The Hard Thing About Hard Things
Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers
by Ben Horowitz
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Co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz
“12. Hard things about Hard Things 35 years This book coincided with the start of nearbuy. At a time when building startups was glamorous, this book lay bare the truths, like nobody else had. It was ok to feel overwhelmed through the journey. | 21/ Hard Thing about Hard Things. @bhorowitz delves into the hardest situations a CEO will face, and how to move forward where there are no good answers. This is a great book to understand what it means to have the buck stop with you, i.e. act as an entrepreneur. | 7. Ben Horowitz?s book The Hard Things About Hard Things is the best book about being a CEO and managing your own psychology as you set out to do this crazy hard thing. It?s fantastic. Read and reread it. | 7. Ben Horowitz’s book The Hard Things About Hard Things is the best book about being a CEO and managing your own psychology as you set out to do this crazy hard thing. It’s fantastic. Read and reread it. | @BooValu23 @portfoliobooks @a16z Honestly, I don't think there are too many out there best business book generally is @bhorowitz Hard Things About Hard Things | @MikeIsaac Horowitz’s book is good. Happy New Year Mike! | @UniHodler Yup, great book. | An inspiring story of a business rebirth through sheer willpower. | Ben Horowitz has written the first true guide for protecting a startup from selfsabotage. | Entertaining more than anything. I read The Hard Thing About Hard Things, I was like: I would never work for this guy. But entertaining and some good lessons. | For anyone insterested in building, growing, or leading a great company, this book is an incredibly valuable resource. | I like this one, but it’s not for very new entrepreneurs. | Let’s just say, we started out relationship with vigorous disagreement, and we’ve continued that to this day. | Q. What's your favourite business book you'd advise to young entrepreneurs and why M.L. Some good ones from the "pure business" category: Zero to One, The Hard Thing About Hard Things, The Innovator's Dilemma, Good to Great, etc. Personally, I prefer less advice, more history. From my favorite business segment: Too Big To Fail, Ascent of Money, When Genius Failed, etc. Books on applied psychology (Influence, Predictably Irrational, etc) are another way to round out primarily technological education :) | Q: Are there any books you haven’t mentioned that you feel would make your reading list P.A.: I would also include the following books: The Emperor of All Maladies, Where Men Win Glory, The President’s Club, The Most Important Thing, Sapiens, The Hard Thing About Hard Things, 10 Percent Happier, The Rommel Papers, King of the World, The Corner and Good Calories, Bad Calories. | Strong selection. Love @bhorowitz book must read for CEOs | The Hard Things About Hard Things' by @bhorowitz is one of the best business books I've picked up in years. | Then finally there is “The Hard Thing about Hard Things.” It’s a bit dark but it does cover a lot of useful territory on what building an organization is like. | This book is loaded with great lessons and advice from a successful leader and innovator. | Without question, to me, The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz is, by far, the best, most brutally honest and incredibly useful book about the realities of starting and running a company, ever written.”
Source →“12. Hard things about Hard Things 35 years This book coincided with the start of nearbuy. At a time when building startups was glamorous, this book lay bare the truths, like nobody else had. It was ok to feel overwhelmed through the journey. | 21/ Hard Thing about Hard Things. @bhorowitz delves into the hardest situations a CEO will face, and how to move forward where there are no good answers. This is a great book to understand what it means to have the buck stop with you, i.e. act as an entrepreneur. | 7. Ben Horowitz?s book The Hard Things About Hard Things is the best book about being a CEO and managing your own psychology as you set out to do this crazy hard thing. It?s fantastic. Read and reread it. | 7. Ben Horowitz’s book The Hard Things About Hard Things is the best book about being a CEO and managing your own psychology as you set out to do this crazy hard thing. It’s fantastic. Read and reread it. | @BooValu23 @portfoliobooks @a16z Honestly, I don't think there are too many out there best business book generally is @bhorowitz Hard Things About Hard Things | @MikeIsaac Horowitz’s book is good. Happy New Year Mike! | @UniHodler Yup, great book. | An inspiring story of a business rebirth through sheer willpower. | Ben Horowitz has written the first true guide for protecting a startup from selfsabotage. | Entertaining more than anything. I read The Hard Thing About Hard Things, I was like: I would never work for this guy. But entertaining and some good lessons. | For anyone insterested in building, growing, or leading a great company, this book is an incredibly