Guy Kawasaki M.B.A. ’79

Guy Kawasaki M.B.A. ’79 has amassed an impressive list of achievements during his career. Respected for his creativity, he is a bold and innovative entrepreneur who believes in using influence and persuasion to achieve success.

Sometime after completing his education, Kawasaki began immersing himself in the intricate field of computer technology, first at an educational software company called EduWare Services. He then joined Apple in Silicon Valley, where he marketed the much-acclaimed Macintosh computer, and where he became known for evangelizing (or using passionate user-advocates to promote the Apple brand) to software and hardware developers, challenging the influence of IBM.

In 1987 Kawasaki left Apple to start ACIUS, a Macintosh database company famous for publishing the database 4th Dimension. Two years later, he moved on to devote time to public speaking, consulting and writing for such media outlets as MacUser, Macworld and Forbes.

Shortly after, Kawasaki and three friends launched Fog City Software, creating Emailer and list server products. In 1995, after a second stint at Apple, he co-founded Garage.com, an investment bank to help entrepreneurs raise money from venture capitalists. In addition, he is a co-founder of Alltop, an online magazine rack of popular topics on the web.

Kawasaki is also a prolific author, having written 10 books, including Reality Check: The Irreverent Guide to Outsmarting, Outmanaging, and Outmarketing our Competition. In his latest, Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions, he “returns to his core theme of how to build, launch and evangelize great products,” according to Chunka Mui, managing director of the consulting group Devil's Advocate Group.

With Enchantment, he explores the value of likeability and of trustworthiness as the key to influencing others, as well as the importance of exercising influence for good, without compromising one’s own integrity. He encourages his readers to enchant their clientele - not just sell to them - to create voluntary, long-lasting and mutually beneficial relationships.

An avid blogger, Kawasaki supports using social media as well to influence others. In fact, he recommends Facebook and Twitter, which allow organizations and individuals to connect in personal ways not previously possible.

A native of Honolulu, Hawaii, Kawasaki attended Iolani School before moving to California to attend Stanford, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1976. He earned his M.B.A. from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management in 1979. He received high praise for his two presentations at UCLA Alumni Day 2010, and we look forward to his participation in future events.