You cannot run a company through fear and intimidation . . . it will only work for a period of time before it collapses.

Not long after, a chill descended

They were all in their mid- to late twenties with good educations, but they valued different things.

In her relentless drive to be a successful startup founder, she had built a bubble around herself that was cutting her off from reality.

Nor did he have the patience to listen to the scientists’ explanations. It was easier to just blame the cellular connection.

He was reminded of an old saying: “When you strike at the king, you must kill him.”

Susan was mortified, but Elizabeth kept her composure and blamed a minor technical glitch.

the reader called a photomultiplier

Mosley knew that evangelizing was what successful startup founders did in Silicon Valley. You didn’t change the world by being cynical.

VCs even had a term for it: the hockey-stick forecast. It showed revenue stagnating for a few years and then magically shooting up in a straight line.