The Upstarts: How Uber, Airbnb, and the Killer Companies of the New Silicon Valley Are Changing the World by Brad StoneMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Brad Stone is an excellent business journalist and book writer. It is yet another book written by Stone after "The Everything's Store" (the story of Amazon) that I read - and enjoyed.
This history of the early years of Airbnb and Uber reads like a novel which has all the dramatic twists, controversial characters and unresolved mysteries that a good novel should have. Based on many interviews over several years, Stones gives a full overview of the early struggles, über-fast growth, fights with competitors and large obstacles that both of the companies have faced on the way.
I like that Stone pointedly brings out how much of an impact both Uber and Airbnb are having on our cities and communities, the way we commute and travel, the way we treat the work. This impact - on customers, on drivers (in case of Uber), on neighbourhoods (in case of Airbnb) - is often controversial, yet embraced by customers and is difficult to restrain.
It was also interesting to read about the contrasting approaches of two companies' founders as of running their companies, meeting their competition and overcoming legal hurdles. Idealistic and at times grandiose ambitions of Airbnb's Brian Chesky were very different from the cut-throat-competition style of Uber's Travis Kalanick. "Nothing could stop Uber now, it seemed, except perhaps itself." - this quote from the book sums up the story of the early years Uber quite well.
I would have preferred more in-depth overview of various strategies and business moves that both companies have made in different times. Instead, the book has many juicy details about the founders, their investors etc. But latter makes this business book very humane and easily readable.
Just like in case of Amazon, both Uber and Airbnb are evolving fast and I will be more interested in following their courses of action after having read this book.
