Wise Guy

The author’s life is a proof of the fact that education is a great catalyst. His education was made possible by his parents’ sacrifices, taking him from an impoverished area in Honolulu to a successful life in Los Angeles, California.

The first person who changed his life was his schoolteacher Trudy Akau. She explained to Kawasaki's parents that he had the potential needed for college-prep school. Thanks to her advice, instead of attending a public school he went to Iolani: a private college-prep school for boys. As a result, Guy managed to enroll at Stanford, where he met the person who gave him a job at Apple. The author explains that being like Trudy Akua means taking interest in others and helping them progress, being the person who can change life paths. He invites us to honor the people who were there before us and to help those who will remain after us.

The author advises us to influence the people around us with our behavior: if you are not transparent in the way you act, their moral values could be affected. Even if you think they are minor sins, remember they can have a great impact on the others, Guy Kawasaki tells us in his book.