BE 2.0 by Jim Collins and Bill Lazier
A practical guide to building a lasting company, with overlap for readers of Good to Great.
The short version
- Founders of growing small and midsize companies
- Managers and nonprofit leaders building culture and values
- Readers new to Jim Collins who want one overview
- You have read most of Collins's other books recently
- You want a tactical startup playbook on fundraising or product
What owners like
- Practical, usable advice on values, vision and hiring the right people
- Easy to read, with many examples
- Works as a single summary of Collins's other books
- Ideas from the 1992 edition still hold up
Common complaints
- Repeats material from Good to Great and other Collins books
- Some sections run long
- Idealistic in places, and some readers question the research method and choice of example companies
Based on Penguin Random House listing, a University of Arkansas extension book review, an inspiique review and Goodreads reader discussion.
Research scores
Scored from the maker's specs and what owners report. Drew's own notes and photos will refine these.
Ownership
- Aug 2024
First bought.
Drew's hands-on notes for this product are on the way. Long-term updates will be added to this timeline.
What it does
An updated edition of Jim Collins and Bill Lazier's 1992 business book on turning a young company into a lasting one, with new chapters and essays added in 2020.
- Includes the original Beyond Entrepreneurship text from 1992
- Adds four new chapters and fifteen new essays by Collins
- Pulls Collins's research into one framework he calls The Map
- Covers leadership style, vision and core values, strategy, innovation and execution
- Written in part as a tribute to Lazier, Collins's mentor, who died in 2005
A strong pick for founders and leaders of small and midsize companies who want Collins's frameworks in one place, with the full 1992 text intact. Readers who already know Good to Great will find a fair amount of overlap, and some critics fault the idealism and company selection behind the examples.
How it compares
Specs
- Authors
- Jim Collins and William (Bill) Lazier
- Publisher
- Portfolio (Penguin Random House)
- Published
- December 1, 2020
- Format
- Hardcover, also ebook and audiobook
- Length
- 352 pages; audiobook about 13 h 54 min
- ISBN
- 9780399564239
Questions
What is new in BE 2.0 compared with Beyond Entrepreneurship?
It keeps the 1992 text and adds four new chapters and fifteen essays, plus a combined framework Collins calls The Map.
Who was Bill Lazier?
Collins's mentor and co-author of the original book. He died in 2005.
How long is the BE 2.0 audiobook?
Penguin Random House lists it at 13 hours 54 minutes.
Is BE 2.0 only for startups?
No. Reviewers recommend it for leaders at any level and for nonprofits as well as companies.
Sources
- Penguin Random House: BE 2.0 (Beyond Entrepreneurship 2.0)
- University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension: BE 2.0 book review
- inspiique: Beyond Entrepreneurship 2.0 review
- Goodreads: Beyond Entrepreneurship 2.0
Researched 2026-10-01. We bought this product; our page is built from the maker's details and what owners report across reviews and forums. We never copy Amazon customer reviews.