rcmnd

Gibson Biddle

Product leadership coach and writer of the “Ask Gib” newsletter; former VP of Product at Netflix and Chief Product Officer at Chegg.

24 things

7 PowersBook Hamilton Helmer

loved

This book describes the foundation required for building a “hard to copy” advantage.

From his “Summer Reading” essay, in the section he introduces as “my four favorite strategy books”.

2021-08-05·askgib.substack.com ↗

Zero to OneBook Peter A. Thiel

loved

This is an extremely well-written book focused on startup product strategy.

From his “Summer Reading” essay, in the section he introduces as “my four favorite strategy books”.

2021-08-05·askgib.substack.com ↗

The Innovator's DilemmaBook Clayton Christensen

loved

This was the bible at Netflix. The management team read this book each year then discussed it as a team.

From his “Summer Reading” essay, in the section he introduces as “my four favorite strategy books”.

2021-08-05·askgib.substack.com ↗

MoneyballBook Michael Lewis

loved

This book framed my initial thinking on the importance of metrics.

From his “Summer Reading” essay, in the section he introduces as “my four favorite strategy books”.

2021-08-05·askgib.substack.com ↗

Elon MuskBook Ashlee Vance

loved

This has three startup stories in one book

From his “Summer Reading” essay, in the section he introduces as “my favorite startup books”.

2021-08-05·askgib.substack.com ↗

No FilterBook Sarah Frier

loved

From startup to acquisition by Facebook.

From his “Summer Reading” essay, in the section he introduces as “my favorite startup books”.

2021-08-05·askgib.substack.com ↗

Steve JobsBook Walter Isaacson

loved

Excellent writer.

From his “Summer Reading” essay, in the section he introduces as “my favorite startup books”.

2021-08-05·askgib.substack.com ↗

That Will Never WorkBook Marc Randolph

loved

Marc was the co-founder of Netflix. He chronicles the very early days.

From his “Summer Reading” essay, in the section he introduces as “my favorite startup books”.

2021-08-05·askgib.substack.com ↗

PowerfulBook Patty McCord

loved

Patty ran HR at Netflix and advocates radical honesty

From his “Summer Reading” essay, in the section he introduces as “my favorite startup books”.

2021-08-05·askgib.substack.com ↗

Obviously AwesomeBook April Dunford

loved

This book focuses on startup strategy and positioning.

From his “Summer Reading” essay, in the section he introduces as “my favorite startup books”.

2021-08-05·askgib.substack.com ↗

Take Back Your PowerBook Deb Liu

loved

For women in tech, how to unstack the deck against you in your workplace and careers.

From his “Summer Reading” essay, in the section he introduces as “my favorite startup books”.

2021-08-05·askgib.substack.com ↗

Product GrowthOther Aakash Gupta

recommended

Concise reads on product, tech and strategy with lots of examples and juicy cases.

Gibson Biddle's own recommendation blurb for the newsletter Product Growth, on their Substack's recommendations page.

2022-08-30·askgib.substack.com ↗

Behind the CraftOther Peter Yang

recommended

Focused on community and leading edge tech like Web3, NFTs and the next wave of tools and technology.

Gibson Biddle's own recommendation blurb for the newsletter Behind the Craft, on their Substack's recommendations page.

2022-05-20·askgib.substack.com ↗

Not Boring by Packy McCormickOther Packy McCormick

recommended

In-depth writing on some of today's most interesting new technologies and businesses.

Gibson Biddle's own recommendation blurb for the newsletter Not Boring by Packy McCormick, on their Substack's recommendations page.

2022-04-29·askgib.substack.com ↗

The ProfileOther Polina Pompliano

recommended

In-depth writing on interesting people of our times.

Gibson Biddle's own recommendation blurb for the newsletter The Profile, on their Substack's recommendations page.

2022-03-25·askgib.substack.com ↗

PerspectivesOther Deb Liu

recommended

Helping you to navigate your career.

Gibson Biddle's own recommendation blurb for the newsletter Perspectives, on their Substack's recommendations page.

2022-03-25·askgib.substack.com ↗

Lenny’s NewsletterOther Lenny Rachitsky

recommended

A vast library of product management resources.

Gibson Biddle's own recommendation blurb for the newsletter Lenny's Newsletter, on their Substack's recommendations page.

2022-03-25·askgib.substack.com ↗

WhistleblowerBook Susan Fowler

recommended

This book forces you to reflect on the “Bro” culture in Silicon Valley. This is a must-read, and Susan’s early upbringing is fascinating.

From his “Summer Reading” essay, in the section he introduces as “my favorite startup books”.

2021-08-05·askgib.substack.com ↗

StratecheryOther Ben Thompson

recommended

The original strategy newsletter.

From the “Additional resources” section of his “Summer Reading” essay.

2021-08-05·askgib.substack.com ↗

First Round ReviewOther

recommended

A treasure trove for consumer and enterprise technology companies.

From the “Additional resources” section of his “Summer Reading” essay.

2021-08-05·askgib.substack.com ↗

How I Built ThisPodcast Guy Raz

recommended

Like my startup books, each of these podcasts gives insight into product and strategy.

From the “Additional resources” section of his “Summer Reading” essay.

2021-08-05·askgib.substack.com ↗

How to Build an Iconic CompanyPodcast Keith Rabois

recommended

These are three-minute podcasts that talk about startups, leadership, management, and strategy.

From the “Additional resources” section of his “Summer Reading” essay.

2021-08-05·askgib.substack.com ↗

Lenny’s NewsletterOther Lenny Rachitsky

recommended

A weekly Substack product newsletter that pulls together lots of highly relevant resources.

From the “Additional resources” section of his “Summer Reading” essay.

2021-08-05·askgib.substack.com ↗

Every entry is a verbatim quote and a link to the public post it came from. Nothing is paraphrased. If it is not on record somewhere public, it is not here.

The verdict is what they actually said: loved and liked are explicit; recommended means they told others to get it; uses means they only say they use it; read is a book on their public shelf with no verdict; mixed and disliked are kept too.

A dashed affiliate link, sponsored or their own label means the post disclosed a relationship. It is shown, never hidden.

The shading behind a date shows how dated a recommendation is for its kind of thing.

The shading behind a date shows how dated a recommendation is, for its kind of thing. Fully green is recent. It drains a quarter at a time as the post gets older, and is empty once it reads as dated.

What counts as old depends on the thing. A laptop praised four years ago has been replaced twice; a book loved twenty years ago is probably still loved. The shading is gone after about:

Stripes mean the post carries no date and the date shown is an estimate. No date at all, no shading.