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A review by _walter_
Build: An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making by Tony Fadell
5.0
I kinda loved this book. It's really a mentor in book form.
It's not your traditional product book in the likes of Cagan or Perri, though it does all of that and much, much more. What makes it a compelling read is that this book wasn't written by Fadell the professional product manager, i.e. the person you bring in to be the "voice of the customer" and "figure out what to build and make sure it gets done" (his own words). It was written by Fadell the builder, Fadell the founder and CEO, and Fadell the savvy businessman.
I'm not knocking the other authors who have amassed quite a following by being great at what they do (I hold their books in high regard), but building a company from nothing while being eyeballs-deep in product and simultaneously creating a entire new category of consumer devices, takes more than the type of boilerplate PM frameworks and organizational how-tos that you are likely to find in [b:Inspired|35249663|Inspired How to Create Tech Products Customers Love|Marty Cagan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1685881845l/35249663._SY75_.jpg|3361249], [b:The Lean Startup|10127019|The Lean Startup|Eric Ries|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1629999184l/10127019._SY75_.jpg|15024842], or [b:Escaping the Build Trap|42611483|Escaping the Build Trap How Effective Product Management Creates Real Value|Melissa Perri|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1541158637l/42611483._SY75_.jpg|66322411], to name a few.
It's pretty much unfiltered, and the passion the author has for the craft of building things is palpable. I really cannot stress this enough, I am not sure I have read any other "product" book that shows quite the same level of candor and hard-earned worldly wisdom.
If you ever wanted to read what it's like to go from fresh graduate, to executive, to innovator, to CEO, and beyond, then it's all here.
In closing, I'll just add that I've had the immense privilege of creating something from scratch with a team I would go to war with any day of the week and twice on Sundays. Even if it's small, even if you fail, what the team becomes is sometimes much bigger than the original vision.
^^^ 100%
Highest possible recommendation!
It's not your traditional product book in the likes of Cagan or Perri, though it does all of that and much, much more. What makes it a compelling read is that this book wasn't written by Fadell the professional product manager, i.e. the person you bring in to be the "voice of the customer" and "figure out what to build and make sure it gets done" (his own words). It was written by Fadell the builder, Fadell the founder and CEO, and Fadell the savvy businessman.
I'm not knocking the other authors who have amassed quite a following by being great at what they do (I hold their books in high regard), but building a company from nothing while being eyeballs-deep in product and simultaneously creating a entire new category of consumer devices, takes more than the type of boilerplate PM frameworks and organizational how-tos that you are likely to find in [b:Inspired|35249663|Inspired How to Create Tech Products Customers Love|Marty Cagan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1685881845l/35249663._SY75_.jpg|3361249], [b:The Lean Startup|10127019|The Lean Startup|Eric Ries|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1629999184l/10127019._SY75_.jpg|15024842], or [b:Escaping the Build Trap|42611483|Escaping the Build Trap How Effective Product Management Creates Real Value|Melissa Perri|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1541158637l/42611483._SY75_.jpg|66322411], to name a few.
It's pretty much unfiltered, and the passion the author has for the craft of building things is palpable. I really cannot stress this enough, I am not sure I have read any other "product" book that shows quite the same level of candor and hard-earned worldly wisdom.
If you ever wanted to read what it's like to go from fresh graduate, to executive, to innovator, to CEO, and beyond, then it's all here.
In closing, I'll just add that I've had the immense privilege of creating something from scratch with a team I would go to war with any day of the week and twice on Sundays. Even if it's small, even if you fail, what the team becomes is sometimes much bigger than the original vision.
"In the end, there are two things that matter: products and people.
What you build and who you build it with.
The things you make the ideas you chase and the ideas that chase you will ultimately define your career. And the people you chase them with may define your life.
It's incredibly special to create something together with a team.
From nothing, from chaos, from a spark in someone's head, to a product, a business, a culture."
^^^ 100%
Highest possible recommendation!