Available for future selection
The Upstarts
How Uber, Airbnb, and the Killer Companies of the New Silicon Valley Are Changing the World
Brad Stone
Non-Fiction / Business / Silicon Valley & Tech
Synopsis
Journalist Brad Stone provides a definitive look into how two startups—Uber and Airbnb—transformed from ambitious, fringe ideas into ubiquitous global giants. The Upstarts details the relentless drive, fierce regulatory battles, corporate maneuvering, and cultural shifts that allowed these companies to redefine urban transportation, hospitality, and the global sharing economy.
Author spotlight
Brad Stone
Join the Guild's live author Q&A series and recorded replays on the Events page to go deeper on Brad Stone's work.
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Each month, the Guild offers four books across different genres: two fiction and two non-fiction. Read any or all of the picks. Only this month’s selections have a four-week reading schedule.
Next month’s four books will be chosen at random from the other available titles, keeping the two-fiction, two-non-fiction balance. There is no fixed reading order or schedule for the remaining collection.
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Discussion
Bring these to the table
Prompt 01 · The Upstarts
“What key leadership traits enabled Travis Kalanick and Brian Chesky to push through initial rejection?”
Prompt 02 · The Upstarts
“How did local laws and city regulators struggle to adapt to platform-based business models?”
Prompt 03 · The Upstarts
“Does Silicon Valley's "move fast and break things" ethos create more net value or societal disruption?”
Prompt 04 · The Upstarts
“How did trust mechanisms (ratings, verified profiles) redefine consumer behavior on a global scale?”
Prompt 05 · The Upstarts
“What lessons can modern indie founders or entrepreneurs draw from these growth strategies?”