Insightful and Entertaining

As someone who has run old fashioned businesses (you know, the kind that have to turn a profit so you can pay your mortgage), this depiction of startups in Silicon Valley is intriguing, terrifying and hugely entertaining. This book is for anyone interested in business or has a sense of humour! I really enjoyed it.

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raucous read in a mad bubble world

brilliant and entertaining story. certainly rang true for some of my work history. Dan tells a good exaggerated tale that has some laughs included

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Tech startup culture through the lens of a disgruntled journalist

Dan tells a good story, and no doubt there’s differing levels of disfunction behind the scenes at many young companies. But often times it felt like he was looking for vindication or allies as he described blow ups with his Hubspot colleagues in graphic detail. Ultimately he didn’t fit the culture - age probably played a role in that, but I doubt he’d have fitted in at Hubspot even in his early 20’s as he’s a cynical journalist with a talent for sarcasm, and that’s not the culture at Hubspot. The world has room for both cynical journalists and upbeat Hubspotters - apparently just not under the same roof, and that’s ok. In the end, he used Hubspot and Hubspot used him, but overall Dan seems to have come out on top. And calling out x-colleagues in a book because you weren’t able to fit in lacks character in my mind - even if some of them weren’t good people. Nonetheless, it makes for an interesting read/listen with a few laughs and plenty of cringeworthy moments along the way.

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Excellent but slightly spoiled by whining

Overall a fantastic listen, really great story and narrator, a fantastic insight into the valley and all its seedy and somewhat creepy undertones. I couldn't stop listening to it, its one of those books that actually makes you look forward to work the next day so you can hear the end of it!

However, the whole thing is slightly ruined by the authors whining. Obviously this is a personal complaint, and not an issue with the story itself, but it got on my nerves quite a bit. Ageism in the valley is a huge issue, but the authors approach to this just comes across as a big whine. He essentially makes the point (intentional or not, and maybe its just what I heard) that the ageism should be reversed, not that it shouldn't be there at all. He pines about the good old days where he could just ignore or disregard a 20-something as if they're nothing, but now he has to work for them, the gall! Maybe I'm just taking it wrongly, but that in particular struck me the wrong way.

However, even despite that its an excellent audiobook and I wouldnt recommend it to anyone, even a 20-something.

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19 people found this helpful

Brilliant listen and truly great insight

This was a a truly eye opening experience that resonated with my own experiences in similar and client companies. Anyone working in a start up, or leading one, should pay attention to this and avoid the same mistakes. Basically...how not to do it and how to avoid being a D bag.

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fantastic story.

I also work for a tech startup, and I felt like he was talking a bit about my company.

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Totally absorbing ... when's the film coming out?!

Brilliantly narrated, what a joy to hear the author's own words, I rode this journey with him (and so did my other half who has also experienced the very same scenario's). This is laugh out loud funny (yeh I got strange looks on the Underground) and yet, sooooo very scarily true. Fascinating, cringeworthy, and menacingly dark. I work in an HR related field and this is a wake up call for every staff member and management team person on how a culture becomes corrupted when your own goal is "your exit". Enjoy - I'm glad I did the audio version it added an extra dimension.

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Great read

Great story, well written and presented in this reading. The Dan's story higlits the problems of most of tech startups where retaining talent, exeperience and profit is replaced by hiring and replacing cheap inexperience, and fousing on growth and revenue without a look on spending sheet.

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Great fun

Really enjoyed Dan’s tale, couldnt put it down. Office cliques, politics and culture are not just confined to tech company’s so can relate to a lot of this, but its a great story. Not sure the value of the vested stock warranted the agony, but the anecdotes will play out in HBO’s Silicon Valley for our enjoyment so thank you!

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Brilliant book and narrator

This is a must, and the narrator should be paid 10x whatever he's making!

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