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Founders at Work: Stories of Startups' Early Days
Founders at Work recounts the early struggles for independence and acceptance of many of modern technology’s giants, through personal interviews that are at times hilarious, at times painful, and always inspiring. As human-interest stories they will interest the same audience that enjoys reading about the Google founders in PEOPLE magazine. These stories are exceptionally interesting, because they're about the early stages, when the founders were younger and inexperienced. Most readers know startup founders only as confident millionaires. As novices trying to find their way by trial and error, they're more human, and easier for the reader to identify with.
456 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 362 reviews
March 22, 2017
Loved every second of this book. Each chapter is a different story of a startup founder. I read it slowly so it wouldn't end, and read many chapters twice. My biggest take was that most founders didn't necessarily know what they were doing - or even that they were on to something big. But they were all determined to start a company - that was the only thing they all had in common.
Here are some good quotes from the book:
"I'd say determination is the single most important quality in a startup founder. If the founders I spoke with were superhuman in any way, it was in their perseverance."
-- Jessica Livingston (the author)
"I see way too many people give up in the startup world. They just give up too easily. Recruiting is a classic example. I don't even hear the first "no" that somebody says. When they say, "No, I'm not interested", I think "Now it's a real challenge. Now's when the tough part begins." It's hard to identify talent, but great people don't look for jobs, great people are sold on jobs. And if they're sold they're going to say no at first. You have to win them over."
-- Joe Kraus (founder of Excite)
"Ultimately, you cannot accomplish something completely on your own. You really need to develop a network of people who win when you win."
-- Ray Ozzie (Founder of Groove Networks, Chief Architect of Microsoft)
"My philosophy on these types of companies - consumer-based Internet companies - is that you don't need to worry about the business model initially. If you get users, then everything else follows. Basically any technology can be copied, any concept can be copied. In my opinion, what makes one of these companies valuable is the users. That can't be copied"
-- Mark Fletcher (Founder of eGroups and Bloglines)
"I am not a hunter, never have fired a gun, but I'm told that if you want to shoot a duck, you have to shoot where the duck is going to be, not where the duck is. It's the same with introducing technology: if you're only focused on the market today, by the time you introduce your solution to that problem, there'll probably be several others already entrenched."
-- Charles Geschke (Founder of Adobe Systems)
"The biggest thrill is frankly not the financial success, it's the ability to have an impact. Because we're both engineers at heart and that's every engineer's dream - to build something that millions of people will use."
-- Charles Geschke (Founder of Adobe Systems)
"Most programmers don't think about the user experience. They get a spec book, and they say, "Well, I'm going to meet this spec to make the customer happy." That's not really enough; you have to make something good for the user if you want to call yourself an engineer."
-- Philip Greenspun (Founder of ArsDigita)
"People don't like to write. It's hard. The people who were really good software engineers were usually great writers; they had tremendous ability to organize their thoughts and communicate. The people who were sort of average-quality programmers and had trouble thinking about the larger picture were the ones who couldn't write."
-- Philip Greenspun (Founder of ArsDigita)
"Things never work out right the first time. You've always got to do it two or three times to get it right. And things always go wrong. So persistence is the key to success. I had seen that in my career. I had seen that in computer design projects. I had seen that through my whole life. And so that word is the best single advice I can give to entrepreneurs. The key to success, if you had to sum it up in one, is persistence."
-- Ron Gruner (Founder of Alliant Computer Systems and Shareholder.com)
"I'd just keep thinking, keep trying to find the language and find new employees, trying to meet the VC who would understand my vision and back me. I met with 43 VCs."
-- James Currier (Founder of Tickle.com)
Here are some good quotes from the book:
"I'd say determination is the single most important quality in a startup founder. If the founders I spoke with were superhuman in any way, it was in their perseverance."
-- Jessica Livingston (the author)
"I see way too many people give up in the startup world. They just give up too easily. Recruiting is a classic example. I don't even hear the first "no" that somebody says. When they say, "No, I'm not interested", I think "Now it's a real challenge. Now's when the tough part begins." It's hard to identify talent, but great people don't look for jobs, great people are sold on jobs. And if they're sold they're going to say no at first. You have to win them over."
-- Joe Kraus (founder of Excite)
"Ultimately, you cannot accomplish something completely on your own. You really need to develop a network of people who win when you win."
-- Ray Ozzie (Founder of Groove Networks, Chief Architect of Microsoft)
"My philosophy on these types of companies - consumer-based Internet companies - is that you don't need to worry about the business model initially. If you get users, then everything else follows. Basically any technology can be copied, any concept can be copied. In my opinion, what makes one of these companies valuable is the users. That can't be copied"
-- Mark Fletcher (Founder of eGroups and Bloglines)
"I am not a hunter, never have fired a gun, but I'm told that if you want to shoot a duck, you have to shoot where the duck is going to be, not where the duck is. It's the same with introducing technology: if you're only focused on the market today, by the time you introduce your solution to that problem, there'll probably be several others already entrenched."
-- Charles Geschke (Founder of Adobe Systems)
"The biggest thrill is frankly not the financial success, it's the ability to have an impact. Because we're both engineers at heart and that's every engineer's dream - to build something that millions of people will use."
-- Charles Geschke (Founder of Adobe Systems)
"Most programmers don't think about the user experience. They get a spec book, and they say, "Well, I'm going to meet this spec to make the customer happy." That's not really enough; you have to make something good for the user if you want to call yourself an engineer."
-- Philip Greenspun (Founder of ArsDigita)
"People don't like to write. It's hard. The people who were really good software engineers were usually great writers; they had tremendous ability to organize their thoughts and communicate. The people who were sort of average-quality programmers and had trouble thinking about the larger picture were the ones who couldn't write."
-- Philip Greenspun (Founder of ArsDigita)
"Things never work out right the first time. You've always got to do it two or three times to get it right. And things always go wrong. So persistence is the key to success. I had seen that in my career. I had seen that in computer design projects. I had seen that through my whole life. And so that word is the best single advice I can give to entrepreneurs. The key to success, if you had to sum it up in one, is persistence."
