Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber

Great details, learnt a lot about the VC world...formidable powerhouse, true unicorn...and true entrepreneur...dramatic ending....:)

This book is one of a quartet of my recent reads about the genesis of successful companies.Shoe Dog (Nike) – Phil KnightSuper Pumped (Uber) – Mike IsaacThat will never work (Netflix) – Mark RandolphThe Airbnb story – Leigh GallagherI would rank it at #2. A very engaging read from an author who clearly had the inside track. A bit odd that it finished at 80% read and then went on for an Epilogue, a Postscript and then notes to the Postscript. My only other criticism is that I did not need the childhood and high school background to many of the secondary characters.

Professionally written and a superb, engrossing story. It follows the initial start up and evolution of the idea from an elite limousine service to one where anyone with a car can become a taxi driver. The use of ex spies to identify potential law enforcement officials and then the development and use of the 'grey ball' software to evade them is breathtaking. The negotiations with venture capitalists are instructive. The use and misuse of customer data is an important case study. The denouement where CEO Travis is forced out is riveting and instructive about corporate governance. Travis leaves with $5 billion after 8 years work but casualties along the way.

I'm a big fan of tech bios/insider books and this is one of the best I've read. Mike provides a wealth of background context on each of the players but it never feels forced. I guess it helps that there was so much drama at Uber. In any case well worth a read

Spectacular story of one of the biggest success stories of our time! I came out of it disgusted at Kalanick's behaviour and values but also in awe of his ambition and raw talent. Clearly he built the Uber we can't seem to do without now

An enjoyable read that takes you on Ubers turbulent journey from start up to billion dollar enterprise. If you’re into technology, mobility, all wrapped into business then you’ll enjoy this.

Thumbs up!

Pretty crazy ride at Uber that’s captured well by the author including all of the various folks around the story.

Nice read, I liked how the writer built the story & writing style in a very narrative fashion.It feels a bit like reading fiction rather than just an essay or a business chronicle.Full of dialogues and witty remarks, behind the scenes.Really good story to understand the world of Silicon Valley & VCs. No wonder it was adapted in a TV series.

Narrativa completa e abrangente sobre tudo que envolve uma startup - concretização da ideia, empreendedores, investidores e relação com a sociedade. Imperdível para quem quer entender esse mundo

I really enjoy true story books. For some reason I cannot get into "make belief" stories, so I enjoyed this book for that reason along with a few others. The start-up World of Silicon Valley is cut throat and this book explains exactly what into the making of Uber, and primarily about it's founder. Uber is a huge success but it could have failed at a few different points, so made it interesting to learn about thing - a lot of things I never knew about the company. The author is a journalist as well, so he writes a good read that is easy to follow, he explains things well, and it's a solid read. I would recommend this book if you like reading about true events and tech start-ups.

Excelente libro para conocer más a fondo la historia de Uber. El 1er capítulo es un poco amarillista, pero con el avance de cada capítulo se puede ver la parte más interesante y objetiva se cómo se forma la empresa, cómo llegaron a los problemas que tuvieron y los retos de una startup de ese tamaño. Si bien en algún punto se habla de todos los malos manejos de Travis Kalanick, se ilustra la influencia que tuvo (para bien y para mal) dentro de la organización, la industria y el nombre de Uber como una compañía de disrupción indiscutible. Excelente lectura si te gustan los negocios, las startups de Silicon Valley y la tecnología.

Halfway through and yes, it's quite remarkable. It is like the author was hiding behind doorways in some conversations.So far, and admittedly I haven't seen all of it, I think it feels fair and even-handed, not over-sensational.The writing is also very good -- fast reading and I'm finding myself obsessed with this story.Hard not to compare it to Bad Blood, equally juicy. The difference is that we all saw this -- we were all riding Ubers and loving the convenience and celebrating the fact that is has transformed urban transportation.And we all knew someone who worked there and hated the culture -- but who wanted to stay to cash out.Will update more in a day or two, with more thoughts and details.UPDATE: <100 pages to goI am obsessed with this book and the story. I find it so amazing that such a large, transformative company was run just so poorly. I'm at the point where Bad Boy Travis is taking a break from the company -- and I do feel sorry for him, up to a point. I don't feel sorry for the enablers -- some whom I think Isaac let off pretty lightly. In fact, many of the characters he describes show up (at least up to this point) as quite admirable, such as the CTO Thuan Pham, among others.I cannot wait to talk about this book with friends and observers. I am less sanguine that it cannot happen again, and again and again, because the whole startup/crazy money chasing the next big thing/bro culture has no reason to change.UPDATE: finished the book and just raced through toward the end. I think everyone interested in startups/disruption and tech in general should read this book, for what it says about the whole cycle of money-funding-new-ideas.Was riveted by the ins and outs of Benchmark's actions and how one of the most founder-friendly firms in Silicon Valley, could push out a CEO who controls the shares and the board!Yes, I loved reading the book but am saddened the the problems will not go away because there's too much money sloshing around looking for the next big thing, with investors all FOMO about the next bro startup. Kalanick, who Mike Isaac described as having a philosophy of "Ayn Rand meets Wolf of Wall Street," is part of the system, not an outlier. Susan Fower's "very strange year" at Uber is happening again in firms all over, venture firms are ignoring women founders, and tools like AI propogate the same old ideas. Sigh.Still, it's great to dissect how this very visible company jumped the shark, and keep the conversation going about how Silicon Valley, innovators, and investors can do much, much better.OK, sermon over.Thanks for reading.