Otis Chandler [entrepreneur]

By: Julian Chavez | August 24, 2009 | Ten by Ten

Otis Chandler is heir to the Los Angeles Times legacy as well as the founder and CEO of Goodreads.com, a rapidly growing social networking site for book lovers like himself.  Though the site only launched in 2006, its members have grown to more than 1.6 million.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned?
Hard work trumps being smart. Once I hired a programmer out of a top college who had a very impressive resume, but he never got anything done. Then we hired another guy out of a state college, and he was 10 times as productive because he busted his butt.

What book have you read that made a powerful impression on you?
Positioning by Jack Trout. It’s a 1980s marketing book about branding that I think is still very accurate today. One key point from the book is: For any product, most people can remember only the top three or four brands. For example, if I asked a random person “What are the best social networks?” I’d get Facebook, MySpace, Bebo, etc. Trout advises that if you want to be No. 1 in your category you have a make a new category. Goodreads.com is the No. 1 Book Social Network.

Describe your average Sunday morning.
Sleep in, then go for a run or a surf; then turn on a Laker game while I work.

What individual was most influential during your formative years and how?
My dad. He taught me to follow my dreams and do things right the first time.

What is your take on the current economic crisis?
I think the world has changed permanently and we will be in a depression for at least three years. But I also think it’s a great time to be building a business. I like this quote by Joseph Conrad to keep things in perspective: “It is like a running blaze on a plain, like a flash of lightening in the clouds. We live in the flicker — may it last as long as the old earth keeps rolling! But darkness was here yesterday.”

What are your thoughts on the overall importance of art in modern society?
People often associate “art” with museums. But art can be found in the design of our cars, our houses, the products we use — everywhere! As an engineer, I consider myself an artist because I create things. We all need to contribute as artists.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to follow your career path?
Two pieces of advice: First, just do it. There is a great quote by Teddy Roosevelt that says be a “doer of deeds.” Second, I would say that the best way to learn about a business is to find a great mentor.

How do you decompress after a hard day’s work?
I read a book for a good hour before bed each night.

Describe your most vivid dream (or a recurring dream).
I wish I could remember my dreams—maybe they would be awesome.

How do you define success?
I define a successful man as a happy man. A happy man has a family that he loves and work that he enjoys. A happy man doesn’t have to love to work, but he has to love the work he does.

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