It Takes a Tribe, Will Dean
It Takes a Tribe, Will Dean
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It Takes a Tribe
Building the Tough Mudder Movement

Author: Will Dean

Narrator: Elliot Hill

Unabridged: 7 hr 33 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Published: 09/12/2017


Synopsis

“Who on earth wants to jump into ice baths and run through fire and wallow in mud on a Sunday afternoon, just for the hell of it?” my professors asked. My gut feeling was—plenty of people.
 
Will Dean, founder of extreme obstacle course Tough Mudder, shares the thrilling inside story of how a scrappy startup grew into a movement whose millions of members feel like co-owners. He shows how other companies can embrace the Tough Mudder playbook by nurturing tribes of passionate fans while constantly experimenting with new risks.
 
After five years as a British counterterrorism officer and two years at Harvard Business School, Dean was determined not to follow his classmates to Wall Street or Silicon Valley. Instead, he pursued his unique vision for an extreme obstacle course—a ten- to twelve-mile gauntlet pushing participants to their limits and helping them surpass those limits together. Instead of cutthroat competition, Tough Mudder would be about continual self-improvement and collective energy. 

It would be about the power of a tribe. 

Dean and his small team launched the first Tough Mudder event in May 2010, hosting 5,000 pioneers at a deserted ski resort in Pennsylvania. Just seven years later, more than 3 million people on four continents have participated at least once, and hundreds of thousands have done so repeatedly. More than 20,000 are so committed that they sport a Tough Mudder tattoo.

Mudders prove the power of fierce and unshakable loyalty to one another and the challenge itself. Proudly sport­ing orange headbands and team uniforms, they’ll run through mud, climb steep walls, face elec­tric shocks, and slide down the side of a moun­tain. The tougher the experience, the greater the satisfaction.
 
It Takes a Tribe shows you how to embody the Tough Mudder spirit and capture the same magic. As a Tough Mudder slogan says, “When was the last time you did something for the first time?”

About The Author

Will Dean is the founder and CEO of Tough Mudder Inc., which now has annual revenues of more than $100 million and has raised more than $13 million for charity. His honors include EY’s Entrepreneur Of The Year® Emerging Award; Crain’s annual 40 Under 40 list; and Fortune’s 40 Under 40: Ones to Watch list. A native of a mining town in the English Midlands, he now divides his time between London and New York.


Reviews

It Takes a Tribe is as much about the history, path, and growth of Tough Mudder as it is about resilience. About collaboration. About dealing with your crap and moving on to the next thing. I love Tough Mudder, so I really enjoyed reading about how Tough Mudder came to be and the journey the company......more

Goodreads review by Emily

Inspiring. Authentic. A journey of a read. Only detractor was at some points I felt like I was reading a sales pitch for Tough Mudder, but if you take that as a given--great read for any leader who wants to be part of something that MATTERS. Highlights: The power of touch. AFI moments (Aw, Fuc* it)......more

Goodreads review by Chad

A fantastic book about what the t takes to follow your passion and really be an entrepreneur. Dean takes us through his life as a student in England at Bristol through his Harvard MBA and search for more in life. Hard work, grit and determination made TM what it is today because of Dean, and the TM......more

Goodreads review by Omar

The beginning sounds little out of scope, but the story ended up great with many interesting lessons......more

Goodreads review by Sean

I'm probably one of those who has not done a Tough Mudder, only Spartan (and Viper) Races, but identify more with the TM's 'all for one, one for all' ethos. Especially interesting to hear how they redesigned obstacles like Everest to be only surmountable through teamwork (with the rounded top lip).......more


Quotes

“A wonderful, highly recommended book that will inspire all readers, including those interested in starting a business and those who have overcome personal obstacles.”
- Starred Library Journal review

“At its core, It Takes a Tribe is a book about us. It goes beyond our ability to overcome obstacles and delves into how shared adversity is actually a powerful force in building deep, lasting bonds with others.”
—Simon Sinek, optimist and author of Start With Why and Leaders Eat Last
 
“Convincing people to spend hours running through the mud is no easy task. Building a business where millions of people pay money to do this would be ridiculous. But Will Dean has done it, and this gripping book takes us under the hood to describe how. It Takes a Tribe reveals what it takes to stand by your values and create an orga­nization that stands for those values.”
—Adam Grant, author of Originals and Give and Take, and coauthor of Option B
 
“Will Dean is one of the most important leaders of his generation-boldly pushing back on our digitally obsessed culture to get us out of our comfort zones, into the mud, working as a team, and discovering all sorts of potential along the way. It Takes a Tribe is loaded with brilliant stories, lessons, and inspiration that will make you want to jump off your couch and go make an impact somewhere!”
—Sarah Robb O’Hagan, CEO of Flywheel and author of Extreme You
 
It Takes a Tribe isn’t just a gripping read. It’s also a thoughtful argument about what really drives business, and how success comes from standing by your values.”
—Richard Reed, cofounder of Innocent Drinks
 
“The power of internal motivation, great leadership, and team building. Will Dean demon­strates all this and more in It Takes a Tribe.”
—Brandon Webb, former Navy SEAL, author of The Red Circle and Total Focus, and CEO of Hurricane Group
 
“This book shows that an entrepreneur with imagination and nerve can make a real difference by creating life-changing opportunities for thousands of people across the world.”
—General Sir Nick Parker, former commander in chief of the British Army
 
“While building our companies alongside each other in Brooklyn, Will Dean and I have shared many best practices. He has created one of the most original and inventive brands in the world, and his story will be valuable for anyone looking to change the rules of business.”
—Brett Yormark, CEO of the Brooklyn Nets
 
It Takes a Tribe offers an honest, no-holds-barred look inside of one of the most origi­nal and inventive businesses in the world and one of the most dynamic CEOs. This will become a business classic.”
—Jennifer Hyman, CEO and cofounder of Rent the Runway

“Will's story - and his races - are proof that the obstacle is always the way.”
—Ryan Holiday, author of The Obstacle is the Way