By Rob Rodin
Carolyn Reidy passed away this week.
https://fortune.com/2020/05/12/simon-schuster-ceo-carolyn-reidy-dies-at-71/ .
I met Carolyn in NYC in 1997 at Simon and Schuster headquarters thanks to the introduction from my colleague, and dear friend, Curtis Hartman.
I was a first-time author — with little chance of having a powerhouse publisher like Simon and Schuster, invest in my book project. But Carolyn gave me a chance… she was gracious, patient and curious.
She gave me the time to unpack my story; she wanted to gain a deep understanding of the concepts, even having me meet with her management team — as she felt Simon and Schuster could benefit from the ideas. I realized during this session, that my draft manuscript was not just a chronological history of events regarding the transformation of Marshall Industries, but it needed to contain useful ideas, and that as a case study about [Marshall Industries], perhaps others could see ways to apply the concepts in their own context.
Carolyn told me that she had a touchstone for publishing business books: She asked, “Are there at least 2 ideas in this book that I can use in what I do at Simon and Schuster?” She said in this case, her answer was, “yes!”, — and that those concepts gave her real guidance especially about the changes ahead. Material changes that were accelerated by the internet: re-designing supply chains, facilitating advanced levels of global connectivity and creating new definitions of time.
Carolyn took a personal interest in me, sponsoring the book
financially with a substantial advance: and by assigning an incredible, seasoned editor with an experienced production team. It was inspiring to have this level of support, which motivated me to do everything I could to exceed her expectations. I did not want to let her, or her team down.
When the book was published, she even wrote personal letters to the business community endorsing “Free, Perfect and Now”.
I was recently reminded, by a good friend, that inside each of us, is a book wanting to be written. I am eternally grateful to Carolyn for teaching me how, — and publishing mine.
Thank you, Carolyn — Rest in Peace.
P.S. Below is a letter that she wrote to Silicon Valley icon, T.J. Rodgers, Founder, and CEO of Cypress Semiconductor where she wrote that the book “gave her real guidance on what questions to ask — and how to find the answers —about the changes going on in business today.”
