Seth Godin

About Seth Godin

Seth Godin was born on July 10, 1960, in Mount Vernon, New York. He graduated from Williamsville East High School in 1978 and went on to study computer science and philosophy at Tufts University in Massachusetts, where he graduated in 1982. After Tufts, he earned his Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.^[2]

Godin has started several companies during his career and published 20 bestselling books that are translated into 40 languages.^[3] 

On his website, Godin explains, “For more than thirty years, I’ve been trying to turn on lights, inspire people and teach them how to level up.”^[1]

Career

After graduating from Stanford, Godin used his savings to begin his career in business, founding Seth Godin Productions, primarily a book packaging business, out of a studio apartment in New York City. He worked there for nearly ten years before selling the company to his employees to pursue other ventures.^[4]

In 1995, he launched Yoyodyne, an internet-based direct marketing company, which used contests, online games, and scavenger hunts to market various products to audiences. In 1998, Yoyodyne was bought by Yahoo!, where Godin served as Vice President of Direct Marketing until 2000.^[4]

In 2006, Godin launched Squidoo, a revenue-sharing article-writing site that was sold in 2014 to HubPages.^[5] 

In 2015, Godin founded Akimbo, an educational company that became an independent public benefit corporation in 2020. The Akimbo mission is to “create learning experiences designed to connect global citizens who celebrate our shared humanity and collectively strengthen our ability to change the systems that shape our world and better meet the needs of the future.”^[6]

Godin hosts the Akimbo podcast, which is about culture and how to change it for the better. According to Godin’s website, the podcast is “about seeing what’s happening and choosing to do something.”^[7] 

Godin is also the founder of the altMBA, an online leadership and management workshop, and he has taught as an adjunct faculty member in the Hugh L. Carey Institute for Government Reform at Wagner College in New York City.^[8][9]

Godin is perhaps best known for his work as an author and speaker in the field of marketing. He has written numerous best-selling books, which often focus on the post-industrial revolution, the way ideas spread, marketing, and leadership.^[10]

Publications

Permission Marketing (1999): In this revolutionary book, Godin introduces the idea of permission marketing, where businesses should strive to create a personal and long-lasting relationship with their customers. Instead of interrupting consumers with unwanted ads, it’s about turning strangers into friends and friends into loyal customers.^[11]

Purple Cow (2003): Seth Godin argues that the key to success is to find a way to stand out—to be remarkable. In a crowded marketplace, fitting in is failing. It’s about creating something as noticeable as a purple cow.^[12]

All Marketers Are Liars (2005): This book focuses on the importance of storytelling in marketing. Godin argues that successful marketers don’t talk about features or benefits; instead, they tell a story—a story we want to believe.^[13]

The Dip (2007): The Dip is about knowing when to quit. In anything we do, we’ll experience a “dip” (a temporary setback). Godin argues that winners do quit, and quitters do win; it’s about quitting the right stuff at the right time.^[14]

Tribes (2008): In this influential book, Godin argues that the Internet has revived the human need for a tribe—groups of people connected to each other, to a leader, and to an idea. Those who successfully create and lead tribes can change our world for the better.^[15]

Linchpin (2010): Godin proposes that the key to success is to become indispensable—like a linchpin—in an organization. By making unique contributions, you can make a significant impact and enjoy more job satisfaction.^[16]

Poke the Box (2011): This is a call to action about the initiative you’re taking in your job or in your life. Godin knows that one of our scarcest resources is the spark of initiative in most organizations (and most careers)—the person with the guts to say, “I want to start stuff.”^[17]

The Icarus Deception (2012): This book challenges the reader to “stand out, not fit in.” To do so means taking bold risks and pushing forward, even in the face of failure. It’s a call for people to see that the danger isn’t in flying too high but rather flying too low.^[18]

This Is Marketing (2018): Godin argues that marketing isn’t about the stuff you make but the stories you tell. The book shows the importance of empathy, connection, and making change, and helps marketers do work that matters for people who care.^[19]

The Practice (2020): This book is meant to help you get unstuck and find the courage to make and share creative work. It serves as a guide for readers to conquer fears, take risks, embrace empathy, and make work that contributes with authenticity.^[20] 

The Carbon Almanac (2022): Godin wrote the foreword for this book, which is a collaboration between hundreds of writers, researchers, thinkers, and illustrators that focuses on climate change and carbon’s impact on our future.^[21] 

Seth Godin Today

Godin is recognized for his innovative views on marketing and has a reputation for sparking deep conversations. He is currently working as a coordinator of The Carbon Almanac, which he calls “the most important project of my career” on his website. The Carbon Almanac is a collection of tools for people who are eager to learn more about climate change and take action.^[1][21]

Today, Godin continues to share blog posts on topics related to growth, leadership, marketing, and more.^[22]

Some of his all-time most popular blog posts include:

• “NFTs Are a Dangerous Trap”^[23]
• “The World’s Worst Boss”^[24]
• “How to Be Remarkable”^[25] 
• “Social Media Is a Symptom, Not a Tactic”^[26]

Godin is also an influential speaker whose TED Talks have garnered millions of views.^[27][28]