Aug 20: Entrepreneurship is rarely a straight road from idea to success. What turns an idea into something real is often a combination of ambition, persistence, risk-taking and the willingness to keep going when the path ahead is anything but certain. This World Entrepreneurs Day, Audible brings together stories and conversations that offer a closer look at the people, ideas and experiences behind some of India’s most recognisable businesses and entrepreneurial journeys.
From audiobooks of biographies of business icons to podcasts with candid conversations with founders, creators and industry leaders, these listens offer plenty of inspiration for anyone curious about entrepreneurship, whether you are building a business of your own or simply looking for your next big idea.
5 Audiobooks to Learn From India’s Most Inspiring Entrepreneurial Journeys
Dhirubhai Ambani: A Complete Biography by N. Chokkan: From his beginnings in Gujarat to building Reliance into one of India’s biggest business houses, Dhirubhai Ambani’s story is one of ambition and unconventional thinking. N. Chokkan’s biography explores his early struggles, entrepreneurial instincts and the strategy of backward integration that became central to his business journey. The audiobook, written by Chokkan and narrated through Audible‘s Virtual Voice, offers listeners a closer look at the ideas and decisions behind the making of a business empire.
Unseen: The Untold Story of Deepinder Goyal and the Making of Zomato by Megha Vishwanath: What goes on behind the making of one of India’s most recognisable startups? Unseen goes behind the familiar Zomato success story to explore the person who built it. Megha Vishwanath traces Deepinder Goyal‘s journey from a stuttering boy from small-town Punjab to the reluctant face of a billion-dollar brand, drawing on hundreds of interviews and accounts from people who worked with, challenged and followed him. Written and narrated by Vishwanath, the audiobook looks at the private battles, high-stakes decisions and relentless ambition behind Zomato’s rise.
Do Epic Shit by Ankur Warikoo: Ankur Warikoo turns lessons from his own entrepreneurial and personal journey into a collection of ideas around success, failure, money, habits and self-awareness. One of the central ideas behind the book is simple: action is greater than thought, a philosophy Warikoo has described as the meaning behind “epic” in the title. Written and narrated by Warikoo himself, the audiobook offers candid lessons on turning ideas into action rather than simply waiting for the perfect moment.
Ratan Tata: A Complete Biography by A.K. Gandhi: Ratan Tata‘s story is not just about boardrooms and billion-dollar decisions. A.K. Gandhi’s biography traces the Tata legacy and the vision behind some of its most enduring institutions. One fascinating thread is the story of the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, which was envisioned as a world-class hotel in Bombay to help attract visitors to the city. Jamsetji Tata went to extraordinary lengths to realise that vision, sourcing equipment and expertise internationally and creating a hotel with amenities that were considered groundbreaking for Bombay at the time. The audiobook offers a glimpse into the ideas and values behind the Tata legacy.
Dream With Your Eyes Open: An Entrepreneurial Journey by Ronnie Screwvala: Ronnie Screwvala’s entrepreneurial journey is filled with lessons in spotting opportunities, asking questions and learning on the job. In the book, he reflects on both his successes and failures, including the early experiences that shaped his approach to entrepreneurship. Screwvala has described the title itself as a reminder to keep your feet on the ground while keeping your eyes open to possibilities. Written and narrated by Screwvala, the audiobook offers a first-hand account of more than two decades of building businesses.
And If Podcasts Are More Your Speed, Tune Into These 5 Conversations
The Longest Interview: Entrepreneurial journeys are not always found in traditional business conversations. Hosted by Vaibhav Munjal, The Longest Interview brings together creators, actors, writers and other personalities for extended conversations about their careers, ambitions and experiences. For an entrepreneurial perspective, listeners can explore conversations with people such as Raj Shamani, who discusses his journey from teenage entrepreneur to building a major digital presence.
Woice with Warikoo Podcast: Ankur Warikoo brings more than a decade of entrepreneurial experience to Woice with Warikoo, covering startups, careers, money, risk and personal growth. The podcast also gets into practical founder questions, including the differences between bootstrapping and raising venture capital, drawing on Warikoo’s own experiences with Nearbuy and his later ventures.
Deeptalk with Chetan Bhagat: Chetan Bhagat takes listeners into long-form conversations with successful people from across industries, including entrepreneurs and CEOs. Among the guests are Nikhil Kamath and Akhil Gupta, with conversations exploring their journeys, decisions and the experiences that shaped their approach to business and success. For anyone curious about what happens behind the polished version of an entrepreneurial story, these conversations offer a much closer look.
WTF is with Nikhil Kamath: Nikhil Kamath brings a deliberately curious approach to conversations with founders, experts and industry voices. The show spans technology, social media, renewable energy, electric vehicles, psychology and more. In one recent entrepreneurial conversation, Kamath was joined by Kishore Biyani and Ronnie Screwvala to discuss The Foundery, a venture-building experiment that gave 25 strangers ₹4 crore each to build 20 new consumer brands in 90 days.