Inside The Cult Of Kibu: And Other Tales Of The Millennial Gold Rush - Hardcover

Gottlieb, Lori; Jacobs, Jesse

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0738206911 ISBN 13: 9780738206912

Publisher: Basic Books, 2002

Synopsis

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."

About this title

From the Back Cover

"An intoxicating collective memoir of the American Dream gone wild, Inside the Cult of Kibu takes you through the looking glass for a one-of-a-kind tour of the New Economy's most eventful years and the personalities that fueled it. This intriguing group portrait of both the major and minor players is chock-full of insightful, hilarious and priceless anecdotes. A must-read for executives, business school professors, pop-culture enthusiasts, and Net-heads alike. It reads like a great novel. What's astonishing is that this story is true." - Peter Guber, former CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment and author of Shoot Out: Surviving the Fame and Misfortune of Hollywood

"Definitely not a F***ed Book. Gottlieb and Jacobs are like the Studs Terkels of the New Economy." --Philip "Pud" Kaplan, Founder of F***edCompany.com and author of F'd Companies: Spectacular Dot-Com Flameouts

"This smart and hilarious voyeur's view offers a seminal collection of voices ranging from the haunting to the absurd. Gottlieb and Jacobs expertly capture the comic--and tragic--theatrics of the New Economy." --Stacy Horn, Founder of Echo and the author of Cyberville: Clicks, Culture and the Creation of an Online Town

"An extraordinary and highly entertaining behind-the-scenes portrayal. Gottlieb and Jacobs depict the players and culture in vivid Technicolor and with gonzo-like understanding. Everyone from sculptors to rocket scientists dumped their lives and lost their minds to the hope and hype of the internet. But now what? Inside the Cult of Kibu will help them reflect and rediscover their passion." --Tim Draper, Founder and Managing Director of Silicon Valley VC firm Draper Fisher Jurvetson

"This well-documented and riveting firsthand account is almost better than having experienced those years yourself." --Sylvia Paull, Founder, GraceNet

"An up-close and personal whirlwind tour. These irreverent insider tales are acerbic, compelling and right on target - and will keep you turning the pages." --Elizabeth Carlassare, author of Dotcom Divas: E-Business Insights from the Visionary Women Founders of 20 Net Ventures.

About the Author

Lori Gottlieb is the author of the best-selling memoir Stick Figure: A Diary of My Former Self and has written for a variety of publications, including the New York Times, Elle, Time, People, Mademoiselle, Redbook, CosmoGirl, Seventeen, Salon, and Slate. A former medical-school student at Stanford, she served as Vice President and Editor-in-Chief of the now defunct Kibu.com, a "digital hangout for teenage girls." Her most recent essay in The Industry Standard, an exposé of this experience, was nominated in 2001 for a National Magazine Award. She lives in Los Angeles. Jesse Jacobs is vice-president of content at IFILM, the Net's leading online film company. He has served as co-founder and director of the Yahoo! Internet Life Online Film Festival. His projects have been profiled in the New York Times and The Industry Standard, on "Good Morning America" and "The Today Show." He lives in Los Angeles. Lori Gottlieb is the author of the best-selling memoir Stick Figure: A Diary of My Former Self and has written for a variety of publications, including the New York Times, Elle, Time, People, Mademoiselle, Redbook, CosmoGirl, Seventeen, Salon, and Slate. A former medical-school student at Stanford, she served as Vice President and Editor-in-Chief of the now defunct Kibu.com, a "digital hangout for teenage girls." Her most recent essay in The Industry Standard, an exposé of this experience, was nominated in 2001 for a National Magazine Award. She lives in Los Angeles. Jesse Jacobs is vice-president of content at IFILM, the Net's leading online film company. He has served as co-founder and director of the Yahoo! Internet Life Online Film Festival. His projects have been profiled in the New York Times and The Industry Standard, on "Good Morning America" and "The Today Show." He lives in Los Angeles.

Edition details

• Publisher: Basic Books
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0738206911
• ISBN 13: 9780738206912
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 256