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A review by sallyreb
Disrupted: My Misadventure in the Start-Up Bubble by Dan Lyons
4.0
I enjoyed reading Dan Lyons' tale of working in a tech start-up on a number of different levels. First, as a former journalist, Lyons story is a witty, engaging, albeit simplistic read.
After losing his job as the technology reporter at Newsweek, Lyons, like many, sees the growing tech start-up scene as a appealing option for career reinvention. Here, as someone who is interested in career development the role work plays in our life, I enjoyed reading about Lyons experience transitioning to a new sector after over two decades working in the same field. Lyons is in his early 50's and entering a new profession, more challenging is that this field is dominated by 20-somethings who seem to believe the college party makes for a good workplace culture.
Lyons quickly realizes that the tech start-up, a real company that os still in operations today, is essentially a house of cards propped up by a "boiler room" of cold calling sales reps trying to market poorly developed software. Unlike the early days of technology, today's market place is driven by marketing pros and investors are throwing money at start-up based on a good sales pitch and blind hope in making a fortune. This is where I think Lyons book is most interesting.
Lyons exposes the tech sector as an industry where early investors end up making a fortune even though the business model and/or product is a failure. Tech companies offer free beer, taco Tuesdays and unlimited vacations, along with that faint hope of making a million, yet the industry is nothing more that a modern version of a sweatshop that churns through employees. Promised stock options and a "fun" culture are appealing and young adults are drawn in, but with the high turn-over rate companies manage to keep costs low. Those "unlimited vacation days" sound great, but they cannot be cashed-out when you leave employment.
After losing his job as the technology reporter at Newsweek, Lyons, like many, sees the growing tech start-up scene as a appealing option for career reinvention. Here, as someone who is interested in career development the role work plays in our life, I enjoyed reading about Lyons experience transitioning to a new sector after over two decades working in the same field. Lyons is in his early 50's and entering a new profession, more challenging is that this field is dominated by 20-somethings who seem to believe the college party makes for a good workplace culture.
Lyons quickly realizes that the tech start-up, a real company that os still in operations today, is essentially a house of cards propped up by a "boiler room" of cold calling sales reps trying to market poorly developed software. Unlike the early days of technology, today's market place is driven by marketing pros and investors are throwing money at start-up based on a good sales pitch and blind hope in making a fortune. This is where I think Lyons book is most interesting.
Lyons exposes the tech sector as an industry where early investors end up making a fortune even though the business model and/or product is a failure. Tech companies offer free beer, taco Tuesdays and unlimited vacations, along with that faint hope of making a million, yet the industry is nothing more that a modern version of a sweatshop that churns through employees. Promised stock options and a "fun" culture are appealing and young adults are drawn in, but with the high turn-over rate companies manage to keep costs low. Those "unlimited vacation days" sound great, but they cannot be cashed-out when you leave employment.