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The Startup of You: Adapt to the Future, Invest in Yourself, and Transform Your Career
The groundbreaking #1 New York Times bestseller that taught a generation how to transform their careers—now in a revised and updated edition
“A profound book about self-determination and self-realization.”—Senator Cory Booker
“ The Startup of You is crammed with insights and strategies to help each of us create the work life we want.”—Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project
In this invaluable book, LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and venture capitalist Ben Casnocha show how to accelerate your career in today’s competitive world. The key is to manage your career as if it were a startup a living, breathing, growing startup of you .
Why? Startups—and the entrepreneurs who run them—are nimble. They invest in themselves. They build their professional networks. They take intelligent risks. They make uncertainty and volatility work to their advantage.
These are the very same skills professionals need to get ahead today.
This book isn’t about cover letters or résumés. Instead, you will learn the best practices of the most successful startups and how to apply these entrepreneurial strategies to your career. Whether you work for a giant multinational corporation, stitch together multiple gigs in a portfolio career, or are launching your own venture, you need to know how to
• adapt your career plans as pandemics rage and technologies upend industries
• develop a competitive advantage so that you stand out from others at work
• strengthen your professional network by building powerful alliances and maintaining a diverse mix of relationships
• engineer serendipity that produces life-changing career opportunities
• take proactive risks to become more resilient to industry tsunamis
• tap your network for information and intelligence that help you make smarter decisions
The career landscape has changed dramatically in the decade since Hoffman and Casnocha first published this guide. In an urgent update to the frameworks that have helped hundreds of thousands of people transform their careers, this new edition of The Startup of You will teach you how to achieve your boldest professional ambitions.
“A profound book about self-determination and self-realization.”—Senator Cory Booker
“ The Startup of You is crammed with insights and strategies to help each of us create the work life we want.”—Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project
In this invaluable book, LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and venture capitalist Ben Casnocha show how to accelerate your career in today’s competitive world. The key is to manage your career as if it were a startup a living, breathing, growing startup of you .
Why? Startups—and the entrepreneurs who run them—are nimble. They invest in themselves. They build their professional networks. They take intelligent risks. They make uncertainty and volatility work to their advantage.
These are the very same skills professionals need to get ahead today.
This book isn’t about cover letters or résumés. Instead, you will learn the best practices of the most successful startups and how to apply these entrepreneurial strategies to your career. Whether you work for a giant multinational corporation, stitch together multiple gigs in a portfolio career, or are launching your own venture, you need to know how to
• adapt your career plans as pandemics rage and technologies upend industries
• develop a competitive advantage so that you stand out from others at work
• strengthen your professional network by building powerful alliances and maintaining a diverse mix of relationships
• engineer serendipity that produces life-changing career opportunities
• take proactive risks to become more resilient to industry tsunamis
• tap your network for information and intelligence that help you make smarter decisions
The career landscape has changed dramatically in the decade since Hoffman and Casnocha first published this guide. In an urgent update to the frameworks that have helped hundreds of thousands of people transform their careers, this new edition of The Startup of You will teach you how to achieve your boldest professional ambitions.
252 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
About the author
Reid Hoffman
26 books639 followersAn accomplished entrepreneur, executive, and investor, Reid Hoffman has played an integral role in building many of today’s leading consumer technology businesses, including LinkedIn and PayPal. He possesses a unique understanding of consumer behavior and the dynamics of viral businesses, as well as deep experience in driving companies from the earliest stages through periods of explosive, “blitzscale” growth. Ranging from LinkedIn to PayPal, from Airbnb to Convoy to Facebook, he invests in businesses with network effects and collaborates on building their product ecosystems.
Hoffman co-founded LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional networking service, in 2003. LinkedIn is thriving with more than 700 million members around the world and a diversified revenue model that includes subscriptions, advertising, and software licensing. He led LinkedIn through its first four years and to profitability as Chief Executive Officer. In 2016 LinkedIn was acquired by Microsoft, and he became a board member of Microsoft.
Prior to LinkedIn, Hoffman served as executive vice president at PayPal, where he was also a founding board member.
Hoffman joined Greylock in 2009. He focuses on building products that can reach hundreds of millions of participants and businesses that have network effects. He currently serves on the boards of Aurora, Coda, Convoy, Entrepreneur First, Joby, Microsoft, Nauto, Neeva, and a few early stage companies still in stealth. In addition, he serves on a number of not-for-profit boards, including Kiva, Endeavor, CZ Biohub, New America, Berggruen Institute, Opportunity@Work, the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI, and the MacArthur Foundation’s Lever for Change. Prior to joining Greylock, he invested personally in many influential Internet companies, including Facebook, Flickr, Last.fm, and Zynga.
In 2022, Hoffman co-founded Inflection AI, an artificial intelligence company that aims to create software products that make it easier for humans to communicate with computers.
Hoffman is the host of Masters of Scale, an original podcast series and the first American media program to commit to a 50-50 gender balance for featured guests as well as Possible, a podcast that sketches out the brightest version of the future—and what it will take to get there. He is the co-author of five best-selling books: The Startup of You, The Alliance, Blitzscaling, Masters of Scale, and Impromptu.
Hoffman earned a master’s degree in philosophy from Oxford University, where he was a Marshall Scholar, and a bachelor’s degree with distinction in symbolic systems from Stanford University. In 2010 he was the recipient of an SD Forum Visionary Award and named a Henry Crown Fellow by The Aspen Institute. In 2012, he was honored by the Martin Luther King center’s Salute to Greatness Award. Also in 2012, he received the David Packard Medal of Achievement from TechAmerica and an honorary doctor of law from Babson University. In 2017, he was appointed as a CBE by her majesty Queen Elizabeth II. He received an honorary doctorate from the University of Oulu, an international science university, in 2020. In 2022, Reid received Vanderbilt University's prestigious Nichols-Chancellor's Medal and delivered the Graduates Day address to the Class of 2022 on the importance and power of friendship.
Hoffman co-founded LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional networking service, in 2003. LinkedIn is thriving with more than 700 million members around the world and a diversified revenue model that includes subscriptions, advertising, and software licensing. He led LinkedIn through its first four years and to profitability as Chief Executive Officer. In 2016 LinkedIn was acquired by Microsoft, and he became a board member of Microsoft.
