The Transformation Principles: How to Create Enduring Change

by Hemant Taneja, Kevin Maney

USA Today Bestseller

Publisher’s Weekly Bestseller

From the CEO of global investment and transformation company General Catalyst, this powerful, timely set of principles is an essential guide to long-term success, for business leaders, founders, and policymakers navigating a new era of technological and geopolitical change.

Capitalism has historically focused on profit generation, with positive impact left to non-profits. This system has fueled unprecedented growth, but has also generated unsustainable consequences—deepening inequality, widespread job displacement, and eroding social trust. It’s time for a new paradigm—one that recognizes the inextricable link between positive impact and returns. Long-term profitability depends on maintaining public trust, societal wellbeing, and operating legitimacy. This new reality necessitates a new set of principles—transformation principles—to guide our decision-making as we build for growth and for good.

CEO Hemant Taneja has developed these principles throughout his life, and they have guided General Catalyst—with over $36 billion in assets—to fund, found, and nurture some of the most successful companies of the past two decades, while simultaneously having a powerful positive impact on society.

In The Transformation Principles, Taneja explains the nine principles behind the company’s outsized impact in investing and industry transformation, which will help you:
-Understand the critical importance of a company’s soul.
-Navigate through the inevitable twists and turns of building for a new future .
-See beyond trends and focus on what truly matters for enduring success.
-Help build companies that solve society’s hardest problems, making capitalism a force for good.
-Lead with curiosity, generosity, and a beginner’s mind to build long-term, continuously-evolving businesses

The Transformation Principles is a blueprint for leaders who want to create institutions that endure, drive inclusive growth, and reshape industries in ways that serve people and society while generating outsized financial value. Equipped with these nine principles, any individual or organization will be able to see beyond trends and short-term thinking and instead focus on long-term successes that last for generations to come.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction

240 pages, Hardcover

Published September 23, 2025

About the author

I am the CEO of General Catalyst, a founder, investor, and author.

My vision for General Catalyst is to be the world’s foremost investment and transformation company, supporting global resilience through applied AI. I first laid out my AI thesis in my 2018 book Unscaled. I believe in investing in the critical systems that underpin modern democracies and their allies.

I am an early investor in Stripe, Samsara (NYSE: IOT), Snap (NYSE: SNAP), Gitlab (NASDAQ: GTLB), Grammarly, Gusto, Applied Intuition, Anduril, Ro, and Canva. My recent focus has been on Applied AI and sustainability with focus on companies like Crescendo and Re:Build Manufacturing.

My 2020 book, UnHealthcare, co-authored with Dr. Stephen Klasko, CEO of Jefferson Health, details our thesis for how the healthcare system needs to transform a “sick care” system into a Health Assurance system that is proactive, accessible and affordable. I have helped create several companies to architect a health assurance system in America including Livongo, Commure, Transcarent, Tendo, Homeward, and Hippocratic.

I also serve as the Founder and Chairman of the Health Assurance Transformation Company (HATCo) that is working closely with several major health systems worldwide to drive their transformations.

I’m an advocate for Responsible Innovation, as outlined in my 2022 book Intended Consequences: How to Build Market-Leading Companies with Responsible Innovation.

In addition to my roles serving on many of our portfolio company boards, I am also Co-Founder and Chairman of the non-profits Responsible Innovation Labs and Advanced Energy United, trustee at Northeastern University and the Stanford School of Medicine Board of Fellows, and am a founding board member of Khan Lab School, an innovative K-12 school.

I hold five degrees from MIT: M.Eng. EECS, S.M. Operations Research, S.B. Biology, S.B. Mathematics, and S.B. EECS. And I’m a proud husband and father to three kids.

Reviews

[Cathy VanLear · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would like to thank Goodreads and Tamera for the opportunity to read The Transformation Principles and to voluntarily write an honest review.

With all the political and economical turmoil in today’s society, leaders need tools and principles to build strong and lasting companies. Taneja explains nine principles to help individuals and companies to focus on long term success.

First my disclosure, this blueprint for leaders seeking to create companies that grow, thrive, and endure is NOT my typical read. Therefore, I struggled with the technical wording and the understanding of the economical aspect of this book.

For what it’s worth, the front cover is captivating and thought provoking with an intriguing image of a planet with swirling ethereal colors set against a stark white background.

Personally, I feel like this book could be an important read for leaders seeking guidance, inspiration, and useful strategies in building a strong organization or company.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

He’s my boss. His other books are meh at best. This one is actually pretty good. Nothing groundbreaking but I think gives a real view into how he thinks and why I work for him!

[Arya Taneja · Rating 5 out of 5]

so good i love

[Asan Kurmanguzhin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great principles and loved the specific startup examples that follow them.

Good inspiration for ideation on your own startup ideas.