valuable resource. | I like this one, but it’s not for very new entrepreneurs. | Let’s just say, we started out relationship with vigorous disagreement, and we’ve continued that to this day. | Q. What's your favourite business book you'd advise to young entrepreneurs and why M.L. Some good ones from the "pure business" category: Zero to One, The Hard Thing About Hard Things, The Innovator's Dilemma, Good to Great, etc. Personally, I prefer less advice, more history. From my favorite business segment: Too Big To Fail, Ascent of Money, When Genius Failed, etc. Books on applied psychology (Influence, Predictably Irrational, etc) are another way to round out primarily technological education :) | Q: Are there any books you haven’t mentioned that you feel would make your reading list P.A.: I would also include the following books: The Emperor of All Maladies, Where Men Win Glory, The President’s Club, The Most Important Thing, Sapiens, The Hard Thing About Hard Things, 10 Percent Happier, The Rommel Papers, King of the World, The Corner and Good Calories, Bad Calories. | Strong selection. Love @bhorowitz book must read for CEOs | The Hard Things About Hard Things' by @bhorowitz is one of the best business books I've picked up in years. | Then finally there is “The Hard Thing about Hard Things.” It’s a bit dark but it does cover a lot of useful territory on what building an organization is like. | This book is loaded with great lessons and advice from a successful leader and innovator. | Without question, to me, The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz is, by far, the best, most brutally honest and incredibly useful book about the realities of starting and running a company, ever written.”
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Technology executive and investor
“12. Hard things about Hard Things 35 years This book coincided with the start of nearbuy. At a time when building startups was glamorous, this book lay bare the truths, like nobody else had. It was ok to feel overwhelmed through the journey. | 21/ Hard Thing about Hard Things. @bhorowitz delves into the hardest situations a CEO will face, and how to move forward where there are no good answers. This is a great book to understand what it means to have the buck stop with you, i.e. act as an entrepreneur. | 7. Ben Horowitz?s book The Hard Things About Hard Things is the best book about being a CEO and managing your own psychology as you set out to do this crazy hard thing. It?s fantastic. Read and reread it. | 7. Ben Horowitz’s book The Hard Things About Hard Things is the best book about being a CEO and managing your own psychology as you set out to do this crazy hard thing. It’s fantastic. Read and reread it. | @BooValu23 @portfoliobooks @a16z Honestly, I don't think there are too many out there best business book generally is @bhorowitz Hard Things About Hard Things | @MikeIsaac Horowitz’s book is good. Happy New Year Mike! | @UniHodler Yup, great book. | An inspiring story of a business rebirth through sheer willpower. | Ben Horowitz has written the first true guide for protecting a startup from selfsabotage. | Entertaining more than anything. I read The Hard Thing About Hard Things, I was like: I would never work for this guy. But entertaining and some good lessons. | For anyone insterested in building, growing, or leading a great company, this book is an incredibly valuable resource. | I like this one, but it’s not for very new entrepreneurs. | Let’s just say, we started out relationship with vigorous disagreement, and we’ve continued that to this day. | Q. What's your favourite business book you'd advise to young entrepreneurs and why M.L. Some good ones from the "pure business" category: Zero to One, The Hard Thing About Hard Things, The Innovator's Dilemma, Good to Great, etc. Personally, I prefer less advice, more history. From my favorite business segment: Too Big To Fail, Ascent of Money, When Genius Failed, etc. Books on applied psychology (Influence, Predictably Irrational, etc) are another way to round out primarily technological education :) | Q: Are there any books you haven’t mentioned that you feel would make your reading list P.A.: I would also include the following books: The Emperor of All Maladies, Where Men Win Glory, The President’s Club, The Most Important Thing, Sapiens, The Hard Thing About Hard Things, 10 Percent Happier, The Rommel Papers, King of the World, The Corner and Good Calories, Bad Calories. | Strong selection. Love @bhorowitz book must read for CEOs | The Hard Things About Hard Things' by @bhorowitz is one of the best business books I've picked up in years. | Then finally there is “The Hard Thing about Hard Things.” It’s a bit dark but it does cover a lot of useful territory on what building an organization is like. | This book is loaded with great lessons and advice from a successful leader and innovator. | Without question, to me, The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz is, by far, the best, most brutally honest and incredibly useful book about the realities of starting and running a company, ever written.”
