Startup: A Silicon Valley Adventure by Jerry Kaplan

If you want to know what it was like for a seasoned Silicon Valley entrepreneur during the infancy of the Internet boom, then Jerry Kaplan's book, Startup: A Silicon Valley Adventure, is definitely worth a read. As a founder of several tech companies, Kaplan takes the reader through the challenges, successes, and failures of startup life.

Kaplan recounts the tumultuous story of his time founding and leading the innovative technology company, GO Corporation, in the late '80s and early '90s. He shares his excitement as he and his team build the revolutionary new product, PenPoint, an early version of the modern tablet computer. He highlights the successes the company had, seen most prominently in a partnership they forged with Apple, Inc.

Kaplan candidly relays the challenges the business faced. He explains the difficulty of negotiating venture capitalists, the need to bend and adapt to the ebb and flow of the tech industry, and the daily grind of working in a new and untested team. As money runs short, conflicts arise, and the customer base proves a challenge to develop, the story of GO Corp offers a captivating look at the world of tech startups.

Throughout the book, Kaplan offers valuable insight into the process of turning your technical dreams into a reality. He explains how a diverse team of professionals with different skillsets and backgrounds can come together to solve difficult problems. He also illuminates the importance of corporate culture within a tech startup and the delicate give and take between customers, investors, and product developers that is essential for success.

Through Kaplan's experience and stories, readers are also able to gain insight into the state of Silicon Valley during the formative years of the tech boom. He paints a vivid picture of the culture and climate of venture capital during the '80s and '90s, when funding was sparse and the landscape of the tech industry had yet to be fully explored.

Ultimately, Kaplan’s Startup is a great read for anyone looking to gain insight into the world of tech startups. Even if you’re not a programmer or a tech entrepreneur, Startup provides an interesting look into the culture of Silicon Valley and the hardships of launching a tech startup. Kaplan offers invaluable business and technical advice throughout the book and his story is sure to be a source of inspiration for any aspiring entrepreneur.