Startupland

The real story of what it takes to risk it all and go for broke. Conventional wisdom says most startups need to be in Silicon Valley, started by young engineers around a sexy new idea, and backed by VC funding. But as Mikkel Svane reveals in Startupland, the story of founding Zendesk was anything but conventional. Founded in a Copenhagen loft by three thirty-something friends looking to break free from corporate doldrums, Zendesk Inc. is now one of the hottest enterprise software companies, still rapidly growing with customers in 150 countries. But its success was anything but predestined. With revealing stories both funny and frank, Mikkel shares how he and his friends bravely left secure jobs to start something on their own, how he almost went broke several times, how they picked up themselves and their families to travel across the world to California and the unknown, and how the three friends were miraculously still together for Zendesk's IPO and (still growing) success. Much like Zendesk's mission itself to remove friction, barriers, and mystery in order to make customer service easier and more approachable Startupland removes some of the myths about startups and startup founders. Mikkel's advice, hard-won through experience, often bucks conventional wisdom and entrepreneurial tropes. He shares why failure (whether fast or slow) is awful, why a seemingly boring product or idea can be the most exciting, why giving back to the community is as important as the bottom line. From how to hire right (look for people who are not offended by swearing) to which personas generate the highest response rates, Mikkel answers the most pressing questions from the perspective of someone still in the trenches and willing to share the hard truth, warts and all. While there are books by consultants who tell you how to build businesses, or by entrepreneurs now running billion-dollar businesses, there are few books from people still in the trenches who acutely remember the difficult daily decisions, the thrill (and fears) of the early days, the problems that scale with growing a business, and the reason why they all went on the adventure in the first place. Startupland is indispensable reading for all entrepreneurs who want to make their ideas the next big thing. The book will inspire and empower you to follow your own dream and create your own story.

The real story of what it takes to risk it all and go forbroke.Conventional wisdom says most startups need to be in SiliconValley, started by young engineers around a sexy new idea, andbacked by VC funding. But as Mikkel Svane reveals inStartupland, the story of founding Zendesk was anything butconventional.Founded in a Copenhagen loft by three thirty-something friendslooking to break free from corporate doldrums, Zendesk Inc. is nowone of the hottest enterprise software companies, still rapidlygrowing with customers in 150 countries. But its success wasanything but predestined. With revealing stories both funny andfrank, Mikkel shares how he and his friends bravely left securejobs to start something on their own, how he almost went brokeseveral times, how they picked up themselves and their families totravel across the world to California and the unknown, and how thethree friends were miraculously still together for Zendesk's IPOand (still growing) success.Much like Zendesk's mission itself--to remove frictionbarriers, and mystery in order to make customer service easier andmore approachable--Startupland removes some of themyths about startups and startup founders. Mikkel's advicehard-won through experience, often bucks conventional wisdom andentrepreneurial tropes. He shares why failure (whether fast orslow) is awful, why a seemingly boring product or idea can be themost exciting, why giving back to the community is as important asthe bottom line. From how to hire right (look for people who arenot offended by swearing) to which personas generate the highestresponse rates, Mikkel answers the most pressing questions from theperspective of someone still in the trenches and willing to sharethe hard truth, warts and all.While there are books by consultants who tell you how to buildbusinesses, or by entrepreneurs now running billion-dollarbusinesses, there are few books from people still in the trencheswho acutely remember the difficult daily decisions, the thrill (andfears) of the early days, the problems that scale with growing abusiness, and the reason why they all went on the adventure in thefirst place. Startupland is indispensable reading for allentrepreneurs who want to make their ideas the next big thing. Thebook will inspire and empower you to follow your own dream andcreate your own story.

Foreword by Alexia Tsotsis ixIntroduction: The Pursuit of Happiness 11 The Honeymoon 7Believing that what you're doing is great and knowing nothing of what's to come2 The Salad Days 31Keeping it together when things should be falling apart3 Going for Broke 57How to turn down money and keep your company (and your soul)4 The Bubble Redux 69Battling circumstances beyond your control5 The Game is Not Over 81Getting investors and getting along with your partners6 Coming to America 97Chasing the dream--and dealing with the reality7 Go West 115Leveraging location and upending our lives8 Growing Up 133Going from building a product to building a company--and messing up along the way9 Innocence Lost 151From idealist to realist, and the uncomfortable journey in between10 Going to the Show 167Becoming a public company and remembering where we came fromEpilogue 179A Few More Thoughts 185It's all about relationshipsNotes 189Acknowledgments 191About the Authors 193Index 197