Hatching Twitter audiobook cover - A True Story of Money, Power, Friendship, and Betrayal

Hatching Twitter

A True Story of Money, Power, Friendship, and Betrayal

Nick Bilton

★ 4.4 / 5(21 ratings)
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Categories:
Management & LeadershipBiography & MemoirEntrepreneurship

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Hatching Twitter
Precursors to Twitter+
The Birth of Twitter+
Early Growth & Clashes+
Global Influence+
Boardroom Coups+
Maturity & Going Public+
Key Lessons+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 10
According to the book, what is the reality behind Jack Dorsey's claim that he was the sole founder of Twitter?
  • A. He was indeed the sole founder, but Evan Williams stole the credit.
  • B. His claim is a media-fueled fantasy that ignores the crucial contributions of his co-founders.
  • C. He bought the original idea from Noah Glass and developed it entirely on his own.
  • D. He was the sole financial backer, which gave him the right to claim the founder title.
Question 2 of 10
How did Evan Williams acquire the initial funds that would later be crucial for Twitter's genesis?
  • A. He won a major venture capital pitch competition in Silicon Valley.
  • B. He inherited money from his family's business in Nebraska.
  • C. He developed and sold an audio blogging platform called Odeo to Apple.
  • D. He launched a public journal service called Blogger and sold it to Google.
Question 3 of 10
What major external event doomed the audio blog company Odeo, forcing the team to pivot to a new idea?
  • A. Google launched a competing audio platform that was completely free.
  • B. Apple announced that its latest iPod would feature podcasting.
  • C. A massive server crash permanently deleted the majority of Odeo's user data.
  • D. The US government introduced strict regulations on audio streaming.
Question 4 of 10
What was Noah Glass's ultimate fate at the company after he helped name and develop Twitter?
  • A. He was fired because his drunken excitement led him to leak information about Twitter before its official launch.
  • B. He was promoted to CEO after Evan Williams stepped down to manage his other company.
  • C. He quit voluntarily because he felt the 140-character limit ruined his original vision.
  • D. He sold his shares to Jack Dorsey and retired to start a new venture capital firm.
Question 5 of 10
Which event served as the major turning point that caused Twitter's popularity to truly take off?
  • A. The Love Parade rave party in San Francisco.
  • B. Ashton Kutcher reaching one million followers before CNN.
  • C. The SXSW tech festival in March 2007.
  • D. Evan Williams' appearance on the Oprah Winfrey show.
Question 6 of 10
Why did Evan Williams and the investors eventually fire Jack Dorsey from his role as CEO in 2008?
  • A. He was caught secretly selling user data to third-party advertising companies.
  • B. He struggled to manage the company's bills, make decisions, and was distracted by fashion design classes.
  • C. He refused to implement the 140-character limit that the board demanded.
  • D. He attempted to sell Twitter to Yahoo for $12 million against the board's wishes.
Question 7 of 10
How did Jack Dorsey react to being ousted as CEO by Evan Williams?
  • A. He accepted a severance package and cut all ties with the tech industry.
  • B. He immediately launched a rival social media platform to compete with Twitter.
  • C. He maintained a media narrative that he was the sole founder to acquire powerful allies and plot revenge.
  • D. He filed a high-profile lawsuit against Evan Williams for intellectual property theft.
Question 8 of 10
How did Twitter become involved in international politics during the 2009 Iranian anti-government protests?
  • A. Twitter actively blocked Iranian government accounts to support the protesters.
  • B. Twitter translated all Iranian tweets into English to ensure global news coverage.
  • C. The US State Department asked Twitter to delay scheduled maintenance so Iranians could continue using the site to organize.
  • D. Twitter's founders traveled to Iran to set up secure servers for the protesting citizens.
Question 9 of 10
What critical mistake did Evan Williams make that contributed to him being ousted as CEO in a board coup?
  • A. He ignored his CEO coach's advice to stop hiring friends and was oblivious to the plot while focusing on a site redesign.
  • B. He sold 20 percent of Twitter's users to UberMedia without consulting the board.
  • C. He fired Dick Costolo, which angered the investors who wanted to take the company public.
  • D. He publicly insulted Jack Dorsey during a town-hall session with President Barack Obama.
Question 10 of 10
What was a defining characteristic of Dick Costolo's tenure as CEO of Twitter?
  • A. He encouraged a chaotic, mistake-driven culture by hanging a sign that read 'Let's make better mistakes tomorrow.'
  • B. He shifted the company's focus entirely away from revenue to prioritize user privacy.
  • C. He steered the company toward maturity, increased advertising revenue, and fixed the site's frequent outages.
  • D. He reinstated Jack Dorsey as the sole product visionary and stepped down after taking the company public.

Hatching Twitter — Full Chapter Overview

Hatching Twitter Summary & Overview

Hatching Twitter tells the story of the four men responsible for Twitter as we know it. It’s a tale of backstabbing, superstar glory and billions of dollars that chronicles the drama and defining decisions that made Twitter what it is today.

Who Should Listen to Hatching Twitter?

  • Anyone who uses Twitter
  • Anyone who is interested in Twitter’s impact and origins
  • Anyone who works in a start-up
  • Anyone interested in the dangers of mixing business and friendship

About the Author: Nick Bilton

Nick Bilton writes the Bits Blog for the New York Times. He’s an expert on technology, culture, business and the way the internet affects our lives. He is also the author of I Live in the Future and Here's How It Works.

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