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How To Be Wrong
A crash course in startup success
Brief Description
Sometimes the only way to be right is to get comfortable with being wrong. Most startup advice is dangerously misguided. The mythology of the lone genius founder, the obsession with capital raising, and the theatre of startup ecosystems lead countless ventures astray. Drawing on two decades...
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How To Be Wrong
$3600
$3999
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Unit price
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Rowan Simpson, veteran investor and early employee at Trade Me, Xero, Vend and Timely, delivers a masterclass in embracing uncertainty, recognising patterns and transforming mistakes into fuel for success.
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Description
Sometimes the only way to be right is to get comfortable with being wrong.
Most startup advice is dangerously misguided. The mythology of the lone genius founder, the obsession with capital raising, and the theatre of startup ecosystems lead countless ventures astray.
Drawing on two decades at the heart of New Zealand's most successful technology companies β Trade Me, Xero, Vend, and Timely β Rowan Simpson unravels the messy reality behind familiar glossy success stories. Combining raw honesty and sharp analysis, he challenges conventional wisdom by sharing compelling firsthand lessons about focused execution, team building, and genuine ecosystem growth.
This myth-busting guide is essential reading for founders, investors, and policymakers alike. Simpson demonstrates that embracing uncertainty, recognising patterns, and learning quickly from mistakes are not just steps on the path to success β they are the path itself.
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"Rowan is one of the smartest thinkers I have met on the unique potential Kiwi founders have to create globally significant businesses. This book brings extraordinary authenticity to this glossy opportunity while reminding us all that being wrong in a start-up is a necessary part of finding 'right'. Rowan reminds us that pursuing ambitious goals means getting comfortable with the idea of failing."Β Tim Brown -Β Co-Founder of Allbirds
"Every upcoming entrepreneur needs to read this immediately. Not just for the useful specifics, but more importantly, for his practical generosity: an empathetic and pragmatic perspective that is his real super-power. Ingest and apply that spirit to your own venture for the win-win." Derek Sivers - Author, ex-entrepreneur
"Founding a startup is often glamorised as all excitement and a smooth ride to success. The reality? It's bloody tough, messy, and far from a fairytale. This book cuts through the noise with a no-BS take, packed with juicy tales from some of New Zealand's most well-known startups."Β Ryan Baker -Β CEO & Co-Founder, Timely
"Most start up books focus on hyping up the destination and downplaying the messy, boring and difficult work involved in actually getting there. Rowan has captured the lessons from a successful career and shaped them into practical advice that will be incredibly useful to any founder or early stage employee." Michael Koziarski -Β ex CTO, Vend
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Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780473729967
Publisher: Electric Fence
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 24 February 2025
Country: New Zealand
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 156.0mm
Height: 235.0mm
Weight: 250g
Pages: 350
Collections
100 Great Reads
2025 Best Sellers
Best Sellers at Book Hero
Best Selling Books
Biography & Memoir
Business & Entrepreneurship
Business Biographies
In Stock Books
New Zealand and Australia Published
New Zealand Biographies
New Zealand Non-Fiction
New Zealand Published
Non-Fiction
Rowan Simpson
Self Published New Zealand Authors
Start-ups & Entrepreneurship
About the Author
Rowan Simpson has been at the heart of New Zealandβs most successful technology companies. As a founding team member at Trade Me and Xero, and later as an investor and advisor to such companies as Vend and Timely, he has witnessed first-hand how great companies are built and helped shape a generation of high-growth businesses. Simpsonβs writing challenges conventional thinking about startups and startup ecosystems, drawing on two decades of experience. How To Be Wrong is his first book.
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Signed CopyHow To Be Wrong
Sometimes the only way to be right is to get comfortable with being wrong. Most startup advice is dangerously misguided. The mythology of the lone genius founder, the obsession with capital raising, and the theatre of startup ecosystems lead countless ventures astray. Drawing on two decades at the heart of New Zealand's most successful technology companies β Trade Me, Xero,...Hardback$4999Elsewhere:$5499Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow
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