Smart People Should Build Things - by Andrew Yang (Hardcover)

About the Book

Andrew Yang, the founder of Venture for America, offers a unique solution to our country s economic and social problems our smart people should be building things. Smart People Should Build Things offers a stark picture of the current culture and a revolutionary model that will redirect a generation of ambitious young people to the critical job of innovating and building new businesses.

As the Founder and CEO of Venture for America, Andrew Yang places top college graduates in start-ups for two years in emerging U.S. cities to generate job growth and train the next generation of entrepreneurs. He knows firsthand how our current view of education is broken. Many college graduates aspire to finance, consulting, law school, grad school, or medical school out of a vague desire for additional status and progress rather than from a genuine passion or fit.

In Smart People Should Build Things, this self-described recovering lawyer and entrepreneur weaves together a compelling narrative of success stories (including his own), offering observations about the flow of talent in the United States and explanations of why current trends are leading to economic distress and cultural decline. He also presents recommendations for both policy makers and job seekers to make entrepreneurship more realistic and achievable."

Book Synopsis

Andrew Yang, the founder of Venture for America, offers a unique solution to our country's economic and social problems--our smart people should be building things. Smart People Should Build Things offers a stark picture of the current culture and a revolutionary model that will redirect a generation of ambitious young people to the critical job of innovating and building new businesses.

As the Founder and CEO of Venture for America, Andrew Yang places top college graduates in start-ups for two years in emerging U.S. cities to generate job growth and train the next generation of entrepreneurs. He knows firsthand how our current view of education is broken. Many college graduates aspire to finance, consulting, law school, grad school, or medical school out of a vague desire for additional status and progress rather than from a genuine passion or fit.

In Smart People Should Build Things, this self-described "recovering lawyer" and entrepreneur weaves together a compelling narrative of success stories (including his own), offering observations about the flow of talent in the United States and explanations of why current trends are leading to economic distress and cultural decline. He also presents recommendations for both policy makers and job seekers to make entrepreneurship more realistic and achievable.

From the Back Cover

We've got a problem--our most talented and educated young people aren't building things. They're not starting or joining innovative companies that are addressing crises in education, energy, or transportation. Meanwhile, in recovering cities such as Detroit, New Orleans, and Baltimore, promising startups and growth companies representing the next generation of job creation are desperate to attract the talent they need to expand and thrive.

Imagine if the same people who are currently heading to Wall Street were instead joining startups and early-stage companies throughout the United States. How long would it take before they positively impacted job creation and economic competitiveness?

Knowing firsthand why the current vision of education and career paths isn't functioning properly, Andrew Yang has set out to fix this problem. As the founder and CEO of Venture for America, he places top college graduates in startups for two years in emerging U.S. cities to generate job growth and train a new generation of entrepreneurs. In Smart People Should Build Things, this self-described "recovering lawyer" and entrepreneur has woven together a compelling narrative of success stories (including his own), offering observations about the flow of talent in the United States, and explaining why current trends are leading to economic distress and cultural decline. He also presents recommendations for both policy makers and job seekers that will make entrepreneurship more realistic and attainable. The country needs teams of committed builders to create value and restore the culture, and Smart People Should Build Things is about how we can get there.

Review Quotes

"Yang's pitch for entrepreneurship as a viable alternative to more structured careers is enticing." -- Publishers Weekly

"Andrew Yang lays out a solution that is a proven winner for not only the young generation coming of age, but for the nation as a whole." -- Dan Gilbert, chairman and founder of Rock Ventures

"I have great respect for the foresight Andrew brought to his groundbreaking start-up, Venture for America, and Andrew has become living proof that it's possible to create a platform that makes it easier than ever for the country's best and brightest to help others succeed." -- Jeff Weiner, CEO of LinkedIn

"Andrew is one of those rare visionaries who puts dreams into action. This book is a roadmap for young people in designing their careers, a playbook for policy makers for rebuilding our cities, and a path forward to moving entrepreneurship back to the center of the American economy." -- Arianna Huffington, founder and Editor-in-Chief of the Huffington Post

"I wish this book and Venture for America had existed when I graduated from college and wanted to make the world a better place but didn't know where to turn. This book details how we can channel our top graduates into impactful entrepreneurial opportunities while addressing our economy's biggest problems." -- Dave Gilboa, co-founder and co-CEO of Warby Parker

"A lot of people in the world are chasing the money, not the passion. Smart People Should Build Things shows them a way out -- and has the potential to change the way we define success in business." -- Tony Hsieh, NY Times bestselling author of "Delivering Happiness" and CEO of Zappos.com, Inc.

"Enlightening and frequently surprising and moves much of the author's pro-entrepreneurship slant from conventional wisdom into fact-based guidance for the "young, hungry talent" he hopes will help rebuild the American economy. A galvanizing amalgam of personal history, acquired business wisdom and mentorship." -- Kirkus Reviews