Jim Collins is an American author, researcher, and consultant, born on May 8, 1958. He is renowned for his work in business management and company sustainability, particularly through his bestselling books that explore the principles of successful organizations. Collins graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematical Sciences from Stanford University in 1980 and later earned an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business in 1983.
Collins began his career as a researcher at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and later founded a management laboratory in Boulder, Colorado, where he conducts research and engages with business leaders. He gained prominence with his first major book, Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies (1994), co-authored with Jerry Porras, which examines the characteristics that enable companies to endure over time.
His subsequent works include Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t (2001), which analyzes why some companies achieve sustained greatness while others do not; How the Mighty Fall: And Why Some Companies Never Give In (2009); and Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos, and Luck: Why Some Thrive Despite Them All (2011), co-authored with Morten Hansen. His most recent publication is BE 2.0 (Beyond Entrepreneurship 2.0) (2020), an updated version of his earlier work focusing on entrepreneurial companies.
Collins has received numerous accolades for his contributions to business thought leadership, including being named one of the 100 Greatest Living Business Minds by Forbes in 2017. He is also known for his engaging speaking style and has served as a consultant to various organizations across different sectors.
