Believe in People: Bottom-Up Solutions for a Top-Down World
Mar 2026 · Sold by Simon and Schuster
Ebook
256
Pages
family_home
Eligible
info
About this ebook
Believe in People is a surprising take on how you can help tackle the really big problems in society–from one of America’s most successful entrepreneurs.
Is the American Dream Over?
Millions of people are asking this question as our country celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Many people are arguing the only way to solve our country’s problems is to turn away from the principles in the Declaration—yet Charles Koch and Brian Hooks make the compelling case that more fully applying those principles is essential to uniting our country and creating a future where everyone can lead a life of meaning. Koch, the chairman and co-CEO of Koch, Inc., and founder of Stand Together—one of the country’s most dynamic philanthropic communities—and Hooks, chairman and CEO of Stand Together, offer a transformative and proven road map for solving America’s toughest challenges—from our divisive politics to generational poverty to a broken education system. They show readers how to move beyond managing problems from the top-down and instead unlock human potential through bottom-up solutions.
With a new preface reflecting on how these ideas are even more relevant today than when the book was first released, a new foreword by Martin Luther King III, and with deeply personal stories and compelling examples of real-life impact, Koch and Hooks sketch a path forward for America and all who call it home: Work with anyone to do right, empower others from the bottom-up, and create a society where everyone can rise.
No matter your background or beliefs, Believe in People inspires you to rally around the principles of empowerment in the Declaration of Independence—and make our country’s next 250 years even better than the last.
Is the American Dream Over?
Millions of people are asking this question as our country celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Many people are arguing the only way to solve our country’s problems is to turn away from the principles in the Declaration—yet Charles Koch and Brian Hooks make the compelling case that more fully applying those principles is essential to uniting our country and creating a future where everyone can lead a life of meaning. Koch, the chairman and co-CEO of Koch, Inc., and founder of Stand Together—one of the country’s most dynamic philanthropic communities—and Hooks, chairman and CEO of Stand Together, offer a transformative and proven road map for solving America’s toughest challenges—from our divisive politics to generational poverty to a broken education system. They show readers how to move beyond managing problems from the top-down and instead unlock human potential through bottom-up solutions.
With a new preface reflecting on how these ideas are even more relevant today than when the book was first released, a new foreword by Martin Luther King III, and with deeply personal stories and compelling examples of real-life impact, Koch and Hooks sketch a path forward for America and all who call it home: Work with anyone to do right, empower others from the bottom-up, and create a society where everyone can rise.
No matter your background or beliefs, Believe in People inspires you to rally around the principles of empowerment in the Declaration of Independence—and make our country’s next 250 years even better than the last.
Believe in People is a surprising take on how you can help tackle the really big problems in society–from one of America’s most successful entrepreneurs.
Is the American Dream Over?
Millions of people are asking this question as our country celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of...
Discover more
About the author
Charles Koch, Chairman and Co-CEO—By the time Charles graduated from high school, he had attended eight schools (“but only got kicked out of one”). Despite earning three engineering degrees from MIT, he claims he is “a lousy engineer” but excels at making mistakes—“lots and lots of them.” By learning from those mistakes and implementing a principle-based framework, the company he leads has grown 9,000-fold since 1960. Utterly rejecting retirement, even at the age of ninety, Charles continues to push for a principle-based approach to life, business and society. His wife of fifty-plus years and their two children are on board with this passion, and his three grandchildren are well on their way.
Brian Hooks is chairman and CEO of Stand Together and president of the Charles Koch Foundation. Previously, he served as executive director and COO of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Brian is a frequent speaker on how to address the biggest challenges facing the country and his work has been featured in the Wall Steet Journal, Forbes, the Stanford Social Innovation Review, and other leading outlets. He serves on the board of directors of the Mercatus Center, Cosmos Institute, Economic Policy Innovation Center, Institute for Humane Studies, Reason Foundation, Movement Musick, and The Just Trust. In 2021, he was named to the TIME100 Next list of leaders shaping the future. A graduate of the University of Michigan, Brian lives near Washington, D.C., with his wife and daughter.
Brian Hooks is chairman and CEO of Stand Together and president of the Charles Koch Foundation. Previously, he served as executive director and COO of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Brian is a frequent speaker on how to address the biggest challenges facing the country and his work has been featured in the Wall Steet Journal, Forbes, the Stanford Social Innovation Review, and other leading outlets. He serves on the board of directors of the Mercatus Center, Cosmos Institute, Economic Policy Innovation Center, Institute for Humane Studies, Reason Foundation, Movement Musick, and The Just Trust. In 2021, he was named to the TIME100 Next list of leaders shaping the future. A graduate of the University of Michigan, Brian lives near Washington, D.C., with his wife and daughter.
Charles Koch, Chairman and Co-CEO—By the time Charles graduated from high school, he had attended eight schools (“but only got kicked out of one”). Despite earning three engineering degrees from MIT, he claims he is “a lousy engineer” but excels at making mistakes—“lots and lots of them.” By lear...
Rate this ebook
Tell us what you think.
Reading information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.
