Build : An Unorthodox Guide from the Designer of the iPod, iPad and Nest

Written for anyone who wants to grow at work—from young grads navigating their first jobs to CEOs deciding whether to sell their company—Build is full of personal stories, practical advice and fascinating insights into some of the most impactful products and people of the 20th century. Each quick 5-20 page entry builds on the previous one, charting Tony’s personal journey from a product designer to a leader, from a startup founder to an executive to a mentor. Tony uses examples that are instantly captivating, like the process of building the very first iPod and iPhone. Every chapter is designed to help readers with a problem they’re facing right now—how to get funding for their startup, whether to quit their job or not, or just how to deal with the jerk in the next cubicle. Tony forged his path to success alongside mentors like Steve Jobs and Bill Campbell, icons of Silicon Valley who succeeded time and time again. But Tony doesn’t follow the Silicon Valley credo that you have to reinvent everything from scratch to make something great. His advice is unorthodox because it’s old school. Because Tony’s learned that human nature doesn’t change. You don’t have to reinvent how you lead and manage—just what you make. Title Page Dedication Contents Introduction Part I: Build Yourself Chapter 1.1: Adulthood Chapter 1.2: Get a Job Chapter 1.3: Heroes Chapter 1.4: Don’t (Only) Look Down Part II: Build Your Career Chapter 2.1: Just Managing Chapter 2.2: Data Versus Opinion Chapter 2.3: Assholes Chapter 2.4: I Quit Part III: Build Your Product Chapter 3.1: Make the Intangible Tangible Chapter 3.2: Why Storytelling Chapter 3.3: Evolution Versus Disruption Versus Execution Chapter 3.4: Your First Adventure—and Your Second Chapter 3.5: Heartbeats and Handcuffs Chapter 3.6: Three Generations Part IV: Build Your Business Chapter 4.1: How to Spot a Great Idea Chapter 4.2: Are You Ready? Chapter 4.3: Marrying for Money Chapter 4.4: You Can Only Have One Customer Chapter 4.5: Killing Yourself for Work Chapter 4.6: Crisis Part V: Build Your Team Chapter 5.1: Hiring Chapter 5.2: Breakpoints Chapter 5.3: Design for Everyone Chapter 5.4: A Method to the Marketing Chapter 5.5: The Point of PMs Chapter 5.6: Death of a Sales Culture Chapter 5.7: Lawyer Up Part VI: Be CEO Chapter 6.1: Becoming CEO Chapter 6.2: The Board Chapter 6.3: Buying and Being Bought Chapter 6.4: Fuck Massages Chapter 6.5: Unbecoming CEO Conclusion: Beyond Yourself Acknowledgments Reading List Index Sustainability Information About the Author Praise for Build Copyright About the Publisher An unorthodox guide to making things worth making, from 'the father of the iPod and iPhone' and the creator of Nest. Everyone deserves a mentor. For every career crisis, every fork in the road, you need someone to talk to. Someone who's been there before, who knows exactly how wobbly and conflicted you feel, who can give it to you straight : here's how to think about choosing a job, here's how to be a better manager, Here's how to approach design, Here's how to start a company, Here's how to run it. Tony Fadell learned all these lessons the hard way. He spent the first 10 years of his career in Silicon Valley failing spectacularly, and the next 20 building some of the most impactful devices in history - the iPod, iPhone, and Nest Learning Thermostat. He has enough stories and advice about leadership, design, startups, mentorship, decision making, devastating screwups, and unbelievable success to fill an encyclopedia. So that's what this book is. An advice encyclopedia. A mentor in a box. But Tony's doesn't follow the standard Silicon Valley credo that you have to radically reinvent everything you do. His advice is unorthodox because it's old school. Because it's based on human nature, not gimmicks. Tony keeps things simple: he just tells you what works. He gives you exactly what you need to make things worth making "A Silicon Valley icon - and inventor of the iPod and iPhone - dispenses valuable tips and life lessons for entrepreneurs at any stage in their careers. Tony Fadell has spent the last three decades making things and founding companies that have profoundly changed millions of lives. After leading the team that created the iPod and iPhone, products that saved a struggling Apple, Tony founded Nest Labs and revolutionised household electronics. He has worked with everyone from Steve Jobs to Larry Page, advised companies from Impossible Foods to Diamond Foundry, built products that have literally shaped the modern world, and learned a lot of things about business, innovation and solving all manner of problems. In BUILD, Tony shares stories and valuable lessons from his career, offering advice and solutions for your toughest moments. For anyone striving to grow in their career, start-up founders and start-up dreamers, leaders of businesses big and small, this book will show you how to navigate challenges and take that next big leap"--Publisher's description