The Upstarts audiobook cover - How Uber, Airbnb and the Killer Companies of the New Silicon Valley are Changing the World

The Upstarts

How Uber, Airbnb and the Killer Companies of the New Silicon Valley are Changing the World

Brad Stone

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EntrepreneurshipHistory

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The Upstarts
Defining the Upstart+
Uber's Evolution & Strategy+
Airbnb's Rise to Power+
Charismatic & Controversial CEOs+
Maintaining Idealism+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 6
What is a defining characteristic of mega start-ups, or 'upstarts,' like Airbnb and Uber compared to traditional companies in their industries?
  • A. They rely entirely on government subsidies to maintain their rapid growth.
  • B. They do not actually own the physical assets, like rooms or cars, that they provide to customers.
  • C. They avoid venture capital funding to maintain total control over their operations.
  • D. They target only older, wealthier demographics who can afford premium services.
Question 2 of 6
How did Uber's CEO, Travis Kalanick, resolve the intense competition with Didi Chuxing in the Chinese market?
  • A. He bought out Didi Chuxing to establish a complete monopoly in China.
  • B. He successfully lobbied the Chinese government to ban Didi Chuxing's operations.
  • C. He withdrew from China and sold Uber's Chinese operations for a 17 percent stake in Didi Chuxing.
  • D. He changed Uber's business model in China to rely entirely on a traditional taxi fleet.
Question 3 of 6
What necessity originally sparked the idea for Airbnb?
  • A. The founders wanted to create a safer, regulated alternative to traditional youth hostels.
  • B. The founders couldn't afford their rent, so they charged a friend to sleep on their sofa.
  • C. The founders realized traditional hotels were environmentally unsustainable.
  • D. The founders wanted to utilize empty commercial real estate in San Francisco during an economic downturn.
Question 4 of 6
According to the text, how do the CEOs of Uber and Airbnb (Kalanick and Chesky) differ from earlier tech giants like Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg?
  • A. Kalanick and Chesky are described as shy and softly spoken.
  • B. Kalanick and Chesky are much more risk-averse and avoid dealing with local governments.
  • C. Kalanick and Chesky are charismatic, sharp speakers who are not afraid to court controversy.
  • D. Kalanick and Chesky prefer to remain anonymous and let their board of directors handle the public.
Question 5 of 6
What is one of the major controversies surrounding Uber's business model mentioned in the text?
  • A. The company charges exorbitant fees to local governments to operate in their cities.
  • B. The company classifies its drivers as independent contractors to avoid providing benefits like health insurance.
  • C. The company refuses to operate in major metropolitan areas, focusing only on wealthy suburbs.
  • D. The company secretly purchases massive fleets of cars, contradicting its public image of not owning assets.
Question 6 of 6
How did Airbnb respond when the Samwer brothers created a clone of their app called Wimdu?
  • A. They immediately bought the clone company to eliminate the threat, as the Samwer brothers intended.
  • B. They sued the Samwer brothers for copyright infringement and won a massive settlement.
  • C. They refused to take the bait and focused on beating the competition by making the best possible app.
  • D. They lowered their prices drastically to bankrupt Wimdu, taking a temporary financial loss.

The Upstarts — Full Chapter Overview

The Upstarts Summary & Overview

The Upstarts (2017) is about the new generation of start-ups in tech, in particular, Airbnb and Uber, and the impact they’ve had on the world. It takes a deep look at the people behind the companies and how they got to where they are today, as well as where they might go from here.

Who Should Listen to The Upstarts?

  • Entrepreneurs
  • Business students
  • Anyone interested in the new tech economy

About the Author: Brad Stone

Brad Stone is the senior executive editor of the global technology group at Bloomberg News and a New York Times best-selling author who frequently writes about Silicon Valley. He also wrote The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon.

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