Source →“12. Hard things about Hard Things 35 years This book coincided with the start of nearbuy. At a time when building startups was glamorous, this book lay bare the truths, like nobody else had. It was ok to feel overwhelmed through the journey. | 21/ Hard Thing about Hard Things. @bhorowitz delves into the hardest situations a CEO will face, and how to move forward where there are no good answers. This is a great book to understand what it means to have the buck stop with you, i.e. act as an entrepreneur. | 7. Ben Horowitz?s book The Hard Things About Hard Things is the best book about being a CEO and managing your own psychology as you set out to do this crazy hard thing. It?s fantastic. Read and reread it. | 7. Ben Horowitz’s book The Hard Things About Hard Things is the best book about being a CEO and managing your own psychology as you set out to do this crazy hard thing. It’s fantastic. Read and reread it. | @BooValu23 @portfoliobooks @a16z Honestly, I don't think there are too many out there best business book generally is @bhorowitz Hard Things About Hard Things | @MikeIsaac Horowitz’s book is good. Happy New Year Mike! | @UniHodler Yup, great book. | An inspiring story of a business rebirth through sheer willpower. | Ben Horowitz has written the first true guide for protecting a startup from selfsabotage. | Entertaining more than anything. I read The Hard Thing About Hard Things, I was like: I would never work for this guy. But entertaining and some good lessons. | For anyone insterested in building, growing, or leading a great company, this book is an incredibly valuable resource. | I like this one, but it’s not for very new entrepreneurs. | Let’s just say, we started out relationship with vigorous disagreement, and we’ve continued that to this day. | Q. What's your favourite business book you'd advise to young entrepreneurs and why M.L. Some good ones from the "pure business" category: Zero to One, The Hard Thing About Hard Things, The Innovator's Dilemma, Good to Great, etc. Personally, I prefer less advice, more history. From my favorite business segment: Too Big To Fail, Ascent of Money, When Genius Failed, etc. Books on applied psychology (Influence, Predictably Irrational, etc) are another way to round out primarily technological education :) | Q: Are there any books you haven’t mentioned that you feel would make your reading list P.A.: I would also include the following books: The Emperor of All Maladies, Where Men Win Glory, The President’s Club, The Most Important Thing, Sapiens, The Hard Thing About Hard Things, 10 Percent Happier, The Rommel Papers, King of the World, The Corner and Good Calories, Bad Calories. | Strong selection. Love @bhorowitz book must read for CEOs | The Hard Things About Hard Things' by @bhorowitz is one of the best business books I've picked up in years. | Then finally there is “The Hard Thing about Hard Things.” It’s a bit dark but it does cover a lot of useful territory on what building an organization is like. | This book is loaded with great lessons and advice from a successful leader and innovator. | Without question, to me, The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz is, by far, the best, most brutally honest and incredibly useful book about the realities of starting and running a company, ever written.”
Source →“12. Hard things about Hard Things 35 years This book coincided with the start of nearbuy. At a time when building startups was glamorous, this book lay bare the truths, like nobody else had. It was ok to feel overwhelmed through the journey. | 21/ Hard Thing about Hard Things. @bhorowitz delves into the hardest situations a CEO will face, and how to move forward where there are no good answers. This is a great book to understand what it means to have the buck stop with you, i.e. act as an entrepreneur. | 7. Ben Horowitz?s book The Hard Things About Hard Things is the best book about being a CEO and managing your own psychology as you set out to do this crazy hard thing. It?s fantastic. Read and reread it. | 7. Ben Horowitz’s book The Hard Things About Hard Things is the best book about being a CEO and managing your own psychology as you set out to do this crazy hard thing. It’s fantastic. Read and reread it. | @BooValu23 @portfoliobooks @a16z Honestly, I don't think there are too many out there best business book generally is @bhorowitz Hard Things About Hard Things | @MikeIsaac Horowitz’s book is good. Happy New Year Mike! | @UniHodler Yup, great book. | An inspiring story of a business rebirth through sheer willpower. | Ben Horowitz has written the first true guide for protecting a startup from selfsabotage. | Entertaining more than anything. I read The Hard Thing About Hard Things, I was like: I would never work for this guy. But entertaining and some good lessons. | For anyone insterested in building, growing, or leading a great company, this book is an incredibly valuable resource. | I like this one, but it’s not for very new entrepreneurs. | Let’s just say, we started out relationship with vigorous disagreement, and we’ve continued that to this day. | Q. What's your favourite business book you'd advise to young entrepreneurs and why M.L. Some good ones from the "pure business" category: Zero to One, The Hard Thing About Hard Things, The Innovator's Dilemma, Good to Great, etc. Personally, I prefer less advice, more history. From my favorite business segment: Too Big To Fail, Ascent of Money, When Genius Failed, etc. Books on applied psychology (Influence, Predictably Irrational, etc) are another way to round out primarily technological education :) | Q: Are there any books you haven’t mentioned that you feel would make your reading list P.A.: I would also include the following books: The Emperor of All Maladies, Where Men Win Glory, The President’s Club, The Most Important Thing, Sapiens, The Hard Thing About Hard Things, 10 Percent Happier, The Rommel Papers, King of the World, The Corner and Good Calories, Bad Calories. | Strong selection. Love @bhorowitz book must read for CEOs | The Hard Things About Hard Things' by @bhorowitz is one of the best business books I've picked up in years. | Then finally there is “The Hard Thing about Hard Things.” It’s a bit dark but it does cover a lot of useful territory on what building an organization is like. | This book is loaded with great lessons and advice from a successful leader and innovator. | Without question, to me, The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz is, by far, the best, most brutally honest and incredibly useful book about the realities of starting and running a company, ever written.”
