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3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Entertaining, and a good alternative-ish view to tech for someone who lives in the tech bubble.
This was a weird one. Read for the Storygraph genre challenge; I don't have a particular interest in start ups. The analysis of the economics and culture of tech start ups was great, the author's lack of self awareness less so. Really recommend for a fascinating insight into this truly insane world, but there are some aspects of the author's perspective that will grate.
funny
informative
tense
fast-paced
If you want to know a bit about the dark side of startups this is the book to read.
funny
informative
sad
fast-paced
funny
informative
medium-paced
*sigh* I found the history and context of silicon valley to be informative
I found the authors writing at times to be sexist and inappropriate
I found the authors writing at times to be sexist and inappropriate
I’m ambivalent about this. I love the writing - Dan Lyons is hilarious, scathing, and super snarky, and while I acknowledge the author’s struggles, I find it difficult to rate this book without invalidating what the author experienced.
This book recounts the experience of a journalist who made a mid-life career switch into a Silicon Valley tech company, Hubspot. Hubspot is portrayed as a wannabe hyper-growth start-up - Disneyland office perks, relentlessly smiling young employees with a ‘can-do’ attitude, over-the-top sales and marketing conferences, all without having a strong go-to-market product. Growing revenues buoyed by burning cash on sales& marketing, an unprofitable business model, but a desire to cash out on an IPO in a bull market. Dan Lyons is a culture-misfit, the victim of subtle ageism attacks, is outcasted and does not engage in meaningful work he thought he would do. Instead of the valuable writing he had done in his journalistic career, he is now relegated to writing articles with click-baity headlines to achieve unforgiving sales targets. I get it. I work in a Silicon Valley start-up too, and I see where he’s coming from. Some of the stereotypes are true. But I also felt that he walked in with tinted lenses, and while some of his colleagues’ and superiors’ behaviours to him were clearly unacceptable, almost bordering on abuse, I felt like he also went in without a willingness to change his deep-seated beliefs on what a different work culture can be like, and had a judgement on what kind of work culture was morally superior than another. On many occasions he stood on his moral high ground, and referred to his colleagues as ‘stupid’ or ‘idiotic’ (his exact words), and I think that was unfair. Sure - there are a lot of politics and mean people in start-ups (or anywhere really), but Lyons shouldn’t be surprised at this.
It is still a really good read, and I recommend this.
This book recounts the experience of a journalist who made a mid-life career switch into a Silicon Valley tech company, Hubspot. Hubspot is portrayed as a wannabe hyper-growth start-up - Disneyland office perks, relentlessly smiling young employees with a ‘can-do’ attitude, over-the-top sales and marketing conferences, all without having a strong go-to-market product. Growing revenues buoyed by burning cash on sales& marketing, an unprofitable business model, but a desire to cash out on an IPO in a bull market. Dan Lyons is a culture-misfit, the victim of subtle ageism attacks, is outcasted and does not engage in meaningful work he thought he would do. Instead of the valuable writing he had done in his journalistic career, he is now relegated to writing articles with click-baity headlines to achieve unforgiving sales targets. I get it. I work in a Silicon Valley start-up too, and I see where he’s coming from. Some of the stereotypes are true. But I also felt that he walked in with tinted lenses, and while some of his colleagues’ and superiors’ behaviours to him were clearly unacceptable, almost bordering on abuse, I felt like he also went in without a willingness to change his deep-seated beliefs on what a different work culture can be like, and had a judgement on what kind of work culture was morally superior than another. On many occasions he stood on his moral high ground, and referred to his colleagues as ‘stupid’ or ‘idiotic’ (his exact words), and I think that was unfair. Sure - there are a lot of politics and mean people in start-ups (or anywhere really), but Lyons shouldn’t be surprised at this.
It is still a really good read, and I recommend this.
I picked this one up because one of the local librarians at my library recommended it at a digital book speed dating event they held a few weeks ago. I would have never picked this book up if it weren't for her great description of it. (Great job, Beth!)
This book was really interesting to me. This older white man goes into a situation where the structure isn't made out for him and he starts to realize how frustrating the world can be when it's not cut out for you. I learned a lot about the tech industry and I think that he made some really great points. However, I just can't get over the idea that there are people who feel this way every single day and they don't get books deals. I validate what he was feeling and all the experiences that he went through. However, I was hyper-aware that he could quit his job and things would go back to normal. There are lots of people who don't have that privilege. This book got me thinking A LOT.
This book was really interesting to me. This older white man goes into a situation where the structure isn't made out for him and he starts to realize how frustrating the world can be when it's not cut out for you. I learned a lot about the tech industry and I think that he made some really great points. However, I just can't get over the idea that there are people who feel this way every single day and they don't get books deals. I validate what he was feeling and all the experiences that he went through. However, I was hyper-aware that he could quit his job and things would go back to normal. There are lots of people who don't have that privilege. This book got me thinking A LOT.
Really entertaining look at life inside a tech startup. As an IT person myself, it made me cringe a little and worry about finding another job were I to ever need one, that's for sure.
interesting venture into the tech startup culture, some fun tit bit of insights and stories, and how money could be made in this area and what not to do when working