Developer to Solo Founder: The Books That Built My Path
As a solo technical founder, the journey of building ToolJet has evolved. While I started out writing code and building the product from the ground up, today my primary focus has shifted to working with customers and investors. Along the way, several books have guided me through this transition.
Here are some that stood out and made a difference in my journey so far.
1. The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz
Horowitz’s honest take on the realities of leadership was exactly what I needed. It’s not sugar-coated—it’s about managing through chaos, and I found myself turning to it when facing those tough moments where nothing seems to go according to plan.
2. Mastering the VC Game by Jeffrey Bussgang
Raising venture capital is its own world, and as I shifted from technical founder to someone pitching to investors, this book became an essential guide. It helped me understand not only the financials but the psychology of venture capital.
3. Secrets of Sand Hill Road by Scott Kupor
As ToolJet grew and we entered the VC ecosystem more deeply, Kupor’s insights helped me navigate that process. From term sheets to understanding how VCs think about returns, this book demystified the fundraising process and gave me the tools to manage those relationships with confidence.
4. Obviously Awesome by April Dunford
When I moved away from the technical side, one of my biggest challenges was ensuring ToolJet was positioned correctly in the market. Dunford’s book was like a roadmap for articulating why ToolJet matters and who we are building for. It’s been invaluable in refining our messaging to customers, which is especially important as I spend more time working directly with them.
5. Survival to Thrival by Bob Tinker and Tae Hea Nahm
This book helped me think about the strategic shifts required to take ToolJet from a scrappy startup to a company that can thrive at scale.
6. Flip the Script by Oren Klaff
Klaff’s methods in this book helped me think differently about how I communicate and influence in high-stakes situations. It gave me the tools to flip the power dynamic in conversations and create a sense of urgency, which has been incredibly useful when dealing with investors or closing deals with customers.
7. Information Rules by Carl Shapiro and Hal Varian
This book helped me think about the economics of information and how to structure our business model to take advantage of it. It’s been a useful reference as we continue to navigate how to offer value in an increasingly competitive space.
8. SPIN Selling by Neil Rackham
SPIN Selling helped me and the sales team at ToolJet approach our customer conversations in a way that focused on understanding their problems rather than just pushing features. It’s been instrumental in how we build relationships and ultimately close deals.
9. Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey A. Moore
This book provided the strategic blueprint for how ToolJet can cross that critical “chasm” in the market.
10. Predictable Revenue by Aaron Ross and Marylou Tyler
Revenue generation became a central focus as ToolJet started to scale, and this book gave me a structured way to think about outbound sales.
11. Ecosystem Led Growth by Bob Moore
This book helped me see the bigger picture in how ecosystems drive growth and gave me strategies to leverage the developer community in a more intentional way.
12. The Pricing Roadmap
This book helped me think about pricing strategically, especially as ToolJet grew and our pricing model needed to evolve. It offered a clear framework for value-based pricing.
13. Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne
ToolJet wasn’t built to compete directly in a saturated market; we’re creating a space of our own. This book helped reinforce the idea of differentiating ToolJet by carving out our own “blue ocean” where we can thrive without direct competition. It’s a reminder to always think bigger about where the company is heading.
14. Developer Facing Startup by Adam Frankl
Even though I’m no longer coding, understanding the developer community is still central to ToolJet’s success. This book provided insights on how to build and market a product that serves developers. It’s helped me think more strategically about how we communicate and engage with our core audience.
15. David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell
As a smaller player in a market dominated by giants, ToolJet often feels like the underdog. Gladwell’s take on how underdogs can use their disadvantages as strengths really resonated with me. It’s a mindset that I’ve embraced, focusing on innovation and agility to stay competitive, despite being a smaller company.
16. Evil by Design by Chris Nodder
With ToolJet, user experience is everything, and understanding how to nudge users toward the right actions has been crucial.
As a founder who’s no longer in the code, my role has shifted, but these books have been key in helping me navigate the challenges that come with scaling a company. If you’re in a similar spot, these might be worth adding to your reading list.