Not a Success Story.

A Real One.

"A remarkable transformation story that goes far beyond typical business memoirs.”

Steve Case, Co-Founder, AOL

"Beginning with the almost unbelievable & heart-wrenching saga of a horrific family tragedy, followed by the evolution of a lucrative entrepreneurial career & a personal transcendence, Minarik’s memoir is an astonishing & compelling read."

Graham Spanier, PhD, President, The Pennsylvania State University 1995-2011

Author, In The Lions’ Den

His brother committed murder.

Clinical depression descended twice.

The church abandoned his family when they needed it most.

But he built a half-billion-dollar company anyway.

Jim Minarik rang the bell to open the NASDAQ Stock Exchange. He finished seven marathons. He had a wonderful wife and two great kids. He split his time between his home in California and circling the globe on the world’s most exclusive residential yacht. From the outside, he had everything. Inside, he couldn’t stop running and achieving.

But achievement couldn’t undo his brother’s crime. Success couldn’t answer what mattered most: Who am I beneath the titles? Why am I here? What does this all mean?

Therapy wasn’t enough. So, he turned to the unconventional: Meditation. MDMA. Ketamine. Psilocybin. Shamanic ceremony. He encountered an ancient Spirit Man. Backed an expedition into the Amazon. And he finally confronted what he’d spent decades running from.


RECKONING is more than a CEO’s story. It is a raw, unflinching exploration of loss, identity, mental health, love, and reinvention. Written for anyone who has achieved, endured, or felt the quiet pull toward something more, this book is an invitation to reconsider what truly matters—and to keep growing beyond success.

What this book explores

Leadership, Burnout & Mental Health

Behind the success of leading global companies was a private struggle with depression and the emotional weight of leadership.

Life After Achievement

What happens when the career you spent decades building is behind you?

The book explores identity, retirement, and the search for purpose after success.

Family Tragedy & Forgiveness

When Jim’s brother was convicted of murder, the event sent shockwaves through his life and forced a confrontation with anger, grief, and forgiveness.

Healing Through Psychedelic Therapy

In search of answers, Jim explored therapy, meditation, MDMA, ketamine, psilocybin, and plant medicine ceremonies.

Spiritual Transformation

Through travel, reflection, and inner exploration, Jim begins to ask deeper questions about consciousness, purpose, and meaning.

"Jim Minarik’s memoir is an extraordinary story that combines vulnerability, resilience, success, and reinvention. This isn’t just a story of a life-well-lived—it’s a deeply moving reflection on what it means to transcend life’s challenges, lead with heart, and find meaning beyond achievement."

James Henderson
CEO, Exclusive Resorts

“If you've ever wondered what it's like to be in a family where your brother committed an unprovoked murder… what it takes to come from nothing to lead a half-billion-dollar business… what it feels like to be swallowed by a depression so consuming you couldn't imagine escaping… then this memoir by my dear friend Jim Minarik is for you. It's both a gut punch and an inspiration—proof that from darkness, you can come into the light.”

Troy Templeton
Chairman, Trivest Investors

"It's not often you read a business book that stops you in your tracks and makes you rethink so many of your assumptions. This gripping memoir conveys life experiences highly relevant to every entrepreneur, CEO, and business leader in today's high-stress, high-stakes economy. More importantly, it challenges conventional thinking about how to manage family, spirituality, business, and purpose."

Martin Muoto
CEO, SoLa Impact
California's largest private affordable housing developer

"Jim writes with rare courage about fear, depression, and psychedelics—showing how our deepest struggles can become gateways to awakening. As a physician in trauma resolution and psychedelic therapy, I found this memoir both a testament to human resilience and an invitation to step onto your own healing path."

Dr. Tim Frank, NMD
Founder, Sacred Journeys Center for Integrative Medicine & Psychedelic Therapies

"In thirty years of guiding couples, I've rarely seen such courage to face truth with love.”

Pamela Lancaster, LMT
Psychedelic Integration Specialist

What’s your reckoning?

  • This is a personal story about navigating success, loss, and the search for meaning. It follows Jim’s journey from building companies and traveling the world to confronting deeper questions about identity, purpose, and fulfillment.

  • It’s both—but told as a story first. While there are lessons from the boardroom, the heart of the book is about life, perspective, and growth beyond business.

  • For anyone who has achieved something—or is chasing something—and still feels like there’s more beneath the surface. It’s especially relevant for leaders, entrepreneurs, and people navigating major life transitions.

  • It’s honest. The book doesn’t just focus on success—it explores the harder moments, including family challenges, personal setbacks, and the internal shifts that come with them.

  • A new perspective on success, a deeper look at what drives fulfillment, and a reminder that growth often comes from the moments we don’t plan for.

  • Yes. Every part of the book is based on real experiences, told with openness and reflection.

#ReckoningBook