Books - Chip Conley

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Chip shares a lifetime of wisdom found at the intersection of business, psychology and spirit.

01 / 07

Learning to Love Midlife

12 Reasons Why Life Gets Better With Age

JANUARY 2024 (Pre-order now!) The midlife crisis is the butt of so many jokes, but this long-derided life stage has an upside. What if we could reframe our thinking about the natural transition of midlife not as a crisis, but as a chrysalis—a time when something profound awakens in us, as we shed our skin, spread our wings, and pollinate our wisdom to the world?

In "Learning to Love Midlife," Chip offers an alternative narrative to the way we commonly think of our 40s, 50s and 60s. Drawing on the latest social science research, inspiring stories, and timeless wisdom, he reveals 12 reasons why life gets better with age.

“Rarely have I read a book that so succinctly captures the upside of midlife, a life stage that is more an opportunity than a crisis. Chip Conley reminds us all to savor the wisdom, self-knowledge, and joy that accompanies this time in our lives.”

02 / 07

A Year of Wisdom with Chip Conley

“A Year of Wisdom" is a physical complement to Chip’s online Wisdom Well blog — a book you can hold, dog-ear and gift. Each day offers relevant and relatable topics to consider, with a question to prompt reflection and action on your modern elder journey.

Sharing his personal journey and learned wisdom on aging, society, work, relationships, spirituality, community, and legacy, Chip provides a daily peek into his heart and mind that will surely touch yours. And his daily “microdose” of wisdom will support your own curiosity and passion for creating the life you want to live today.

“Chip’s blog has been a tried and true digital daily habit for years. Now, his book sits on my coffee table – providing an offline daily ritual that truly inspires.”

03 / 07

Wisdom @ Work

The Making of a Modern Elder

At age 52, Chip was asked by the young founders of Airbnb to help grow a start-up into a global hospitality giant. He had the industry experience, but not the digital fluency of his 20-something colleagues. Twice the age of the average employee, he'd be reporting to a CEO young enough to be his son. Chip soon discovered that while he'd been hired as a teacher and mentor, he was also a student and intern.

What emerged is the secret to thriving as a mid-life worker: marrying wisdom and experience with curiosity, a beginner's mind, and a willingness to evolve—all hallmarks of what he calls the "modern elder."

“This is ultimately a book about how we can develop deeper connections, disrupt how we think about teaching and learning, and make more meaningful contributions in our lives and our careers. With stories, questions, and strategies, Chip shares his heart and wisdom on every page. This is exactly what we need right now!”

04 / 07

Emotional Equations

Simple Truths for Creating Happiness & Success

When Chip suffered a series of devastating personal and professional setbacks, he developed “Emotional Equations” (such as Joy = Love - Fear) to help him focus on the variables in life that he could handle, rather than dwelling on the parts he couldn’t.

Using simple logic, equations like “Despair = Suffering - Meaning” offer a way to identify the elements in our lives that we can change, those we can’t, and how to better understand our emotions so they can help us. Chip tells his own comeback story and those of other resilient people in this book that offers practical strategies for turbulent times.

“Rarely has a CEO bared his soul in a book...this powerfully authentic story and the resulting emotional building blocks that define how we can understand our internal weather make for a compelling read and an invaluable operating manual for life.”

05 / 07

Peak

How Great Companies Get Their Mojo from Maslow

Chip turned to psychologist Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs at a time when the company he founded was in dire need. And when the young founders of Airbnb asked him to help turn their start-up home sharing company into a world-class hospitality giant, he once again used these principles. "PEAK" strategy has been developed on six continents in organizations in virtually every industry.

Chip's foundational premise is that great leaders become amateur psychologists by understanding the unique needs of their employees, customers, and investors and his theory has resonated around the globe.

“I've never read a book that so plainly and compellingly states the case for why every company should become self-actualized. It's pretty simple: a company that creates the conditions for its people to have peak experiences will also create peak performance.”

06 / 07

Marketing That Matters

10 Practices to Profit Your Business and Change the World

Whether you're an entrepreneur building a new enterprise, the leader of an established socially responsible business, or a marketing professional at a Fortune 500 company who wants to make a difference, this "in-the-trenches" guide provides action steps for creating marketing programs that benefit your company and the world.

Using real-life examples from Patagonia, General Mills, Clif Bar, and many other companies, "Marketing That Matters" shows how to define your company's mission, goals, and potential audience in ways that are flexible, creative, and true to your organization's core values.

“Laced with penetrating clarity and insights relevant to both large and small companies...will help you get your message across and forge stronger, more intimate relationships.”

07 / 07

The Rebel Rules

Daring to Be Yourself in Business

At age 26, Chip broke the two cardinal rules of starting a business: he invested in an industry about which he knew nothing and he ignored the mantra "location, location, location," buying a notorious motel in a seedy San Francisco neighborhood.

A decade later, he was the "boy wonder" of the American travel industry, famous for his entrepreneurial chops, creativity, and sense of fun. In "The Rebel Rules," he shares his success secrets, focusing on four primary traits—vision, passion, instinct, and agility—in a guidebook for anyone who wants to walk in step with today's business innovators.

“Chip Conley has done a remarkable job...I love the heart icon he uses to illustrate how a passionate corporate culture breeds happy employees, which leads to satisfied customers, which results in a profitable and sustainable business.”

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