58th book of 2019. 2.5 stars.
From the vantage point of 2019, the waves of Airbnb and Uber have both crested, and the limits of marketplace style companies taking advantage of chinks in local regulations have been reached. The most useful part of this book came from two laws:
- Travis’ Law: If the product is good enough, consumers will demand it, and in a reasonably democratic country, that will be enough to override local policy.
- Chesky’s Law: If you’re going into a regulatory grey zone, building a friendly public image will allow you to get much further, even if you ignore laws.
OK I made up the second one, but it’s still the most useful thing from this book. In 2019, I can’t really recommend this book because it has been overcome by events. Both companies have fallen upon much harder times, and the techlash that started in late 2016 has seriously impacted how the story ends. Super Pumped is a better version of the uber tale, as it captures both the rise and fall of its founder, showcasing at least for now this stage in the companies development.