Reality Check: The Irreverent Guide to Outsmarting, Outmanaging, and Outmarketing Your Competition Audiobook

" I was skeptical of this book because the author, Guy Kawasaki, is a member of the Silicon Valley pundit class of which I am always skeptical. He also seems to be a member of the subspecies that has coasted for the last 20 years based on one gig at one high-profile company; the Bay Area tech community is overflowing with people who answered phones for a few years at Microsoft, Sun, etc. and have since parlayed that into a vague executive bio and a string of 80 failed startups. I actually enjoyed this book, though. His straightforward, conversational style is well-suited to the material. He is also one of the only authors in the universe who understands that it's OK to have a two-page chapter when you only have two pages worth of stuff to say on a subject. Overly long chapters in nonfiction are a pet peeve of mine, because it makes it impossible to skip around to parts you care about, so I applaud Kawasaki for giving his book a structure that is USEFUL to the reader. On the content side, it covers the whole spectrum from enlightening to mindnumbing, but, per the previous point, you can easily skip the weak parts (or the parts that don't apply to you) without losing the thread. I think the title of the book is a good summary: most of the insights are commonsensical, but in practice Silicon Valley entrepreneurs all seem to lose their common sense, and this book would make a good refresher on the basics for when you've gone off the reservation. "

" I was skeptical of this book because the author, Guy Kawasaki, is a member of the Silicon Valley pundit class of which I am always skeptical. He also seems to be a member of the subspecies that has coasted for the last 20 years based on one gig at one high-profile company; the Bay Area tech community is overflowing with people who answered phones for a few years at Microsoft, Sun, etc. and have since parlayed that into a vague executive bio and a string of 80 failed startups. I actually enjoyed this book, though. His straightforward, conversational style is well-suited to the material. He is also one of the only authors in the universe who understands that it's OK to have a two-page chapter when you only have two pages worth of stuff to say on a subject. Overly long chapters in nonfiction are a pet peeve of mine, because it makes it impossible to skip around to parts you care about, so I applaud Kawasaki for giving his book a structure that is USEFUL to the reader. On the content side, it covers the whole spectrum from enlightening to mindnumbing, but, per the previous point, you can easily skip the weak parts (or the parts that don't apply to you) without losing the thread. I think the title of the book is a good summary: most of the insights are commonsensical, but in practice Silicon Valley entrepreneurs all seem to lose their common sense, and this book would make a good refresher on the basics for when you've gone off the reservation. "

" Great writing style, great experience-based content, every small buisness hopeful should read this book. Many of the lessons about unrealistic expectations, the need for actual, real research before making what may otherwise seem "common sense" claims or predictions. One of the best books I've read this year. "

" Reality Check is a good how-to book for various aspects of starting a company. However, the book scratches the surface on several key issues. I would have liked the book to dive a bit deeper at times into problems that startups face. "

" Reality Check is a good how-to book for various aspects of starting a company. However, the book scratches the surface on several key issues. I would have liked the book to dive a bit deeper at times into problems that startups face. "

" Very comprehensive. Wish I'd known all this when I was still in the Valley. "

" Very comprehensive. Wish I'd known all this when I was still in the Valley. "

" Liked it and met the author by chance in a store in Honolulu. Guy Kawasaki rocks. "

" Liked it and met the author by chance in a store in Honolulu. Guy Kawasaki rocks. "

" While the focus is on Apple, Silicon Valley, tech firms, and start ups, Guy Kawasaki shares many gems of wisdom for those out to change the world or help a nonprofit succeed. "

" While the focus is on Apple, Silicon Valley, tech firms, and start ups, Guy Kawasaki shares many gems of wisdom for those out to change the world or help a nonprofit succeed. "

" Most of this I've read before from Guy or others, but some good coverage of the basics. "

" Most of this I've read before from Guy or others, but some good coverage of the basics. "

" Good collection of Kawasaki's main ideas "

" Good collection of Kawasaki's main ideas "

" A must read for all entrepreneurs. Just wish I had an updated edition that addresses the way technology is changing business as usual. "

" A must read for all entrepreneurs. Just wish I had an updated edition that addresses the way technology is changing business as usual. "

" Really enjoying this book my brother bought for me on his last visit to Houston. As a Realtor there are many similarities to start ups . . . "

" Really enjoying this book my brother bought for me on his last visit to Houston. As a Realtor there are many similarities to start ups . . . "

" Read like the blog material it is. That said, I like bullet points, makes it easier to get to the idea highlighted. "

" Read like the blog material it is. That said, I like bullet points, makes it easier to get to the idea highlighted. "

