This is a summary review of The Startup Playbook containing key details about the book.

What is The Startup Playbook About?

“The Startup Playbook” by David Kidder features advice and insights from successful entrepreneurs and investors. (Full Summary…)

The Startup Playbook Summary Review

“The Startup Playbook: Founder-to-Founder Advice From Two Startup Veterans” serves as a comprehensive guide for aspiring entrepreneurs, drawing from the rich experiences of authors Will Herman and Rajat Bhargava, who collectively have initiated over a dozen high-tech software companies, raised substantial investment capital, and achieved both successes and failures in the unpredictable landscape of startups.

This playbook, presented in a conversational and accessible manner, aims to equip founders with the practical wisdom needed to navigate the complex journey of building a successful startup. The book’s popularity, evident from its initial sell-out and subsequent acquisition by a major publisher, underscores its resonance with entrepreneurs seeking actionable insights.

The authors make a deliberate effort to distance themselves from the traditional perspectives of venture capitalists, investors, and other external stakeholders. Instead, they position themselves firmly on the side of the founder, providing a candid and transparent discourse on the challenges, triumphs, and critical decisions inherent in the entrepreneurial journey.

The book covers a wide array of topics, offering advice on critical aspects such as team building, funding basics, and the day-to-day operations of running a company. Notably, the authors share personal anecdotes and lessons learned from their own failures, emphasizing the invaluable insights gained from such experiences.

One of the standout features of “The Startup Playbook” is its applicability beyond the stereotypical high-growth startup. The authors acknowledge that startups come in various forms, and their guidance is crafted to resonate with a broader spectrum of businesses, whether aiming for rapid scalability or pursuing a more modest trajectory.

The book also addresses the crucial theme of company culture, a factor often overlooked but essential for long-term success. The authors assert that understanding and fostering a positive company culture is not a mere luxury but a strategic imperative, influencing hiring decisions, team dynamics, and overall organizational effectiveness.

The testimonial from a former Facebook Engineer in the customer reviews section emphasizes the profound impact the book can have on entrepreneurs. Describing it as a “startup Bible,” the reviewer attests to the book’s ability to provide an exact formula and advice known to only a select few entrepreneurs.

Essentially, “The Startup Playbook” distinguishes itself as a valuable resource for founders at various stages of their entrepreneurial journey. Its real-world insights, relatable anecdotes, and practical advice contribute to making it a compelling guide for those navigating the challenging terrain of startup entrepreneurship.

Who is the author of The Startup Playbook?

David S. Kidder is a founder, investor, speaker, and author. His purpose in life and work is to ignite growth in people and organizations’ lives, empower people to discover who they are becoming, and, ultimately, solve our time’s grand challenges.

How long is The Startup Playbook?

• Print length: 292 pages

What genre is The Startup Playbook?

Business, Entrepreneurship, Nonfiction

What are good quotes from The Startup Playbook?

“Focus on People, Perseverance, and Passion These “Three P’s” are the keys to successful entrepreneurship. People are the most important, particularly in the first year of a venture. To maximize their value, spend as much time as you can assembling the best possible team that really complements your skill set and can lead a little bit into where you’re heading, not just where you are. Creating the right kind of dynamic in terms of culture and commitment is really critical. Perseverance: never underestimate the value of really caring about your idea and being unwilling to drop it. If you have a big idea, and you know in your heart it’s going to happen (Passion), but know there will be roadblocks and challenges along the way. In this regard, a high degree of passion and commitment is extremely important. In my experience, really big ideas often take a decade to reach fruition.”

“Don’t Suffer from the Sin of Comparison. Follow Your Own Path.”

“Find Something Nobody Else Can Do Selection is critical. When you launch a venture, you have to be comfortable with the idea that this is what you’re going to do for the rest of your professional life. It has to be awesome; it has to be ten times better than anything in the marketplace. Also, it can’t just be better because nobody else is doing it currently. It has to be something that nobody other than you can do, especially once you’re up to scale. Show”

“The risk of our current business climate is that we’ve created a generation of entrepreneurs with a form of attention-deficit disorder.”

“If we’re not doing something that’s game-changing, then frankly I’m not interested in doing it.”

“Find a Match Between Your Talents and Your Customers’ Needs”

“Your entire organization must focus on an area of strength where you can defeat your competitors and radically differentiate your company by being ten times better than anyone else in the world. This is the bar you set for your team; you must own and be known for this value.”

“The idea that everybody can be an entrepreneur and create a startup is simply false. Building a startup is a ton of work. It’s brutal. If you want to do it, sign up for a brutal experience and sign up to be brutal. You need the ability to see the future and manage your way through a crisis.”

“Money Is a Magnifying Glass Money makes you more of who you already are. If you are a jerk, it will make you a bigger jerk; if you’re insecure, you become even more insecure; if you are generous, you become even more generous; if you are nice, you become even nicer. Making money is like holding up a magnifying glass to who you are, personally and professionally. It creates a lot of energy and power, and it’s up to you to use that in a really good way.”

“A master in the art of living draws no sharp distinction between his work and his play; his labor and his leisure; his mind and his body; his education and his recreation. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence through whatever he is doing, and leaves others to determine whether he is working or playing. To himself, he always appears to be doing both.—L.P. Jacks, Education through Recreation”

“When we spoke, Steve explained the larger context. “If”

“Don’t Be Afraid to Fail When I was growing up, my dad would encourage my brother and me to fail. We would be sitting at the dinner table and he would ask, “So what did you guys fail at this week?” If we didn’t have something to contribute, he would be disappointed. When I did fail at something, he’d high-five me. What I didn’t realize at the time was that he was completely reframing my definition of failure at a young age. To me, failure means not trying; failure isn’t the outcome. If I have to look at myself in the mirror and say, “I didn’t try that because I was scared,” that is a failure.”