What do you think?
Rate this book
Barefoot to Billionaire
The company he founded in 1970, the Huntsman Corporation, is now one of the largest petrochemical manufacturers in the world, employing more than 12,000 people and generating over $10 billion in revenue each year. Success in business, though, has always been a means to an end—never an end in itself. In Barefoot to Billionaire, Huntsman revisits the key moments in his life that shaped his view of faith, family, service, and the responsibility that comes with wealth. He writes candidly about his brief tenure in the Nixon administration, which preceded the Watergate scandal but still left a deep impression on him about the abuse of power and the significance of personal respect and integrity. He also opens up about his faith and prominent membership in the Church Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. But most importantly, Huntsman reveals the rationale behind his commitment to give away his entire fortune before his death. In 1995, Huntsman and his wife Karen founded the Huntsman Cancer Institute and have since dedicated more than a billion dollars of their personal funds to the fight for a cure. They don’t plan to stop giving until the battle is won. In this increasingly materialistic world, Barefoot to Billionaire is a refreshing reminder of the enduring power of traditional values.
Unknown Binding
First published August 28, 2014
26 people are currently reading
332 people want to read
About the author
Jon M. Huntsman Sr.
17 books27 followersJon Meade Huntsman, Sr. was an American businessman and philanthropist. He was the founder and executive chairman of Huntsman Corporation, a global manufacturer and marketer of specialty chemicals. He was the father of Jon Huntsman a former United States Ambassador to Singapore, China, and (as of 2017) Russia and a former Governor of Utah .
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
October 6, 2019
"How does one build great wealth? Through focus, flexibility, hard work; by following one's intuition with self-confidence. And then there's the matter of being willing to bet the farm. A lot of people have those first attributes, but few dare to risk what they have earned to that point. Most would-be executives are reasonably good at conceptualizing, but poor at implementing new ideas and concepts. It is the individual who possesses both of these qualities, particularly the latter, who succeeds most of the time. It is important to be mentally and emotionally tough. Surviving difficult times requires the ability to sustain terrible shocks to the system and still operate with a clear goal in mind." (Jon M. Huntsman, SR., Barefoot to Billionaire, Page 434)
This Billionaire-Author advises that it took him over three decades to write elements in this book (p. 437). It covers everything from troubles surrounding his birth, to his mother and others members of his family dying from cancer, and his own bouts with cancer himself. He details going to school, creating his first business, his stint in The White House under Richard Nixon. Continuing after the White House, he writes about returning to business, becoming very rich, then using the proceeds of these businesses to fund his philanthropic endeavors.
Before I read this book, I knew the Author's religion was Mormonism, so I was a bit turned off by this, as I believe Mormonism is a cult with its founder, Joseph Smith, being clearly a false prophet by adding to the Word of God (Genesis to Revelation). However, the Author does not quote passages from the Mormon Bible, but does share stories of his involvement in the LDS (Latter-Day Saints) church. It is unfortunate that a man of his wealth was involved in this cult, and funded many of its projects, and acted as a leader in promoting its false and misleading religion.
In respect to his business acumen, he was very skilled at making deals, and creative deals I might add. This ability and skill took his company from being in the red to making billions of dollars in revenue, but not without pitfalls along the way in the form of litigation, competition, and downturns in the economy... In my opinion, if you could learn anything from this man, it is would be his deal-making ability. Unbeknownst to some, he was educated at the Wharton School of Business, the same school Donald Trump attended. Seems that this school turns out some very smart deal-makers!
Throughout the book, it is sprinkled with stories of his charitable works, with the majority of his philanthropy focused on finding a cure for cancer. At the end of the book he closes with accolades for each member of his family, and then goes into detail about his most famous son, Jon Huntsman Jr. and his 6 month unsuccessful presidential run, and then his successful run for governor of Utah.
In this book, you will basically learn the inner-workings of what it takes to create billion dollar businesses, views on politics, and philanthropy.
This Billionaire-Author advises that it took him over three decades to write elements in this book (p. 437). It covers everything from troubles surrounding his birth, to his mother and others members of his family dying from cancer, and his own bouts with cancer himself. He details going to school, creating his first business, his stint in The White House under Richard Nixon. Continuing after the White House, he writes about returning to business, becoming very rich, then using the proceeds of these businesses to fund his philanthropic endeavors.