Prior to LinkedIn, Hoffman served as executive vice president at PayPal, where he was also a founding board member.
Hoffman joined Greylock in 2009. He focuses on building products that can reach hundreds of millions of participants and businesses that have network effects. He currently serves on the boards of Aurora, Coda, Convoy, Entrepreneur First, Joby, Microsoft, Nauto, Neeva, and a few early stage companies still in stealth. In addition, he serves on a number of not-for-profit boards, including Kiva, Endeavor, CZ Biohub, New America, Berggruen Institute, Opportunity@Work, the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI, and the MacArthur Foundation’s Lever for Change. Prior to joining Greylock, he invested personally in many influential Internet companies, including Facebook, Flickr, Last.fm, and Zynga.
In 2022, Hoffman co-founded Inflection AI, an artificial intelligence company that aims to create software products that make it easier for humans to communicate with computers.
Hoffman is the host of Masters of Scale, an original podcast series and the first American media program to commit to a 50-50 gender balance for featured guests as well as Possible, a podcast that sketches out the brightest version of the future—and what it will take to get there. He is the co-author of five best-selling books: The Startup of You, The Alliance, Blitzscaling, Masters of Scale, and Impromptu.
Hoffman earned a master’s degree in philosophy from Oxford University, where he was a Marshall Scholar, and a bachelor’s degree with distinction in symbolic systems from Stanford University. In 2010 he was the recipient of an SD Forum Visionary Award and named a Henry Crown Fellow by The Aspen Institute. In 2012, he was honored by the Martin Luther King center’s Salute to Greatness Award. Also in 2012, he received the David Packard Medal of Achievement from TechAmerica and an honorary doctor of law from Babson University. In 2017, he was appointed as a CBE by her majesty Queen Elizabeth II. He received an honorary doctorate from the University of Oulu, an international science university, in 2020. In 2022, Reid received Vanderbilt University's prestigious Nichols-Chancellor's Medal and delivered the Graduates Day address to the Class of 2022 on the importance and power of friendship.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 674 reviews
January 2, 2015
My take-aways:
1 "The faster way to change yourself is to hang out with people who are already the way you want to be."
2 The "Interesting People Fund" concept. Set aside a bit of money for going out for coffee, lunch, or flying to Boston for a meeting with interesting people. It's an investment in yourself.
3. "The best way to make sure that lucky things happen is to make sure a lot of things happen."
4. (Talking about negativity bias) "To keep our ancestors alive, Mother Nature evolved a brain that routinely tricked them into making three mistakes: overestimating threats, underestimating opportunities, and underestimating resources (for dealing with threats and fulfilling opportunities). The result is that we are programmed to overestimate the risk in any given situation." (Even when there is not much risk) (side note: I highly recommend the book Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahnemann. Excellent book to think about thinking.
5. In any given situation, just ask yourself "is the worst-case scenario of this decision tolerable or intolerable? " (Change is good, and usually tolerable!)
6. "You'll never be fully certain. Don't conflate uncertainty with risk." They suggest this task: reflect for a few minutes on risk in your life. Rank the projects you're involved in by risk, from most to least risky. Then think about the downside and upside possibilities. Where there is uncertainty are you mistakenly ascribing risk?
7. "Permanent beta." Best phrase of the book. My goal is forever to be a work in progress, and to always be starting.
1 "The faster way to change yourself is to hang out with people who are already the way you want to be."
2 The "Interesting People Fund" concept. Set aside a bit of money for going out for coffee, lunch, or flying to Boston for a meeting with interesting people. It's an investment in yourself.
3. "The best way to make sure that lucky things happen is to make sure a lot of things happen."
4. (Talking about negativity bias) "To keep our ancestors alive, Mother Nature evolved a brain that routinely tricked them into making three mistakes: overestimating threats, underestimating opportunities, and underestimating resources (for dealing with threats and fulfilling opportunities). The result is that we are programmed to overestimate the risk in any given situation." (Even when there is not much risk) (side note: I highly recommend the book Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahnemann. Excellent book to think about thinking.
5. In any given situation, just ask yourself "is the worst-case scenario of this decision tolerable or intolerable? " (Change is good, and usually tolerable!)
6. "You'll never be fully certain. Don't conflate uncertainty with risk." They suggest this task: reflect for a few minutes on risk in your life. Rank the projects you're involved in by risk, from most to least risky. Then think about the downside and upside possibilities. Where there is uncertainty are you mistakenly ascribing risk?
7. "Permanent beta." Best phrase of the book. My goal is forever to be a work in progress, and to always be starting.
February 20, 2012
The basic premise of thesis book is the following: the entrepreneurial mindset and attitude are essential for anyone's career in today's economy. Thinking like an entrepreneur is not any more reserved just for the ultra-ambitious, well-funded Silicon Valley types; in order to succeed in today's job market everyone has to adopt many of the practices that successful entrepreneurs have been employing for decades. This, in and of itself, seems like a great piece of advice. Unfortunately, this book falls far short of delivering on how to implement such an approach in most ordinarily career paths.
I have for years in fact been adopting the kind of attitude that this book promotes: I've networked like crazy, created substantial online presence, tried to be in tune with the latest technological and professional trends, etc. However, in order to have a career, or even get a job, a lot more is required. It is these other much more crucial steps that I was hoping to learn more about from reading this book. Its authors, Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha, seemed to have exactly the kinds of credentials that would lend itself to revealing interesting and fact-based insights that are otherwise hard to find. My expectations were particularly high since Hoffman is one of the cofounders of LinkedIn. I was hoping that we'd find out some interesting data culled from millions of LinkedIn job searches and professional connections. Unfortunately, all my expectations have fallen way short, and "The Start-up of You" is just another indistinguishable, fluffy career "advice" book, of which there are already way too many on the market.
The book is filled with motivational-speak, with an incessant deluge of phrases that sound meaningful and profound (at least to some people), but are in fact quite vacuous ("Once you catch curiosity, it is (luckily) hard to shake." "Everyone is looking for an opportunity, even if they don't know it."). It is hard to figure out how these pieces of "advice" can in fact contribute to advancing anyone's career. Granted, the book is written with the greatest possible audience in mind, but even so it could have used a lot more concrete actionable advice.
