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Critical information for founders and potential founders. It's always good to know the stats.

It's exactly what it sounds like, a collection of founders' stories in interview format. Livingston does a solid job prodding her interviewees and asks good questions. What I didn't like so much, which wasn't her fault, was that many interviews tended to get long-winded and rambly, filled with technical jargon that I had no chance of understanding. Some interviews were much better, and I learned a lot.

I wasn't the biggest fan. I saw it as a manifesto on Thiel's business philosophy. So many of his points seemed so controversial that I found myself constantly disagreeing. That's not necessarily a bad thing; everyone deserves to have their worldview challenged. However, Thiel delivers his manifesto with the attitude that he's discovered the absolute truth of the world, which I disliked. Still recommended reading for those interested in startups.

Really liked this one. An entertaining read full of genuinely good wisdom on how to run a startup.

There's an old expression on Wall Street. 'When the ducks quack, feed them.' Have you heard of that? Back in the nineties investors wanted to buy anything with dotcom at the end of the name. So that's what we gave them. Our job isn't to talk people out of buying. Our job is to make what people want. Our job is to feed the ducks. And right now [2012-13], the ducks are hungry.
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Success is making those who believed in you look brilliant.

Ben provides advice on how to be a CEO.

I‘m not entirely sure why I listened to this book, but it was on my list. He doesn‘t really provide advice other than the choose he made for his many times as CEO. This was more of a book to toot his own horn than anything.

Can‘t think of any other text that gets into the true meaning of monopoly power in business. You‘d think other business books would make the attempt.... Zero to One is such a good book because it doesn‘t shy away from the discussion.