LA GRANGE, Ky. On October 20, 2026, PRNewswire / -- Old Stone Press announces the launch of the audiobook version of " Stay Thirsty : A Serial Entrepreneur's Tale of Success & Failure", which is the first book written by Mark Haertzen. The publisher stated that after the successful launch of the e-book and paperback editions in March, due to strong market demand, they decided to release this audiobook version as well.
The Kindle version of this book has recently become a bestseller in Amazon's "Biographies of Business Professionals" category. The book has also won an Independent Publishing Award and will receive an Honorable Mention in the "Business - Entrepreneurship and Small Business" category for the 2027 New York Book Awards ( NYC Big Book Award ).
Readers and reviewers have responded warmly to Haertzen's candid account of the risks and struggles in his life as a serial entrepreneur. The memoir has received widespread praise; for example, Printed Word Reviews said: “Stay Thirsty is an inspiring and instructive read that replaces corporate clichés with honest storytelling.”
Old Stone Press, the owner and founder, John Clark stated: "Many people have requested to adapt Stay Thirsty into an audiobook. Many busy individuals have told us that they would like to listen to this 'audiobook' while exercising or driving." He added, "Due to the strong response from the audience and continuous requests, this version is being released more quickly than anticipated."
The audiobook “Stay Thirsty” can be obtained through multiple online sales channels, including Amazon, Audible, Barnes & Noble, Apple, and YouTube. A preview of the book's opening content and a video trailer can be listened to and watched at www.staythirstythebook.com.
About this book
In this memoir, written with frankness and humility, Mark Haertzen recounts his 60-year entrepreneurial journey. His most important entrepreneurial project, Rocket Man, serves as the main case study for his reflections and contemplations. The book details the company's 31-year development with vivid, and at times painful, descriptions of its growth—from a startup founded in a garage with a prototype machine to a global manufacturer and exporter of beverage distribution equipment, with products sold in 65 countries.
Subsequently, Mark talked about the company's bold and strategic transformation: to become a leading provider of mobile sales services in the stadium catering industry, selling beer and other beverages at 75 venues from Delaware to California. Rocket Man has appeared at nearly all major sporting events in the United States, including the Kentucky Derby (25 times), the Super Bowl (6 times), World Series, Daytona 500, NCAA quarterfinals, and the Ryder Cup.
Few memoirs tell the story of the risks and struggles involved in founding a business in such a raw and unreserved way, as well as the impact these experiences had on both the individual and their family. Mark not only describes his greatest successes but also writes about those painful failures and feelings of insecurity; it is precisely these experiences that helped him grow from an impulsive, intuition-driven “born entrepreneur” into a logical, data-driven business leader over the course of several decades of transformation.
Throughout the book, Haertzen distills his own experiences into what he calls “Rocket Wisdom” maxims, such as “Nothing grows from the ground that is fully mature in its entirety.” These maxims provide readers with practical lessons, emphasizing perseverance, flexibility, adaptability, and viewing failure as a tuition fee for future success.
He also discussed the important role that mentors, partners, friends, and family played in his achievements, further reinforcing his belief that "entrepreneurship is a team sport." The Stay Thirsty insightful views are both a tribute to entrepreneurial ambition and a call for people to embrace risks, take a bold leap, and write their own stories.
About the Author
Mark Haertzen is from Lexington, Kentucky, and graduated from the University of Kentucky. Over a 60-year entrepreneurial career, Haertzen has conceived more than 50 businesses, inventions, concepts, and charitable projects, some of which were successful, while others were not so fortunate.
These projects include Drive-Thru coffee shops, marketing services, real estate brokerage companies, residential development projects, technology companies, cocktail mixtures, board games, as well as chain self-service storage facilities. Rocket Man, Inc are his most important entrepreneurial projects, while Stay Thirsty is his latest creation.
When Haertzen is not working on or promoting the next business project, he enjoys playing poker, rowing, and resting on the beach. Mark lives in LaGrange, Kentucky, with his wife Debbie. They have two adult sons and one granddaughter.
OLD STONE PRESS focuses on publishing books by a single author, as well as complex and illustrated "coffee table books." The company is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. https :// oldstonepress.com /
Contact Information:
Mark Haertzen, author, "Stay Thirsty", (502) 548-0264, [ email protected ]
John Clark, Publisher, Old Stone Press, (502) 593-1506, [ email protected ]
Correction: An earlier version of this press release incorrectly [briefly described the update content].