Before I read this book, I knew the Author's religion was Mormonism, so I was a bit turned off by this, as I believe Mormonism is a cult with its founder, Joseph Smith, being clearly a false prophet by adding to the Word of God (Genesis to Revelation). However, the Author does not quote passages from the Mormon Bible, but does share stories of his involvement in the LDS (Latter-Day Saints) church. It is unfortunate that a man of his wealth was involved in this cult, and funded many of its projects, and acted as a leader in promoting its false and misleading religion.
In respect to his business acumen, he was very skilled at making deals, and creative deals I might add. This ability and skill took his company from being in the red to making billions of dollars in revenue, but not without pitfalls along the way in the form of litigation, competition, and downturns in the economy... In my opinion, if you could learn anything from this man, it is would be his deal-making ability. Unbeknownst to some, he was educated at the Wharton School of Business, the same school Donald Trump attended. Seems that this school turns out some very smart deal-makers!
Throughout the book, it is sprinkled with stories of his charitable works, with the majority of his philanthropy focused on finding a cure for cancer. At the end of the book he closes with accolades for each member of his family, and then goes into detail about his most famous son, Jon Huntsman Jr. and his 6 month unsuccessful presidential run, and then his successful run for governor of Utah.
In this book, you will basically learn the inner-workings of what it takes to create billion dollar businesses, views on politics, and philanthropy.
November 24, 2014
This was an amazing and honest memoir of Jon M Huntsman Sr, who started Huntsman Chemical. He started with nothing and grew his small company into a mammoth corporation, a leader in the chemical industry. He described starting and growing the company, with next to no money and financed much of the early growth with debt. It amazed me the sheer guts and tenacity Huntsman had running his business. He went bankrupt nearly three different times. It was awe-inspiring to read how he kept up on his business and never gave up. It was refreshing to hear how he was able to run a business, raise a family (9 kids) and hold high profile church callings. His ultimate goal is to find a cure for cancer. He established the Huntsman Cancer Center in Salt Lake City. The state of the art facility is a leader in cancer research and treatment. Huntsman plans to leave his entire fortune to the cancer center and exit this life with nothing, just like he arrived in this world. This was inspiring and interesting. It sparked in my the entrepreneurial feelings I've had my entire life. Definitely a recommended read.
March 30, 2015
It was a tell all book about Mr. Hunstman. I enjoyed it more then I thought and his details about business deals were fascinating. It was enjoyable to learn a little about his family life and how the Hunstman Cancer Institute came to be. I struggled with him being a little more then confident and almost bragging through most of the book.
June 20, 2025
4/5. I've been aware of this book for years and finally found the time to read it. Having worked at the Huntsman Cancer Hospital (HCH) for nearly 10 years and holding 4 different jobs there, this almost feels like a rite of passage.
Some great insight about the man behind it all. It was really unique experience reading this having met Mr. Huntsman a few times across my tenure at the hospital. He wasn't lying about being a generous and gracious person. I remember first meeting as a young 20-something year old valet parker at HCH. He spent time with all of the valet staff prior to moving along to his other obligations. I'll never forget his presence and kindness.
I enjoyed the first third and the last third of the book the most. I found the middle to be a little distracting and hard to read at times. Despite this, I would definitely recommend this read to anyone who knows anything about Jon Huntsman Sr.
Some great insight about the man behind it all. It was really unique experience reading this having met Mr. Huntsman a few times across my tenure at the hospital. He wasn't lying about being a generous and gracious person. I remember first meeting as a young 20-something year old valet parker at HCH. He spent time with all of the valet staff prior to moving along to his other obligations. I'll never forget his presence and kindness.
I enjoyed the first third and the last third of the book the most. I found the middle to be a little distracting and hard to read at times. Despite this, I would definitely recommend this read to anyone who knows anything about Jon Huntsman Sr.
September 19, 2019
Pretty good. A little petty. The business growth and strategy were very enjoyable. The chapter on his family and how they are everything to him was moving and definitely the cherry on top.
May 3, 2015
I will start with some oddness regarding the ISBN number. I can only imagine the information associated with the number must have been preliminary information. Call Me Old-Fashioned vs Barefoot to Billionaire. Second, the length of the book is about 60 pages longer. Again, I would guess preliminary versus final draft.
I received this book as a Christmas gift from my company. They handed out signed editions to all associates. Many associates promptly placed the books on their bookshelves in their offices. I am sure this was two fold: show loyalty to the company and to be looked upon favorably. Not really sure there, either; just guessing. However, I hope that each of them takes the time to pull the book from its place of storage and actually read it. It is simply fascinating. The man has certainly led an incredible life. Granted, it is his book and I am sure there is bias (you would be a fool to think otherwise), but he is also very candid in his writing. It is hard to use the word 'humble' when talking about someone who has been so successful, but I truly found him to be very open in personal aspects of his life.
