David Cohen and Brad Feld – Do More Faster: Book Review & Audio Summary

Book Info

• Book name: Do More Faster: TechStars Lessons for Building a Revolutionary Business
• Author: David Cohen, Brad Feld
• Genre: Business & Economics
• Pages: 272
• Published Year: 2011
• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
• Language: English

Audio Summary

Synopsis

Do More Faster distills the hard-won wisdom of TechStars founders David Cohen and Brad Feld into actionable advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. Drawing from their experience running one of the world’s most successful startup accelerators, the authors challenge conventional wisdom by arguing that passion trumps ideas, teams beat solo efforts, and simplicity wins over complexity. Through real-world examples from TechStars alumni and their own entrepreneurial journeys, Cohen and Feld provide a practical roadmap for navigating the chaotic early stages of building a business—from assembling the right team and refining your product to securing investment and maintaining work-life balance. This isn’t theoretical business school material; it’s battle-tested advice from founders who’ve been in the trenches.

Key Takeaways

• Passion and execution matter more than having a “perfect” business idea—investors back people, not just concepts
• Building the right team is crucial; hire people who challenge you and complement your weaknesses rather than going it alone
• Keep your product simple with high-quality core features instead of overloading it with unnecessary complexity
• Small startup teams have a competitive advantage over large corporations through flexibility and faster decision-making
• Master the fundamentals of communication, especially email, when reaching out to potential investors and partners

My Summary

Why Your Great Idea Isn’t Enough

I’ll be honest—when I first picked up Do More Faster, I expected another typical startup book filled with stories about overnight successes and billion-dollar exits. What I got instead was something far more valuable: a reality check wrapped in practical wisdom.

David Cohen and Brad Feld, the masterminds behind TechStars, one of the most respected startup accelerators in the world, cut straight through the mythology surrounding entrepreneurship. Their first major point hit me hard: your brilliant idea isn’t nearly as important as you think it is.

This might sound discouraging at first, but stick with me here. The authors explain that ideas are essentially commodities in today’s hyper-connected world. Chances are, someone else has already thought of your “unique” concept, or they will soon. I’ve seen this play out in my own experience covering the startup world—how many meal kit services launched around the same time? How many meditation apps flooded the market simultaneously?

What actually separates successful founders from the rest isn’t the originality of their idea—it’s their passion for solving a specific problem. Cohen and Feld share the story of Kevin Mann, founder of Graphically, a digital comic book distributor. Mann didn’t stumble upon some revolutionary technology or business model. He simply drove 100 miles to buy a comic book, found it sold out, and realized how frustrating this was for fellow fans. His passion for comics and understanding of the community’s pain points drove him to create a solution.

This resonates deeply with current trends in entrepreneurship. We’re seeing more founders building businesses around their genuine interests and communities rather than chasing whatever seems most profitable. The rise of niche subscription services, specialized online communities, and passion-driven products validates this approach.

The authors also emphasize something that many first-time entrepreneurs overlook: your idea will evolve. In fact, it should evolve. Being too attached to your original concept can be fatal. The key is staying open to feedback from mentors, potential customers, and even competitors. This iterative approach aligns perfectly with the lean startup methodology that’s become standard practice in Silicon Valley and beyond.

The Power of Building the Right Team

Here’s where Cohen and Feld really challenge the lone wolf entrepreneur mythology. They’re adamant: don’t go it alone. And they back this up with compelling reasoning that goes beyond the obvious “more hands make lighter work” argument.

First, there’s the psychological element. Starting a business is an emotional rollercoaster. You’ll face rejection from investors, criticism from early users, and countless moments of self-doubt. When you’re solo, these setbacks can feel insurmountable. I’ve watched talented entrepreneurs give up on promising ventures simply because they didn’t have a support system to help them weather the storms.

But having co-founders isn’t just about emotional support—it’s about execution speed. The authors point out something crucial: in the startup world, running out of money before achieving product-market fit is one of the most common causes of failure. A strong team helps you move faster, test more hypotheses, and reach critical milestones before your runway disappears.

What struck me most was their hiring philosophy: always hire people who are better than you at something. This requires genuine humility and self-awareness. Many founders feel threatened by bringing on team members who might outshine them in certain areas. Cohen and Feld flip this thinking on its head—your weaknesses are opportunities to bring in someone exceptional.

