The Business Romantic by Tim Leberecht Summary
Overview of The Business Romantic
In "The Business Romantic," Tim Leberecht challenges corporate monotony, revealing how passion and enchantment can transform workplaces. What if the secret to professional fulfillment isn't efficiency, but romance? Discover why even tech giants are embracing vulnerability in an age of algorithms.
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Key takeaways
When Commerce Meets the Soul
Picture a scene that shouldn't work: Cairo's Tahrir Square, 2004, flooded with corporate logos as the Olympic Torch Relay passes through. Coca-Cola banners flap overhead. Samsung ads glitter on every corner. Yet thousands of Egyptians gather not to consume but to celebrate-their faces lit with genuine joy, their voices rising in collective wonder. This contradiction became a revelation: commerce and transcendence aren't enemies. They can dance together. And in that dance lies a philosophy that challenges everything we think we know about business. The modern workplace is suffocating. A 2013 Gallup poll across 140 countries found only 13 percent of employees feel enthusiastic about their jobs. Most sleepwalk through their days. Nearly a quarter actively spread negativity. We work eight weeks longer annually than in 1969 for roughly the same inflation-adjusted income, while the wealthiest 0.1 percent own one-fifth of America's wealth. When Facebook bought WhatsApp for $19 billion, it valued each employee at $345 million-a number that feels obscene against the backdrop of ordinary struggle. Yet something is stirring. People increasingly seek meaning through work, spawning B Corps, the Maker Movement, and initiatives like Richard Branson's B Team. But romantics want something different from purpose-driven workers. They value the journey as much as the destination, prioritizing experience over institutional goals. Romance emerges from intensity, uncertainty, conflict-the heightened experience itself.
The Mavericks Who Make Business Beautiful
Small Gestures That Ground Us in Shared Humanity
The Stranger's Eye and the Amateur's Heart
Giving Without Expectation, Suffering Without Regret
Mystery, Presence, and the Art of Proper Goodbyes
Reclaiming Wonder in the Age of Algorithms
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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