Scott Berkun
Born: April 15, 1972 – Queens, New York, United States
Scott Berkun is an American author and speaker who writes about creativity, innovation, public speaking, management, and technology culture. He is best known for The Myths of Innovation, Confessions of a Public Speaker, and The Year Without Pants, books that helped make him a widely read voice in business and tech.
Biography & Author's Journey
Scott Berkun grew up in Queens, New York City, and studied philosophy, computer science, and design at Carnegie Mellon University. His first career unfolded inside technology rather than publishing: after joining Microsoft in 1994, he moved from usability work into program management and leadership roles on Internet Explorer, Windows, and MSN. That period gave him the practical material that would later anchor much of his nonfiction. The decisive turning point came in 2003, when he left Microsoft to become a full-time author and speaker, a path he only briefly interrupted in 2010 to 2012, when he led an engineering team at WordPress.com. ((https://scottberkun.com/about/))
Quotes
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The myths of innovation
Scott Berkun
Debunks common misconceptions about innovation, revealing surprising truths and practical insights for aspiring innovators and business leaders.
Making Things Happen
Scott Berkun
A practical guide to project management, offering field-tested strategies for leading teams and turning ideas into reality.
Year Without Pants
Scott Berkun
An insider's account of WordPress.com's unconventional work culture, offering insights on creativity, productivity, and the future of work.
The myths of innovation
Scott Berkun
Debunks common misconceptions about innovation, revealing surprising truths and practical insights for aspiring innovators and business leaders.
Making Things Happen
Scott Berkun
A practical guide to project management, offering field-tested strategies for leading teams and turning ideas into reality.
Year Without Pants
Scott Berkun
An insider's account of WordPress.com's unconventional work culture, offering insights on creativity, productivity, and the future of work.
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Inspiration, Bio, Memoir & Innovation
Inspiration, Bio, Memoir & Innovation
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Creativity, Inspiration & Behavior Science
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Explore Innovation, Creativity & Inspiration
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Community Voices
"Tony Hsieh said Scott Berkun tells it like it is and offers insights that make you think and laugh"
— Tony Hsieh
"Jay Heinrichs recommended Scott Berkun’s guide as a fun and useful read on public speaking"
— Jay Heinrichs
"Guy Kawasaki said Scott Berkun’s work sets readers free to try to change the world"
— Guy Kawasaki
"Suzy Welch called Scott Berkun’s take on public speaking smart, funny, and provocative"
— Suzy Welch
"Jared Spool said Scott Berkun wrote the book he wished he had read before speaking publicly"
— Jared Spool
"Tom Kelley said Scott Berkun’s book is rich with insights and historical examples"
— Tom Kelley
"Gina Trapani said Scott Berkun’s book can make your next talk much better"
— Gina Trapani
"Michael Lopp called Scott Berkun’s presentations guide approachable and practical"
— Michael Lopp
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
