10 must-read inspiring biographies of business leaders

Wild Company: The Untold Story of Banana Republic
Wild Company by Mel and Patricia Ziegler
(Simon & Schuster, 2012)
By Mel and Patricia Ziegler

With $1,500 and no business experience, Writer Mel Ziegler and his wife artist Patricia Ziegler turned a wild idea into an international retail colossus Banana Republic. Mel and Patricia Ziegler co-founded Banana Republic back in 1978. The company was bought by Gap in 1983 and now operates as a division, now with over 600 stores located internationally. They also co-founded The Republic of Tea and ZoZa.com. A soulful and inspiring tale, Wild Company tells the story of how the pair, armed with creativity and passion (but no business training), built an empire from military surplus clothing finds plucked from their travels to create Banana Republic.



Inspirational Quote: "The only asset we had was our own oblivion. That would keep us blissfully ignorant of the bewildering and arbitrary impediments that would entangle us until we became so embroiled that quitting was no longer a possibility." -- Mel Ziegler