10 Most Ground-Breaking Stories from FAST COMPANY

To celebrate its 150th issue, the editors said they couldn't resist digging through the archives and rereading their best and boldest stories.

The Brand Called You (Issue 10 - September 1997)
Big companies understand the importance of brands. Today, in the Age of the Individual, you have to be your own brand. Here's what it takes to be the CEO of Me Inc.

Built to Flip (Issue 32 - March 2000)
A battle is under way for the new economy. Which side are you on?

What Should I Do With My Life (Issue 66 - January 2003)
The real meaning of success -- and how to find it.

The Wal-Mart You Don't Know (Issue 77 - December 2003)
The giant retailer's low prices often come with a high cost. Wal-Mart's relentless pressure can crush the companies it does business with and force them to send jobs overseas. Are we shopping our way straight to the unemployment line?

Change or Die (Issue 94 - May 2005)
All leadership comes down to this: changing people's behavior. Why is that so damn hard? Science offers some surprising new answers -- and ways to do better.

Is Your Boss a Psychopath? (Issue 96 - July 2005)
Odds are you've run across one of these characters in your career. They're glib, charming, manipulative, deceitful, ruthless -- and very, very destructive. And there may be lots of them in America's corner offices.

Why We Hate HR (Issue 97 - August 2005)
In a knowledge economy, companies with the best talent win. And finding, nurturing, and developing that talent should be one of the most important tasks in a corporation. So why does human resources do such a bad job -- and how can we fix it?

How Many Lightbulbs Does It Take to Change the World? One. And You're Looking at It. (Issue 108 - September 2006)
For years, compact fluorescent bulbs have promised dramatic energy savings--yet they remain a mere curiosity. That's about to change.

Hacker. Dropout. CEO (Issue 115 - May 2007)
When Mark Zuckerberg showed up in Palo Alto three years ago, he had no car, no house, and no job. Today, he's at the helm of a smokin'-hot social-networking site, Facebook, and turning down billion-dollar offers. Can this kid be for real?

Message in a Bottle (Issue 117 - July 2007)
Americans spent more money last year on bottled water than on ipods or movie tickets: $15 Billion. A journey into the economics--and psychology--of an unlikely business boom. And what it says about our culture of indulgence.