eBoys: The First Inside Account of Venture Capitalists at Work

by Randall E. Stross

Book Overview

The first inside account of life within a Silicon Valley venture capital firm,eBoysis the fascinating true story of the six tall men who backed eBay, Webvan, and other billion-dollar start-ups that... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0812930959
• ISBN13: 9780812930955
• Release Date: May 2000
• Publisher: Crown Business
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 1.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.5" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Essential Lessons for New Entrepreneurs!

Do you want to found a business, take it public, and change the face of the world? This book can help you.Most people who want to found a new business dream about getting venture capital en route to going public. At least a third of these people who approach venture capital firms do not have any contacts to get them a hearing at venture capital firms. Even those who do will find the odds are long. Perhaps one deal in 100 from connected people will be funded by a particular venture capital firm.Almost all entrepreneurs I know think that venture capitalists get paid too much, and that they get in the way rather than being a help.This book will help you draw your own conclusions, as well as give you some ideas about what to look for if you do decide to go for venture capital. Many will be astonished to see that funded ideas often come with no workable CEO in place. The venture capitalist will often play a key role in doing the recruiting of the CEO and other key personnel. Also, others will be amazed to find out how important little things are to keeping deals together or tearing them apart -- usually the trust or lack of trust in those involved on all sides. For years, I have worked with executives whose firms were orginally funded by venture capitalists. I also have friends who are venture capitalists. Everything in the book rang true to me. The only thing that would have made the book bettter would have been equal access to the thinking of the people in the start-ups. We get their view through the VCs. Because of the relationships involved, that's hard to accomplish because there's a need to stay friendly that is harmful to candor.Although the book will be invaluable to entrepreneurs, it was not designed for that purpose. It really is more of a business history of one firm over a two year period of time, highlighting some of its most successful (eBay and Webvan) and unsuccessful (a venture with Toys R Us that went nowhere) relationships. You'll have to draw your own lessons along the way. So it's like reading a mystery novel. Keep your eyes open for the clues, and draw your own conclusions.People thinking about a career in venture capital will also find the book to be valuable. The demands and strains are large, and so are the rewards when it all works. Keep in mind that success in venture capital goes in cycles. My friends tell me that dot com investments have been the most successful class of investing ever for VCs. Some firms report making money 90 percent of the time in the last 5 years. It won't usually be that easy. Se remember that you are reading about the good times when you go through this book.Buy it, read it, and apply its lessons to make your own success greater! You're much more likely to create an irresistible growth enterprise when you do. I encourage you to always be building your relationships with outstanding people. You can learn from them, and often they will become important allies in your entrepreurial journey!

Thoroughly Enjoyable

I really enjoyed (and you will too), this documentary of the inside workings of a well known Silicon Valley venture capital company. Like many others, I had always associated funding as the sole value a VC firm brings to a startup. However, this book enlightend me as to the other core values brought to the table (staffing, business structure, management, etc.).The book is written in strong and very engaging narrative, I spent a few days of my vacation at a sunny resort...under a shade umbrella reading this book (the water slide had to wait !). The eBay story alone was facinating, as was the previous histories of each of the founders...and there was more ! I recommend this book to anyone who understands the silicon valley "environment", also to those having a sincere wish to do so.

An incredible book

This was the best inside account I have read on the business of venture capital. Going inside some of the biggest internet deals was extremely intriguing. The reader comes away with the "process" that entrepreneurs go through, from the original idea phase thru actual implementation. You quickly discover that there is no scientific process-in fact, many of these huge deals came off as seat of the pants brainstorming. The reader should come to the realization that the main difference between those that make it big and those that only dream is that the "players" take action. Some reviewers seemed to hold the author responsible for the rather unscientific methods of the venture capitalists and the entrepreneurs they funded but it is clear that he reported exactly what he saw. If you want the inside story on how many internet legend companies were created, then this is the book. It captures the essence of what will go down in history as an incredibly crazy period in American business history.

Absorbing reading

Fascinating for anyone interested in the Internet economy. If "The Trillionaire Next Door" is the funniest business book out there right now, this is the most cogent.

Irresistible, Essential Reading for Entrepreneurs

Most people who want to found a new business dream about getting venture capital en route to going public. At least a third of these people who approach venture capital firms do not have any contacts to get them a hearing at venture capital firms. Even those who do will find the odds are long. Perhaps one deal in 100 from connected people will be funded by a particular venture capital firm.Almost all entrepreneurs I know think that venture capitalists get paid too much, and that they get in the way rather than being a help.This book will help you draw your own conclusions, as well as give you some ideas about what to look for if you do decide to go for venture capital. Many will be astonished to see that funded ideas often come with no workable CEO in place. The venture capitalist will often play a key role in doing the recruiting of the CEO and other key personnel. Also, others will be amazed to find out how important little things are to keeping deals together or tearing them apart -- usually the trust or lack of trust in those involved on all sides. For years, I have worked with executives whose firms were orginally funded by venture capitalists. I also have friends who are venture capitalists. Everything in the book rang true to me. The only thing that would have made the book bettter would have been equal access to the thinking of the people in the start-ups. We get their view through the VCs. Because of the relationships involved, that's hard to accomplish because there's a need to stay friendly that is harmful to candor.Although the book will be invaluable to entrepreneurs, it was not designed for that purpose. It really is more of a business history of one firm over a two year period of time, highlighting some of its most successful (eBay and Webvan) and unsuccessful (a venture with Toys R Us that went nowhere) relationships. You'll have to draw your own lessons along the way. So it's like reading a mystery novel. Keep your eyes open for the clues, and draw your own conclusions.People thinking about a career in venture capital will also find the book to be valuable. The demands and strains are large, and so are the rewards when it all works. Keep in mind that success in venture capital goes in cycles. My friends tell me that dot com investments have been the most successful class of investing ever for VCs. Some firms report making money 90 percent of the time in the last 5 years. It won't usually be that easy. Se remember that you are reading about the good times when you go through this book.Buy it, read it, and apply its lessons to make your own success greater! You're much more likely to create an irresistible growth enterprise when you do.