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Co-founder, Chairman, and CEO of Meta Platforms
“12. Hard things about Hard Things 35 years This book coincided with the start of nearbuy. At a time when building startups was glamorous, this book lay bare the truths, like nobody else had. It was ok to feel overwhelmed through the journey. | 21/ Hard Thing about Hard Things. @bhorowitz delves into the hardest situations a CEO will face, and how to move forward where there are no good answers. This is a great book to understand what it means to have the buck stop with you, i.e. act as an entrepreneur. | 7. Ben Horowitz?s book The Hard Things About Hard Things is the best book about being a CEO and managing your own psychology as you set out to do this crazy hard thing. It?s fantastic. Read and reread it. | 7. Ben Horowitz’s book The Hard Things About Hard Things is the best book about being a CEO and managing your own psychology as you set out to do this crazy hard thing. It’s fantastic. Read and reread it. | @BooValu23 @portfoliobooks @a16z Honestly, I don't think there are too many out there best business book generally is @bhorowitz Hard Things About Hard Things | @MikeIsaac Horowitz’s book is good. Happy New Year Mike! | @UniHodler Yup, great book. | An inspiring story of a business rebirth through sheer willpower. | Ben Horowitz has written the first true guide for protecting a startup from selfsabotage. | Entertaining more than anything. I read The Hard Thing About Hard Things, I was like: I would never work for this guy. But entertaining and some good lessons. | For anyone insterested in building, growing, or leading a great company, this book is an incredibly valuable resource. | I like this one, but it’s not for very new entrepreneurs. | Let’s just say, we started out relationship with vigorous disagreement, and we’ve continued that to this day. | Q. What's your favourite business book you'd advise to young entrepreneurs and why M.L. Some good ones from the "pure business" category: Zero to One, The Hard Thing About Hard Things, The Innovator's Dilemma, Good to Great, etc. Personally, I prefer less advice, more history. From my favorite business segment: Too Big To Fail, Ascent of Money, When Genius Failed, etc. Books on applied psychology (Influence, Predictably Irrational, etc) are another way to round out primarily technological education :) | Q: Are there any books you haven’t mentioned that you feel would make your reading list P.A.: I would also include the following books: The Emperor of All Maladies, Where Men Win Glory, The President’s Club, The Most Important Thing, Sapiens, The Hard Thing About Hard Things, 10 Percent Happier, The Rommel Papers, King of the World, The Corner and Good Calories, Bad Calories. | Strong selection. Love @bhorowitz book must read for CEOs | The Hard Things About Hard Things' by @bhorowitz is one of the best business books I've picked up in years. | Then finally there is “The Hard Thing about Hard Things.” It’s a bit dark but it does cover a lot of useful territory on what building an organization is like. | This book is loaded with great lessons and advice from a successful leader and innovator. | Without question, to me, The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz is, by far, the best, most brutally honest and incredibly useful book about the realities of starting and running a company, ever written.”
