ben horowitz the hard things about hard things

While some entertainers do contribute, they're not at the top of the list of those we can learn the most from. It's lazy, and shows they don't read or revere serious thinkers or those who strive to advance or society. But I'm not impressed by authors or speakers quoting any pop culture references like music or TV. If you get the impression I'm not a big fan of hip hop, you'd be correct. The author did seem to brag a bit about how smart he was, perhaps listening to all that hip hop influenced his delivery. Once I got past the amateurish nature of the delivery of the book, there were some good stories and advice. Why not quote Sponge Bob Square Pants while you're at it? I kept wondering how many rappers Horowitz was quoting while negotiating with HP. The use of hip hop quotes was childish, and does not project an image of wisdom I need from a successful person. The constant us of 'she' when referring to a universal or fictitious CEO or manager is odd, since when he mentions real people, they're all men, ie Andy Grove, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs. The voice of the narrator in no way sounds like, or gives an impression of Horowitz. Tough to listen to, but interesting at times

A lifelong rap fanatic, he amplifies business lessons with lyrics from his favorite songs, telling it straight about everything from firing friends to poaching competitors, cultivating and sustaining a CEO mentality to knowing the right time to cash in.įilled with his trademark humor and straight talk, The Hard Thing About Hard Things is invaluable for veteran entrepreneurs as well as those aspiring to their own new ventures, drawing from Horowitz’s personal and often humbling experiences. Ben Horowitz analyzes the problems that confront leaders every day, sharing the insights he’s gained developing, managing, selling, buying, investing in, and supervising technology companies. While many people talk about how great it is to start a business, very few are honest about how difficult it is to run one. Ben Horowitz, cofounder of Andreessen Horowitz and one of Silicon Valley’s most respected and experienced entrepreneurs, offers essential advice on building and running a startup - practical wisdom for managing the toughest problems business school doesn’t cover, based on his popular ben’s blog.

Ben horowitz the hard things about hard things