-- Ron Gruner (Founder of Alliant Computer Systems and Shareholder.com)
"I'd just keep thinking, keep trying to find the language and find new employees, trying to meet the VC who would understand my vision and back me. I met with 43 VCs."
-- James Currier (Founder of Tickle.com)
September 21, 2011
Another great book, so great I decide to write this post even if I have not finished reading it: Jessica Livingston in Founders at Work has interviewed 32 entrepreneurs about their story. The lessons are convincing, fascinating. Without asking for copyright, I copy here some quotes. The book is just a pleasure to read even if sometimes the Q&A are too specific about the start-up, but I assume it is part of the exercise. A Must-Read.
Paul Buchheit, creator of Gmail about Risk Taking
As I say, for people, it depends on their situation if they can take that risk of joining a startup or moving to a new city if they don’t live in the right place. For me, I was actually single at the time, I didn’t have a mortgage, so the idea of joining a little startup that may well be destroyed was just like, “That will be fun.” Because I kind of thought, “Even if Google doesn’t make it, it will be educational and I’ll learn something.” Honestly, I was pretty sure AltaVista was going to destroy Google.
Mike Ramsay, founder of Tivo about Silicon Valley
I was curious to see what’s the attitude of a typical startup in Scotland compared to here. I found that they are just culturally a whole lot more conservative and cautious. And somewhat lacking in self-confidence. You come over here and . . . I had a meeting recently with a couple of early 20-year-olds who have decided to drop out of Stanford because they got bored, and they are trying to raise money to fund their startup. They believe they can do it, and nothing’s going to hold them back. They have confidence, they have that spirit, which I think is great and is probably unique to this part of the world. Being part of that for so long, for me, has been very invigorating.
Joshua Schachter, founder of del.icio.us about implementing
But the guy who says, “I have a great idea and I’m looking for other people to implement it,” I’m wary of—frequently because I think the process of idea-making relies on executing and failing or succeeding at the ideas, so that you can actually become better at coming up with ideas.
and about VCs
In general, I found VCs to be significantly politer than the folks I worked with. The worst they did was not call me back. I’d never hear from them again. Brad Feld does a nice blog talking about how the VC process works. He says they never call you back to say no—they don’t want to close the door in case they want to open it again, but they don’t want to actually give you a response. Very few VCs actually said, “Sorry, we’re not interested.”
Craig Newmark, founder of craiglist on the definition of start-up
“in the conventional sense, we were never a startup. In the conventional sense, a startup is a company, maybe with great ideas, that becomes a serious corporation. It usually takes serious investment, has a strategy, and they want to make a lot of money.”
Paul Buchheit, creator of Gmail about Risk Taking
As I say, for people, it depends on their situation if they can take that risk of joining a startup or moving to a new city if they don’t live in the right place. For me, I was actually single at the time, I didn’t have a mortgage, so the idea of joining a little startup that may well be destroyed was just like, “That will be fun.” Because I kind of thought, “Even if Google doesn’t make it, it will be educational and I’ll learn something.” Honestly, I was pretty sure AltaVista was going to destroy Google.
Mike Ramsay, founder of Tivo about Silicon Valley
I was curious to see what’s the attitude of a typical startup in Scotland compared to here. I found that they are just culturally a whole lot more conservative and cautious. And somewhat lacking in self-confidence. You come over here and . . . I had a meeting recently with a couple of early 20-year-olds who have decided to drop out of Stanford because they got bored, and they are trying to raise money to fund their startup. They believe they can do it, and nothing’s going to hold them back. They have confidence, they have that spirit, which I think is great and is probably unique to this part of the world. Being part of that for so long, for me, has been very invigorating.
Joshua Schachter, founder of del.icio.us about implementing
But the guy who says, “I have a great idea and I’m looking for other people to implement it,” I’m wary of—frequently because I think the process of idea-making relies on executing and failing or succeeding at the ideas, so that you can actually become better at coming up with ideas.
and about VCs
In general, I found VCs to be significantly politer than the folks I worked with. The worst they did was not call me back. I’d never hear from them again. Brad Feld does a nice blog talking about how the VC process works. He says they never call you back to say no—they don’t want to close the door in case they want to open it again, but they don’t want to actually give you a response. Very few VCs actually said, “Sorry, we’re not interested.”
Craig Newmark, founder of craiglist on the definition of start-up
“in the conventional sense, we were never a startup. In the conventional sense, a startup is a company, maybe with great ideas, that becomes a serious corporation. It usually takes serious investment, has a strategy, and they want to make a lot of money.”
March 14, 2015
A wonderful inside look at how a number of different startups were created. The book reinforced a few interesting trends for me:
1. Very few founders knew what they were doing when they first started; many of the ideas emerged accidentally, after many failures or experiments.
2. You *can* get more done with crazy hours and virtually all successful startups require them.
3. VC funding seemed to be an ingredient in the success if most startups, but was often a double edged sword, causing problems later on.
Some of my favorite quotes from the book:
"What surprised me most was how unsure the founders seemed to be that they were actually onto something big. Some of these companies got started almost by accident. The world thinks of startup founders as having some kind of superhuman confidence, but a lot of them were uncertain at first about starting a company. What they weren't uncertain about was making something good--or trying to fix something broken".
van Hoff: “Over the years, I’ve learned that the first idea you have is irrelevant. It’s just a catalyst for you to get started. Then you figure out what’s wrong with it and you go through phases of denial, panic, regret. And then you finally have a better idea and the second idea is always the important one.”
Buchheit: “A lot of people seem to be against uncertainty, actually. In all areas of life.
I’m suddenly reminded that, for a while, I asked people, if they were playing Russian roulette with a gun with a billion barrels (or some huge number, so in other words, some low probability that they would actually be killed), how much would they have to be paid to play one round? A lot of people were almost offended by the question and they’d say, “I wouldn’t do it at any price.”
