When Anthony Goins was offered an opportunity to move to Lincoln in 2014, he was a bit apprehensive.
Not only had he never been to Nebraska and knew nothing about the state, but the job he was being offered would make him the first-ever Black executive at Cabela's World's Foremost Bank.
But Goins, who has lived in 14 different cities in 10 different states and worked at huge multinational companies such as JP Morgan, American Express and Ford, decided to take a leap of faith.
"I told my wife, 'We're moving to Nebraska,'" he said.
When Goins got here, he was immediately introduced to some big-time Lincoln business people, including University of Nebraska Regent Tim Clare; Clay Smith, whose family owns Speedway Motors; and Jay Wilkinson, CEO of Firespring.
And the introductions didn't stop there.
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"I would meet some incredible business leaders month after month," said Goins, who is director of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development.
The more people he met, the more he realized there was something special about the people here.
"I've never seen the amount of successful entrepreneurs per capita in such a small area," Goins said.
"I kept saying to Jay (Wilkinson), there's got to be something in the water in Lincoln, Nebraska," he said.
About three years ago, Wilkinson pitched the idea of Goins writing a book about successful Lincoln business owners.
"He said, 'You're uniquely qualified because you're not from here,'" Goins said.
Wilkinson said that within a year of arriving in Lincoln, Goins recognized that Lincoln's entrepreneurs and business leaders were different than anywhere else he's lived.
"They share an abundance mentality that we are all in this together, have an unparalleled work ethic and go above and beyond to support the community," Wilkinson said. "Every time he met another one of the builders and founders, he'd say to me 'Jay, there must be something in the water here.' So I suggested he stop talking about it and write a book."
Goins did just that, spending nearly three years interviewing some of the top business founders and owners in Lincoln.
The result is "Something in the Water: Stories of Lincoln's Iconic Founders and Builders." Goins launched the book this week.
He focused on 20 companies and their leaders, ranging from large companies such as Nelnet, Ameritas and Duncan Aviation, to smaller firms such as Archrival.
He got told "no" a few times, and one executive pulled out after initially granting him an interview, which is why the book wound up with 19 companies instead of 20.
Goins said through his interviews, he found a few common traits each leader had.
They are authentic and genuinely care for the people working for them; They have an "unreal" work ethic; they are "sneaky smart" and have superior knowledge of their businesses; they exhibit "crazy courage" and aren't afraid to take risks; and they know how to lead in a crisis and have the ability to bounce back.
Goins, who is an accomplished business leader and entrepreneur in his own right, said he was amazed by how generous everyone was with their wisdom and their time.
"I feel like I almost got a Ph.D. in business," he said.
Goins said the experience also made him a "better person, not just a better businessperson."
What's also going to make him a better person is the fact that he plans to donate all proceeds from the book to charity — specifically to Just Do Business, an initiative spearheaded by Goins to add economic inclusion for Black Nebraskans.
You can learn more about the book and see how you can buy it at