Burn Rate cover art

Burn Rate

Launching a Startup and Losing My Mind

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Burn Rate

By: Andy Dunn
Narrated by: Andy Dunn
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About this listen

 NATIONAL BESTSELLER • In this “gripping” (TechCrunch), “eye-opening” (Gayle King, Oprah Daily) memoir of mental illness and entrepreneurship, the co-founder of the menswear startup Bonobos opens up about the struggle with bipolar disorder that nearly cost him everything.

“Arrestingly candid . . . the most powerful book I’ve read on manic depression since An Unquiet Mind.”—Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Think Again and host of WorkLife

At twenty-eight, fresh from Stanford’s MBA program and steeped in the move-fast-and-break-things ethos of Silicon Valley, Andy Dunn was on top of the world. He was building a new kind of startup—a digitally native, direct-to-consumer brand—out of his Manhattan apartment. Bonobos was a new-school approach to selling an old-school product: men’s pants. Against all odds, business was booming.

Hustling to scale the fledgling venture, Dunn raised tens of millions of dollars while boundaries between work and life evaporated. As he struggled to keep the startup afloat, Dunn was haunted by a ghost: a diagnosis of bipolar disorder he received after a frightening manic episode in college, one that had punctured the idyllic veneer of his midwestern upbringing. He had understood his diagnosis as an unspeakable shame that—according to the taciturn codes of his fraternity, the business world, and even his family—should be locked away.

As Dunn’s business began to take off, however, some of the very traits that powered his success as a founder—relentless drive, confidence bordering on hubris, and ambition verging on delusion—were now threatening to undo him. A collision course was set in motion, and it would culminate in a night of mayhem—one poised to unravel all that he had built.

Burn Rate is an unconventional entrepreneurial memoir, a parable for the twenty-first-century economy, and a revelatory look at the prevalence of mental illness in the startup community. With intimate prose, Andy Dunn fearlessly shines a light on the dark side of success and challenges us all to take part in the deepening conversation around creativity, performance, and disorder. Business Business Development & Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship Mental Health Mood Disorders Professionals & Academics Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Health Haunted

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All stars
Most relevant
Great story and fascinating insight into bipolar. Great to read such an honest reflection by the author

Great story

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Being the only child of a mother with Bipolar Disorder, having a few other mental health issues in the family AND having recently delivered a MBA dissertation about “Enhancing Physical Product Innovation in the Digital Age”, I really enjoyed this book from Andy Dunn. I really admire two legacies he already left for the society, one is DNVB (digital native vertical brand - it is fair to say he was a precursor) and (most importantly) this book. The fact he spoke out about his terrible disease, his journey and the stigma for entrepreneurs and the business world (where what is valued is stability, “Cartesianism” logic, pragmatism) … the stories, the sense of humour, it reads well.
Cherry on top is the link to Brazil and Jewish culture :) I wish this become a Netflix documentary in order to expand the reach, awareness and understanding about bipolar disorder.

Must read for people with or related to people with bipolar disorder

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Really interesting perspective on mental health. as someone currently starting a startup I recognized parts of myself and many people I know in this book. I was a sensitive, "gifted" child myself and I often wonder what the cause and effect is. I felt like this book offered a voice I don't usually hear in the mental health world and was a refreshing and honest perspective

a new perspective

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This book is a brilliant insight into Bipolar disorder, but particularly the ups and downs while running a startup. It’s a totally different perspective, with a lot of the motives of entrepreneurs noted here. It a great insight into the importance of mental health as a entrepreneur.

Brilliant insight

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