Book Reviews

We love to learn and read. Here are some of our favorite books for hard tech startup founders and leaders. Join our newsletter to be updated with our latest reviews.

An Elegant Puzzle: This book has zero fluff and and is a "do this / don't do that" management guide specifically written for software engineering managers. I prefer a bit of narrative but I suspect some of you will value this no non-sense resource.

An Elegant Puzzle: This book has zero fluff and and is a "do this / don't do that" management guide specifically written for software engineering managers. I prefer a bit of narrative but I suspect some of you will value this no non-sense resource.

Bias Interrupted: This is one of the best books I've read on how to create an inclusive team. Her website has a toolbox that is exceptional.

Bias Interrupted: This is one of the best books I've read on how to create an inclusive team. Her website has a toolbox that is exceptional.

Bringing Up the Boss: This book is trying a little too hard with it's "cool girl" vibe, however, the content is good. If you can get over the tone, it's a great read for new bosses.

Bringing Up the Boss: This book is trying a little too hard with it's "cool girl" vibe, however, the content is good. If you can get over the tone, it's a great read for new bosses.

Dare to Lead: Every leaders should read this book. It's about how to have the courage to have hard conversations and be an authentic, vulnerable leader.

Dare to Lead: Every leaders should read this book. It's about how to have the courage to have hard conversations and be an authentic, vulnerable leader.

Get Together: This is a practical book for how to build community. This is a particularly good guide for non-profits and mission-driven organizations that are trying to catalyze a movement of change.

Get Together: This is a practical book for how to build community. This is a particularly good guide for non-profits and mission-driven organizations that are trying to catalyze a movement of change.

Good to Great: This is one of the best business primers out there. Although it's written about Fortune 500 companies, it's relevant for organizations of all types.

Good to Great: This is one of the best business primers out there. Although it's written about Fortune 500 companies, it's relevant for organizations of all types.

HBR Manager's Handbook: This is a fantastic guide for new managers on the key skills of the role. There are a lot of tools and resources in this book as well.

HBR Manager's Handbook: This is a fantastic guide for new managers on the key skills of the role. There are a lot of tools and resources in this book as well.

High Growth Handbook: This is a must read for quickly growing startups. Very good balance of tactical and examples.

High Growth Handbook: This is a must read for quickly growing startups. Very good balance of tactical and examples.

Impact Players: This is one of my favorite books to share with your whole team about how to lead - even without positional authority.

Impact Players: This is one of my favorite books to share with your whole team about how to lead - even without positional authority.

Let My People Go Surfing: This book is about the beginning of Patagonia and is a model for how to be a mission-driving organization that lives by their values.

Let My People Go Surfing: This book is about the beginning of Patagonia and is a model for how to be a mission-driving organization that lives by their values.

Measure What Matters: The book explains the Objectives + Key Results (OKR) methodology that every startup should know. The book is redundant with lots of examples. If you're short on time, check out their website for short videos instead.

Measure What Matters: The book explains the Objectives + Key Results (OKR) methodology that every startup should know. The book is redundant with lots of examples. If you're short on time, check out their website for short videos instead.

Multipliers: This is must read for every manager about how to bring out the best in your team - and avoid being an accidental diminisher.

Multipliers: This is must read for every manager about how to bring out the best in your team - and avoid being an accidental diminisher.

Nonviolent Communication: Read past the woo-woo. This book transformed the way I think about managing myself in conflict and how I navigate big feelings as they come up with others.

Nonviolent Communication: Read past the woo-woo. This book transformed the way I think about managing myself in conflict and how I navigate big feelings as they come up with others.

Quiet: So many hard tech founders and leaders are introverts and feel like they need to be extroverts. This book shares the power of quiet leadership.

Quiet: So many hard tech founders and leaders are introverts and feel like they need to be extroverts. This book shares the power of quiet leadership.

Radical Candor: A classic on how to be kind and honest while giving feedback. A must-read for just about everyone.

Radical Candor: A classic on how to be kind and honest while giving feedback. A must-read for just about everyone.

Resilient Optimism: I didn't learn anything particularly new from this book, however, I do think it's uplifting and a good reminder of small actions we can take to improve our optimistic resilience as founders and leaders.

Resilient Optimism: I didn't learn anything particularly new from this book, however, I do think it's uplifting and a good reminder of small actions we can take to improve our optimistic resilience as founders and leaders.

Scaling People: One of the best management guides out there for startups.

Scaling People: One of the best management guides out there for startups.

Set Boundaries, Find Peace: This book changed the way that I think about having boundaries both personally and at work. It reframed boundaries as being ways to keep ourselves productive and safe.

Set Boundaries, Find Peace: This book changed the way that I think about having boundaries both personally and at work. It reframed boundaries as being ways to keep ourselves productive and safe.

Scaling Up Excellence: This is the book that will help you raise the bar of excellence as you scale. The frameworks helped me enormously with the scaling MIT Communication Lab.

Scaling Up Excellence: This is the book that will help you raise the bar of excellence as you scale. The frameworks helped me enormously with the scaling MIT Communication Lab.

Team of Teams: This military book is a bit redundant, however, the "team of teams" approach is really valuable for early stage startups. I also loved hearing how Navy Seals build high trust.

Team of Teams: This military book is a bit redundant, however, the "team of teams" approach is really valuable for early stage startups. I also loved hearing how Navy Seals build high trust.

The Anxious Achiever: A must read. Anxiety has been a super-power of mine - but it's also been a massive obstacle. This book felt like it summarized many years of lessons learned through therapy. Hugely insightful.

The Anxious Achiever: A must read. Anxiety has been a super-power of mine - but it's also been a massive obstacle. This book felt like it summarized many years of lessons learned through therapy. Hugely insightful.

The Field Guide to Human-Centered Design: I'm obsessed with IDEO's design-thinking approach. Extremely valuable for entrepreneurs.

The Field Guide to Human-Centered Design: I'm obsessed with IDEO's design-thinking approach. Extremely valuable for entrepreneurs.

The First 90 Days: This is a valuable resource for leaders who are starting new jobs at existing startups. There's a lot of great change management strategies in here as well.

The First 90 Days: This is a valuable resource for leaders who are starting new jobs at existing startups. There's a lot of great change management strategies in here as well.

The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Ben Horowitz (A16z) shares stories about leading through uncertainty in startups. Inspiring and relevant. Audiobook is great.

The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Ben Horowitz (A16z) shares stories about leading through uncertainty in startups. Inspiring and relevant. Audiobook is great.