Why It Ranks #83
The most revealing account of startup culture at its most extreme. Isaac's reporting shows exactly where the line is between bold leadership and toxic leadership, and how quickly one transforms into the other.
The Review
Mike Isaac, a New York Times technology reporter, chronicles the rise and fall of Travis Kalanick at Uber. Super Pumped reveals how Kalanick's aggression, rule-breaking, and win-at-all-costs mentality built a $70 billion company — and how the same traits created a toxic culture that ultimately led to his ouster. It is the definitive account of the most controversial startup of the 2010s.
Key Takeaways
- 1The traits that build a company fast — aggression, rule-breaking, intensity — can also destroy it
- 2Culture is set by what leaders tolerate, not what they say they value
- 3Investor governance matters: Uber's board failed to check Kalanick until the damage was severe
- 4Growth at all costs has costs — they just show up on a delay
Fun Facts
- •Showtime adapted the book into a TV series starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Kalanick
- •Isaac had sources inside Uber feeding him information for years before the book
- •Kalanick's internal rallying cry — 'Super Pumped' — became the title's ironic commentary
Book Details
Super Pumped by Mike Isaac
Pages
384
Goodreads Rating
3.92/5
Copies Sold
300K+
First Published
2019
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