Build audiobook cover - An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making

Build

An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making

Tony Fadell

★ 4.2 / 5(341 ratings)
Start ListeningDownload App
Categories:
Management & LeadershipEntrepreneurship

If You're Curious About These Questions...

You should listen to this audiobook

Listen to Build — Free Audiobook

Loading player...

Key Takeaways from Build

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from Build

Mind Map

Build
Early Career & Growth+
Management Principles+
Product Development+
Hiring & Team Building+
The Role of the CEO+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 7
What does Tony Fadell consider the biggest obstacle to finding success in your early career?
  • A. Failing at an early-stage startup
  • B. Inaction and not choosing a path
  • C. Working excessively long hours
  • D. Lacking a formal mentor
Question 2 of 7
How does the author view Steve Jobs's habit of using a jeweler's loupe to inspect individual screen pixels?
  • A. As a cautionary tale of toxic micromanagement
  • B. As a necessary phase before delegating tasks to others
  • C. As a way of setting a standard of care and preventing mediocrity
  • D. As a strategy to maintain psychological control over individual contributors
Question 3 of 7
When pitching a product, what is the 'virus of doubt' strategy?
  • A. Reminding people of an annoying or frustrating aspect of their lives before presenting your product as the solution
  • B. Pointing out the hidden flaws in your competitors' business models to potential investors
  • C. Questioning your own team's assumptions to ensure the product is truly ready for launch
  • D. Creating a sense of scarcity so customers doubt they will be able to purchase the product later
Question 4 of 7
According to the text, what is the difference between a 'vitamin' and a 'painkiller' in product development?
  • A. Vitamins are software products, while painkillers are hardware products.
  • B. Vitamins require heavy marketing, while painkillers sell themselves through word of mouth.
  • C. Vitamins are cheap to produce, while painkillers require significant research and development.
  • D. Vitamins are nice to have, whereas painkillers immediately eliminate a noticeable problem.
Question 5 of 7
What is recommended as an effective way to test if a candidate is a good fit during the interview process?
  • A. Asking them to provide a detailed 90-day plan for their new role
  • B. Simulating a real-life work experience by solving a current workplace problem together on a whiteboard
  • C. Having them take an extensive personality test to ensure they align with the company's core values
  • D. Calling their previous managers while the candidate is still in the interview room
Question 6 of 7
Why does Tony Fadell advise CEOs against offering employees completely free perks like massages or laundry?
  • A. They distract employees from their core responsibilities and reduce overall working hours.
  • B. They create an expectation that the perks are a fundamental right rather than a special privilege.
  • C. They are often too expensive for early-stage startups to maintain during economic downturns.
  • D. They create resentment among employees who choose not to use those specific services.
Question 7 of 7
Why does the author suggest writing a press release before actually making a product?
  • A. To secure early funding from venture capitalists based on market hype
  • B. To capture attention and clearly define standout features, which helps determine when the product is actually ready to ship
  • C. To test the market's reaction by leaking the press release to technology blogs
  • D. To ensure the marketing team has enough time to design the product packaging and promotional materials

Build — Full Chapter Overview

Build Summary & Overview

Build (2022) is a self-styled “mentor in a box” –⁠ an encyclopedia of business advice about everything from getting a job and managing a team to telling a story around your product and being a successful CEO. A mentor is an absolute must-have for anyone who aspires to start and run a business –⁠ but not everyone has one available right away. That’s what Build is for.

Who Should Listen to Build?

  • New graduates who aspire to found their own businesses
  • CEOs thinking about quitting and starting something new
  • Anyone who wants to see their idea for a product, service, or company come to fruition

About the Author: Tony Fadell

Tony Fadell is best known for cocreating the iPod and iPhone, founding Nest, and creating the Nest Learning Thermostat. He is now the Principal at Future Shape, a venture capital firm that invests in and mentors startups with world-changing potential. Before any of his major successes, Fadell started his career at one of the countless Silicon Valley startups that believed it could conquer the world but instead crashed and burned.

🎧
Listen in the AppOffline playback & background play
Get App