Arc of the Valley received a 4+ star review, making it an IndieReader Approved title.
Following find an interview with author Anton Commissaris.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
Arc of the Valley: The Inside Story of Mint, Silicon Valley, Soaring Success and Selling Out. Published on April 2, 2021
What’s the book’s first line?
“My alarm disrupted the quiet of a Menlo Park morning in March 2006, and I struggled out of bed.
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
What does it take to build an explosive startup in Silicon Valley? Arc of the Valley answers this question based on the story of personal finance startup Mint. It captures the human struggles and relationships behind the technology and dollar signs as it explores the choices and sacrifices startup players must make in their daily quest for glory.
Mint was a posterchild for overnight success in the Valley’s Web 2.0 era. Led by a driven, young founder and built on technology created in his apartment, Mint assembled a hungry, talented and diverse team as it raised millions from the biggest names in venture capital. But Mint’s story is one of opportunity seized as much as of opportunity forfeited. Just as it was flying high, its founder elected to sell to Intuit, its corporate rival, only two years after launch. And Mint withered.
In Arc of the Valley, Anton Commissaris – the founding business executive at Mint – explores how the Valley operates as a startup factory and thinks about failure, success, and selling out. Based on his own experience, the author takes us behind the scenes of the world’s leading ecosystem for global innovation and disruption as never before.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
Over the years, many people asked me about Mint – how it came to be and why it was so successful. I knew the answer to the first part of the question, but why we were so successful so quickly was much more difficult to pin down. I set out to explore and answer that question with the book. I also wanted to share the learnings and insights with millions of aspiring entrepreneurs around the globe. The book also examines Silicon Valley as a unique ecosystem for embracing failure as a means to success and as a platform for catapulting many technology startup companies to global success. The Valley has a way of doing business and thinking (Valleythink) that is unlike any other and always on the cutting edge. Finally, I wanted to explore why entrepreneurs might want to sell their company when they are winning, particularly when so much more business and financial success likely lies ahead.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
To understand what it takes to build a successful startup in Silicon Valley from scratch and explore the impact on people’s character and their human relationships.
When did you first decide to become an author?
About four years ago.
Is this the first book you’ve written?
Yes.
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
I don’t work anymore, but I am a Jazz composer, pianist, and vocalist who is now an independent music artist.
How much time do you generally spend on your writing?
One hour per day.
What’s the best and the hardest part of being an indie?
It is marketing your book.
What’s a great piece of advice that you can share with fellow indie authors?
A little bit each day goes a long way.
Would you go traditional if a publisher came calling? If so, why?
Most likely – it seems more prestigious, and they have book distribution networks.
Is there something in particular that motivates you (fame? fortune?)
The creative challenge.
Which writer, living or dead, do you most admire?
Somerset Maugham
Which book do you wish you could have written?
The Great Gatsby.