Photo by Melanie Dunea, courtesy of Vista Equity Partners
Lead Boldly: A Conversation with Robert F. Smith
On August. 12, 2025, HarperCollins Leadership is publishing Lead Boldly: Seven Principles from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, with commentary in insights by investor, philanthropist and entrepreneur Robert F. Smith.
A resource for leaders and aspiring leaders, Lead Boldly pairs seven of MLK Jr’s most impactful speeches with insights from Robert F. Smith about why Dr. King’s visionary ideas are so important for leaders to understand and apply today. The book features an introduction written by Dr. King’s daughter Rev. Dr. Bernice King, and the book has been endorsed by Serena Williams, Rev. Al Sharpton, Darren Walker, and more.
Smith will have a moderated book discussion on Thursday, August 28, 2025, at 5:30 PM at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.
About the Book
Leadership insights from one of history’s most influential voices.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated more than 55 years ago, yet his words continue to inspire millions of people, young and old—from all races and backgrounds. During his remarkable life, he embodied bold and compassionate leadership and achieved a level of influence few thought possible for a Black man born in Atlanta just before the Great Depression.
Now, aspiring leaders can reflect on some of Dr. King’s most impactful speeches and integrate his lessons into their modern leadership journeys. Robert F. Smith, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, offers his own insights and experiences on each passage on how themes like “The Beloved Community”, “Economic Justice”, and “Two Americas” played a central role in his own leadership development and why the visionary ideas Dr. King espoused are so important for leaders to understand and apply today.
About Robert F Smith
Robert F. Smith is an American investor, philanthropist and entrepreneur. He leads Vista Equity Partners, a global technology investor that specializes in enterprise software.
Throughout his life, Smith’s commitments to philanthropy and equality of opportunity have never wavered, and finding ways to make a difference in the communities where he lives and works is central to his character and approach to life. During his 2019 commencement address at Morehouse College, a Historically Black College, Smith committed to eliminating the student loan debt of the graduating class and later expanded his gift to eliminate student loan debt held by the students’ guardians on their behalf. Smith holds many board positions – he is the Chairman of Carnegie Hall and Student Freedom Initiative (SFI), co-lead of Southern Communities Initiative (SCI) and the founding director and President of Fund II Foundation. In addition, he is a major donor to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the King Center, his alma maters, Cornell University and Columbia University, and the Sphinx Organization, among many others. Smith was honored by being listed as one of Forbes’ 100 Greatest Living Business Minds in 2017 and TIME100’s “Most Influential People” in 2020.