Eric Ries wrote The Lean Startup in 2011 and changed how a generation of founders thought about building companies. He’s been an inspiration for me, especially around writing about entrepreneurship.
Eric has a new book coming out on May 26 called Incorruptible. The premise is one I think about a lot. The Lean Startup helps you build a valuable company. Incorruptible is about how and why to protect it, keeping a company mission-driven over the long term instead of letting it rot from the inside.
This rot is now everywhere, as described so clearly by Cory Doctorow in his book Enshitification.
On April 29 at 10am PT / 1pm ET, Eric and I are doing a fireside chat together. It’s virtual and free. Register here.
Last year I published Give First: The Power of Mentorship. It’s the long-form version of an idea I’ve been carrying around for fifteen years - that the best startup communities are built by people who put in more than they take out and don’t keep score.
The two books point at the same problem from different angles. Eric is asking how companies stay true to themselves. I’m asking how communities stay generous. Both are about resisting the pull toward extraction.
Register for free. I hope to see you there.