But, of course, we do that every day. They drive to work in cars to earn money and they are taking risks all the time, but they don’t like to acknowledge that they are taking risks. They want to pretend that everything is risk-free.”
Paul Graham: “Practically all the software in the world is either broken or very difficult to use. So users dread software.
They’ve been trained that whenever they try to install something, or even fill out a form online, it’s “not going to work. I dread installing stuff, and I have a PhD in computer science.
So if you’re writing applications for end users, you have to remember that you’re writing for an audience that has been traumatized by bad experiences.”
Paul Graham: I found I could actually sell moderately well. I could convince people of stuff. I learned a trick for doing this: to tell the truth. A lot of people think that the way to convince people of things is to be eloquent—to have some bag of tricks for sliding conclusions into their brains. But there’s also a sort of hack that you can use if you are not a very good salesman, which is simply tell the truth. Our strategy for selling our software to people was: make the best software and then tell them, truthfully, “this is the best software.” And they could tell we were telling the truth.
Another advantage of telling the truth is that you don’t have to remember what you’ve said. You don’t have to keep any state in your head. It’s a purely functional business strategy. (Hackers will get what I mean.)”
Winblad: “You’d think that everybody would want to have our jobs. We’ve all been handsomely rewarded. The stories are not like, “Hey, we had patrician backgrounds and silver spoons, and we bought our way into this.” We just “thought” our way into these industries. The power of thought “and math and science and computing, you’re given that for free—it’s a choice you can make. You take that choice, and it gives you sort of a magic wand to be a captain of an industry that’s still fairly young, that’s driving the whole world economy”
Spolsky: “These were all marginally good marketing ideas. Unfortunately we spent a lot of time chasing them. The one thing we learned over 5 years is that nothing works better than just improving your product. Every minute, every developer hour we spent on any one of these crazy things—although they had some marginal return on the work that we put into them—was nothing compared to just making a better version of the product and releasing it”
1. Very few founders knew what they were doing when they first started; many of the ideas emerged accidentally, after many failures or experiments.
2. You *can* get more done with crazy hours and virtually all successful startups require them.
3. VC funding seemed to be an ingredient in the success if most startups, but was often a double edged sword, causing problems later on.
Some of my favorite quotes from the book:
"What surprised me most was how unsure the founders seemed to be that they were actually onto something big. Some of these companies got started almost by accident. The world thinks of startup founders as having some kind of superhuman confidence, but a lot of them were uncertain at first about starting a company. What they weren't uncertain about was making something good--or trying to fix something broken".
van Hoff: “Over the years, I’ve learned that the first idea you have is irrelevant. It’s just a catalyst for you to get started. Then you figure out what’s wrong with it and you go through phases of denial, panic, regret. And then you finally have a better idea and the second idea is always the important one.”
Buchheit: “A lot of people seem to be against uncertainty, actually. In all areas of life.
I’m suddenly reminded that, for a while, I asked people, if they were playing Russian roulette with a gun with a billion barrels (or some huge number, so in other words, some low probability that they would actually be killed), how much would they have to be paid to play one round? A lot of people were almost offended by the question and they’d say, “I wouldn’t do it at any price.”
But, of course, we do that every day. They drive to work in cars to earn money and they are taking risks all the time, but they don’t like to acknowledge that they are taking risks. They want to pretend that everything is risk-free.”
Paul Graham: “Practically all the software in the world is either broken or very difficult to use. So users dread software.
They’ve been trained that whenever they try to install something, or even fill out a form online, it’s “not going to work. I dread installing stuff, and I have a PhD in computer science.
So if you’re writing applications for end users, you have to remember that you’re writing for an audience that has been traumatized by bad experiences.”
Paul Graham: I found I could actually sell moderately well. I could convince people of stuff. I learned a trick for doing this: to tell the truth. A lot of people think that the way to convince people of things is to be eloquent—to have some bag of tricks for sliding conclusions into their brains. But there’s also a sort of hack that you can use if you are not a very good salesman, which is simply tell the truth. Our strategy for selling our software to people was: make the best software and then tell them, truthfully, “this is the best software.” And they could tell we were telling the truth.
Another advantage of telling the truth is that you don’t have to remember what you’ve said. You don’t have to keep any state in your head. It’s a purely functional business strategy. (Hackers will get what I mean.)”
Winblad: “You’d think that everybody would want to have our jobs. We’ve all been handsomely rewarded. The stories are not like, “Hey, we had patrician backgrounds and silver spoons, and we bought our way into this.” We just “thought” our way into these industries. The power of thought “and math and science and computing, you’re given that for free—it’s a choice you can make. You take that choice, and it gives you sort of a magic wand to be a captain of an industry that’s still fairly young, that’s driving the whole world economy”
Spolsky: “These were all marginally good marketing ideas. Unfortunately we spent a lot of time chasing them. The one thing we learned over 5 years is that nothing works better than just improving your product. Every minute, every developer hour we spent on any one of these crazy things—although they had some marginal return on the work that we put into them—was nothing compared to just making a better version of the product and releasing it”
December 28, 2016
No structure, no themes, but 30 odd interviews with tech business founders, and yet it worked and made for a great read.
The business media usually distills fundamental concepts such as team building, creating a good product and perseverance to the point where you either get a generic phrase or a string of dull paragraphs where a single generic phrase would do; the effect is that reading about business becomes a boring activity, but Founders at Work was different.
It's not a how-to book but narratives that really do drive home the above concepts and other such as business model flexibility and the importance of listening to the customer.
These concepts were brought up by most interviewees in their different settings and contexts, and as I usually feel that having a context or a story when reading about these concepts makes them more fun and yields better educational value, I thought Founders was a great book.
The business media usually distills fundamental concepts such as team building, creating a good product and perseverance to the point where you either get a generic phrase or a string of dull paragraphs where a single generic phrase would do; the effect is that reading about business becomes a boring activity, but Founders at Work was different.
