Verne Harnish


Verne C. Harnish is founder of the Young Entrepreneurs' Organization, now known as Entrepreneurs' Organization, and the Association of Collegiate Entrepreneurs. He also serves as co-founder and principal of Gazelles Growth Institute and as founder and chief executive officer of Gazelles, Inc. He chairs the "Birthing of Giants" leadership program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the MIT/WEO Advanced Business Program for entrepreneurs over 40.

Education

Harnish received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and an M.B.A. from Wichita State University, where he founded and chaired the Association of Collegiate Entrepreneurs.

Writing career

Harnish is an author, often writing as the "Growth Guy" columnist for several publications.
In 2002, he published Mastering the Rockefeller Habits. He created the "Rockefeller Habits" concept based on the leadership and management practices used by John D. Rockefeller. In the book, Harnish outlined three "pillars" to the habits: "Priorities", "Data" and "Rhythm". He recommends the practice of holding "huddles", or short daily meetings, in order for small business to maintain focus on strategic goals and establish accountability.
His newest book is Scaling Up: How a Few Companies Make It...and Why the Rest Don't, which received several awards.
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Harnish wrote the 5 C's for Leading in a Crisis.