Auren Hoffman's Profile

Now is the Last Bubble

We’re in midst of the last bubble. This bubble will likely go on for longer than previous bubbles and crash much harder. This current bubble is fueled by being the last chance for baby boomers to strike it rich. Here... Continue reading

Posted Apr 17, 2013 at Summation

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my reading list

The following are a list of books that I think about regularly. These are the books I have read since college that have most impacted me. I highly recommend all of them: Ultimate Auren Hoffman Reading List: Adventure Capitalist: The... Continue reading

Posted Mar 20, 2013 at Summation

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Yann -- I accept your conclusion. As someone who majored in engineering, I would love to encourage others to do that too

Commented Feb 22, 2013 on Cre-8-TVT will trump systems thinking at Summation

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Ali: I think learning to code is awesome -- and it is extremely creative and important. But if one if going to code, one should strive to be great at it (and be a software engineer). In the new world we are moving to, you need to be great or you will be outsourced.

Commented Feb 22, 2013 on Cre-8-TVT will trump systems thinking at Summation

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Bing: you know more about creativity than almost anyone. honored to have you as part of the conversation on my blog!

Commented Feb 20, 2013 on Cre-8-TVT will trump systems thinking at Summation

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Jeff: really appreciate your comment. I loved your book on neuroscience.

Commented Feb 20, 2013 on Cre-8-TVT will trump systems thinking at Summation

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Cre-8-TVT will trump systems thinking

The Right Brain Revolution Over the next 100 years, the importance of creativity will trump systems thinking due to the rapidly escalating power of computers. No, I’m not talking about an apocalyptic “Rise of the Machines,” but rather about the... Continue reading

Posted Feb 5, 2013 at Summation

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Abe Lincoln will have 1 million children by 2033

Prediction: Twenty years from now, by 2033, Abraham Lincoln will have over one million children. Starting in 2023, scientists will have mastered creating and manufacturing sperm from DNA. This will be a godsend for men unable to have kids and... Continue reading

Posted Jan 9, 2013 at Summation

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Personalization: The Store Clerk vs. The Machine

Try this offline experiment this holiday season: Walk into a Tiffany’s with a bag from JC Penney’s and see if anyone will talk to you. Next, go to JC Penney’s with a bag from Tiffany’s and watch the staff fawn... Continue reading

Posted Dec 18, 2012 at Summation

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tale of two haircuts: does price correlate with looks?

Haircuts are interesting. Before last week, I'd never spent more than $22 for a haircut. When I got married, I went to my go-to local barber (then it was $12) and got a good cut because I didn't want to... Continue reading

Posted Dec 3, 2012 at Summation

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thanks Kat! and I am so thrilled you have been reading Summation for years.

Commented Nov 24, 2012 on The “Pretty Girl” Paradox at Summation

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Tony: thank you so much for commenting -- I am honored that the CEO of Zappos takes the time to read and give thoughtful replies on one of e-commerce's busiest days of the year. When I look to build a culture and hire great people, i think of Tony and Zappos. Zappos is the gold standard.

Commented Nov 22, 2012 on The “Pretty Girl” Paradox at Summation

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Fred: thank you for your comments. I haven't thought about how this works in politics but I hope to be as eloquent as you in a future post.

Commented Nov 22, 2012 on The “Pretty Girl” Paradox at Summation

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The “Pretty Girl” Paradox

A fast friend heuristic to determine who to marry, hire, or even invest in The “pretty girl” is the object of desire, rare and easy to spot. For our purposes, the “pretty girl” (gender neutral here) can be a potential... Continue reading

Posted Nov 19, 2012 at Summation

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There is an interesting discussion about taxes...

There is an interesting discussion about taxes (yes, they have a lot of emotion) on my Facebook page which includes luminaries like Tim Draper, Eli Pariser, Russ Fradin, Peter Pham, Marc Cenedella, Michael Baum, Paul Santinelli, Scott Banister, George Garrick,... Continue reading

Posted Nov 9, 2012 at Summation

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George: thanks for reading this blog! For readers who don't know, George Scalise is a legend in Silicon Valley and one its founders and promoters.

Commented Oct 10, 2012 on "What You Know" now beats "Who You Know" at Summation

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Forbes sometimes republishes my blog articles if they feel it is the right fit for their readers. I love it when they do because I hear from lots of different types of people that I don't normally get to meet (they have a broad and intelligent audience).

Commented Oct 9, 2012 on "What You Know" now beats "Who You Know" at Summation

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"What You Know" now beats "Who You Know"

This article originally appeared in Forbes on Oct 1, 2012. The old adage that “it’s not what you know but who you know” is so entrenched that we don’t question the premise. Undoubtedly, who you know has been important throughout... Continue reading

Posted Oct 1, 2012 at Summation

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“I don’t have time" is an odd statement. we...

“I don’t have time" is an odd statement. we all have 24 hours in the day, we just allocate our time differently Continue reading

Posted Aug 28, 2012 at Summation

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Uber saved me (and my car) - thank you Monty

This morning, my car died. It started out fine. I moved the car out of my garage and into the street, turned it off real quick, tried to turn it on and wham ... everything died. I wasn't sure what... Continue reading

Posted Jul 18, 2012 at Summation

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Read Year Zero by Rob Reid

Rob Reid wrote a great new great new book (came out today but I read it a few months back) called Year Zero. my recommendation: Read this book. Here is the five-star review I wrote on Amazon: If you grew... Continue reading

Posted Jul 10, 2012 at Summation

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TPQ – Thought Provoking Questions

The best conversations are about non-obvious ideas. Whether it be a dinner party, an interview, catching up with an old friend, family outing, etc. We learn more, engage our mind, and are more drawn into conversations about ideas. Unfortunately, most... Continue reading

Posted May 4, 2012 at Summation

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Marlene: I 100% agree with you.

Commented Apr 16, 2012 on Bad Bosses are Your Fault at Summation

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Bad Bosses are Your Fault

Yes, bad bosses are the fault of their subordinates. Before we begin, I know this post is going to be controversial and that many will disagree. I’d love your comments and feedback. There are a lot of bad bosses in... Continue reading

Posted Apr 14, 2012 at Summation

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Thanks! I will check out the book

Commented Mar 26, 2012 on Why I Don’t Invest in the U.S. Stock Market at Summation

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