Confessions Of A Venture Capitalist: Inside the High-Stakes World of Start-up Financing

One of America's most visible venture capitalists takes the reader into the previously unseen world of the high-stakes deals that shape Silicon Valley - and provides a primer on what venture capitalists look for before they invest in a company.

Venture capitalists are the magic behind 70% of the biggest and most impressive stories of the technological revolution but little is known of the method to their madness or even who 'they' are. A successful venture capitalist from Silicon Valley herself, Ruthann Quindlen directed the initial public offerings for Microsoft among many others and she is uniquely placed to tell the remarkable tale of the rise of the venture capitalist economy. Known to be a fearless and inspired gambler herself, Quindlen has seen firsthand the best and worse of what venture capital can do. Is it just lots and lots of cash? Smarts? Critical, strategic relationships? Or just plain luck? Where does the money come from and how does one decide how much to put and where to put it? This book answers all these questions and more as it provides a portrait of what life and work are all about for venture capitalists.