They use an athletic analogy that really clicked for me. Athletes train together because competition makes everyone better. Your co-founders and early employees should challenge you, push you to think differently, and call you out when you’re making mistakes. This isn’t comfortable, but it’s essential for growth.

In today’s remote-first startup environment, this advice is more relevant than ever. You’re no longer limited to hiring people in your geographic area. You can build a truly world-class team by finding the best people regardless of location. But this also means you need to be even more intentional about hiring—cultural fit and communication become paramount when you’re not sharing an office space.

The Startup Advantage: Small, Flexible, and Fast

One of my favorite sections in Do More Faster addresses a fear many entrepreneurs have: how can my tiny startup compete with established companies that have massive resources? Cohen and Feld’s answer is refreshing—you have advantages they don’t.

Large corporations are burdened by bureaucracy. Every decision requires multiple approvals, passes through various departments, and gets filtered through layers of management. This might provide stability, but it kills agility. I’ve worked with Fortune 500 companies where it took six months just to approve a simple website change. Meanwhile, a startup can pivot their entire strategy over a weekend.

This flexibility is your superpower. When market conditions change, when customer feedback reveals a new direction, or when a competitor makes an unexpected move, you can adapt immediately. You don’t need to schedule a meeting to schedule a meeting to discuss scheduling a meeting about the change (yes, that’s a real thing in large organizations).

The authors also emphasize keeping your product simple and focused. This goes against the instinct many entrepreneurs have to pack in every possible feature. They use a brilliant analogy: would you rather have an iron that perfectly removes wrinkles, or a mediocre iron that’s also a kettle and answering machine?

This principle has become even more critical in our attention-deficit digital age. Users want products that solve one problem exceptionally well, not Swiss Army knife solutions that do everything poorly. Look at the most successful apps of the past decade—Instagram started as just photo filters, Twitter was simply status updates in 140 characters, and Snapchat focused solely on disappearing messages. They succeeded by doing one thing brilliantly.

In practical terms, this means ruthlessly prioritizing features. Every time you’re tempted to add something new, ask yourself: does this make our core value proposition stronger, or does it dilute it? More often than not, the answer is the latter.

Applying These Lessons to Your Daily Work

Reading about startup principles is one thing; actually implementing them is another. Let me share some specific ways you can apply Cohen and Feld’s wisdom, whether you’re launching a startup or just trying to be more entrepreneurial in your current role.

Start with passion auditing. Take an hour this week to list out the problems that genuinely frustrate you in your daily life. Not problems you think would make good businesses, but things that make you angry or excited enough to talk about them at dinner parties. That emotional connection is your compass. I did this exercise myself and realized I was spending way too much time on “market opportunities” that bored me to tears.

Practice the “better than me” hiring principle. Even if you’re not hiring employees, you can apply this to choosing collaborators, advisors, or even which conferences to attend. Actively seek out people who are stronger than you in specific areas. When I started inviting guest contributors to Books4soul.com who were better writers than me in certain genres, the quality of our content improved dramatically—and I learned a ton in the process.

Implement feedback loops. Cohen and Feld emphasize constantly gathering feedback on your ideas. Set up a system where you’re regularly talking to potential customers or users. This doesn’t mean formal focus groups—just conversations. I make it a point to have coffee (virtual or in-person) with at least two readers every month. The insights I gain are invaluable and often surprising.

Simplify relentlessly. Look at your current project or product. What can you remove without losing core value? I recently redesigned Books4soul.com and removed about 40% of the features I thought were “essential.” Guess what? Engagement went up because the site became easier to navigate. Less really is more.

Speed up decision-making. One practical exercise: set a timer for 30 minutes when you face a decision. Force yourself to make the call before time runs out. Not every decision deserves days of deliberation. This has helped me overcome analysis paralysis more times than I can count.

Where This Book Shines and Where It Falls Short

Let me be transparent about Do More Faster’s strengths and limitations, because no book is perfect for everyone.

The book’s greatest strength is its practicality. Cohen and Feld aren’t academics theorizing about entrepreneurship—they’re practitioners who’ve worked directly with hundreds of startups. The advice feels earned through experience rather than researched from a distance. The real-world examples from TechStars companies add credibility and make abstract concepts concrete.

