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With the start of a new year comes a blank page, ready to be filled with lessons learned from the lows and new opportunities from the highs. Taking inspiration from some pages already written, our team has shared books which we would recommend to aspiring entrepreneurs, innovators and all the other movers and shakers we know. We hope that these books might give you a new perspective, knowledge, skills or at the very least give you an excuse to stay warm inside this winter. 

1. The Art of the Start by Guy Kawasaki

A staple read for new Idea Foundry team members. While each startup story is unique, The Art of the Start gives a clear picture of some of the basics, and the struggles, of creating a startup from scratch.

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2. Chaos Monkeys: Obscene Fortune and Random Failure in Silicon Valley by Antonio Garcia-Martinez

Recommended by Jay Murray - “Success isn't always what it seems to be, especially in the startup world. Never take for granted the part luck plays in moving the peg.” 

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3. From the Other Side of the World - Extraordinary Entrepreneurs, Unlikely Places by Elmira Bayrasli

Recommended by Lindsey Matesic - “This book focuses on some inspiring entrepreneurial journeys that we don’t hear about every day, with each of the entrepreneurs shaping and being shaped by their corners of the world”

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4. Range - Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein 

Recommended by Chris Dixon - “Range was my favorite book of 2019. It provides a great look at how pulling from a variety of experiences and thinking in analogies can help solve some of the most complex challenges we face.”

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5. Wannabee CEO: A Practical Guide to Starting Your Own Small Business by Fred Kellinger‍

Written by the founder of one of our earliest portfolio companies, Wannabee CEO provides some of the “how-to” steps to begin a business, look for funding, and more.

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6. The Snowball, Warren Buffett and the Business of Life by Alice Schroeder 

Recommended by Jay Murray - “An old school take on what innovation means, and how to stay humble in the face of unfathomable wealth.”

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Happy reading everyone!!

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