His details of his business dealings were mesmerizing. There are certainly some gaps in how he got from A to B, which I would have loved to learn more about, but that's a detail probably reserved for his most intimate circle. Mr. Huntsman has had a well-rounded life. From his civic experiences, religious experiences, and private business dealings. I will certainly say there are nuggets of wisdom placed throughout this book. It certainly won't make me a billionaire or an entrepreneur, but it does give me an appreciation for 'betting the farm'.
I received this book as a Christmas gift from my company. They handed out signed editions to all associates. Many associates promptly placed the books on their bookshelves in their offices. I am sure this was two fold: show loyalty to the company and to be looked upon favorably. Not really sure there, either; just guessing. However, I hope that each of them takes the time to pull the book from its place of storage and actually read it. It is simply fascinating. The man has certainly led an incredible life. Granted, it is his book and I am sure there is bias (you would be a fool to think otherwise), but he is also very candid in his writing. It is hard to use the word 'humble' when talking about someone who has been so successful, but I truly found him to be very open in personal aspects of his life.
His details of his business dealings were mesmerizing. There are certainly some gaps in how he got from A to B, which I would have loved to learn more about, but that's a detail probably reserved for his most intimate circle. Mr. Huntsman has had a well-rounded life. From his civic experiences, religious experiences, and private business dealings. I will certainly say there are nuggets of wisdom placed throughout this book. It certainly won't make me a billionaire or an entrepreneur, but it does give me an appreciation for 'betting the farm'.
February 14, 2022
Jon M. Huntsman, Sr., was an unusual man, and this book is an unusual book which was obviously written for the general public rather than for devoted members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints although, from all perspectives, Huntsman was an active, devoted member of the Church. There are brief indications in the book that he was not familiar with keyboards and did not use computers. His college days were before electronic calculators, let alone computers. His voice and his personality had to have been his most effective communication tools. Chapters 4 through 11 and 13 through 19 were mostly about entrepreneurship with many informative, and educational, details. Chapter 12 was about the kidnapping of one of his high-school-age sons. The first three and the last three chapters were mostly about family, and I would be pleased if my children (All of whom are adults.) read them. If I had read these six family chapters, my voting choices in past elections would have included more respect for Jon Jr.
February 24, 2016
Fun to read about a local Idaho boy with education and guts made billions. Interesting to read about his efforts to give it all away to good causes.
December 22, 2019
A very great Read and reading 📖 along this larger than LIFE man of True Impeccable Strong Character Mr John M Huntsman Sr, took me a while to complete reading his Book due to having struggle understanding and going back n forth what he discussed about certain key moments of his most important parts of his life. Never the less I was deeply moved by this man it literally felt like he is me in the future on how he grew up in his humbling beginnings, this is a man that I aspire to be he is truly like he says beyond WEALTH Riches and materials is that his “WORD IS BOND” His religion of Mormon can throw off people from that religion specially being inserted in his book a good majority it doesn’t get in the way. This MAN of how he Became a wealthy Entrepreneur business Family Man philanthropist he literally build up his Empire to help others and thru his charitys and specially so many AMAZING mind blowing Big dreams that he actually achieved to make the world a better place better than he found it, so much applicable principles mentioned and wisdom that can be learned and appreciated of what it takes be a SUCCESS specially for everything he did was for HIS FAMILY, it’s worth a read not a waste of time 👍🏻
March 31, 2020
I don't quite know how I feel about this book. I found it interesting but self-serving. Huntsman was a remarkable businessman but one who pushed the envelope. As I read about how he finagled deals, the term wheeler-dealer came to mind. At one point in the book, he said that anyone who was willing to take risks and do as he did would be able to become as wealthy as he. I don't think that is true. While he was a hard worker and had business savvy, he also had a lot of connections that allowed him to initially gain the skills that he needed and then gain entry into banks and businesses who had great influence that he levered to his advantage. He has a lot of admirable qualities. For example, he refused to declare bankruptcy when he could have done it and he was a man of his word.
August 31, 2017
My sister gave me this book for my birthday. Mr. Huntsman proved to be quite a writer. I liked his turn of phrase, and his story. I really enjoyed reading about his early life, and his family. The personal stories were most interesting to me. For instance, I had to smile when I realized that one of his first ventures was making and selling a Christmas album where various artists of the day sang, and they were sold in grocery stores. I remember our family owning it when I was in school. His big business wheeling and dealing were less interesting to me, probably because of my lack of experience in that arena. Hence, only 3 stars. But all in all a good read. Thanks, Janice!
