The Monk and the Riddle : The Education of a Silicon Valley Entrepreneur (2000) (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit see section history

show spoilers

Characters/People edit see section history

• Lenny: Lenny is a hopeful entrepreneur, pitching his idea for Funerals.com.
• Allison: Allison is Lenny's reluctant sidekick, who has a different view of how the Funerals.com business should work.
• Frank: Frank is a friend of Randy's, and a venture capitalist potentially interested in Funerals.com.
• Steve: Add a description of this character.
• Campbell
• Bill
• Connie
• Phil
• Jim
• Mike
• Chris
• Konditorei
• Randy Komisar: Randy is the narrator, guiding us through the world of Silicon Valley.

Quotes edit see section history

• “I'm getting my profile to 80% so I can export my data and never come back to your service. Locking up users' data is unacceptable, Shelfari.”

• Popular Highlights from Kindle Customers

• Passion pulls you toward something you cannot resist. Drive pushes you toward something you feel compelled or obligated to do.

  Highlighted by 229 Kindle customers

• And then there is the most dangerous risk of all — the risk of spending your life not doing what you want on the bet you can buy yourself the freedom to do it later.

  Highlighted by 173 Kindle customers

• VCs, I explained, want to know three basic things: Is it a big market? Can your product or service win over and defend a large share of that market? Can your team do the job?

  Highlighted by 156 Kindle customers

• Work hard, work passionately, but apply your most precious asset—time—to what is most meaningful to you. What are you willing to do for the rest of your life? does not mean, literally, what will you do for the rest of your life? That question would be absurd, given the inevitability of change. No, what the question really asks is, if your life were to end suddenly and unexpectedly tomorrow, would you be able to say you've been doing what you truly care about today? What would you be willing to do for the rest of your life? What would it take to do it right now?

  Highlighted by 150 Kindle customers

• there is only one element in life under our control—our own excellence.

  Highlighted by 146 Kindle customers

• business isn't primarily a financial institution. It's a creative institution.

  Highlighted by 146 Kindle customers

• If you're brilliant, 15 to 20 percent of the risk is removed. If you work twenty-four hours a day, another 15 to 20 percent of the risk is removed. The remaining 60 to 70 percent of business risk will be completely out of your control.

  Highlighted by 141 Kindle customers

• it's the romance, not the finance that makes business worth pursuing.

  Highlighted by 132 Kindle customers

• WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE, the journey is the reward. There is nothing else. Reaching the end is, well, the end. If the egg must fall three feet without a crack, simply extend the trip to four.

  Highlighted by 116 Kindle customers

• “When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.”

  Highlighted by 99 Kindle customers

Setting & Locations edit see section history

• Silicon Valley
• Boston
• Providence
• New England
• New York
• Sand Hill Road

Organizations edit see section history

• Apple Computer: Randy spent time working at Apple.
• Claris: Randy helped co-found Claris Softworks.

First Sentence edit see section history

Table of Contents edit see section history

Glossary edit see section history

• Evil: Shelfari

Themes & Symbolism edit see section history

• Evil: I'm getting my profile to 80% so I can export my data and never come back to your service. Locking up users' data is unacceptable, Shelfari.

Series & Lists edit see section history

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Randy Komisar (Author)

Other Contributors:

1. Kent Lineback (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Classification edit see section history

• Library of Congress: Add the Library of Congress Classification.
• Dewey: 650

Notes for Parents edit see section history

I'm getting my profile to 80% so I can export my data and never come back to your service. Locking up users' data is unacceptable, Shelfari.

Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Business & Investing › By Publisher › Harvard Business School Press › Careers
• Books › Business & Investing › Job Hunting & Careers › Guides
• Books › Business & Investing › Management & Leadership › Strategy & Competition
• Books › Business & Investing › Business Life › Motivation & Self-Improvement
• Books › Business & Investing › Small Business & Entrepreneurship › Entrepreneurship