Hi, I'm Zibi Owens, and you're listening to the Webby-nominated podcast, Moms

don't have time to read books. I am very, very excited to be interviewing Stephen A. Schwarsman

today, who is the chairman, CEO, and co-founder of Blackstone, one of the world's leading investment firms, and the author of What It Takes, Lessons in the Pursuit of Excellence.

He is an active philanthropist with a focus on education, culture, and the arts.

He's the founder of the Schwarsman Scholars Program in China. He currently lives in New York, and he's my dad.

So, welcome, Dad. Thanks for coming on. Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books. Well, it's great to be here. Can you please tell listeners

what it takes is about and what inspired you to write this book? Well, what it takes is about

what I've learned. I would like to pass on to younger people,

people working in organizations,

people who start organizations,

and people who run organizations

so that they can do a better job,

so they can be more successful,

so that they can have fuller lives,

and so the world can be a better place.

And that's why I wrote it.

Small goal.

Well, we have ambitious goals and a fun story.

And then the book is a very quick read.

A lot of people tell me they laugh a lot.

And the reason is, you know, I've failed at a lot of things, not all things, obviously,

or there wouldn't be a book, but part of the reason I wrote the book is so people learn that

...