Two Swedish guys called Jonas Ridderstrale and Kjell Nordström wrote a book called "Funky Business: Talent Makes Capital Dance". They coined the term "Fucking and Shopping" for the first time in Academic text. For the creatives it is now money or sex. The learnings from the book still keep my on the edge.
Also Peter Schwarz a futurist had a massive effect on my optimism towards the future of the world.