The only examples that are used in this book are those of people who have been very successful entrepreneurs. These kinds of examples are good motivational stories, but are almost useless to the millions of job seekers out there hoping to get their own career off the ground. In the entire book there are virtually no attempts to show how the insights from the career paths of top-dog entrepreneurs translate into the concrete, actionable advice for the rest of us.
Furthermore, almost all of the examples and insights in this book are in one way or another linked with Silicon Valley. That is indeed a wonderful and exciting place, and I have been fortunate enough that I had spent many years working and studying over there. However, Silicon Valley is exceptional in many ways, and the insights gained there do not translate well to the rest of the country, and you are even worse off if you live overseas. Silicon Valley's entrepreneurial spirit has tricked down to the lower professional and social circles. This, however, has not been the case with the rest of the world, and it's unlikely that it will happen any time soon. I still think that the entrepreneurial attitude is worthwhile having; just don't expect any dramatic impact on your career any time soon.
If you are in a tight situation right now when it comes to your career, then reading this book will be a near total waste of time. As already mentioned, it contains almost no concrete, actionable information. If you are relatively secure in your job and just want to gain a better perspective on managing your career, then this book might hold some overall value. Even under such circumstances, though, the information you get will almost certainly be very abstract and not readily applicable to your career path.
I have for years in fact been adopting the kind of attitude that this book promotes: I've networked like crazy, created substantial online presence, tried to be in tune with the latest technological and professional trends, etc. However, in order to have a career, or even get a job, a lot more is required. It is these other much more crucial steps that I was hoping to learn more about from reading this book. Its authors, Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha, seemed to have exactly the kinds of credentials that would lend itself to revealing interesting and fact-based insights that are otherwise hard to find. My expectations were particularly high since Hoffman is one of the cofounders of LinkedIn. I was hoping that we'd find out some interesting data culled from millions of LinkedIn job searches and professional connections. Unfortunately, all my expectations have fallen way short, and "The Start-up of You" is just another indistinguishable, fluffy career "advice" book, of which there are already way too many on the market.
The book is filled with motivational-speak, with an incessant deluge of phrases that sound meaningful and profound (at least to some people), but are in fact quite vacuous ("Once you catch curiosity, it is (luckily) hard to shake." "Everyone is looking for an opportunity, even if they don't know it."). It is hard to figure out how these pieces of "advice" can in fact contribute to advancing anyone's career. Granted, the book is written with the greatest possible audience in mind, but even so it could have used a lot more concrete actionable advice.
The only examples that are used in this book are those of people who have been very successful entrepreneurs. These kinds of examples are good motivational stories, but are almost useless to the millions of job seekers out there hoping to get their own career off the ground. In the entire book there are virtually no attempts to show how the insights from the career paths of top-dog entrepreneurs translate into the concrete, actionable advice for the rest of us.
Furthermore, almost all of the examples and insights in this book are in one way or another linked with Silicon Valley. That is indeed a wonderful and exciting place, and I have been fortunate enough that I had spent many years working and studying over there. However, Silicon Valley is exceptional in many ways, and the insights gained there do not translate well to the rest of the country, and you are even worse off if you live overseas. Silicon Valley's entrepreneurial spirit has tricked down to the lower professional and social circles. This, however, has not been the case with the rest of the world, and it's unlikely that it will happen any time soon. I still think that the entrepreneurial attitude is worthwhile having; just don't expect any dramatic impact on your career any time soon.
If you are in a tight situation right now when it comes to your career, then reading this book will be a near total waste of time. As already mentioned, it contains almost no concrete, actionable information. If you are relatively secure in your job and just want to gain a better perspective on managing your career, then this book might hold some overall value. Even under such circumstances, though, the information you get will almost certainly be very abstract and not readily applicable to your career path.
March 4, 2012
I make it a point not to take career advice from people who make money off of giving me career advice; however, I am thinking of living by example and making money off of people for giving them career advice.
But I wasn't looking for career advice from this book. Someone recommended it to me and thought it was something I'd like to read. I didn't get it at first. I care little about advancing in my career, and I only need to make enough money to live my life. You know, just enough money to do the things I really want to do, such as traveling aimlessly around the country in a beat-up convertible; broadening my mind by learning new and exciting things; and creating a great civilization for my grandchildren to inherit.
In other words, all the things I'm not doing while I'm writing technical documentation for a company that still codes in VB6.
I don't do any these things because I am crippled by a fear of failure I developed whilst growing up in a depressed Rust Belt city, where failure surrounded all of us, squeezing us until we were suffocated of hope that things would work themselves out in the end. That fear has stuck to - perhaps even developed - my psyche, and it clings to me just like the stench of 100 years of industrialization has clung to my hometown.
I'm stuck in the Rust Belt; I am the Rust Belt. I am the old GM plant Hoffman discusses in this book, unwilling to take chances because I'm getting by well enough, and so ensconced in the idea that I'll be okay as long as I work hard and keep my head down that I've failed to notice that everything I've ever wanted out of my life is waving goodbye from the backseat of a convertible.
Was some of the advice in this book generic and too idealistic? Yes. Not everyone has the same resources that Hoffman had; not everyone has parents who'll let them take up residence in their basement while they execute Big Plan A, B, and C, and some people begin their adult lives with no networking contacts other than drug abusers and alcoholics. This is not a good book for people who are coming from nothing. They need support and aid that this book cannot offer them.
But while reading this book, I realized that I do have a bigger network of people than I thought I did. Not a fail-safe net, but a bunch of people whom I've met through jobs or through social networking that may toss down a rope should I take a risk and fall into a pit - or even people who, if they don't have a rope available, can find someone else who has a rope to extend to me.
At the very least, there are people who'll let me crash on their couches for a couple of days while I seek out the unknown.
I'm a social person, but it never occurred to me to ask anyone in my web of online and business contacts for advice or for a favor. I may not be as alone as I thought I was - what a comforting thought!
I currently have no plan to use this book for, but I've had the good luck (or was it foresight?) to surround myself with intellectual and talented people from all walks of life. And perhaps a midnight breakfast at Perkins with some of them for a night of banter and life talk will give me some ideas to start a plan.
*** out of *****
But I wasn't looking for career advice from this book. Someone recommended it to me and thought it was something I'd like to read. I didn't get it at first. I care little about advancing in my career, and I only need to make enough money to live my life. You know, just enough money to do the things I really want to do, such as traveling aimlessly around the country in a beat-up convertible; broadening my mind by learning new and exciting things; and creating a great civilization for my grandchildren to inherit.
In other words, all the things I'm not doing while I'm writing technical documentation for a company that still codes in VB6.
I don't do any these things because I am crippled by a fear of failure I developed whilst growing up in a depressed Rust Belt city, where failure surrounded all of us, squeezing us until we were suffocated of hope that things would work themselves out in the end. That fear has stuck to - perhaps even developed - my psyche, and it clings to me just like the stench of 100 years of industrialization has clung to my hometown.
I'm stuck in the Rust Belt; I am the Rust Belt. I am the old GM plant Hoffman discusses in this book, unwilling to take chances because I'm getting by well enough, and so ensconced in the idea that I'll be okay as long as I work hard and keep my head down that I've failed to notice that everything I've ever wanted out of my life is waving goodbye from the backseat of a convertible.
Was some of the advice in this book generic and too idealistic? Yes. Not everyone has the same resources that Hoffman had; not everyone has parents who'll let them take up residence in their basement while they execute Big Plan A, B, and C, and some people begin their adult lives with no networking contacts other than drug abusers and alcoholics. This is not a good book for people who are coming from nothing. They need support and aid that this book cannot offer them.
But while reading this book, I realized that I do have a bigger network of people than I thought I did. Not a fail-safe net, but a bunch of people whom I've met through jobs or through social networking that may toss down a rope should I take a risk and fall into a pit - or even people who, if they don't have a rope available, can find someone else who has a rope to extend to me.
At the very least, there are people who'll let me crash on their couches for a couple of days while I seek out the unknown.
I'm a social person, but it never occurred to me to ask anyone in my web of online and business contacts for advice or for a favor. I may not be as alone as I thought I was - what a comforting thought!
I currently have no plan to use this book for, but I've had the good luck (or was it foresight?) to surround myself with intellectual and talented people from all walks of life. And perhaps a midnight breakfast at Perkins with some of them for a night of banter and life talk will give me some ideas to start a plan.
*** out of *****
February 14, 2017
هذا النوع من الكتب اللي لما تقرا بعض فقراته تقول "واااااو!" ويجي ببالك كم شخص وانت تقراه تقول بنفسك "لازم يقرون هذا الكتاب" ببالي اروح جرير اشتري منه ٤ نسخ ، واحد لمحمد زوجي والثاني لخلود اختي والثالث لأروى صديقتي والرابع لزميلة العمل ساره ..
اللي عاجبني في الكتاب ان مؤلفه مؤسس لينكد ان يعرض تجربه فعليه وعصارة افكاره اللي تساعدك للبدء في صفحة مهنية جديده ، سواء كان العمل في مشروعك الخاص او العمل في شركة ثانيه او حتى كيف تطور نفسك .. حبيت مره الافكار اللي عرضها
اللي عاجبني في الكتاب ان مؤلفه مؤسس لينكد ان يعرض تجربه فعليه وعصارة افكاره اللي تساعدك للبدء في صفحة مهنية جديده ، سواء كان العمل في مشروعك الخاص او العمل في شركة ثانيه او حتى كيف تطور نفسك .. حبيت مره الافكار اللي عرضها
June 1, 2012
What a waste of time this is. There is really no information that cannot be found in 100 (1000?) other business books that are better. This is an extended commercial for LinkedIn (which I use and really like for the record, but I don't need to read the infomercial.) Also, some of the message seems to be "its who you know." True dat, but not very helpful advice unless you are teaching people how to connect.
By way of confession I will say I don't really like many business self-help books. I read them because it is my business to help people grow their businesses. To be good at my job I need to share what I know, and what other successful professionals have learned. I am always grateful for any new insights I can get from others. It is rare, no matter how little I like a book, that I feel I came away with nothing new. This is the case here though. That said, if you like these sorts of books and read to get pumped up and inspired, you might like this.
By way of confession I will say I don't really like many business self-help books. I read them because it is my business to help people grow their businesses. To be good at my job I need to share what I know, and what other successful professionals have learned. I am always grateful for any new insights I can get from others. It is rare, no matter how little I like a book, that I feel I came away with nothing new. This is the case here though. That said, if you like these sorts of books and read to get pumped up and inspired, you might like this.
September 19, 2017
I stopped writing reviews but this one is a life changer, either you're an employee, young entrepreneur or a business man, you should definetly read it, it's a lifetime experience in a capsule. By one of the most successful people in our generation.
May 2, 2014
An easy read with lots of good nuggets on self-development, properly using your network, and giving back. Probably my favourite book on career advice.
September 23, 2012
Other reviews provide a good summary of what's in the book so I'm just sharing some disparate things that stood out for me:
* Upfront, Reid Hoffman states that this is not a job hunting manual. It's about giving you a mindset that you need to adapt to the future. In his true fashion of always thinking about how he can make an impact on the world, he says "More broadly, society flourishes when people think entrepreneurially. More world problems would be solved - and solved faster - if people practice the values laid out in the pages ahead. This is a book about you, and it's also about improving the society around you. That starts with each individual."
* In talking about professional allies, he mentions his friendship with Mark Pincus. They invested in Friendster together back in 2002. In 2003, they bought the Six Degrees patent. When Peter Thiel and Hoffman were set to put the first money into Facebook in 2004, Hoffman suggested that Mark take half of his investment allocation! "As a matter of course, I wanted to involve Mark in any opportunity that seemed intriguing, especially one that played to his social networking background - it's what you do in an alliance."
* One of my favorite words is serendipity. So, I loved it when the book revealed how it was created. "An English novelist named Horace Walpole coined the word to describe the phenomenon (accidental good fortune) he first observed in an old Persian fairy tale called "The Three Princes of Serendip." In the story, the king sends his three sons on a journey to distant lands. The princes come upon some problems; at one point they are accused of thievery. Yet they exercise such impeccable judgment and insight ... that their father and other rulers decide to grant them the opportunity to become rulers and kings themselves. In a letter to a friend, Walpole says "serendipitous" is how he refers to the accidental good fortune of the Serendip princes; they got lucky, to be sure, but they also acted sagely and wisely in turning unexpected setbacks into opportunities. Winning the lottery is blind luck. Serendipity involves being alert to potential opportunity and acting on it."
Overall, this is a great book for a high school student or college student. It's also helpful for people who need help shifting their mindset for how to deal with the realities of today's job market. As you would expect, there are a lot of references to LinkedIn, but they make sense in the context. What is particularly handy is the list of To Do items at the end of each chapter, divided into what to do in the next day, the next week and the next month.
There is a ton of excellent advice in this book. As it's a quick read, it's worth checking out as you're likely to come away with several actionable ideas (or reminders of things you've been thinking about doing) that are worth implementing immediately.
* Upfront, Reid Hoffman states that this is not a job hunting manual. It's about giving you a mindset that you need to adapt to the future. In his true fashion of always thinking about how he can make an impact on the world, he says "More broadly, society flourishes when people think entrepreneurially. More world problems would be solved - and solved faster - if people practice the values laid out in the pages ahead. This is a book about you, and it's also about improving the society around you. That starts with each individual."
* In talking about professional allies, he mentions his friendship with Mark Pincus. They invested in Friendster together back in 2002. In 2003, they bought the Six Degrees patent. When Peter Thiel and Hoffman were set to put the first money into Facebook in 2004, Hoffman suggested that Mark take half of his investment allocation! "As a matter of course, I wanted to involve Mark in any opportunity that seemed intriguing, especially one that played to his social networking background - it's what you do in an alliance."
* One of my favorite words is serendipity. So, I loved it when the book revealed how it was created. "An English novelist named Horace Walpole coined the word to describe the phenomenon (accidental good fortune) he first observed in an old Persian fairy tale called "The Three Princes of Serendip." In the story, the king sends his three sons on a journey to distant lands. The princes come upon some problems; at one point they are accused of thievery. Yet they exercise such impeccable judgment and insight ... that their father and other rulers decide to grant them the opportunity to become rulers and kings themselves. In a letter to a friend, Walpole says "serendipitous" is how he refers to the accidental good fortune of the Serendip princes; they got lucky, to be sure, but they also acted sagely and wisely in turning unexpected setbacks into opportunities. Winning the lottery is blind luck. Serendipity involves being alert to potential opportunity and acting on it."
Overall, this is a great book for a high school student or college student. It's also helpful for people who need help shifting their mindset for how to deal with the realities of today's job market. As you would expect, there are a lot of references to LinkedIn, but they make sense in the context. What is particularly handy is the list of To Do items at the end of each chapter, divided into what to do in the next day, the next week and the next month.
There is a ton of excellent advice in this book. As it's a quick read, it's worth checking out as you're likely to come away with several actionable ideas (or reminders of things you've been thinking about doing) that are worth implementing immediately.
April 1, 2012
Another great book on the power of networking. It is co-authored by the creator of Linkedin, which has surprisingly to many, been around for a lot longer that new comers like Facebook. The book is primarily aimed at those people on the career treadmill looking to make a change, however the information provided is certainly applicable to anyone.
This book addresses 'networking' as something you give before you receive. It demonstrates how cultivating a wide and diverse network is what will not only support you through all phases of your career but also provide you that elusive opportunity that you never though would be attainable. The books shows you how to go about building and utilizing a network in an intelligent manner rather than merely collecting 'friends'. Most importantly, it demonstrates that you need to not only nurture and build this network but you also need to contribute back to it if you plan to benefit.
Too many people and businesses scoff at the concept of 'effective' networking. They view it the old world thinking of 'schmoozing'. Nothing could be further from the truth in today's terms. Tools such as Linkedin and Facebook make the whole networking process so much easier but to be effective you still need to create a system to gain the most advantage. That is what this book will show you.
The book is easy to read and very enjoyable. It provides practical examples of effective networking as well as action point for you to take away and implement. There is little doubt that if you take this book to heart and implement even some of the suggestions it contains your chances or networking success are far greater. Take a leaf from the book of these authors who really know their subject and start implementing one of the most powerful success opportunities you have available today - business networking.
This book addresses 'networking' as something you give before you receive. It demonstrates how cultivating a wide and diverse network is what will not only support you through all phases of your career but also provide you that elusive opportunity that you never though would be attainable. The books shows you how to go about building and utilizing a network in an intelligent manner rather than merely collecting 'friends'. Most importantly, it demonstrates that you need to not only nurture and build this network but you also need to contribute back to it if you plan to benefit.
Too many people and businesses scoff at the concept of 'effective' networking. They view it the old world thinking of 'schmoozing'. Nothing could be further from the truth in today's terms. Tools such as Linkedin and Facebook make the whole networking process so much easier but to be effective you still need to create a system to gain the most advantage. That is what this book will show you.
The book is easy to read and very enjoyable. It provides practical examples of effective networking as well as action point for you to take away and implement. There is little doubt that if you take this book to heart and implement even some of the suggestions it contains your chances or networking success are far greater. Take a leaf from the book of these authors who really know their subject and start implementing one of the most powerful success opportunities you have available today - business networking.
January 18, 2016
Unfortunately cannot remember much after some months of reading it. Should write down my notes earlier :S
* Re-readability: yes
* Note: 4/5
The motivation for the book is one idea: the steady career paths of the past are gone. Today's environment is extremely dynamic and we should be adaptable and ready to change jobs multiple times.
The solution for the authors is to think one's life and career a start-up, or more simply put, be pro-active, create an identity that goes beyond your current employer, and seek to fit the malleable markets. The authors stress: we are always in a beta version of ourselves. Flexibility to change (pivot!) and learn is crucial.
Key to create an identity is to build a a strong network, for new career opportunities and knowledge tapping. Within this, I found 3 ideas to be the most compelling ones:
* My value in the market is I^We (myself to the power of my network). That is, sharpen your skills as an individual, and then expand your reach exponentially with your network.
* Strong ties vs weak ties: strong ones are typically people with very similar backgrounds like you. You can heavily rely on them. However, their number of nodes is small and because of the similar backgrounds, they don't offer you much information/opportunities. On the other side, weak ties, though weaker in reliability, are the ones that can offer you many more opportunities, for example when you are thinking to change jobs. Weak ties are many and can bring you to different environments.