It's not a how-to book but narratives that really do drive home the above concepts and other such as business model flexibility and the importance of listening to the customer.
These concepts were brought up by most interviewees in their different settings and contexts, and as I usually feel that having a context or a story when reading about these concepts makes them more fun and yields better educational value, I thought Founders was a great book.
September 24, 2019
I didn't read all the chapters -- I only read the ones that interested me. I didn't read about startups I'd never heard of because they got killed by a late-comer, or startups that dealt with very esoteric subjects like parallel supercomputers. If I'd read those, maybe my rating would have differed.
As a sort of note-to-self, these were the chapters that I read:
1
2
4
6
7
8
9
12
15
16
18
19
26
27
29
33 (the parts that interested me)
I should probably read the questions that interest me from the chapters I haven't read at some point, but until then, the book gets 4/5. It's full of insights from people with hands-on experience, but parts of it felt like unproductively reading startup-history gossip. In total, the pros outweighed the cons by far.
As a sort of note-to-self, these were the chapters that I read:
1
2
4
6
7
8
9
12
15
16
18
19
26
27
29
33 (the parts that interested me)
I should probably read the questions that interest me from the chapters I haven't read at some point, but until then, the book gets 4/5. It's full of insights from people with hands-on experience, but parts of it felt like unproductively reading startup-history gossip. In total, the pros outweighed the cons by far.
June 4, 2007
everyone has a bad day/week/month.
February 27, 2013
There's a harmful cult of the start-up centred around—mostly—Paul Graham, and this book is, if not their Dianetics, at least their Battlefield Earth.
I wish I could give it a lower score, but I can't, in good faith, because it's exactly what it promises to be and exactly what I thought it was going to be when I picked it up: a gossip rag in book form.
It's the sort of thing dim, greedy assholes could read religiously, but to the rest of us, it mostly serves to drive home the fact that self-described ``entrepreneurs''—and certainly the ones mapping cleanly to the Y Combinator ideal—are all barely competent, borderline sociopathic, and full of shit.
I wish I could give it a lower score, but I can't, in good faith, because it's exactly what it promises to be and exactly what I thought it was going to be when I picked it up: a gossip rag in book form.
It's the sort of thing dim, greedy assholes could read religiously, but to the rest of us, it mostly serves to drive home the fact that self-described ``entrepreneurs''—and certainly the ones mapping cleanly to the Y Combinator ideal—are all barely competent, borderline sociopathic, and full of shit.
July 27, 2021
I used to work at a Startup.
That gave me larger picture of Tamil Nadu's SaaS world.
An Interesting book that shares stories of Founders.
I liked many of the stories.
A Good Archetype book.
1. Determination
2. Perseverance
3. Adaptive
Common Feelings among Founders: Rejection, Isolation, Uncertainty, Lack of Progress
Deus Vult,
Gottfried
That gave me larger picture of Tamil Nadu's SaaS world.
An Interesting book that shares stories of Founders.
I liked many of the stories.
A Good Archetype book.
1. Determination
2. Perseverance
3. Adaptive
Common Feelings among Founders: Rejection, Isolation, Uncertainty, Lack of Progress
Deus Vult,
Gottfried
July 21, 2013
A bit outdated but really inspiring. It's interesting to note the patterns between the different founders stories. The most unexpected being that many were unaware of the importance or enormity of the project they were in the process of undertaking.
November 25, 2020
Jessica does a fantastic job making the stories of founders really pop. These anecdotes will make you laugh, cry, and feel awe inspired. If anyone has any ambition of starting a venture and wants to get the real stories of trials and triumphs, read this book!
February 17, 2014
تحميل مقتطفات من هذا الكتاب مجانًا
http://www.hindawi.org/kalimat/97308392/
http://www.hindawi.org/kalimat/97308392/
May 30, 2015
Книга хороша тем, что она богата на истории многих значительных стартапов начиная от самого зарождения интернет бизнеса в США и особенно тем, что истории исходя из первых уст, от их основателей в форме интервью.
Больше всего мне было интересно узнать о многих вызовах, которые падали на плечи руководства и основателей компаний, их поворотные пути в истории развития, а также что именно двигало ими, что же заставляло упорствовать, чего они в итоге достигли и какой ценой.
Больше всего мне было интересно узнать о многих вызовах, которые падали на плечи руководства и основателей компаний, их поворотные пути в истории развития, а также что именно двигало ими, что же заставляло упорствовать, чего они в итоге достигли и какой ценой.
Read
May 10, 2015A great book for bedime reading. It's basically impossible to read this book cover-to-cover in one sitting (a lot like the "48 Laws of Power"), but each piece is entertaining and instructive on its own. It does seem like it gets a bit repetitive about halfway through, but I'd highly recommend this book to anyone starting their own business.
December 5, 2019
This is like a small-time capsule that makes you aware of each and every person who has contributed to the growth of human experiences collectively. The book is about founders but it touches the lives of VC Mafias to Sharks and pretty much everyone involved. Master of Scale podcast by Reid H. will sure takes you back to the stories of people you will find somewhere in this book.
July 1, 2021
Th book is greatly written and has good start-up stories from the first computer to blogs and user-focused content. The focus is strongly on the US.
Based on them, the book establishes some patterns for their success like many started without a specific idea or doing less can lead to a real success.
#blinkist
Based on them, the book establishes some patterns for their success like many started without a specific idea or doing less can lead to a real success.
#blinkist
January 9, 2016
Great read. An insightful look into the experiences of successful founders. One thing I learned is that even the best venture capitalists turn down unicorns.
Read
March 10, 2025Kind of like a history book at this point. Enjoyable though
November 16, 2024
Written as a conversation with successful founders, the book focuses on the early days of starting up - it narrates stories of how the idea was conceptualised, reminds you of the basics that are important, leaves you with insights and ends up as a reality check on what it means to build a startup.
