Welcome to our selection of must-read books on Startups and Venture Capital (VCs). These books provide valuable insights into the world of startups and the venture capital ecosystem, making them essential reads for anyone interested in these fields. Enjoy deepening your knowledge!
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Books I’ve read
Startups
- Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future by Peter Thiel: This book challenges readers to build new things and avoid competition. Thiel argues that the best way to create a successful startup is to create a new monopoly.
- The Lean Startup by Eric Ries: This book is a classic for a reason. It teaches entrepreneurs how to build a business using a validated learning process. Ries argues that startups should focus on building a minimum viable product (MVP) and then iterating based on customer feedback.
- Traction: How to Get Traction for Your Startup by Gabriel Weinberg: This book is a practical guide to growing your startup. Weinberg argues that there are 19 different channels that startups can use to get traction and that the best way to find the right channels for your business is to experiment.
- Business Model Generation: A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers, and Challengers by Alexander Osterwalder: The book features a beautiful, highly visual, 4-color design that takes powerful strategic ideas and tools, and makes them easy to implement in your organization. It explains the most common Business Model patterns, based on concepts from leading business thinkers, and helps you reinterpret them for your context. You will learn how to systematically understand, design, and implement a game-changing business model--or analyze and renovate an old one.
VCs
- **Secrets of Sand Hill Road** by Scott Kupor: This book offers an insider's look at the world of venture capital from a Silicon Valley VC. Kupor shares his insights on how VCs think, how to raise money from VCs, and how to build a successful relationship with your VC investors
- Mastering the VC Game: A Venture Capital Insider Reveals How to Get from Start-up to IPO on Your Terms by Jeffrey Bussgang: This book is a practical guide for entrepreneurs on how to secure funding from VCs. Bussgang, a venture capitalist himself, shares his insights on how to prepare for a VC meeting, negotiate a term sheet, and build a strong relationship with your VCs.
Founders’ stories
- Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson: This biography delves into the life and legacy of Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple and a true visionary in the tech industry. Written with unprecedented access to Jobs himself, as well as interviews with his family, friends, colleagues, and competitors, Isaacson paints a comprehensive portrait of a complex and often-contradictory figure.
- No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention by Reed Hastings and Erin Meyer: This book delves into the unconventional management philosophy that Netflix has famously used to disrupt the entertainment industry. Hastings, the company's co-founder, and Meyer, an organizational culture expert, explore Netflix's radical approach to areas like performance reviews, vacation policies, and employee freedom.
- Shoe Dog by Phil Knight: This memoir chronicles the fascinating journey of Phil Knight, co-founder of Nike, from his early days selling shoes out of his car trunk to building a global sporting powerhouse. Knight offers a candid and gritty perspective on the struggles, setbacks, and triumphs that shaped Nike's path to success. The book provides valuable insights into entrepreneurship, perseverance, building a strong team, and navigating the competitive world of business.
- The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon by Brad Stone: This comprehensive biography chronicles the rise of Amazon and its enigmatic founder, Jeff Bezos. Stone takes readers on a journey through Bezos's relentless pursuit of innovation and growth, exploring his guiding principles, bold decisions, and the occasional misstep.
- Leonardo Del Vecchio: by Tommaso Ebhardt (Italian): This book, titled simply "Leonardo Del Vecchio" by its author Tommaso Ebhardt, appears to be a detailed biography of the Luxottica founder. Reviews suggest it offers an intimate look at Del Vecchio's life, from his humble beginnings to his rise as an international business leader.