* Our network size expands up to our 2nd-degree and 3rd-degree connections.
Finally, the book ends each chapter with proposed practical exercises to improving your network. I haven't done these; will do soon and that's why I want to skim-read again the book. It's a book that is read very fast.
The ideas are simple yet to the point and with practical advice.
* Re-readability: yes
* Note: 4/5
The motivation for the book is one idea: the steady career paths of the past are gone. Today's environment is extremely dynamic and we should be adaptable and ready to change jobs multiple times.
The solution for the authors is to think one's life and career a start-up, or more simply put, be pro-active, create an identity that goes beyond your current employer, and seek to fit the malleable markets. The authors stress: we are always in a beta version of ourselves. Flexibility to change (pivot!) and learn is crucial.
Key to create an identity is to build a a strong network, for new career opportunities and knowledge tapping. Within this, I found 3 ideas to be the most compelling ones:
* My value in the market is I^We (myself to the power of my network). That is, sharpen your skills as an individual, and then expand your reach exponentially with your network.
* Strong ties vs weak ties: strong ones are typically people with very similar backgrounds like you. You can heavily rely on them. However, their number of nodes is small and because of the similar backgrounds, they don't offer you much information/opportunities. On the other side, weak ties, though weaker in reliability, are the ones that can offer you many more opportunities, for example when you are thinking to change jobs. Weak ties are many and can bring you to different environments.
* Our network size expands up to our 2nd-degree and 3rd-degree connections.
Finally, the book ends each chapter with proposed practical exercises to improving your network. I haven't done these; will do soon and that's why I want to skim-read again the book. It's a book that is read very fast.
The ideas are simple yet to the point and with practical advice.
May 7, 2018
Possibly made a lot of sense and was way more useful when it was written.
It looks dated and some of the advice is table stakes these days.
However, it still has interesting insights. Primary ones:
1 "Interesting People Fund": Set aside money for coffee, lunch, or travel to meet interesting people.
2. "The best way to make sure that lucky things happen is to make sure a lot of things happen."
3. "To keep our ancestors alive, Mother Nature evolved a brain that routinely tricked them into making three mistakes: overestimating threats, underestimating opportunities, and underestimating resources (for dealing with threats and fulfilling opportunities). The result is that we are programmed to overestimate the risk in any given situation."
4. "is the worst-case scenario of this decision tolerable or intolerable? "
5. "You'll never be fully certain. Don't conflate uncertainty with risk."
More importantly, one key insight for me was to be ok making mistakes - wrong jobs, wrong relationships, wrong investments. Do more things, new things. And inspect and adapt.
It looks dated and some of the advice is table stakes these days.
However, it still has interesting insights. Primary ones:
1 "Interesting People Fund": Set aside money for coffee, lunch, or travel to meet interesting people.
2. "The best way to make sure that lucky things happen is to make sure a lot of things happen."
3. "To keep our ancestors alive, Mother Nature evolved a brain that routinely tricked them into making three mistakes: overestimating threats, underestimating opportunities, and underestimating resources (for dealing with threats and fulfilling opportunities). The result is that we are programmed to overestimate the risk in any given situation."
4. "is the worst-case scenario of this decision tolerable or intolerable? "
5. "You'll never be fully certain. Don't conflate uncertainty with risk."
More importantly, one key insight for me was to be ok making mistakes - wrong jobs, wrong relationships, wrong investments. Do more things, new things. And inspect and adapt.
July 24, 2022
my rating: 3.5/5
very useful. gave me a lot of insight and vision for work myself and my career.
very useful. gave me a lot of insight and vision for work myself and my career.
July 1, 2012
When the former Executive VP of PayPal and co-founder of LinkedIn writes a book on networking and entrepreneurship, it's a good bet he knows what he's talking about and your time would be well spent reading it.
His analogies and concrete examples of networking done well bring the strategic advice to life for the reader. The personal perspective on how networking between the former founders of PayPal influenced further career moves between the one time co-workers vividly painted a picture of mutual benefit and how to maintain connections. As a Ben Franklin enthusiast, I also enjoyed the reflection back to Benjamin Franklin's Junto, and how this early American networking group created benefits that reached far beyond personal gain to individual members.
Somewhere about 2/3 of the way through, I hit a bit of a snag, where the networking techniques seemed to repeat earlier passages in the book. Fortunately the repetitive section was not long and it soon resumed forward momentum.
The online executive summary is a great way to review the main points and refresh one's memory after reading the book, while in now way does the summary convey the spirit of the full book. It is not a difficult read and it is well worth reading in its entirety. The book finishes with an invitation for readers to visit The Start-Up of You website a mylink text < The Start Up of You Website /a>
His analogies and concrete examples of networking done well bring the strategic advice to life for the reader. The personal perspective on how networking between the former founders of PayPal influenced further career moves between the one time co-workers vividly painted a picture of mutual benefit and how to maintain connections. As a Ben Franklin enthusiast, I also enjoyed the reflection back to Benjamin Franklin's Junto, and how this early American networking group created benefits that reached far beyond personal gain to individual members.
Somewhere about 2/3 of the way through, I hit a bit of a snag, where the networking techniques seemed to repeat earlier passages in the book. Fortunately the repetitive section was not long and it soon resumed forward momentum.
The online executive summary is a great way to review the main points and refresh one's memory after reading the book, while in now way does the summary convey the spirit of the full book. It is not a difficult read and it is well worth reading in its entirety. The book finishes with an invitation for readers to visit The Start-Up of You website a mylink text < The Start Up of You Website /a>
January 9, 2015
This will be the book that I will be dedicating my time to in 2015 to 'invest in myself'. I found the knowledge in this book to be extremely useful, especially about entrepreneurship, relationship building and self-improvement.
My core takeaway:
Permanent Beta:
1. To always be starting
2. To forever be a work in progress
My core takeaway:
Permanent Beta:
1. To always be starting
2. To forever be a work in progress
March 30, 2021
If I should suggest a title for this book, I'll go with: "How to win friends and influence people in the business world"
February 28, 2021
Creator of Linkedin and serial high-tech entrepreneur Reid Hoffman, part of the Paypal mafia (see next book read, by Peter Thiel) ellaborates on how each of us (and the "you" in the title also takes the shape of the plural) can treat our professional careers as a startup, and can work towards growth using similar tactics.