June 19, 2019
The story of Jon Huntsman Sr is a fascinating read. He had a very different take on money compared to many. He believed that while it is important to give your family a nice lifestyle you also have to give to others. Even though he made billions of dollars, he gave most away. more money he donated to charity and more money he seemed to make, Jon kept giving and has left this legacy to his children and grandchildren, who continue to give.
Hunstman is a Christian and a man of great faith and this permeates through the story of his life. The book is well written and very inspiring. Highly recommended!
Hunstman is a Christian and a man of great faith and this permeates through the story of his life. The book is well written and very inspiring. Highly recommended!
January 10, 2020
Mr. Huntsman is a pulled up by his bootstraps kind of guy. He many hundreds of business deals and made billions of dollars. He did tell part of his story by mentioning things he didn't like about the political leaders and church leaders. His honesty is refreshing. perhaps he has a bit of an ego, but never does anything without it being the best, Huntsman Cancer Institute.\
I did enjoy this book and learning about him. My in-laws, who have passes away, serving a mission in DC under his leadership, and loved him. They received Christmas cards for many years.
I did enjoy this book and learning about him. My in-laws, who have passes away, serving a mission in DC under his leadership, and loved him. They received Christmas cards for many years.
August 10, 2018
This is the remarkable bigraphy of a remarkable man! Jon Huntsman set out to make a lot of money so he could give it away. A father of nine, he was able to keep a good balance of family, church service, and humanitarian service, all while leading a huge, multi billion dollar business. I don't know when he slept! One of my favorite anecdotes is that he rarely left less than a $100.00 tip. Even for a sandwich! He loved to see how happy it made the waiters and waitresses.
February 21, 2019
The intense business stuff was not what I read this book for so I fast-forwarded through a lot of the middle but the way the foundation was laid and the ending stuff about the family was very interesting. It was helpful to get insights into where he came from and how Huntsman businesses were formed. It takes a certain mindset to be able to do what he did so more power to him! And earning money to give it away is a great aspiration.
February 3, 2024
I've heard a lot about Huntsman and his family but didn't really know the story. This autobiography, while mostly focused on his business dealings and growing the Huntsman enterprise, also covers his family life, his church and faith, and his journey to where he is today. Reading this, I'm amazed at how one even has the energy to do all that he has done, as a father of 9 kids, a busy church leader, politics, and all the things on the side of his business building.
August 20, 2018
Grateful to have learned more about a man who is so well-known and beloved in my community. Not as interested in the chemical business which seemed to go on and on at times. Thankful for his grit and determination in starting the cancer institute. I wish more had the desire to give away everything they had.
March 3, 2018
Great and inspiring
It has been fun to learn about this giant of a man and the process that made him who he was. I’d recommend this book to anyone looking to rub shoulders with one of the greatest out there.
It has been fun to learn about this giant of a man and the process that made him who he was. I’d recommend this book to anyone looking to rub shoulders with one of the greatest out there.
May 25, 2018
This man is crazy, but very good at heart. I can't believe his crazy life, but he is a real character who wanted to build something powerful and to do some good. Plenty of faults but he didn't try to hide them from the tone of this very interesting biography.
November 19, 2020
Having lived in the era of Jon Huntsman and crossed his path a few times, I have always wanted to know his full story. To that end, this was a book that was difficult to put down and truly inspiring to me as a business man and wanna be entrepreneur. I highly recommend it.
June 10, 2017
Book club choice: some of this was interesting, and some of it was tedious and overly technical. But I feel like I learned a lot about a very prominent (and influential) fellow Utahn.
August 30, 2017
What a Cluster of a life he's been handed. He earned his Billions. That is indisputable.
February 21, 2018
Amazing places and circumstances he put himself in. Many things I did not know about him.
February 21, 2018
Maybe I would give the book 4* and 5* to the man. An interesting and exhilarating autobiography.
June 4, 2018
I give it a 4.5.. but it actually won't let me. this is a great book it gets a little repetitive at times. I really enjoyed reading it.
July 4, 2019
This was a very interesting book. Easy to read and follow. Some humor and interesting anecdotes.
August 13, 2019
Fascinating and at times, inspiring.
January 6, 2022
A great story of american business, philanthropy, faith and business. I enjoyed the story and learned a lot from Mr Huntsman. I hope to apply many of his tips to my business.
February 19, 2022
A wonderful book about an amazing man. Really inspiring.
June 6, 2022
Interesting life read by Jon Huntsman himself! It dragged for me at times.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews