Lori Gottlieb

Jesse Jacobs

Yes, it really happened. Thousands of bright and creative people were lured by the promise of incredible freedom--and even more incredible wealth--into an alternative universe of "all hands" pep rallies, afternoon sushi runs, and Foosball tournaments cum strategy sessions. From the open-floor offices (complete with scooter stations) to the mysterious lairs of the all-powerful venture capitalists to the lavish launch parties, Inside the Cult of Kibu offers a backstage pass to America's capitalist culture at its wackiest. Drawing from dozens of interviews culled from the front lines, Lori Gottlieb and Jesse Jacobs present a rich tapestry of anecdotes and insights, revealing a world of extremes, from euphoria to disillusionment. Framed by a narrative structure that mimics the typical rise and fall of a dot.com, Inside the Cult of Kibu showcases the stories of the programmers and receptionists, Hollywood moguls, twenty-something CEO's, and everyone in between who experienced the virtual-reality show firsthand. Industry veterans themselves, Gottlieb and Jacobs present an irreverent and penetrating account of a business and cultural phenomenon that is now imprinted--for better or worse--on our collective psyche.From Inside the Cult of Kibu:We had moved into our industrial space in West 26th Street in New York, and there were lots of technology and internet companies suddenly crowded into this wonderfully exciting, multicultural building filled with all kinds of people--old little businesses and new dotcoms. One day, there was a banker from one of the big six Wall Street entities, literally walking the hallway, cold-calling, knocking on doors, and, basically offering funding. At that moment, I said to myself, "Man, oh man, this is crazy." That was the moment that I noted in mind as "OK, this is some high watermark of gold-rush madness."

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