In “The Cult of We,” Eliot Brown tells the story of how Adam Neumann and WeWork went from two guys with an idea for a platform to sharing office space to one of the most hyped startups in history. Along the way, Neumann’s quirks-from his steadfast belief that work and life should be one and the same, to his love of luxury hotels-became part of WeWork’s lore. But as Neumann took on more investors, raised more money, and expanded rapidly into new markets, things began to unravel. In early 2019, accusations started flying about nepotism among top executives ,and then came reports that WeWork was losing staggering sums . As questions mounted about whether or notNeuman had taken leaveof absence as CEO due imbalances in his personal holdings in company stock – “We” became anathema overnight.” This is a well-written and interesting story about the rise and fall of WeWork.
For who is this book for ?
For people who are interested in startups, money and finance, or just want to read a good business book.
Pros :
- The author does a great job of telling the story of WeWork and Adam Neumann, from their early days to their eventual downfall.
- The book is well written and easy to read.
- It provides an interesting look inside the world of startup culture and how it can go wrong.
Cons :
- The author doesn’t seem to have a very positive opinion of WeWork or its founder, Adam Neumann.
- The book is quite long and could be condensed into a shorter, more concise article.
- It’s not always easy to follow the various financial dealings described in the book.
Learn more about the author
Eliot Brown is a reporter for The Wall Street Journal. He has covered WeWork since the company’s early days, and he was one of the first reporters to write about its troubles this year.
Reader Reviews
“Brown does a great job of balancing the story of WeWork’s founding and meteoric growth with an assessment of recent events that led to its decline. The book is well researched, drawing on interviews with many current and former employees as well as Neumann himself.”
“If you’re interested in startups, or just want to get a good inside look at one that’s failed spectacularly, I recommend picking up this book. It reads very much like a novel, but is all true.”
“Brown does an admirable job of capturing the WeWork zeitgeist and Adam Neumann’s outsize role in it. The story moves quickly, making for a lively read even as it plumbs the depths of financial chicanery and over-the-top spending.”
“This book is a great, in-depth look at the story behind WeWork and their meteoric rise to fame. It highlights not only the good points of Adam Neumann and WeWork, but also brings up some of the controversies that have arisen in recent months (such as nepotism accusations). If you’re interested in startups or just want to know more about what made WeWork so popular, I’d definitely recommend reading this!”
