I recently binged on several dozen episodes of How I built this over a few long flights and a couple long nights. These are what I believe to be the most insightful, heartfelt, and inspiring stories:

1. Jonah Peretti (new media mogul)
2. Blake Mycoskie (three-time entrepreneur)
3. Barbara Corcoran (real estate mogul)
4. Sarah Blakely (corset underwear inventor)
5. Jimmy Wales (encyclopedia savant)
6. Jack Conte (artistic crowd-funder)
7. Tony Hsieh (online shoe kingpin)
8. Rick Steves (travel magnet)
9. Vlad Tenev (Wall Street disrupter)
10. Ben & Jerry (modern ice cream pioneers)

Honorable mention: Joe Gebbia (home share inventor)