Source →“12. Hard things about Hard Things 35 years This book coincided with the start of nearbuy. At a time when building startups was glamorous, this book lay bare the truths, like nobody else had. It was ok to feel overwhelmed through the journey. | 21/ Hard Thing about Hard Things. @bhorowitz delves into the hardest situations a CEO will face, and how to move forward where there are no good answers. This is a great book to understand what it means to have the buck stop with you, i.e. act as an entrepreneur. | 7. Ben Horowitz?s book The Hard Things About Hard Things is the best book about being a CEO and managing your own psychology as you set out to do this crazy hard thing. It?s fantastic. Read and reread it. | 7. Ben Horowitz’s book The Hard Things About Hard Things is the best book about being a CEO and managing your own psychology as you set out to do this crazy hard thing. It’s fantastic. Read and reread it. | @BooValu23 @portfoliobooks @a16z Honestly, I don't think there are too many out there best business book generally is @bhorowitz Hard Things About Hard Things | @MikeIsaac Horowitz’s book is good. Happy New Year Mike! | @UniHodler Yup, great book. | An inspiring story of a business rebirth through sheer willpower. | Ben Horowitz has written the first true guide for protecting a startup from selfsabotage. | Entertaining more than anything. I read The Hard Thing About Hard Things, I was like: I would never work for this guy. But entertaining and some good lessons. | For anyone insterested in building, growing, or leading a great company, this book is an incredibly valuable resource. | I like this one, but it’s not for very new entrepreneurs. | Let’s just say, we started out relationship with vigorous disagreement, and we’ve continued that to this day. | Q. What's your favourite business book you'd advise to young entrepreneurs and why M.L. Some good ones from the "pure business" category: Zero to One, The Hard Thing About Hard Things, The Innovator's Dilemma, Good to Great, etc. Personally, I prefer less advice, more history. From my favorite business segment: Too Big To Fail, Ascent of Money, When Genius Failed, etc. Books on applied psychology (Influence, Predictably Irrational, etc) are another way to round out primarily technological education :) | Q: Are there any books you haven’t mentioned that you feel would make your reading list P.A.: I would also include the following books: The Emperor of All Maladies, Where Men Win Glory, The President’s Club, The Most Important Thing, Sapiens, The Hard Thing About Hard Things, 10 Percent Happier, The Rommel Papers, King of the World, The Corner and Good Calories, Bad Calories. | Strong selection. Love @bhorowitz book must read for CEOs | The Hard Things About Hard Things' by @bhorowitz is one of the best business books I've picked up in years. | Then finally there is “The Hard Thing about Hard Things.” It’s a bit dark but it does cover a lot of useful territory on what building an organization is like. | This book is loaded with great lessons and advice from a successful leader and innovator. | Without question, to me, The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz is, by far, the best, most brutally honest and incredibly useful book about the realities of starting and running a company, ever written.”
Source →“12. Hard things about Hard Things 35 years This book coincided with the start of nearbuy. At a time when building startups was glamorous, this book lay bare the truths, like nobody else had. It was ok to feel overwhelmed through the journey. | 21/ Hard Thing about Hard Things. @bhorowitz delves into the hardest situations a CEO will face, and how to move forward where there are no good answers. This is a great book to understand what it means to have the buck stop with you, i.e. act as an entrepreneur. | 7. Ben Horowitz?s book The Hard Things About Hard Things is the best book about being a CEO and managing your own psychology as you set out to do this crazy hard thing. It?s fantastic. Read and reread it. | 7. Ben Horowitz’s book The Hard Things About Hard Things is the best book about being a CEO and managing your own psychology as you set out to do this crazy hard thing. It’s fantastic. Read and reread it. | @BooValu23 @portfoliobooks @a16z Honestly, I don't think there are too many out there best business book generally is @bhorowitz Hard Things About Hard Things | @MikeIsaac Horowitz’s book is good. Happy New Year Mike! | @UniHodler Yup, great book. | An inspiring story of a business rebirth through sheer willpower. | Ben Horowitz has written the first true guide for protecting a startup from selfsabotage. | Entertaining more than anything. I read The Hard Thing About Hard Things, I was like: I would never work for this guy. But entertaining and some good lessons. | For anyone insterested in building, growing, or leading a great company, this book is an incredibly valuable resource. | I like this one, but it’s not for very new entrepreneurs. | Let’s just say, we started out relationship with vigorous disagreement, and we’ve continued that to this day. | Q. What's your favourite business book you'd advise to young entrepreneurs and why M.L. Some good ones from the "pure business" category: Zero to One, The Hard Thing About Hard Things, The Innovator's Dilemma, Good to Great, etc. Personally, I prefer less advice, more history. From my favorite business segment: Too Big To Fail, Ascent of Money, When Genius Failed, etc. Books on applied psychology (Influence, Predictably Irrational, etc) are another way to round out primarily technological education :) | Q: Are there any books you haven’t mentioned that you feel would make your reading list P.A.: I would also include the following books: The Emperor of All Maladies, Where Men Win Glory, The President’s Club, The Most Important Thing, Sapiens, The Hard Thing About Hard Things, 10 Percent Happier, The Rommel Papers, King of the World, The Corner and Good Calories, Bad Calories. | Strong selection. Love @bhorowitz book must read for CEOs | The Hard Things About Hard Things' by @bhorowitz is one of the best business books I've picked up in years. | Then finally there is “The Hard Thing about Hard Things.” It’s a bit dark but it does cover a lot of useful territory on what building an organization is like. | This book is loaded with great lessons and advice from a successful leader and innovator. | Without question, to me, The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz is, by far, the best, most brutally honest and incredibly useful book about the realities of starting and running a company, ever written.”
