For over three decades, Steve Piersanti has revolutionized the publishing industry with a mission-driven approach to publishing that blends business with social impact. As the founder and CEO of Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Piersanti has worked hard to “connect people and ideas to create a world that works for all.”i His vision redefines what publishing and leadership can achieve when guided by principles of stewardship, quality, partnership, inclusion, and sustainability.
Piersanti’s commitment to learning and ethical leadership began as a student at Brigham Young University. While at BYU, he co-founded a student-run academic journal, setting the stage for his lifelong dedication to sharing knowledge and inspiring change through publishing. His early experiences in organizing, editing, and mentoring peers at BYU foreshadowed the values that would later define Berrett-Koehler’s culture and mission.
Before founding Berrett-Koehler in 1992, he began his career in 1977 as an advertising copywriter and steadily rose through editorial and executive positions to become the President and CEO of Jossey-Bass Publishers. In this role, he learned that leadership is best practiced by collaborating as a team, empowering and utilizing everyone’s vast skill sets, instead of micromanaging. This inspired his own philosophy of leadership that would later help him succeed in his role at Berrett-Koehler.
The focus of Berrett-Koehler is to publish books that inspire change, whether that is through promoting content about progressive leadership and management practices, or social and economic justice. Piersanti has made sure that Berrett-Koehler takes this step forward by ‘eating our own cooking,’ii or putting into practice these principles in the books they publish. This
philosophy has led to many successes. They have been able to publish books such as Leadership and Self-Deception by The Arbinger Institute, which has sold over three million copies worldwide, along with The Anatomy of Peace, The Outward Mindset, and Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy. Each book highlights the goal of the company to have an impact on an individual, organizational, and societal level.
Piersanti’s hard work and accomplishments have not gone unnoticed. In 2003, he was awarded the Champion of Workplace Learning and Performance Award from the American Society for Training and Development,iii as well as the PubWest Jack D. Rittenhouse Award in 2023 for his contributions to the publishing community.iv
Through his example, Steve Piersanti demonstrates that publishing is not just about books; leadership is not just about leading. It is about creating change and building bridges between people and ideas. His career proves that businesses guided by purpose and principle can both prosper and uplift, shaping not only the industry but also the people and communities they serve.
i https://bkconnection.com/pages/about-us
ii https://ideas.bkconnection.com/the-new-leadership-paradigm
iii https://www.endingracismusa.org/steve-piersanti#:~:text=Steve%20received%20the%20%E2%80%9CChampion%20of,Development%20(ASTD)%20in%202003.
iv https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/trade-shows-events/article/91477-onshoring-and-sustainability-among-top-issues-at-pubwest-bmi-meeting.html