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The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers

Ben Horowitz

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Founder connections

  • Marc AndreessenRecommendation
    “Ben’s book is good.”
    Andreessen includes Horowitz’s book in his recommendations for would-be entrepreneurs.
    Source
  • Peter ThielPublisher endorsement
    “he has written the first true guide for protecting a startup from self-sabotage.”
    The author’s firm prints Thiel’s endorsement.
    Source
  • Daniel EkRecommended for first-time leaders
    Ek recommends it for people learning the basics on their first leadership journey.
    Source

Summary

Ben Horowitz draws on his experience running technology companies to examine problems that management advice can make sound simpler than they are. The book combines his company story with practical discussions of hiring, firing, promotions, selling a business, and the pressure on a CEO.

Horowitz gives particular attention to decisions involving loyal colleagues and to managing his own state of mind when the company depends on him. The examples include Loudcloud and Opsware. His central premise is that difficult, changing situations call for judgment: a formula cannot remove the hard choices.

  • SourceThe Hard Thing About Hard Things — a16z book page · Description; list of practical issues
  • SourceFounders #41 — The Hard Thing About Hard Things · Notes;0:01;13:45;21:05–23:16;31:20

Why read it Our view

Read this when the next decision affects people you know and there is no painless choice. Horowitz's examples can help you prepare for conversations about performance, roles, and the future of the company.

The value is in comparing your situation with his: what is at risk, what information is missing, and what responsibility belongs to the CEO? Use the examples to improve your judgment. The same action can have a different result in a different company.

Decisions from the book

Buying a company to keep a major customer
  • Decision: How to protect a customer worth $20 million a year.
  • Action: Horowitz bought a company for $10 million to help retain the account.
  • Outcome: The acquisition helped retain the account, as recounted in the book discussion.
SourceFounders #41 — The Hard Thing About Hard Things · 23:16

Written about

  • Ben HorowitzAuthor
    Horowitz draws on his own experience leading companies and making difficult management decisions.
    Source

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