Source →“12. Hard things about Hard Things 35 years This book coincided with the start of nearbuy. At a time when building startups was glamorous, this book lay bare the truths, like nobody else had. It was ok to feel overwhelmed through the journey. | 21/ Hard Thing about Hard Things. @bhorowitz delves into the hardest situations a CEO will face, and how to move forward where there are no good answers. This is a great book to understand what it means to have the buck stop with you, i.e. act as an entrepreneur. | 7. Ben Horowitz?s book The Hard Things About Hard Things is the best book about being a CEO and managing your own psychology as you set out to do this crazy hard thing. It?s fantastic. Read and reread it. | 7. Ben Horowitz’s book The Hard Things About Hard Things is the best book about being a CEO and managing your own psychology as you set out to do this crazy hard thing. It’s fantastic. Read and reread it. | @BooValu23 @portfoliobooks @a16z Honestly, I don't think there are too many out there best business book generally is @bhorowitz Hard Things About Hard Things | @MikeIsaac Horowitz’s book is good. Happy New Year Mike! | @UniHodler Yup, great book. | An inspiring story of a business rebirth through sheer willpower. | Ben Horowitz has written the first true guide for protecting a startup from selfsabotage. | Entertaining more than anything. I read The Hard Thing About Hard Things, I was like: I would never work for this guy. But entertaining and some good lessons. | For anyone insterested in building, growing, or leading a great company, this book is an incredibly valuable resource. | I like this one, but it’s not for very new entrepreneurs. | Let’s just say, we started out relationship with vigorous disagreement, and we’ve continued that to this day. | Q. What's your favourite business book you'd advise to young entrepreneurs and why M.L. Some good ones from the "pure business" category: Zero to One, The Hard Thing About Hard Things, The Innovator's Dilemma, Good to Great, etc. Personally, I prefer less advice, more history. From my favorite business segment: Too Big To Fail, Ascent of Money, When Genius Failed, etc. Books on applied psychology (Influence, Predictably Irrational, etc) are another way to round out primarily technological education :) | Q: Are there any books you haven’t mentioned that you feel would make your reading list P.A.: I would also include the following books: The Emperor of All Maladies, Where Men Win Glory, The President’s Club, The Most Important Thing, Sapiens, The Hard Thing About Hard Things, 10 Percent Happier, The Rommel Papers, King of the World, The Corner and Good Calories, Bad Calories. | Strong selection. Love @bhorowitz book must read for CEOs | The Hard Things About Hard Things' by @bhorowitz is one of the best business books I've picked up in years. | Then finally there is “The Hard Thing about Hard Things.” It’s a bit dark but it does cover a lot of useful territory on what building an organization is like. | This book is loaded with great lessons and advice from a successful leader and innovator. | Without question, to me, The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz is, by far, the best, most brutally honest and incredibly useful book about the realities of starting and running a company, ever written.”
