I evangelized Macintosh to software and hardware developers and led the charge against world-wide domination by IBM. I also met my wife Beth at Apple during this timeframe—Apple has been very good to me.
Around 1987, my job at Apple was done. Macintosh had plenty of software by then, so I left to start a Macintosh database company called ACIUS. It published a product called 4th Dimension. To this day, 4th Dimension remains a great database.
I ran ACIUS for two years and then left to pursue my bliss of writing, speaking, and consulting. I’ve written for Macuser, Macworld, and Forbes. I call these the “Wonder Years” as in “I wonder how I came to deserve such a good life.”
In 1989, I started another software company called Fog City Software with three of the best co-founders in the world: Will Mayall, Kathryn Henkens, and Jud Spencer. We created an email product called Emailer which we sold to Claris and then a list server product called LetterRip.
In 1995 I returned to Apple as an Apple fellow. At the time, according to the pundits, Apple was supposed to die. (Apple should have died about ten times in the past twenty years according to the pundits.) My job on this tour of duty was to maintain and rejuvenate the Macintosh cult.
A couple years later, I left Apple to start an angel investor matchmaking service called Garage.com with Craig Johnson of Venture Law Group and Rich Karlgaard of Forbes. Version 2.0 of Garage.com was an investment bank for helping entrepreneurs raise money from venture capitalists. Today, version 3.0 of Garage.com is called Garage Technology Ven
I attended Iolani School where I graduated in 1972. Iolani is not as well known as its rival, Punahou because no presidents of the U. S. went there, but I got a fantastic and formative education there. (Punahou is “USC,” and Iolani is “Stanford”—but I digress.) I pay special tribute to Harold Keables, my AP English teacher.He taught me that the key to writing is editing. No one in the universe would be more shocked that I have written ten books (or one book ten times) than Harold Keables.
After Iolani, I matriculated to Stanford; I graduated in 1976 with a major in psychology—which was the easiest major I could find. I loved Stanford. I sometimes wish I could go back in time to my undergraduate days “on the farm.”
After Stanford, I attended the law school at U.C. Davis because, like all Asian-American parents, my folks wanted me to be a “doctor, lawyer, or dentist.” I only lasted one week because I couldn’t deal with the law school teachers telling me that I was crap and that they were going to remake me.
The following year I entered the MBA program at UCLA. I liked this curriculum much better. While there, I worked for a fine-jewelry manufacturer called Nova Stylings; hence, my first real job was literally counting diamonds. From Nova, its CEO Marty Gruber, and my Jewish colleagues in the jewelry business, I learned how to sell, and this skill was vital to my entire career.
I remained at Nova for a few years until the the Apple II removed the scales from my eyes. Then I went to work for an educational software company called EduWare Services. However, Peachtree Software acquired the company and wanted me to move to Atlanta. “I don’t think so.” I can’t live in a city where people call sushi “bait.”
Luckily, my Stanford roommate, Mike Boich, got me a job at Apple; for giving me my chance at Apple, I owe Mike a great debt. When I saw what a Macintosh could do, the clouds parted and the angels started singing. For four years I evangelized Macintosh to software and hardware developers and led the charge against world-wide domination by IBM. I also met my wife Beth at Apple during this timeframe—Apple has been very good to me.
Around 1987, my job at Apple was done. Macintosh had plenty of software by then, so I left to start a Macintosh database company called ACIUS. It published a product called 4th Dimension. To this day, 4th Dimension remains a great database.
I ran ACIUS for two years and then left to pursue my bliss of writing, speaking, and consulting. I’ve written for Macuser, Macworld, and Forbes. I call these the “Wonder Years” as in “I wonder how I came to deserve such a good life.”
In 1989, I started another software company called Fog City Software with three of the best co-founders in the world: Will Mayall, Kathryn Henkens, and Jud Spencer. We created an email product called Emailer which we sold to Claris and then a list server product called LetterRip.
In 1995 I returned to Apple as an Apple fellow. At the time, according to the pundits, Apple was supposed to die. (Apple should have died about ten times in the past twenty years according to the pundits.) My job on this tour of duty was to maintain and rejuvenate the Macintosh cult.
A couple years later, I left Apple to start an angel investor matchmaking service called Garage.com with Craig Johnson of Venture Law Group and Rich Karlgaard of Forbes. Version 2.0 of Garage.com was an investment bank for helping entrepreneurs raise money from venture capitalists. Today, version 3.0 of Garage.com is called Garage Technology Ven
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April 30, 2025
Wiser Guy: Thoughts
Life-Changing Revelations and Revisions from Tech's Chief Evangelist
Guy Kawasaki, Madisun Nuismer
Guy Kawasaki is a young elder that has been around for (almost) ever. He has evolved from being an evangelist, for Apple and their Macintosh computer line to a marketing specialist, venture capitalist, author, and advocate for democracy and decency. and Silicon Valley venture capitalist.
