Build: An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making

Tony Fadell led the teams that created the iPod, iPhone, and Nest Learning Thermostat. Drawing on over 30 years in Silicon Valley, he shares insights on leadership, design, startups, decision-making, mentorship, failure, and success. Build is structured as an advice encyclopedia organized in short 5-20 page entries that build progressively. It covers Fadell's personal journey from product designer to leader, startup founder to executive to mentor. The book addresses practical challenges: when to quit your job, how to find a mentor, how to handle difficult colleagues, how to fund a startup, and when to sell a company. Fadell worked alongside mentors including Steve Jobs and Bill Campbell. His approach differs from typical Silicon Valley thinking—he argues you don't need to reinvent everything from scratch to create something great. Instead, his advice focuses on old-school principles rooted in human nature, applied to what you make and how you lead. Topics include building your career, product storytelling, moving from idea to exit, and understanding innovation. Examples draw from the creation of the iPod and iPhone.