Without doubt, the one message that consistently comes up as the key factor in building successful startups is persistence and perseverance. The stories show that rarely anything goes as per the plan, the journey is almost always filled with setbacks, challenges, disappointments and failures, and that its how you overcome the adversity and the hardship that determines how (and if) the business succeeds. You have to believe that you can, and be determined to make it happen.
What is equally fascinating is that while almost all of them say that building a startup is incredibly painful and that it simply takes over your life, they know that founders live day to day with a sense of uncertainty, isolation, and sometimes lack of progress, they still add - without hesitation - that they would do it again if they thought it could do something important and bring about change.
It is interesting to read that while some were new ideas, many were focussed on improving the experience of similar products as in the case of Firefox or TripAdvisor and even Apple! And there are quite a few who just knew they wanted to build something, but no idea what and they just started with any idea and then evolved - in fact one of them goes to the extreme of saying that “the first idea you have is irrelevant. It's just a catalyst for you to get started. Then you figure out what's wrong with it and you go through phases of denial, panic, regret. And then you finally have a better idea and the second idea is always the important one”.
Every story is unique and yet they all have more in common than differences and offer the same advice - be open and do not get attached to your vision because things may (will) change, always keep a technology roadmap in your mind and a market roadmap as to where things are headed, hire only the best people as the difference between good and great people might be 20 percent more in salary, but it's 100 or 200 percent more in throughput, chemistry and culture fit it’s important - focus not just on smart and capable people but those who are passionate and really care about doing a great job, avoid taking venture money esp as venture capitalists are quite impatient with a difficult situation, differentiate not just with technology but with the custoner experience and the brand, do not be shy of PR and say you are a step ahead of where you actually are to move to the step that you want to be at…
As an entrepreneur myself, I can relate to many stories…. and one message that made me think is the practical advise by the TripAdvisor cofounder, Kaufer on fostering a future of risk-taking, weighing a scenario in terms of time and opportunity cost, and his suggestion that “if the amount of time spent making a mistake is small, don't be afraid to make a lot of mistakes without a lot of time analyzing whether you should or shouldn't do it. It is what we often hear but not necessarily put into action - if we're not failing at something on a regular basis, we're just not trying hard enough”.
In summary the following comment captures it all - “People don't realize that a rapidly growing company is crumbling within and feels pain every hour of every day because nothing works the way it was designed as little as a year before.”
The stories date back a few decades and as I read about these internet and tech companies from the 90s, it took me back in time. While I had read about some of the founders earlier (e.g Apple, Hotmail, PayPal, RIM, Flickr, and a few others), most of the stories were new for me and even more interesting as I was aware of the products but not the origin (e.g Adobe, TripAdvisor, Lotus, WebTV etc.)
Without doubt, the one message that consistently comes up as the key factor in building successful startups is persistence and perseverance. The stories show that rarely anything goes as per the plan, the journey is almost always filled with setbacks, challenges, disappointments and failures, and that its how you overcome the adversity and the hardship that determines how (and if) the business succeeds. You have to believe that you can, and be determined to make it happen.
What is equally fascinating is that while almost all of them say that building a startup is incredibly painful and that it simply takes over your life, they know that founders live day to day with a sense of uncertainty, isolation, and sometimes lack of progress, they still add - without hesitation - that they would do it again if they thought it could do something important and bring about change.
It is interesting to read that while some were new ideas, many were focussed on improving the experience of similar products as in the case of Firefox or TripAdvisor and even Apple! And there are quite a few who just knew they wanted to build something, but no idea what and they just started with any idea and then evolved - in fact one of them goes to the extreme of saying that “the first idea you have is irrelevant. It's just a catalyst for you to get started. Then you figure out what's wrong with it and you go through phases of denial, panic, regret. And then you finally have a better idea and the second idea is always the important one”.
Every story is unique and yet they all have more in common than differences and offer the same advice - be open and do not get attached to your vision because things may (will) change, always keep a technology roadmap in your mind and a market roadmap as to where things are headed, hire only the best people as the difference between good and great people might be 20 percent more in salary, but it's 100 or 200 percent more in throughput, chemistry and culture fit it’s important - focus not just on smart and capable people but those who are passionate and really care about doing a great job, avoid taking venture money esp as venture capitalists are quite impatient with a difficult situation, differentiate not just with technology but with the custoner experience and the brand, do not be shy of PR and say you are a step ahead of where you actually are to move to the step that you want to be at…
As an entrepreneur myself, I can relate to many stories…. and one message that made me think is the practical advise by the TripAdvisor cofounder, Kaufer on fostering a future of risk-taking, weighing a scenario in terms of time and opportunity cost, and his suggestion that “if the amount of time spent making a mistake is small, don't be afraid to make a lot of mistakes without a lot of time analyzing whether you should or shouldn't do it. It is what we often hear but not necessarily put into action - if we're not failing at something on a regular basis, we're just not trying hard enough”.
In summary the following comment captures it all - “People don't realize that a rapidly growing company is crumbling within and feels pain every hour of every day because nothing works the way it was designed as little as a year before.”
The stories date back a few decades and as I read about these internet and tech companies from the 90s, it took me back in time. While I had read about some of the founders earlier (e.g Apple, Hotmail, PayPal, RIM, Flickr, and a few others), most of the stories were new for me and even more interesting as I was aware of the products but not the origin (e.g Adobe, TripAdvisor, Lotus, WebTV etc.)
December 2, 2021
This is one of those books that I found so enlightening that I actually went and ordered a copy after I finished reading a copy that I had borrowed from the library. I've always dreamed of one day starting a company, and it was so great to read about the variety of experiences of startup founders, from how long it took to build and scale their companies (sometimes right away, sometimes it took years), to their ages (all over the map), to the mistakes and triumphs they had (also all over the map). I really appreciated hearing this diversity, because taken in isolation, one entrepreneur's story can seem like it is the only path to success (e.g. quit your job, raise enormous amounts of VC, "blitzscale", etc.) but really, there is no consistency among the entrepreneurs featured in this book. Many of them did not quit their full-time jobs until their startups got some traction; many of them did not raise VC at all but bootstrapped their firms either all or part of the way; many of them did not prioritize growth over revenue. Of course, others did do all or some of these things, which does fit into the Silicon Valley playbook, but these interviews show that even not hewing to such a "tried and tested" playbook can still result in success.