Source →“12. Hard things about Hard Things 35 years This book coincided with the start of nearbuy. At a time when building startups was glamorous, this book lay bare the truths, like nobody else had. It was ok to feel overwhelmed through the journey. | 21/ Hard Thing about Hard Things. @bhorowitz delves into the hardest situations a CEO will face, and how to move forward where there are no good answers. This is a great book to understand what it means to have the buck stop with you, i.e. act as an entrepreneur. | 7. Ben Horowitz?s book The Hard Things About Hard Things is the best book about being a CEO and managing your own psychology as you set out to do this crazy hard thing. It?s fantastic. Read and reread it. | 7. Ben Horowitz’s book The Hard Things About Hard Things is the best book about being a CEO and managing your own psychology as you set out to do this crazy hard thing. It’s fantastic. Read and reread it. | @BooValu23 @portfoliobooks @a16z Honestly, I don't think there are too many out there best business book generally is @bhorowitz Hard Things About Hard Things | @MikeIsaac Horowitz’s book is good. Happy New Year Mike! | @UniHodler Yup, great book. | An inspiring story of a business rebirth through sheer willpower. | Ben Horowitz has written the first true guide for protecting a startup from selfsabotage. | Entertaining more than anything. I read The Hard Thing About Hard Things, I was like: I would never work for this guy. But entertaining and some good lessons. | For anyone insterested in building, growing, or leading a great company, this book is an incredibly valuable resource. | I like this one, but it’s not for very new entrepreneurs. | Let’s just say, we started out relationship with vigorous disagreement, and we’ve continued that to this day. | Q. What's your favourite business book you'd advise to young entrepreneurs and why M.L. Some good ones from the "pure business" category: Zero to One, The Hard Thing About Hard Things, The Innovator's Dilemma, Good to Great, etc. Personally, I prefer less advice, more history. From my favorite business segment: Too Big To Fail, Ascent of Money, When Genius Failed, etc. Books on applied psychology (Influence, Predictably Irrational, etc) are another way to round out primarily technological education :) | Q: Are there any books you haven’t mentioned that you feel would make your reading list P.A.: I would also include the following books: The Emperor of All Maladies, Where Men Win Glory, The President’s Club, The Most Important Thing, Sapiens, The Hard Thing About Hard Things, 10 Percent Happier, The Rommel Papers, King of the World, The Corner and Good Calories, Bad Calories. | Strong selection. Love @bhorowitz book must read for CEOs | The Hard Things About Hard Things' by @bhorowitz is one of the best business books I've picked up in years. | Then finally there is “The Hard Thing about Hard Things.” It’s a bit dark but it does cover a lot of useful territory on what building an organization is like. | This book is loaded with great lessons and advice from a successful leader and innovator. | Without question, to me, The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz is, by far, the best, most brutally honest and incredibly useful book about the realities of starting and running a company, ever written.”
Source →Recommended by 12 notable people, including Tim Ferriss and Nat Eliason
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Should I read this?
A blunt, conversational tour through the worst parts of building a company. Horowitz shares personal stories from his own startup failures and recoveries, offering practical wisdom on layoffs, pivots, CEO loneliness, and managing when times are bad. The value is in the honest, experience-based insight you won't get from business school. The limitation is its narrow focus on venture-backed tech startups—if you're not in that world, some advice may feel irrelevant. Reads like a wise mentor telling you what nobody else will.
Read this if...
- •a founder who just discovered they have only six months of runway left and is agonizing over whether to cut headcount or pivot the product
- •a first-time CEO overwhelmed by the loneliness of leadership, especially when making a decision that will cost someone their job
- •a product manager being pushed into a leadership role who wants to understand the emotional weight of running a team before they accept the promotion
Skip this if...
- •readers who want a clear, step-by-step playbook for startup success—you'll likely bounce off the anecdote-heavy style when Horowitz leaves solutions open-ended, around the chapter on hiring senior executives
- •those who believe startup life is all growth and excitement; you'll likely put it down during the chapter on firing friends, when the emotional weight becomes too heavy and the advice feels too harsh
- •anyone outside the tech startup ecosystem—the examples are deeply embedded in Silicon Valley culture (board meetings, VC dynamics, IPO prep), making it feel irrelevant if your industry operates differently
Ben Horowitz, cofounder of Andreessen Horowitz and one of Silicon Valley's most respected and experienced entrepreneurs, offers essential advice on building and running a startup—practical wisdom for managing the toughest problems business school doesn’t cover, based on his popular ben’s blog. While many people talk about how great it is to start a business, very few are honest about how difficult it is to run one. Ben Horowitz analyzes the problems that confront leaders every day, sharing the insights he’s gained developing, managing, selling, buying, investing in, and supervising technology companies. A lifelong rap fanatic, he amplifies business lessons with lyrics from his favorite…
Before You Buy
Reading Specifications
Difficulty:easy
Length:232 pages (Short)
Audience Fit
- a founder who just discovered they have only six months of runway left and is agonizing over whether to cut headcount or pivot the product
- a first-time CEO overwhelmed by the loneliness of leadership, especially when making a decision that will cost someone their job
- a product manager being pushed into a leadership role who wants to understand the emotional weight of running a team before they accept the promotion
- readers who want a clear, step-by-step playbook for startup success—you'll likely bounce off the anecdote-heavy style when Horowitz leaves solutions open-ended, around the chapter on hiring senior executives
- those who believe startup life is all growth and excitement; you'll likely put it down during the chapter on firing friends, when the emotional weight becomes too heavy and the advice feels too harsh
- anyone outside the tech startup ecosystem—the examples are deeply embedded in Silicon Valley culture (board meetings, VC dynamics, IPO prep), making it feel irrelevant if your industry operates differently
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Why recommended
Recommended by 60 sources and appears in CEO, Product Management, and Venture Capital.
