Disrupted: my mis adventures in the start up bubble

[iris lilies]

By Dan Lyon.

book review:

This true story is about Newsweek Tchnology ditor Dan Lyons' stint working for a high tech start up for a little more than one year.

when he was laid off from Newsweek, he found a job on the West coast but wanted to work near Boston here hs family resided. He was hired at HubSpot, a company that designs and sells marketing software for small businesses. He thought he was hired to do Marketing, but he ended up doi g a variety of writing gigs that didnt fulky utilize his talents, so he thought.

This company had a culture that invited odditity and whimsy. it had a variety of things like a candy wall to appeal to 20 year olds. The "bro culture" was like working in a frat house.

The author spends much time giving insight into the essentially chaotic managmenet of the company, unmasking the hipness and showing little organization or structure.

He interjects much about startup and tech company culture, and he is especially hung up about age. He seemed constantly angry that the company he worked for hired 23 year old and geared their activites to that age group.

anyway, there is an interesting ending. Bcause he is a professional writer, the book moves along in an engaging way.

i think the author is pretty much a smart ass but still, he is intertaining. He writs now for the tv show Silicon Valley.

[Florence]

When I was 45-46ish I worked in a place where my co-workers were all females and I was about the age of their mother. It was the most miserable year of my life. I couldn't win. If I spoke up, I was resented and if I stood back, I wasn't pulling my weight. So he has my sympathy.

[ApatheticNoMore]

Well I've always preferred working for small businesses and start up type places. If there's anything that's universally terrible it's the boredom of being a cog in a larger business.

But I suppose the culture of smaller businesses varies A LOT (more so than larger ones maybe). And the youth and male dominated-ness at that place was not a good fit (I doubt it would be for most women either).