Why VC Ben Horowitz chose such unconventional subjects for his new book on business cultures - Fast Company

The acclaimed investor’s new book, ‘What You Do Is Who You Are,’ connects such figures as the leader of the Haitian slave rebellion to modern business. [Photo: Tobias Hase/Getty Images] BY STEPHANIE MEHTA Ben Horowitz is not a biographer, but he channeled his inner Doris Kearns Goodwin to write What You Do Is Who You Are, a new book that examines the lives of historical figures such as Toussaint Louverture, who led a slave revolt in Haiti; conqueror and empire builder Genghis Khan; and prison reform activist Shaka Senghor. Their stories—and an exploration of the ancient samurai of Japan—help explain how strong cultures are built and how they apply to modern workplaces. “If I draw a line from Toussaint Louverture to [Netflix CEO] Reed Hastings . . . then people would get it at a level that wouldn’t really be possible if I just kind of told it in a kind of generic, ‘business book’ way,” says the cofounder of venture firm Andreessen Horowitz. Horowitz, who is appearing with Senghor at the

The acclaimed investor’s new book, ‘What You Do Is Who You Are,’ connects such figures as the leader of the Haitian slave rebellion to modern business. [Photo: Tobias Hase/Getty Images] BY STEPHANIE MEHTA Ben Horowitz is not a biographer, but he channeled his inner Doris Kearns Goodwin to write What You Do Is Who You Are, a new book that examines the lives of historical figures such as Toussaint Louverture, who led a slave revolt in Haiti; conqueror and empire builder Genghis Khan; and prison reform activist Shaka Senghor. Their stories—and an exploration of the ancient samurai of Japan—help e