Episode · This Week in Startups · 2022-01-18
Books mentioned on Snowflake CEO Frank Slootman: victory through taking ownership, increasing velocity & cultivating talent | E1362
Frank is the Chairman & CEO of Snowflake, a data warehousing company he joined and rapidly accelerated in 2019. Frank led Snowflake to the largest software IPO in history (his third massive IPO as CEO).
Jason Calacanis recommended Amp It Up by Frank Slootman, Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh, and Good to Great by Jim Collins. Frank Slootman discussed Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey A. Moore and Start with Why by Simon Sinek.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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Amp It Up
Amp It Up by Frank Slootman is a direct management guide focused on building a high-performance execution culture, raising expectations, and driving hypergrowth through urgency and intensity.
Recommended“His book is coming out Wednesday, January 19th. It's called Amp It Up, Leading for Hypergrowth by Raising Expectations, Increasing Urgency, and Elevating Intensity.”
Where to get it
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Crossing the Chasm
Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey A.
Discussed“This is the classic problem with the chasm, you know, by the way, that Geoffrey Moore talked about and wrote about over the last 30 years.”
Where to get it
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Start with Why
Start with Why by Simon Sinek is a widely read leadership and business book that explores how great leaders inspire action by focusing on a clear sense of purpose.
Discussed“So, it the start with why conversation that that Simon Sinek teed up, you know, many years ago. It was great and by the way, that conversation needs to be asked again and again and again.”
Where to get it
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Delivering Happiness
Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh is a business memoir detailing the unique corporate culture, customer service philosophy, and community-building strategies behind Zappos.
Recommended“If you're a VC, if you're investing in companies, this book along with Good to Great, Crossing the Chasm, Delivering Happiness, you know, Start With Why, all those should be in the gift bag after you make your investment.”
Where to get it
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Good to Great
Good to Great by Jim Collins is a prominent business and management book that investigates what makes companies transition from being merely good to achieving sustained greatness.
Recommended“If you're a VC, if you're investing in companies, this book along with Good to Great, Crossing the Chasm, Delivering Happiness, you know, Start With Why, all those should be in the gift bag after you make your investment.”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (5) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
“He just finished a book that I believe will become as important as Crossing the Chasm, Good to Great, and some of the other Five Dysfunctions of a Team.”
“He just finished a book that I believe will become as important as Crossing the Chasm, Good to Great, and some of the other Five Dysfunctions of a Team.”
“He just finished a book that I believe will become as important as Crossing the Chasm, Good to Great, and some of the other Five Dysfunctions of a Team.”
“In other words, required reading, Delivering Happiness, for startups in Silicon Valley. His name is Frank Slootman.”
“The book is particularly strong in talking about product market fit. Getting the right people to Jim Collins and good to great on the bus, demanding and setting great targets and then also sales.”