Recommended by notable people
People and public figures who have recommended this book.
Recommendation Signals
Recommendation proof is sourced from public posts, interviews, reading lists, and cited references.
Luis von Ahn
“12. Hard things about Hard Things 35 years This book coincided with the start of nearbuy. At a time when building startups was glamorous, this book lay bare the truths, like nobody else had. It was ok to feel overwhelmed through the journey. | 21/ Hard Thing about Hard Things. @bhorowitz delves into the hardest situations a CEO will face, and how to move forward where there are no good answers. This is a great book to understand what it means to have the buck stop with you, i.e. act as an entrepreneur. | 7. Ben Horowitz?s book The Hard Things About Hard Things is the best book about being a CEO and managing your own psychology as you set out to do this crazy hard thing. It?s fantastic. Read and reread it. | 7. Ben Horowitz’s book The Hard Things About Hard Things is the best book about being a CEO and managing your own psychology as you set out to do this crazy hard thing. It’s fantastic. Read and reread it. | @BooValu23 @portfoliobooks @a16z Honestly, I don't think there are too many out there best business book generally is @bhorowitz Hard Things About Hard Things | @MikeIsaac Horowitz’s book is good. Happy New Year Mike! | @UniHodler Yup, great book. | An inspiring story of a business rebirth through sheer willpower. | Ben Horowitz has written the first true guide for protecting a startup from selfsabotage. | Entertaining more than anything. I read The Hard Thing About Hard Things, I was like: I would never work for this guy. But entertaining and some good lessons. | For anyone insterested in building, growing, or leading a great company, this book is an incredibly valuable resource. | I like this one, but it’s not for very new entrepreneurs. | Let’s just say, we started out relationship with vigorous disagreement, and we’ve continued that to this day. | Q. What's your favourite business book you'd advise to young entrepreneurs and why M.L. Some good ones from the "pure business" category: Zero to One, The Hard Thing About Hard Things, The Innovator's Dilemma, Good to Great, etc. Personally, I prefer less advice, more history. From my favorite business segment: Too Big To Fail, Ascent of Money, When Genius Failed, etc. Books on applied psychology (Influence, Predictably Irrational, etc) are another way to round out primarily technological education :) | Q: Are there any books you haven’t mentioned that you feel would make your reading list P.A.: I would also include the following books: The Emperor of All Maladies, Where Men Win Glory, The President’s Club, The Most Important Thing, Sapiens, The Hard Thing About Hard Things, 10 Percent Happier, The Rommel Papers, King of the World, The Corner and Good Calories, Bad Calories. | Strong selection. Love @bhorowitz book must read for CEOs | The Hard Things About Hard Things' by @bhorowitz is one of the best business books I've picked up in years. | Then finally there is “The Hard Thing about Hard Things.” It’s a bit dark but it does cover a lot of useful territory on what building an organization is like. | This book is loaded with great lessons and advice from a successful leader and innovator. | Without question, to me, The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz is, by far, the best, most brutally honest and incredibly useful book about the realities of starting and running a company, ever written.”
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Appears In
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“This is Dalio’s operating manual for life and work—part memoir, part handbook. He distills his hedge fund’s culture into repeatable 'principles' for radical transparency and systematic thinking. The useful part is the concrete algorithms for error-logging and group decision-making; the annoying part is the cultish fervor around his own brilliance and the implication that his way scales universally. It reads like a boss’s extended memo, sometimes riveting, sometimes eye-rolling.”
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How recommendation signals are reviewed
Each recommendation is collected from a public source — interviews, articles, or curated lists — and linked to its original URL. Books with many verifiable recommendations from respected people rank higher.