Book SummaryThe Startup of You, by Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of The Startup of You

In The Startup of You, entrepreneurs Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha argue that, in the 21st century, you can no longer rely on employers to invest in your professional success. Instead, you must invest in yourself and treat your career like a startup company—as something that’s always growing and adapting. By applying principles of entrepreneurship to your career (like developing a competitive edge, building a strong network, and taking smart risks), you can overcome unexpected obstacles, react...

The Startup of You Summary The Modern Professional World: All Careers Are Like Startups

Hoffman and Casnocha argue that the work world has changed: Half a century ago, as long as you worked hard, you ascended the career ladder and then retired. Today, however, job stability is all but gone and all careers are now like startups, or brand new companies built from the ground up. We’ll discuss this idea later in this section and will first provide some background on how the working world has changed.

(Shortform note: In Thank You For Being Late, Thomas Friedman explains why not only the work world but the entire world feels more unstable in the 21st century than in the 20th century: Change is happening at a faster rate than ever before. He explains that humans generally need about 10 to 15 years to adapt to societal and technological change. During the 1900s, it took over 20 years for inventions and technological progress to make the world look different. Since 2016, however, the world feels noticeably different after only five to seven years—a faster rate than we can keep up...

The Startup of You Summary Your Career as a Startup: Three Entrepreneurship Principles

Now that we’ve discussed the importance of a startup mindset, let’s look at how you can treat your career like a startup: by developing your competitive edge, becoming adaptive to changing circumstances, and cultivating a network of supporters. By applying these skills to your career, you can stand out from your competitors, make bold career decisions, and navigate unexpected obstacles.

Principle 1: Develop Your Competitive Edge

To stand out in any career field, the authors suggest you develop a unique competitive edge—something that makes you different and better than other people. In a global work economy, you’re competing with many people with similar capabilities. Success relies on making yourself seem more valuable and desirable than others. According to the authors, your competitive edge is made up of a foundation of valuable assets, a guiding set of personal values and ambitions, and an understanding of your market’s needs.

(Shortform: Hoffman and Casnocha’s strategy for developing your competitive edge involves asking yourself what you have, but it’s equally important to assess what you lack when trying to stay on top of the competition. [Consider doing a...

Shortform Exercise: Develop a Competitive Edge in Your Career

As Hoffman and Casnocha point out, many startups leverage their unique value to stand out from the competitors and achieve success. Apply the authors' strategies to define your competitive edge.

What hard assets do you currently have (finances, possessions, and so on)? How might these give you an advantage over others? For example, you might own the latest technologies related to your field.

Shortform Exercise: Create Multiple Career Plans

Develop three career plans so that you can adapt to changes in the modern work world.

First, describe your Plan A. What is the current career path you're on? In what ways are you currently using your skills and knowledge?