I also appreciate how the book is structured for quick consumption. Each chapter is relatively short and focused on a specific topic. You can read it straight through or jump to sections relevant to your current challenges. This format respects the reality that entrepreneurs are busy and don’t have time for 400-page tomes.

The emphasis on team dynamics and interpersonal skills is refreshing. Too many startup books focus exclusively on product development or fundraising while ignoring the human elements that often determine success or failure. Cohen and Feld understand that startups are ultimately about people working together under pressure.

However, the book does have limitations worth noting. Some readers might find it too TechStars-centric. The authors naturally draw heavily from their accelerator experience, which means the advice is somewhat filtered through that specific lens. If you’re building a business outside the tech startup world—say, a local service business or a creative venture—some guidance may feel less applicable.

The book also reflects its 2011 publication date in certain ways. While the core principles remain timeless, some tactical advice about social media, marketing channels, and fundraising environments has evolved. The startup ecosystem has changed significantly in the past decade-plus, with new funding mechanisms (like revenue-based financing), different growth channels (TikTok didn’t exist), and shifted investor priorities (profitability matters more now than in 2011).

There’s also relatively limited discussion of bootstrapping versus venture capital. The TechStars model is inherently tied to the VC ecosystem, so alternative paths to building sustainable businesses receive less attention. For founders who want to grow more slowly or maintain full control, you’ll need to supplement this book with other resources.

How This Compares to Other Startup Books

Having read dozens of entrepreneurship books for Books4soul.com, I can tell you Do More Faster occupies a specific niche. It’s more practical than Eric Ries’s The Lean Startup but less philosophical. It’s more accessible than Steve Blank’s The Four Steps to the Epiphany but less comprehensive. It’s more focused than Ben Horowitz’s The Hard Thing About Hard Things but less entertaining.

If I had to recommend a reading order, I’d suggest starting with Do More Faster for foundational mindsets and practical first steps, then moving to The Lean Startup for methodology, and finally reading The Hard Thing About Hard Things for the brutal realities of scaling. Each book serves a different purpose in an entrepreneur’s journey.

What sets Cohen and Feld’s work apart is its emphasis on community and mentorship. The TechStars model is built on the idea that experienced entrepreneurs should help the next generation. This collaborative spirit permeates the book in a way that feels different from more competitive, “crush the competition” startup literature.

Questions Worth Pondering

As I finished Do More Faster, a few questions kept nagging at me—the kind that don’t have easy answers but are worth wrestling with:

How do you balance passion with market reality? The authors emphasize building businesses around what you care about, but what happens when your passion doesn’t align with a viable market? I’ve seen too many entrepreneurs stubbornly pursue passion projects that had no path to sustainability. Where’s the line between persistence and delusion?

Is the “move fast and break things” mentality always appropriate? Cohen and Feld advocate for speed and flexibility, which makes sense in many contexts. But we’re increasingly seeing the downsides of this approach—privacy violations, social harm, and ethical lapses that occur when companies prioritize growth over responsibility. How do we maintain startup agility while building responsibly?

Final Thoughts from My Reading Chair

Do More Faster isn’t going to transform you into the next tech billionaire (sorry to disappoint). What it will do is give you a realistic framework for approaching entrepreneurship with your eyes wide open.

What I appreciate most about Cohen and Feld’s approach is their honesty. They don’t sugarcoat the challenges or promise easy success. Instead, they offer hard-won wisdom about what actually matters when you’re building something from nothing: the people you work with, the passion that sustains you, and the flexibility to adapt when reality doesn’t match your plans.

For aspiring entrepreneurs, this book serves as an excellent reality check and practical guide. For those already in the thick of building a startup, it offers validation and tactical advice for common challenges. And for those of us who simply enjoy understanding how businesses are built, it provides an insider’s perspective on the accelerator model that’s shaped modern entrepreneurship.

I’d love to hear about your experiences with these principles. Have you tried building a business around your passion? What challenges did you face when assembling your team? Drop a comment below and let’s continue this conversation. The beauty of entrepreneurship is that we’re all learning together, and your insights might be exactly what another reader needs to hear today.

Until next time, keep reading and keep building.