The most mysterious role at a startup is that of the CEO. What exactly does the CEO do, anyway?
Hot Seat: The Startup CEO Guidebook
pulls back the curtain on the executive suite. This may be the title held by Jobs, Gates, and Zuckerberg, but it’s also the title held by thousands of overconfident wantrepreneurs with starry eyes and little hope of success. This book is about what separates the successes from those who fall flat.
Author Dan Shapiro, founder and CEO of Sparkbuy Inc (acquired by Google, where he now works) shares the directions, trials, tribulations, and strategies of the startup CEO—the ways startups are born, live, and die, as told from the view at the top.
This book is divided into five sections:
Founding
covers the moment from the first idea of the business up until the incorporation and financing.
Funding
, one of the earliest and most difficult challenges, explores many strategies in depth.
Leadership
helps you come up with a strategy, create a culture, and navigate the pitfalls as you build your executive team.
Management
covers how to argue with your team, when to play the CEO card, and how to manage your board.
Endgame
explores how to finish your startup with grace and create the best outcome for everyone involved.