Startupland
By Mikkel Svane
How Three Guys Risked Everything to Turn an Idea into a Global Business. Jossey-Bass, 2015.
Summary of Startupland book by Mikkel Svane
The empowering tale of Mikkel Svane’s software company Zendesk, including its struggles, success stories, and lessons the founders learned along the way that all startups should know.
Chapters in Startupland book summary
What do you get from this book? The origin story of Zendesk and valuable advice for startup companies
To succeed, you need a passion for your product or service and the ability to recover from failure
Keep your product simple so anyone can use it, and accept that founders in different roles will have different responsibilities
Working from home requires self-discipline and a dedicated space, while reaching new customers requires a multi-faceted approach
When looking for seed investors, walk away if the deal’s bad, and only approach family if you have no alternatives
Make smart decisions by letting go of old grudges and spending money wisely when flying back and forth
Though economic recessions and tension over Series A investments can cause conflict between founders, a compromise can always be reached
Keep customers engaged and happy by personalizing emails and signing support messages with a woman’s name
When conducting interviews, ignore tradition in favor of company culture, and keep things semi-professional when searching for new office space
Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone, but do make sure your team has the training to support you
When you make mistakes, own up to them, apologize, and ensure transparency in the future
Don’t get stuck in old routines; changing methods and switching locations can lead to new customers and tax breaks
Embarking on an IPO requires an experienced leader to guide you through the process from road show to launch
Summary of the key insights
Selected critiques in brief
Final word
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Startupland — Book Summary Snapshot
Who should read Startupland book
- Entrepreneurs
- business owners
- business professors and students
- anyone thinking of starting their own company
About the author of Startupland
Mikkel Svane
Entrepreneur Mikkel Svane is the founder, chair, and CEO of Zendesk, a computer software company built around customer service. Prior to that, he founded Caput A/S, which was dedicated to growing online communities. Carlye Adler is an award-winning journalist and bestselling author. Her work has appeared in notable magazines such as BusinessWeek, Fast Company, and Fortune.
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