" I love this guy. Clear, concise and funny. Get out your highlighter. Even though much of his advice is geared to large tech companies, the lessons apply to every type of business. "

" I love this guy. Clear, concise and funny. Get out your highlighter. Even though much of his advice is geared to large tech companies, the lessons apply to every type of business. "

" Love Guy and his clear step-by-step instructions to make your business better. "

" Love Guy and his clear step-by-step instructions to make your business better. "

" another great book by the author og Art of Start a must read "

" another great book by the author og Art of Start a must read "

" Kawasaki cuts to the chase to outsmarting your business competition. He was the evangelistic force behind the breakout of the Mac over the obvious superiority of the Windows platform and is now the "evangelista" of business start ups, especially tech start ups. "

" Kawasaki cuts to the chase to outsmarting your business competition. He was the evangelistic force behind the breakout of the Mac over the obvious superiority of the Windows platform and is now the "evangelista" of business start ups, especially tech start ups. "

" Agile bullshit. "

" Agile bullshit. "

" A should-read book on entrepreneurship for knowledge workers and aspiring entrepreneurs. "

" A should-read book on entrepreneurship for knowledge workers and aspiring entrepreneurs. "

" A well written book on doing business in the 21st century written by a serial entrepeneur with an amazing track record of success. "

" A well written book on doing business in the 21st century written by a serial entrepeneur with an amazing track record of success. "

" If entrepreneurs elected a reference manual, it would certainly be this one. I consider it required reading for any aspiring entrepreneur. "

" If entrepreneurs elected a reference manual, it would certainly be this one. I consider it required reading for any aspiring entrepreneur. "

" Great book if you're trying to start an web company and have never done it before. "

" Great book if you're trying to start an web company and have never done it before. "

" This would probably be an excellent book for the right audience, but I'm not the right audience. Even at that, I gained several useful tidbits from having read it. Worth reading, although for me, it was not great. "

" This would probably be an excellent book for the right audience, but I'm not the right audience. Even at that, I gained several useful tidbits from having read it. Worth reading, although for me, it was not great. "

" Classic Kawaski. A good re-cap of his earlier works, organized into a very useful, (and quick, easy) read. "

" Classic Kawaski. A good re-cap of his earlier works, organized into a very useful, (and quick, easy) read. "

" Great books, full of practical recipes for startup people. "

" Great books, full of practical recipes for startup people. "

" Great read. Currently re-reading it just because... The examples might be out of touch in Indonesia, but the adage and wisdom still stands. "

" Great read. Currently re-reading it just because... The examples might be out of touch in Indonesia, but the adage and wisdom still stands. "

" If you read The Art of The Start then you should not worry about this book. This book is thicker, but not better or worth picking up a copy of. No new or great insight here. "

" If you read The Art of The Start then you should not worry about this book. This book is thicker, but not better or worth picking up a copy of. No new or great insight here. "

" flipped thru like an MSN article. "

" flipped thru like an MSN article. "

" A reference book for online startups. "

" A reference book for online startups. "

" Liked it and met the author by chance in a store in Honolulu. Guy Kawasaki rocks. "

" Liked it and met the author by chance in a store in Honolulu. Guy Kawasaki rocks. "

" An irreverent look at start-ups and the people who work in them and the people who fund them. I didn't know how crazy I was till I read this book. "

" An irreverent look at start-ups and the people who work in them and the people who fund them. I didn't know how crazy I was till I read this book. "

" A well written book on doing business in the 21st century written by a serial entrepeneur with an amazing track record of success. "

" A well written book on doing business in the 21st century written by a serial entrepeneur with an amazing track record of success. "

" Most of this I've read before from Guy or others, but some good coverage of the basics. "

" Most of this I've read before from Guy or others, but some good coverage of the basics. "

" Very comprehensive. Wish I'd known all this when I was still in the Valley. "

" Very comprehensive. Wish I'd known all this when I was still in the Valley. "

" flipped thru like an MSN article. "

" flipped thru like an MSN article. "

" basically art of start with more material. don't read both. just this one. "

" basically art of start with more material. don't read both. just this one. "

" Good but not as good as Art of the Start. "

" Good but not as good as Art of the Start. "

" Great book if you're trying to start an web company and have never done it before. "

" Great book if you're trying to start an web company and have never done it before. "

" Kawasaki cuts to the chase to outsmarting your business competition. He was the evangelistic force behind the breakout of the Mac over the obvious superiority of the Windows platform and is now the "evangelista" of business start ups, especially tech start ups. "

" Kawasaki cuts to the chase to outsmarting your business competition. He was the evangelistic force behind the breakout of the Mac over the obvious superiority of the Windows platform and is now the "evangelista" of business start ups, especially tech start ups. "