Let's Be Frank

A Daughter's Tribute to Her Father, The Media Mogul You've Never Heard of

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Pub Date 09 Sep 2022 | Archive Date 05 Dec 2022
Greenleaf Book Group | River Grove Books

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Description

Integrity. Kindness. Hard work. Substance and value. Are these the words that describe a media mogul? They are when it’s the late Frank Biondi, the former CEO of HBO, Universal Studios, and Viacom, who leaves a legacy far beyond the movies and TV you love. Through Frank’s example, we can learn how to make good relationships alongside great deals, earn respect while earning multi-million dollar returns, and maintain character even when surrounded by an industry full of characters.

Let’s Be Frank began in the final years of Frank Biondi’s life as he recorded the story of his career while fighting stage-four cancer, a battle he sadly lost in 2019. His daughter, Jane Biondi Munna, compiled his words—along with recollections from media industry luminaries Peter Chernin, Tom Freston, Alan Horn, Sherry Lansing, Alan Schwartz, and more—so that we can all draw inspiration from Frank Biondi’s remarkable business acumen and management style and channel our inner Frank as we navigate life’s challenges and opportunities.

Integrity. Kindness. Hard work. Substance and value. Are these the words that describe a media mogul? They are when it’s the late Frank Biondi, the former CEO of HBO, Universal Studios, and Viacom...


Advance Praise

“Frank Biondi is the type of leader you want on your team. I speak from experience; we played baseball together at Princeton. Let’s Be Frank offers timeless lessons about how to make your own contributions to the world, just as Frank did for the media industry and the friends, colleagues, and communities he lifted up during his life.” 

--Former U.S. Senator Bill Bradley, author of We Can All Do Better

"A lovely and deserved portrait of Frank Biondi. . . . He became one of my go-to executives as I strove to understand the fast-changing media business. I greatly valued our relationship and his knowledge. Like many in business, he had talent. But he also had something all too rare: decency.”

--Ken Auletta, New York Times bestselling author of Googled

“The life of Frank Biondi shows what true principle and integrity can mean in a field where it’s not always present.”

--Norman Lear, legendary television and movie producer and author of Even This I Get to Experience

“Attention to detail, moral compass, humility; these are characteristics that describe Frank Biondi and his long tenure as an outstanding entertainment executive. And, by the way, Sumner Redstone said to me that ‘hiring Frank was a fantastic move and firing him was my biggest mistake.’”

--Michael Eisner, former chairman and CEO of the Walt Disney Company and author of Working Together: Why Great Partnerships Succeed

“I had the privilege to know Frank both as a top business executive and as a friend. In both roles, he comported himself with the same combination of intelligence, humility, and total integrity. I’m so glad that through this book, he will be remembered as he is deserved to be.”

--Steve Rattner, chairman and CEO of Willett Advisors, Economic Analyst on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, former Counselor to the Secretary of the Treasury and author of Overhaul

"Frank Biondi had an extraordinary impact on my life and my career. The lessons imparted in Let’s Be Frank are timeless and remind me of what a remarkable leader and person he was. Frank outlines to the reader how to carve out your own path, learning from the leaders of the past, just as he did."

--Jim Steyer, Founder of Common Sense Media, Stanford Professor and author of Which Side of History

“Get ready to learn from one of the most influential people you’ve never heard of. Although Frank Biondi had a monumental impact on the world of entertainment, he preferred to stay out of the spotlight. At long last, this book takes you backstage to see how he led many of Hollywood’s most iconic brands, made decisions, and built relationships.”

--Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Think Again and host of the TED podcast WorkLife

“Frank Biondi is the type of leader you want on your team. I speak from experience; we played baseball together at Princeton. Let’s Be Frank offers timeless lessons about how to make your own...


Available Editions

EDITION Paperback
ISBN 9781632995797
PRICE $18.95 (USD)

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Featured Reviews

A heartfelt memoir of a businesswoman and her dad a media business superstar
I loved the way she included an explanation of NPV in the appendix - a great one for aspiring media business tycoons

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The memoirs of Frank Biondi, a former CEO most people have never heard of, is a collection of professional and personal anecdotes related to the Media industry (HBO, Viacom, …) . It is a dynamic and well written book. Structurally speaking, the book is encapsulated around different topics and events. Although there are jumps between the different stages, which in appearance could be a bit confusing, his remarkable philosophy and business vision are evident and illustrative of an extended career as a Media mogul.

In my view, it provides interesting knowledge from a business perspective that can be quite inspiring for managers and curious people who want to know some history of TV and Media.

It has been a great discovery. Thank you to Jane Biondi Munna, NetGalley and Greenleaf Book Group for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

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