Simon Sinek

Simon Sinek was born in Wimbledon, in London, and lived in Johannesburg, London and Hong Kong before his family settled in New Jersey. He studied cultural anthropology at Brandeis University and began law school in London, then left for advertising. He worked at Euro RSCG and Ogilvy & Mather in New York before he started his own firm.

His first book, Start with Why (2009), argues that people and companies that inspire loyalty communicate from the inside out. The Golden Circle puts why at the center, then how, then what. His 2009 TEDx talk on the idea became one of the most watched TED talks ever.

Leaders Eat Last (2014) moves from purpose to trust. It uses examples from the US Marine Corps and from biology to argue that people do their best work inside a circle of safety, where leaders protect them first. Later books include Find Your Why and The Infinite Game. Sinek now runs The Optimism Company, which sells courses and talks on leadership.