The only common thread amongst all these entrepreneurs is their perseverance and grit. Not completely irrational perseverance -- some of the semi-successful startups, like ArsDigita, still crashed-and-burned for other reasons -- but the level of passion and obsession with a problem space is what animates all entrepreneurs and gives them more than a fighting chance of being successful, versus employees in an enterprise who don't necessarily have that same kind of existential fire in their bellies.
The only common thread amongst all these entrepreneurs is their perseverance and grit. Not completely irrational perseverance -- some of the semi-successful startups, like ArsDigita, still crashed-and-burned for other reasons -- but the level of passion and obsession with a problem space is what animates all entrepreneurs and gives them more than a fighting chance of being successful, versus employees in an enterprise who don't necessarily have that same kind of existential fire in their bellies.
June 24, 2025
Book Review: Founders at Work by Jessica Livingston
(300–400 words)
Founders at Work: Stories of Startups’ Early Days by Jessica Livingston is a compelling collection of interviews with the entrepreneurs behind some of the most successful tech startups of our time. From Steve Wozniak of Apple to Paul Graham of Viaweb, the book offers rare insights into the raw, chaotic, and often uncertain early stages of company building.
What sets Founders at Work apart is its authenticity. Rather than presenting polished success stories, the book dives deep into the real challenges these founders faced — from funding troubles and technical setbacks to hiring dilemmas and market skepticism. Each chapter is structured as a candid Q&A interview, allowing readers to hear directly from the founders in their own words. This format creates an intimate, honest tone, making readers feel as though they’re in the room with these innovators.
The diversity of startups included ��� such as PayPal, Hotmail, Flickr, Blogger, and many others — highlights different paths to success. While some founders stumbled upon their big idea by accident, others pursued a clear vision despite overwhelming odds. This wide range of experiences makes the book incredibly useful for aspiring entrepreneurs, students, and anyone interested in the startup ecosystem.
Livingston, a co-founder of Y Combinator, skillfully avoids adding too much commentary, allowing the founders’ voices and stories to take center stage. This choice makes the narrative more authentic, though at times readers may wish for more synthesis or analysis across stories.
Perhaps the most valuable takeaway from Founders at Work is that there is no single formula for success. The founders consistently share tenacity, adaptability, and passion, but their paths are vastly different. In conclusion, Founders at Work is an inspiring and informative read that humanizes the entrepreneurial journey. It dispels the notion of the "overnight success" myth and demonstrates the dedication, perseverance, and inventiveness required to construct something exceptional. A must-read for anyone serious about startups or innovation.
(300–400 words)
Founders at Work: Stories of Startups’ Early Days by Jessica Livingston is a compelling collection of interviews with the entrepreneurs behind some of the most successful tech startups of our time. From Steve Wozniak of Apple to Paul Graham of Viaweb, the book offers rare insights into the raw, chaotic, and often uncertain early stages of company building.
What sets Founders at Work apart is its authenticity. Rather than presenting polished success stories, the book dives deep into the real challenges these founders faced — from funding troubles and technical setbacks to hiring dilemmas and market skepticism. Each chapter is structured as a candid Q&A interview, allowing readers to hear directly from the founders in their own words. This format creates an intimate, honest tone, making readers feel as though they’re in the room with these innovators.
The diversity of startups included ��� such as PayPal, Hotmail, Flickr, Blogger, and many others — highlights different paths to success. While some founders stumbled upon their big idea by accident, others pursued a clear vision despite overwhelming odds. This wide range of experiences makes the book incredibly useful for aspiring entrepreneurs, students, and anyone interested in the startup ecosystem.
Livingston, a co-founder of Y Combinator, skillfully avoids adding too much commentary, allowing the founders’ voices and stories to take center stage. This choice makes the narrative more authentic, though at times readers may wish for more synthesis or analysis across stories.
Perhaps the most valuable takeaway from Founders at Work is that there is no single formula for success. The founders consistently share tenacity, adaptability, and passion, but their paths are vastly different. In conclusion, Founders at Work is an inspiring and informative read that humanizes the entrepreneurial journey. It dispels the notion of the "overnight success" myth and demonstrates the dedication, perseverance, and inventiveness required to construct something exceptional. A must-read for anyone serious about startups or innovation.
January 7, 2024
9/10
I like to think of this book as a set of raw data points summarizing the decisions made by successful startup founders and their corresponding outcomes. Each chapter consists of an interview with a different founder, who discusses the challenges faced in the early days of their startup. The author doesn’t try to connect the interviews with any kind of an overarching narrative, so it’s up to the reader to find patterns and get a feel for how successful startups are built.
I like to think of this book as a set of raw data points summarizing the decisions made by successful startup founders and their corresponding outcomes. Each chapter consists of an interview with a different founder, who discusses the challenges faced in the early days of their startup. The author doesn’t try to connect the interviews with any kind of an overarching narrative, so it’s up to the reader to find patterns and get a feel for how successful startups are built.
May 24, 2022
Interesting insight of the problem and challenges faced by startup entrepreneurs, and how they overcame them. As the book is a set of interviews, some interviews are really interesting and insightful, while others get a bit long and boring. It was more fun to read about companies i had prior knowledge about and whose product i had used, as their journey was more relatable.
June 13, 2022
Loved every second of this book. Each chapter is a different story of a startup founder. I read it slowly so it wouldn't end, and read many chapters twice. My biggest take was that most founders didn't necessarily know what they were doing - or even that they were on to something big.
January 3, 2021
Occasionally motivating, but largely outdated, with many mentioned companies already gone out of existence. I also feel that the book needed a lot more editing, as the guests sometimes go too deep into the unnecessary specifics.
