Entering StartUpLand: An Essential Guide to Finding the Right Job Hardcover – Illustrated, 10 Oct. 2017

I think the subtitle should identify this book as a guide to finding the “right fit” in order to accommodate cultural considerations as well as core capabilities. This is a “must read” for those now considering whether or not to work for a startup as well as for those who have only recently done so. That said, I also believe that you don’t have to be involved with a startup to nourish your entrepreneurial inclinations. Innovation is a mindset and process, not a location.To what does this book’s title refer? Ac cording to Jeffrey Bussgang, “My mission with this book is to be helpful to all of you who are intrigued by the possibility of joining a startup, to provide you with a framework that you can use to approach StartUpLand.” This of this book as a combination map and compass, window and mirror, blueprint and tool kit.Who seems to fit much better with a startup than with a well-established organization? Bussgang shares this list of characteristics compiled by Erin Warren who is profiled in Chapter 4:o Jazzed about doing something newo Has the ability to be both strategic and execution orientedo I comfortable with uncertainty and flexible enough to take on a series of undefined roles and taskso Biased toward actiono Analytical toward optimizing their own time/resourceso Has an aptitude for and interest in playing a broad role and evolving their career as the business morphsTo her list I presume to add these:o Thinks and acts in terms of first-person [begin italics] plural [end italics] pronounso Doesn’t care who gets the credit for a successo Doesn’t worry about getting dirt under their nailso Thrives on challengeso Views collaboration as a privilegeOne of Bussgang’s most helpful suggestions, in my opinion, is to consider what a new relationship with a startup shares in common with a startup’s relationship with its competitive marketplace. For example, individuals (new hires) as well as startups must be flexible, open-minded, resilient, patient [begin italics] and [end italics] persistent, eager and enthusiastic, prudent, comfortable with ambiguity, and willing to relocate resources (especially time) whenever necessary.It is worth noting that, with only a few exceptions, the entrepreneur who “plants an acorn” is not the best person to lead the organization as it becomes an “oak tree.” During research for his HBR article (February 2008 issue), “The Founder’s Dilemma,” Noam Wasserman discovered that “most founders surrendered management control long before their companies went public. By the time the ventures were three years old, 50% of founders were no longer the CEO; in year four, only 40% were still in the corner office; and fewer than 25% led their companies’ initial public offerings. Other researchers have subsequently found similar trends in various industries and in other time periods. We remember the handful of founder-CEOs in corporate America [e.g. Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Oracle’s Larry Ellison, FedEx’s Fred Smith, and Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg] but they’re the exceptions to the rule.”Richard Branson is credited with suggesting that an entrepreneur is someone who “jumps off a cliff and then builds an airplane on the way down.” Almost all of the entrepreneurs I have known over the years would say they would much prefer that experience to feeling buried alive in a job going nowhere, in a company that’s going nowhere.As Bussgang would be the first to point out, being centrally involved with a startup is not for everyone...nor is working within a structured, somewhat confining workplace. More and more people prefer neither, opting for a vocational free agency. (That choice is not right for everyone either.) This book can be immensely valuable to everyone who reads it, whatever their current circumstances as well as those they would prefer.I presume to offer one final point, suggested by Ernest Becker in his classic work, Denial of Death. He acknowledges that everyone dies a physical death eventually but there is another form of death that CAN be denied: That which occurs when we become wholly preoccupied with fulfilling others’ expectations of us.This book was written for each person who reads it. Not for their family members and friends or for anyone else. I urge you to explore StartUpLand with Jeffrey Bussgang and be grateful for what you learn but always keep Becker’s insight in mind.

Just closing "StartupLand" as summer reading, I can't refrain to contacting you for sharing some thoughts about the book...Being active in a European startup, I appreciated a lot the systematic description of the various profiles that *should* make a successful organization. Not only it gives valuable insights for internal strategic discussions and suggestions for growing, but also it highlights a variety of elements that could be taken in consideration, in the eventuality of a job change...That said, my perception is that the structures and profiles described by Jeff are mostly representative of North America business: the pace at which to scale up teams, the priorities in the profiles to integrate, as well as the very perception of a "startup career" appear to me different in Western European cultures.

As always, Jeff Bussgang provides clear and concise guidance that covers a breadth of information but gets right to the point. Entering StartUpLand is an engaging narrative for "joiners" -- the early employees who join small startups, rather that founding them. It provides a succinct lay of the land to learn and understand what it means to join a small fast-growing tech company. This follows on the heels of Jeff's excellent book for founders (Mastering the VC Game).Entering StartUpLand is specifically targeted for those joiners interested in business functions (Product, BD, Marketing, Growth, Sales, Finance) rather than Engineering. The book covers detail about how each business function operates in a small company, in addition to how each function interacts with the other functions. It also provides an overview of the startup landscape (Chapter 1) and a more tactical guide on how to find, apply to, and join the ideal startup for you (Chapter 8).Jeff brings his extensive startup experience as both a joiner and founder himself, coupled with years of experience as a venture capitalist, blogger, and educator. He provides punchy personal stories and anecdotes from well-known cases, as well as selected excerpts from current joiners working in startups today. I had the privilege of taking Jeff's course at Harvard Business School -- "Entering StartUpLand" captures both his good humor and witty nature. It all makes for a very enjoyable and easy read.

The writer was a great into making a narrative story that attracted me all the way. The spoken experience he has and the reflected shared experiences made priceless value for spending time to read. My advise, take the step and start reading it if you would to explore startup arena.

This book was immensely helpful as I considered making a major career transition and joining an early-stage startup. It describes the startup environment, the opportunities, the pros and cons, the different types of roles/overall structure, etc. and can help you determine whether the startup life is for you. It gave me confidence that I was making an informed decision and choosing a path where I could be successful and fulfilled in my career. Having taken the leap, I've found the insights in this book to be spot-on and have not looked back on my decision. Really glad to have found this well-written and well-researched book!

Strongly recommend for anyone who want to join a startup or want to start a new venture. For people who are looking to join a startup, the book describes in details each role in a startup and how it is different from the same role at a big corporation. The book will help you easily picture what it's like to work in a specific role and most importantly how to pick a winner. For people who are looking to start a venture and wonder who you need to grow your company, this book is a must read and a very good starting point. It will systematically tell you the responsibility of each role, the type of people that would be a good fit that role and how all the roles connect to each other.