The Startup Playbook: Founder-to-Founder Advice From Two Startup Veterans Hardcover – February 19, 2018

Will and Rajat not only tell their stories about their experience with their startups but also share a lot of valuable tips. Loved the book and highly recommend it to all my founder friends.

Though the authors of the book define “startups” right up front as: "a high growth company that is scalable and focused on continuous growth..." , this book is applicable across a much broader number of businesses.I started an R&D consulting firm back in the 90's and it is still in business and successful. The firm was never intended to scale up hugely, take on multiple investors and 100's or 1,000's of employees. Despite that, virtually every chapter maps to the issues I ran into as a small business startup and the on-going issues, even after years of being in business.If you are contemplating starting a business, the chapter on "am I cut out to found a company", just as easily maps to "should I start a business?", because the temperament needed to start and run a business is the same, no matter the final trajectory."Funding Basics" covers pretty much all the options of raising enough money to start a business and survive long enough to have long term positive cash flow. Your business model is going to drive what options you will need to choose; understanding those options is important, even if you are merely planning on funding yourself.Finally, the three chapters on "running your company" have some real gems, even if you have been in business for some time. Have you really thought about your company culture? This is not a warm and fuzzy question. Even with just a handful of employees, culture will help everyone to focus on the common objective. It also helps create the framework both in hiring and firing of employees, two very important aspects of running a business that are all too easy to avoid putting in the requisite thought and effort into.The book is not a step-by-step recipe book, it is a book about the really important things one needs to think about and ultimately execute upon, if you plan to start a business and succeed.

Sure, you'll read it to learn how to raise money. You'll value it because it helps you get fair value from investors, and avoid getting the short end of the stick. But the deeper value is it illuminates the path to SUCCESS.The sections on funding are invaluable. Here are two entrepreneurs and investors who can bridge the two worlds and help you understand how to pitch your idea to investors, how to build your case, and how to get fair value for your work.For me, the authors' experiences in BUILDING TEAMS were the most important. They will convince you that your success will be driven by the quality of your founding team, how to build the team, and that YOU CAN build the team that will drive investment and startup success.Two authors, with experience starting, running, and funding companies, take you inside their heads, and share what works, what doesn't, and what makes it worthwhile.A common subject. A rare book.

Simple, Clear, Comprehensive and insightful for those who want to start a middle or large scale business. One of the best books that I have ever read. SO EXCITING!!!!

This book is extraordinarily fresh and exciting. Part of the effectiveness is its first person (here are the things I did wrong) and the second person (here are the characteristics of a successful founder -- is this you?). In an accessible, straight talk fashion, this book is a manual, and an inspiration. Addressing the personal characteristics of a founder, putting the need to be part of a team, not the lone dictators, is disruptive to the "startup advisory" industry. And showing how important a holistic approach is -- skill synergies, company culture, and the greater importance of execution over brilliant ideas -- is the way to maximize the probability of success. All these characteristics lead to success, even continuing after failure. The Startup Playbook is accessible, smart, and avoids the "I am so smart" over-writing endemic to the genre. Read this as it is presented. You'll be doing yourself a tremendous favor.

I work at a VC-funded startup and I've read many books about various aspects of startups so was suspicious that this might fail to offer anything new. It turned out this was by far the most comprehensive, most interesting, and most relevant book to me. The insights are fresh, and the two authors back these up with ideal examples. They share just enough of the stories from their experiences to reinforce the points and to keep the flow highly engaging.I do like these other books relevant to startups: The Lean Startup, The Hard Thing About Hard Things, The Founder's Dilemmas, Building a Story Brand, Venture Deals. If I could only pick one to read in the field it would be 'The Startup Playbook.'

I'm an entrepreneur in the social entrepreneurship sector, not the technology sector, but I found the advice in The Startup Playbook to summarize all of what I have learned in the course of founding three organizations (two for-profit, one non-profit). The Startup Playbook walks an founding entrepreneur though the whole life cycle of jump starting a new startup and contains succinct wisdom: "Just say not to co-CEO," for instance. In the economy of the future, those with freedom will be the ones with the skill set to work on complex problems in teams with people from diverse perspectives. If I were in my early 20s, and thinking about starting any kind of business, this would be an invaluable guide. In my role, as an entrepreneur at age 50 trying to scale my latest startup, this guide is equally invaluable.

This is the bible for the startups. It has everything that one needs to create, lau nch and run a successful startup from the ground up. I run my own business and I wish I would have read it 5 years back. Nonetheless it still have so much insights that will determine the future of my business. Especially the funding section. 5 stars all the way.

A great book for any founder or entrepreneurial type. It’s written in a way such that you can pick up and read from any page in the book and learn something. I read it cover-to-cover and felt as if I’d completed a crash course in building a company. I’ll be going back to this a number of times I’m sure - I’ve left notes all over it! Thoroughly recommend.

Good price & Great book available as Audible & KINDLE, Very good for anyone who wants to start his own business,

The first book I have read that covers all the bases in founding a company. As a founder of 3 successful businesses, I found myself struggling with my fourth startup. This book was an inspiration and help. If you are thinking of starting a business or if you are a start up junkie, this book is a good read.

It gives the whole vision of what is a startup. Easy to read. For sure it will help new and experience entrepeneurs.