I liked a lot that each chapter contained actions we can take "in the next day", "the next week" and the "next month". This review is part of the plan, the one I am always weakest on, of putting into practice the things I learn from the books I read.
Core idea in the whole book was around having and reinforcing your network. This resonates with me, but at the same time doesn't...
Key concepts to take away:
Refine your own **competitive advantage**, that is formed out of 3 elements: your assets, your aspirations/values and the market reality.
**ABZ planning**: have a plan A (current path), a plan B (close alternative, pivot), and a plan Z (radically different course of action that allows you tu survive if all goes bad). Plan A and possibly B are based on your competitive advantage.
**Networking** based on genuine relationships, where you help first (vs transactional) and you have fun. Nurture weak acquaintances and the second and third degree connections can also be valuable.
Curiosity and randomness may take you yo breakout opportunities
Regarding **risk taking**, go after opportunities where other misperceive the risk. Also, bear in mind that short-term risks increase long-term stability, or looking at it the other way, if you stay safe for long and never take any risk, when a big shake up comes up, you will not be prepared. (Read Black swan!)
And use the **strength of your network** to put together insights and pieces of information that will push you forward. Be mindful of what questions, and how you ask the specific people
I liked a lot that each chapter contained actions we can take "in the next day", "the next week" and the "next month". This review is part of the plan, the one I am always weakest on, of putting into practice the things I learn from the books I read.
Core idea in the whole book was around having and reinforcing your network. This resonates with me, but at the same time doesn't...
Key concepts to take away:
Refine your own **competitive advantage**, that is formed out of 3 elements: your assets, your aspirations/values and the market reality.
**ABZ planning**: have a plan A (current path), a plan B (close alternative, pivot), and a plan Z (radically different course of action that allows you tu survive if all goes bad). Plan A and possibly B are based on your competitive advantage.
**Networking** based on genuine relationships, where you help first (vs transactional) and you have fun. Nurture weak acquaintances and the second and third degree connections can also be valuable.
Curiosity and randomness may take you yo breakout opportunities
Regarding **risk taking**, go after opportunities where other misperceive the risk. Also, bear in mind that short-term risks increase long-term stability, or looking at it the other way, if you stay safe for long and never take any risk, when a big shake up comes up, you will not be prepared. (Read Black swan!)
And use the **strength of your network** to put together insights and pieces of information that will push you forward. Be mindful of what questions, and how you ask the specific people
September 11, 2012
I finished reading The Startup of You book recently, written by Reid Hoffman (LInkedin cofounder) & Ben Casnoca. I thought I'd share few comments about it.
The book is great for those who want to enter the "Business World":
- either fresh college graduates
- or technical people who want to make the jump to business roles
It gives a number of recommendations - that are frankly similar to a lot of other books. But the style is direct & clear, which makes for an easy reading.
The book has some interesting stories about birth of "Web 2.0" - namely the Paypal Mafia (must read wiki page). For example: both Mark Pincus and Reid Hoffman bought the six-degrees patent early on. Mark created Zynga. Reid created LinkedIn. And they both were early investors in Zackerberg's Facebook, Path, Naseeb, Tribes, Flickr and Digg. (and many more). This makes you feel that Silicon Valley is just so small. [The book doesn't have details - just tips. look online for more]
In my opinion the book is not deep enough, with few exceptions, for people who have been in business roles for 3+ years. But it is very good for people about to enter this "business career" phase.
hope you like this.
The book is great for those who want to enter the "Business World":
- either fresh college graduates
- or technical people who want to make the jump to business roles
It gives a number of recommendations - that are frankly similar to a lot of other books. But the style is direct & clear, which makes for an easy reading.
The book has some interesting stories about birth of "Web 2.0" - namely the Paypal Mafia (must read wiki page). For example: both Mark Pincus and Reid Hoffman bought the six-degrees patent early on. Mark created Zynga. Reid created LinkedIn. And they both were early investors in Zackerberg's Facebook, Path, Naseeb, Tribes, Flickr and Digg. (and many more). This makes you feel that Silicon Valley is just so small. [The book doesn't have details - just tips. look online for more]
In my opinion the book is not deep enough, with few exceptions, for people who have been in business roles for 3+ years. But it is very good for people about to enter this "business career" phase.
hope you like this.
March 16, 2012
"Invest in yourself, invest in your network, and invest in society". This is "what" it is all about. The "how" is what makes this book a good reading material for career people who are clueless on why it is hard to get a dream job nowadays...much less hold one. In the olden days, the only requirement to have a job security is to show up at work on time, work efficiently, go with the flow, be loyal, stay with the company for so many years and retire at 65. Nowadays, that is not enough. I am sure that everyone in the workforce knows someone who had been let go for no reason than doing what they always do since they started working for that company. Some were even cut-off swiftly that they don't know what hit them.
This book, however, is not a step-by-step manual on how to go out in the world. In fact, if you follow the examples cited in the book, you are not optimizing its benefits. The content of this book will give you the foundation to stand on but it is up to you to build yourself to what you want to be.
You do know what you want, right?
This book, however, is not a step-by-step manual on how to go out in the world. In fact, if you follow the examples cited in the book, you are not optimizing its benefits. The content of this book will give you the foundation to stand on but it is up to you to build yourself to what you want to be.
You do know what you want, right?
November 20, 2016
Pros: Nice examples of successful start-ups such as Pinterest, Flickr, Netflix, Paypal, etc. Personally, I really enjoy two examples, which are "Paypal mafia" and one way you can be helpful to Bill Gate is bringing him information about trends of youths to use technology.
Cons: The author's arguments are generally simply and ubiquitous in every business book. For example, "find your competitive advantage", "find your aspiration", "seize opportunities through your contacts" and "you must try and learn from your mistakes". Moreover, the 2 chapters "It takes a network" and "Pursue breakout opportunities" are merely imitative from Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time. Not impress with other 5 chapters of this book.
Overall, I do not gain anything from this book. If you want to read it, go to libraries and borrow it. Not recommend purchasing.