Our paths have crossed a couple of times over the years – when I was more involved in the software industry and then reading, listening, and reviewing his material from time to time. When I read that he had this book coming out, I offered to do a review and generously received an advance review copy. I am glad I did.
Wisdom is the power to put our time and our knowledge to the proper use ~ Thomas J. Watson Jr.
You see, some of the stories might be familiar, but there is a little more depth to them. Some of the stories are new. Some of the insights allow us to understand and appreciate more where he is coming from, and perhaps, where we should all be heading.
The book also shares some great quotes. They make you ponder; they make you smile; they make you think that Kawasaki must be really well read. For instance, Zig Ziglar’s “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” That is wise. How can you tire of reading it again?
Guy Kawasaki is also tough. He advises us to “be a hardass if you are a teacher, manager, coach, or someone who has the ability to influence others. Lowering standards and expectations in an effort to be kind, gentle, or popular benefits no one. However, you can do both, which is excellent.” That is wisdom.
You see, victory does not only go to the outliers who are “smarter, bigger, and faster than you, that doesn’t mean you can’t be better than they are. You need to get busy and work at something. “Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.” You need to learn from your experiences, and derive inspiration from them. That is wise.
Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it. ~ Henry David Thoreau
You have to make yourself indispensable; not consider ‘no’ as a permanent decision; and understand that effort and persistence, will not guarantee success, but they will foster quality and improvement. Lots of challenges are looking for that attitude and those qualities.
Learn to sell; learn to surf; learn to stretch – you can be more than what you currently are. Preparation breeds lucky and lucky people are more apt to succeed. This book can help motivate, stimulate, encourage, and yes, even make you wiser.
Wiser Guy seems like covering old ground, but with a fresher, more intimate, and wiser approach!
Generously offered and received a review copy, after asking! Take that next step!
Lino Matteo ©™
Twitter @Lino_Matteo
#BookReview #BE #UP #Montreal #LinoMatteo #GuyKawasaki #Business #Marketing
Life-Changing Revelations and Revisions from Tech's Chief Evangelist
Guy Kawasaki, Madisun Nuismer
Guy Kawasaki is a young elder that has been around for (almost) ever. He has evolved from being an evangelist, for Apple and their Macintosh computer line to a marketing specialist, venture capitalist, author, and advocate for democracy and decency. and Silicon Valley venture capitalist.
Our paths have crossed a couple of times over the years – when I was more involved in the software industry and then reading, listening, and reviewing his material from time to time. When I read that he had this book coming out, I offered to do a review and generously received an advance review copy. I am glad I did.
Wisdom is the power to put our time and our knowledge to the proper use ~ Thomas J. Watson Jr.
You see, some of the stories might be familiar, but there is a little more depth to them. Some of the stories are new. Some of the insights allow us to understand and appreciate more where he is coming from, and perhaps, where we should all be heading.
The book also shares some great quotes. They make you ponder; they make you smile; they make you think that Kawasaki must be really well read. For instance, Zig Ziglar’s “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” That is wise. How can you tire of reading it again?
Guy Kawasaki is also tough. He advises us to “be a hardass if you are a teacher, manager, coach, or someone who has the ability to influence others. Lowering standards and expectations in an effort to be kind, gentle, or popular benefits no one. However, you can do both, which is excellent.” That is wisdom.
You see, victory does not only go to the outliers who are “smarter, bigger, and faster than you, that doesn’t mean you can’t be better than they are. You need to get busy and work at something. “Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.” You need to learn from your experiences, and derive inspiration from them. That is wise.
Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it. ~ Henry David Thoreau
You have to make yourself indispensable; not consider ‘no’ as a permanent decision; and understand that effort and persistence, will not guarantee success, but they will foster quality and improvement. Lots of challenges are looking for that attitude and those qualities.
Learn to sell; learn to surf; learn to stretch – you can be more than what you currently are. Preparation breeds lucky and lucky people are more apt to succeed. This book can help motivate, stimulate, encourage, and yes, even make you wiser.
Wiser Guy seems like covering old ground, but with a fresher, more intimate, and wiser approach!
Generously offered and received a review copy, after asking! Take that next step!
Lino Matteo ©™
Twitter @Lino_Matteo
#BookReview #BE #UP #Montreal #LinoMatteo #GuyKawasaki #Business #Marketing
Displaying 1 of 1 review