July 9, 2025
Xem lá số tử vi năm 2025: Dự đoán vận hạn, tài lộc và tình duyên trong năm mới tại Tracuulasotuvi
Vì sao nên xem lá số tử vi năm 2025?
Chu kỳ vận hạn thay đổi theo năm
Định hướng hành động theo thiên thời
Tổng quan năm 2025 theo tử vi
Năm Ất Tỵ – Hỏa khí đương vượng
Ất thuộc Mộc âm
Tỵ thuộc Hỏa âm
Sao lưu niên nổi bật
Cách xem lá số tử vi năm 2025 tại Tracuulasotuvi.com
Bước 1: Truy cập hệ thống
Bước 2: Nhập thông tin cá nhân
Bước 3: Nhận lá số và luận giải
Những lợi ích khi xem lá số tử vi 2025
Dự báo cát – hung theo từng cung
Nhận diện năm thuận lợi hay thách thức
Tối ưu hóa quyết định cá nhân
Đánh giá từ chuyên gia – Tác giả Gia Tuệ Minh Tâm
Kết luận
Năm 2025 – Ất Tỵ – đang đến gần với nhiều cơ hội và thử thách tiềm ẩn trong vận trình mỗi người. Đây là thời điểm thích hợp để xem lá số tử vi năm 2025 , từ đó nắm bắt cát – hung trong từng khía cạnh của cuộc sống như tài lộc, sự nghiệp, tình duyên và sức khỏe. Tại nền tảng Tracuulasotuvi, quá trình xem lá số tử vi 2025 được thực hiện nhanh chóng, chính xác và hoàn toàn miễn phí. Đặc biệt, các luận giải từ nhà nghiên cứu tử vi Gia Tuệ Minh Tâm sẽ giúp bạn hiểu sâu hơn về vận hạn năm Ất Tỵ và cách hành xử thuận mệnh. Vậy xem năm 2025 lá số tử vi có gì đặc biệt? Hãy cùng khám phá qua bài viết chuyên môn sau.
Vì sao nên xem lá số tử vi năm 2025?
Chu kỳ vận hạn thay đổi theo năm
Trong tử vi đẩu số, mỗi năm trôi qua đều kéo theo sự dịch chuyển của các lưu niên tinh tú, ảnh hưởng trực tiếp đến từng cung trong lá số: Mệnh, Quan, Tài, Phúc, Phu Thê, Tật Ách... Việc xem lá số tử vi 2025 miễn phí cho phép bạn:
Nhận biết năm có gặp hạn xấu hay không
Phát hiện thời cơ đầu tư, khởi nghiệp, kết hôn
Hiểu vận hạn sức khỏe, gia đạo, pháp lý, tai họa...
Định hướng hành động theo thiên thời
Người xưa dạy: “Thuận thiên giả tồn, nghịch thiên giả vong”. Khi xem lá số tử vi 2025, bạn không chỉ xem “số tốt xấu” mà còn biết cách sống thuận thời – đúng vận. Đây là yếu tố cốt lõi để thành công trong cuộc sống hiện đại.
Tổng quan năm 2025 theo tử vi
Năm Ất Tỵ – Hỏa khí đương vượng
Năm 2025 là năm Ất Tỵ, thuộc hành Hỏa. Trong thiên can địa chi:
Ất thuộc Mộc âm
Tỵ thuộc Hỏa âm
Đây là năm Mộc sinh Hỏa, dương khí phát mạnh, năng lượng vận động, bứt phá, nhưng cũng dễ nóng nảy, xung đột. Khi xem lá số tử vi và luận giải miễn phí , những người mệnh Mộc, Hỏa, Thổ có thể hưởng lợi, trong khi mệnh Kim và Thủy cần thận trọng.
Sao lưu niên nổi bật
Các lưu tinh năm 2025 gồm:
Lưu Thái Tuế nhập Tỵ: ảnh hưởng mạnh đến cung Phúc, Tật Ách, Điền Trạch
Lưu Kình Dương – Đà La: dễ xảy ra tai nạn, xung đột pháp lý
Lưu Văn Xương – Văn Khúc: có lợi cho học hành, thi cử
Lưu Thiên Hỷ – Đào Hoa: thuận duyên hôn sự
Tại Tracuulasotuvi, khi bạn xem lá số tử vi năm 2025, hệ thống sẽ tự động tính toán vị trí lưu niên tinh tú cho từng cá nhân.
Cách xem lá số tử vi năm 2025 tại Tracuulasotuvi.com
Bước 1: Truy cập hệ thống
Mở trình duyệt và truy cập: website tracuulasotuvi
Vào mục Tra Cứu Lá Số Tử Vi
Bước 2: Nhập thông tin cá nhân
Ngày – tháng – năm sinh (âm hoặc dương)
Giờ sinh chính xác
Giới tính
Chọn xem vận hạn năm 2025
Bước 3: Nhận lá số và luận giải
Hệ thống sẽ:
Hiển thị tra cứu tử vi lá số của bạn
Tự động gán các sao lưu động năm 2025
Luận giải tổng quan vận hạn theo từng cung (Mệnh, Quan, Tài, Phu Thê...)
Tất cả nội dung đều được tác giả Gia Tuệ Minh Tâm trên website Tracuulasotuvi biên soạn và hiệu đính chuẩn xác.
Những lợi ích khi xem lá số tử vi 2025
Dự báo cát – hung theo từng cung
Cung Mệnh: Sức khỏe, tư duy, sự ổn định nội tâm
Cung Quan Lộc: Sự nghiệp, thi cử, chức vị
Cung Tài Bạch: Tài vận, đầu tư, kinh doanh
Cung Phu Thê: Hôn nhân, nhân duyên, gia đạo
Việc xem lá số tử vi năm 2025 sẽ giúp bạn xác định rõ điểm mạnh/yếu trong từng khía cạnh.