Cons: The author's arguments are generally simply and ubiquitous in every business book. For example, "find your competitive advantage", "find your aspiration", "seize opportunities through your contacts" and "you must try and learn from your mistakes". Moreover, the 2 chapters "It takes a network" and "Pursue breakout opportunities" are merely imitative from Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time. Not impress with other 5 chapters of this book.
Overall, I do not gain anything from this book. If you want to read it, go to libraries and borrow it. Not recommend purchasing.
June 3, 2013
Star-up, Um Novo Futuro é um livro que nos dá orientações para a gestão de carreira nos dias de hoje em que já não é possível expectar ficar no mesmo emprego, eventualmente até no mesmo ramo de actividade, o resto da vida.
Ao longo deste livro o autor dá-nos muitos exemplos de percursos profissionais nos mais variados sectores de forma a explicar como devemos estar preparados para ser empreendores.
Este livro dá-nos orientações para correr riscos inteligentes, perseguir oportunidades e eventualmente cria-las e fazer planos de carreira diferenciados.
Ler mais em http://blogbuythebook.wordpress.com/2...
Ao longo deste livro o autor dá-nos muitos exemplos de percursos profissionais nos mais variados sectores de forma a explicar como devemos estar preparados para ser empreendores.
Este livro dá-nos orientações para correr riscos inteligentes, perseguir oportunidades e eventualmente cria-las e fazer planos de carreira diferenciados.
Ler mais em http://blogbuythebook.wordpress.com/2...
May 17, 2016
اوایل کتاب بسیار جالب شروع شده و نکات جدیدی به چشم خواننده باز میشود.
شاید در اواسط کتاب حس کنید که در حال دریافت یک مفهوم با نامها و در موضوعات مختلف هستید.
اما تمامی این نامها برای ارتباط برقرار کردن با باقی مطالب کتاب لازم است.
خوشحوالم که توانستم آن را به پایان برسانم و قسمت جمعبندی آن را بخوانم. آنقدر زیبا بود که میتوان آن را به عنوان دعای شبانگاهی، قبل از خواب، مرور کرد.
شاید در اواسط کتاب حس کنید که در حال دریافت یک مفهوم با نامها و در موضوعات مختلف هستید.
اما تمامی این نامها برای ارتباط برقرار کردن با باقی مطالب کتاب لازم است.
خوشحوالم که توانستم آن را به پایان برسانم و قسمت جمعبندی آن را بخوانم. آنقدر زیبا بود که میتوان آن را به عنوان دعای شبانگاهی، قبل از خواب، مرور کرد.
December 16, 2016
This is a really good 'career' book. Perhaps I would have rated it a 5 earlier in my career.
Reid Hoffman is really surprising. You'd expect from being the 'oracle of Silicon Valley' that he's a massive risk taker and is willing to bet the farm on any idea.
Very pragmatic and intelligent approach to career development.
Reid Hoffman is really surprising. You'd expect from being the 'oracle of Silicon Valley' that he's a massive risk taker and is willing to bet the farm on any idea.
Very pragmatic and intelligent approach to career development.
February 5, 2017
Несколько затянутая, на мой взгляд, книга с тремя основными идеями поиска работы: докажите, чем именно вы лучше других претендентов; имейте запасной план, а лучше не один; лучшая работа находится не по объявлениям, а через знакомы и их знакомых ("слабые связи").
September 28, 2017
Publicado em 2012 e continua atualizado. Começa por abordar a época de Ouro de Detroit e como tudo mudou e continua a mudar. Dá boas dicas, apresenta exemplos e fala de estratégias!
Want to read
January 19, 2019میثم زرگرپور و امید اخوان در پادکست ده صبح تأکید شدید کردن برای شبکه سازی این کتاب رو بخونیم
August 6, 2018
I have always been a fan of Reid Hoffman, and reading this book only confirmed what I always knew about him. He's one of the greatest entrepreneurs of my generation.
In "The Start-Up of You", you will get insights and techniques from the inside stories of some of the biggest success stories such as Netflix, Paypal and more... In addition to Lesson learned from Reid & Ben about career development & investment in yourself that they structure them in an easy to understand the framework and where you get actionable tips at the end of each chapter.
I particularly loved the ABZ part... The book is Highly recommended.
In "The Start-Up of You", you will get insights and techniques from the inside stories of some of the biggest success stories such as Netflix, Paypal and more... In addition to Lesson learned from Reid & Ben about career development & investment in yourself that they structure them in an easy to understand the framework and where you get actionable tips at the end of each chapter.
I particularly loved the ABZ part... The book is Highly recommended.
July 14, 2017
Most of us have heard the tips in this book but rarely have read it all synthesized in one go, nor written as clearly and succinctly as it is here. I've read many similar books and found this one to he absolutely, hands-down, the most important one yet. Granted, I'm already doing some things Reid outlines, but it's good affirmation and a good reminder to all of us to never stop hustling. Never stop building your network. To keep in motion the people that are the whirlpool of our "lives in beta."
September 26, 2019
Fantastic book to navigate a career, at whatever age, stage or geography.
My best take away:
1. Hustle. Always hustle.
2. Trust your network. Use it intelligently and insight-fully.
3. At all times, have a plan A, B and Z.
A definite go back to when one starts getting comfortable at a career, any career.
My best take away:
1. Hustle. Always hustle.
2. Trust your network. Use it intelligently and insight-fully.
3. At all times, have a plan A, B and Z.
A definite go back to when one starts getting comfortable at a career, any career.
September 14, 2017
Opportunities don't just come your way—they're connected to people. And how do you meet people? By hanging out at the laundromat. Just kidding. By tapping into your connections. Essential reading for anyone who thinks networking is "gross" or pointless.
June 24, 2018
Solid book, despite lots of marketing for LinkedIn (understandable, given the author and the topic) and a feeling of having been written about ten years ago. Would've been a quick read if I didn't keep setting it aside to read other books.
The recommended actions sections (next day, next week, and next month) at the end of most chapters were very helpful. Tl;dr, just copy down those and refer to them. The rest of the text provides additional useful context, but this isn't rocket science. Nonetheless, they're good tips that most people, including me, don't always follow.
The recommended actions sections (next day, next week, and next month) at the end of most chapters were very helpful. Tl;dr, just copy down those and refer to them. The rest of the text provides additional useful context, but this isn't rocket science. Nonetheless, they're good tips that most people, including me, don't always follow.
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