Super Pumped
by Mike Isaac
- Published
- 2019
- Pages
- 408 pages
- Publisher
- W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.
- Readers
- 2 members have read this
Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber is a book written by New York Times technology correspondent Mike Isaac that chronicles the rise and fall of ride-hailing giant Uber. The book details the early days of Uber's founding and its rapid growth into a multibillion dollar company, as well as the controversial events and scandals that plagued the company in its later years. It covers topics such as Uber's combative relationship with regulators, its use of questionable business tactics, and the toxic company culture fostered by its former CEO, Travis Kalanick. Ultimately, Super Pumped paints a picture of a company that was driven by a singular focus on growth at all costs, and the consequences of that mentality.
Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber is a comprehensive and highly-detailed account of the rise and fall of ride-hailing giant Uber. Written by New York Times technology correspondent Mike Isaac, the book traces the history of Uber from its humble beginnings as a small startup in 2009, to its eventual status as a multibillion dollar company operating in cities around the world.
The book begins by charting the early days of Uber's founding, and the creative and innovative ways in which the company disrupted the traditional taxi industry. It describes how Uber used technology to connect drivers and riders in a way that was faster, more convenient, and often cheaper than traditional taxi services.
As Uber's popularity grew, so did its challenges. The book delves into the various controversies and scandals that plagued the company in its later years, including its combative relationship with regulators, its use of questionable business tactics, and the toxic company culture fostered by its former CEO, Travis Kalanick.
Isaac also examines the personal and professional struggles of Kalanick, who became known for his aggressive leadership style and his willingness to do whatever it took to win. Despite his successes, Kalanick ultimately faced a series of setbacks and was forced to resign as CEO in 2017.
Throughout the book, Isaac provides a nuanced and balanced portrayal of Uber, warts and all. He neither glorifies nor vilifies the company, but rather seeks to provide a clear-eyed and honest account of its impact on the world of transportation and beyond.
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Uber was able to achieve rapid growth by disrupting the traditional taxi industry with its innovative use of technology.
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The company faced numerous challenges and controversies, including regulatory battles, questionable business tactics, and a toxic company culture.
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Former CEO Travis Kalanick played a significant role in shaping the company's aggressive and controversial approach to business.
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Uber's focus on rapid growth at all costs ultimately contributed to its downfall and the resignation of Kalanick as CEO.
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The company's story offers important lessons about the potential consequences of prioritizing growth over ethics and sustainability.
Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber is a nonfiction book written by New York Times technology correspondent Mike Isaac. The book tells the story of Uber, one of the most successful and controversial companies of the 21st century, and its rise to become the world's largest ride-hailing service.
The book begins with the early days of Uber, when it was just a small startup in San Francisco. The company's founders, Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp, had a vision to create a transportation network that would be more efficient and convenient than traditional taxi services. They quickly gained traction, and Uber began to expand rapidly, entering new markets and developing new services.
As Uber grew, it faced increasing resistance from traditional taxi companies and regulators. The company was often accused of flouting regulations and acting recklessly, and it faced numerous legal challenges. Despite these obstacles, Uber continued to grow, and it eventually became one of the most valuable private companies in the world.
The book also delves into the personal and professional lives of Kalanick and other key players at Uber. Isaac paints a picture of a company that was driven by ambition and a desire to disrupt the status quo, but also one that was plagued by internal conflicts and ethical dilemmas.
Super Pumped also covers the company's financial struggles and the eventual ousting of its CEO, Travis Kalanick. Despite the controversies and scandals, Uber continued to change the way people move around cities and the way we think about transportation.
A New York Times technology correspondent presents the dramatic rise and fall of Uber, set against the rapid upheaval in Silicon Valley during the mobile era.
In June 2017, Travis Kalanick, the hard-charging CEO of Uber, was ousted in a boardroom coup that capped a brutal year for the transportation giant. Uber had catapulted to the top of the tech world yet for many came to symbolize everything wrong with Silicon Valley. In the tradition of Brad Stone’s Everything Store and John Carreyrou’s Bad Blood, award-winning investigative reporter Mike Isaac’s Super Pumped delivers a gripping account of Uber’s rapid rise, its pitched battles with taxi unions and drivers, the company’s toxic internal culture and the bare-knuckle tactics it devised to overcome obstacles in its quest for dominance.
Based on hundreds of interviews with current and former Uber employees, along with previously unpublished documents, Super Pumped is a pause-resisting story of ambition and deception, obscene wealth and bad behavior that explores how blistering technological and financial innovation culminated in one of the most catastrophic 12-month periods in American corporate history.
Reader reviews
I recently had the opportunity to read Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber, and I have to say that it was a truly captivating and enlightening read. As someone who has followed the rise and fall of Uber closely over the ye...
