The Startup of You is all about mapping the strategies and tactics that make startups – in theory – successful, and apply them to careers. The central tenets revolve around taking moderate amounts of risk, having backup plans, and not being afraid of hard work. Put together, they combine to form a playbook that aspires to some form of universal success as defined by silicon valley.
For the uninitiated, this book contains informative and inspirational advice for folks early in their careers. Its author, Reid Hoffman, is a former CEO of a successful startup (now public company) and current venture capitalist with a long story in the valley. He is understandably bullish on the idea of leveraging principles of entrepreneurship in many areas of life, and he draws his examples from a rich well of famous tech luminaries. The stories are common lore for those who work or follow technology, but serve as a nice refresher.