The aim of this book is to explore the roots of Tomáš Bata’s philosophy. He never sought to preserve hit thoughts of write a memoir. Instead, he constantly absorbed himself in the present, committed to facing whatever challenges each and every day brought with it. Several traits defined his character – the ability to clearly describe issues, sum up situations and come up with ways of dealing with them. It might have been possible to convey these briefly, but some kind of “pep talk” was always inevitable. This capability complimented his superb artistry for devising simple solutions. Indeed, this so-called “common sense” approach was the catalyst for numerous ingenious and timeless ideas. This book present a collection of speeches made by Tomáš Baťa to colleagues, young people, organizations and the general public at large. Its publication was facilitated by Antonín Cekota, a friend of Tomáš Baťa and a journalist. He compiled reflections and speeches uttered by the man who was his boss, arranging and placing them in a contemporary context. Know that if you are interested in understanding the thinking of this global entrepreneur – the “shoe king”, that you hold in your hands the ideal book for that purpose, detailing his foremost deliberations on business, politics, society, schooling, education, economics and the future.