Nhận diện năm thuận lợi hay thách thức
Nếu lá số gặp:
Lưu Hóa Kỵ – Kình Dương: nên đề phòng rủi ro, tranh chấp
Lưu Lộc Tồn – Văn Xương: thích hợp phát triển học vấn, tài năng
Lưu Hồng Loan – Thiên Hỷ: dễ có tin vui trong chuyện tình cảm
Tối ưu hóa quyết định cá nhân
Thông qua xem lá số tử vi 2025, bạn sẽ:
Chọn thời điểm thích hợp để thay đổi công việc
Biết lúc nào nên an phận, khi nào nên tiến công
Xác định năm tốt để kết hôn, sinh con, khởi nghiệp
Đánh giá từ chuyên gia – Tác giả Gia Tuệ Minh Tâm
Nhà nghiên cứu tử vi Gia Tuệ Minh Tâm, cố vấn học thuật tại Tracuulasotuvi, cho biết:
“Việc xem vận hạn theo năm là bước tối quan trọng trong ứng dụng tử vi vào đời sống. Năm 2025 là thời điểm năng lượng Hỏa vượng, nếu nắm bắt đúng vận trình, nhiều người sẽ có cơ hội phát triển vượt bậc. Nhưng cũng chính vì Hỏa quá mạnh, dễ gây ra xung đột, nên cần đặc biệt lưu tâm đến cung Phúc và cung Tật Ách khi xem hạn năm 2025.”
Toàn bộ hệ thống Tra Cứu Lá Số Tử Vi đều do ông trực tiếp kiểm duyệt, đảm bảo tính chính thống và độ chính xác cao nhất.
Kết luận
Việc xem lá số tử vi năm 2025 không chỉ đơn thuần là tra cứu vận may, mà là hành động có ý thức để điều chỉnh tư duy, hành động và tâm thế sống phù hợp với thiên thời. Nhờ công cụ trực tuyến tại Tracuulasotuvi, bạn hoàn toàn có thể xem lá số tử vi 2025 chính xác, nhanh chóng và được hướng dẫn chuyên sâu từ tác giả Gia Tuệ Minh Tâm – người đã dày công nghiên cứu và truyền bá tinh hoa tử vi đẩu số một cách hiện đại và dễ tiếp cận.
Truy cập ngay Tracuulasotuvi để xem năm 2025 lá số tử vi cho bạn và người thân. Chủ động nắm bắt vận mệnh – sống thuận thiên thời, nhân đạo và đạt được bình an trong năm mới Ất Tỵ.
November 3, 2024
A helpful book
August 25, 2024
"Founders at Work" is a captivating and insightful collection of interviews that takes you behind the scenes of some of the biggest names in technology. Jessica Livingston does a fantastic job of humanizing these industry giants by sharing their early struggles and the hilarious, often painful moments that shaped their journeys.
I loved how the book captures the raw, unfiltered experiences of founders like Steve Wozniak and Caterina Fake when they were just starting out. Reading about their trials and triumphs made them relatable and showcased their resilience in the face of adversity. It’s refreshing to see these confident millionaires portrayed as novices navigating the complexities of building a startup.
This book is not just for tech enthusiasts; it’s a treasure trove of inspiration for anyone who dreams of launching their own venture. Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur or just curious about the stories behind the tech we use every day, "Founders at Work" is a must-read! Highly recommend!
I loved how the book captures the raw, unfiltered experiences of founders like Steve Wozniak and Caterina Fake when they were just starting out. Reading about their trials and triumphs made them relatable and showcased their resilience in the face of adversity. It’s refreshing to see these confident millionaires portrayed as novices navigating the complexities of building a startup.
This book is not just for tech enthusiasts; it’s a treasure trove of inspiration for anyone who dreams of launching their own venture. Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur or just curious about the stories behind the tech we use every day, "Founders at Work" is a must-read! Highly recommend!
October 12, 2024
Founders at Work: Stories of Startups' Early Days by Jessica Livingston is a well-regarded book in the tech and entrepreneurship community. It features interviews with prominent startup founders such as Steve Wozniak (Apple), Max Levchin (PayPal), and Paul Graham (Y Combinator). The book offers firsthand accounts of how these entrepreneurs overcame obstacles, pivoted their business models, and ultimately succeeded.
Key strengths:
1. In-depth interviews: The interviews provide valuable insights into the mindsets, strategies, and challenges of startup founders.
2. Diverse perspectives: By featuring a variety of founders from different industries, the book covers a wide range of startup experiences.
3. Inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs: It emphasizes the importance of persistence, problem-solving, and adaptability.
4. Historical value: Many of the companies discussed have gone on to become household names, giving readers a behind-the-scenes look at the early days of tech giants.
Criticisms:
1. Focused on the tech sector: If you're not interested in technology startups, the lessons might feel less applicable.
2. Interview format: Some readers might prefer a more narrative-driven approach rather than direct interview transcripts.
Overall, Founders at Work is a valuable read for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, particularly in the tech industry. It offers both practical advice and motivational stories.
Key strengths:
1. In-depth interviews: The interviews provide valuable insights into the mindsets, strategies, and challenges of startup founders.
2. Diverse perspectives: By featuring a variety of founders from different industries, the book covers a wide range of startup experiences.
3. Inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs: It emphasizes the importance of persistence, problem-solving, and adaptability.
4. Historical value: Many of the companies discussed have gone on to become household names, giving readers a behind-the-scenes look at the early days of tech giants.
Criticisms:
1. Focused on the tech sector: If you're not interested in technology startups, the lessons might feel less applicable.
2. Interview format: Some readers might prefer a more narrative-driven approach rather than direct interview transcripts.
Overall, Founders at Work is a valuable read for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, particularly in the tech industry. It offers both practical advice and motivational stories.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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October 23, 2024The world-building in this book was impressive, but at times, the descriptive passages became overwhelming. I found myself skimming through some of the longer sections. Despite that, the story itself was compelling enough to keep me engaged.
September 2, 2024
Worth it for the Brewster Kahle interview alone.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 362 reviews