Steve Westly

Entrepreneur, Venture Capitalist, former Controller & CFO of the State of California.

We may earn commissions for purchases made via this page

Book Recommendations:

SW

Recommended by Steve Westly

I love this! A children's book about moving to #ElectricVehicles! @ColturaChange is a great group that we should all support. https://t.co/Cgl6J935UR (from X)

Sparky's Electrifying Tale book cover

by Janelle London, Matthew Metz, Ilya Fortuna·You?

What can two children and a hamster do about climate change and air pollution? Tina and Rory follow gasoline's trail from the age of the dinosaurs to the family car and beyond, their journey illuminated by the vivid imagination of their new pet hamster, Sparky. Just when Rory has had it with gasoline, Sparky magically finds a solution.

SW

Recommended by Steve Westly

@earthangelhallz It's a great book, and thinking one your boss should consider reading too! Keep being ambitious!! (from X)

Full of empowering wisdom from one of Silicon Valley's first female African American CEOs, this inspiring leadership book—named a Best Business Book of the Year by Fortune and Bloomberg—offers a blueprint for how to achieve your personal and professional goals. Shellye Archambeau recounts how she overcame the challenges she faced as a young black woman, wife, and mother, managing her personal and professional responsibilities while climbing the ranks at IBM and subsequently in her roles as CEO. Through the busts and booms of Silicon Valley in the early 2000s, this bold and inspiring book details the risks she took and the strategies she engaged to steer her family, her career, and her company MetricStream toward success. Through her journey, Shellye discovered that ambition alone is not enough to achieve success. Here, she shares the practical strategies, tools, and approaches readers can employ right now, including concrete steps to most effectively: Dismantle impostor syndrome Capitalize on the power of planning Take risks Developing financial literacy Build your network Establish your reputation Take charge of your career Integrate work, marriage, parenthood, and self-care Each chapter lays out key takeaways and actions to increase the odds of achieving your personal and professional goals. With relatable personal stories that ground her advice in the real world and a foreword by leading venture capitalist and New York Times bestselling author Ben Horowitz, Unapologetically Ambitious invites readers to move beyond the solely supportive roles others expect them to fill, to learn how to carefully tread the thin line between assertive and aggressive, and to give themselves permission to strive for the top. Make no apologies for the height of your ambitions. Shellye Archambeau will show you how.