Guy Kawasaki – Author Biography
Guy Kawasaki is the American entrepreneur, evangelist, and bestselling author whose books — including The Art of the Start and Enchantment — have made him one of Silicon Valley’s most influential voices on startups, marketing, and innovation.
Early Life
Guy Kawasaki was born on August 30, 1954, in Honolulu, Hawaii. He earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Stanford University and an MBA from UCLA. He began his career in the jewelry business before stumbling into technology.
Career
Kawasaki’s career was made when he joined Apple Computer in 1983 as its “chief evangelist” — a title he essentially invented — responsible for building the community of developers and enthusiasts around the Macintosh. After Apple, he founded software companies, became CEO of ACIUS, and later served as chief evangelist at Canva, the design platform. As an author, his books include The Art of the Start (2004), a startup classic; Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions (2011), on the psychology of influence and delight; APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur (2012), on self-publishing; and Think Remarkable (2024). He is also a prominent venture capitalist and speaker.
Major Works
His major works include The Macintosh Way (1989), The Art of the Start (2004), Enchantment (2011), APE (2012), and Think Remarkable (2024).
Writing Style and Themes
Kawasaki writes in a punchy, irreverent, list-driven Silicon Valley style — short chapters, bold opinions, practical tactics. His great theme is evangelism: the art of getting people to believe in and spread your cause, whether it’s a product, a company, or an idea. Enchantment distills this into principles of likeability, trust, and delight. He is allergic to jargon and corporate pomposity, and his advice is relentlessly actionable.
Legacy
Kawasaki popularized the very concept of “evangelism” in business and remains one of tech’s most quotable gurus. His books are standard issue for founders, and his career — from Macintosh evangelist to Canva evangelist — is itself a case study in the power of belief-driven marketing.
