Runnin' Down a Dream: How to Thrive in a Career You Actually Love
An unconventional, no-bullshit guide to forging a rewarding career that matches your passions in the world—from a leading venture capitalist, based on his viral college talk.
Venture capitalist Bill Gurley came very close to “career regret.” A computer science major, he first landed a job at one of the most prominent tech companies in the country. It should have been a dream come true—but he was soon bored. He left the industry and started again from scratch, first at business school, then on Wall Street, and finally in Silicon Valley, where he went on to spend two decades in venture capital. Along the way, Gurley found himself observing the successful, joy-filled people he met—both in technology and in fields far beyond, from hospitality to entertainment. His analytic mind couldn’t help but try to unlock the components of their success: Why did they thrive while others floundered?
Pulling from Gurley’s own experience and extensive contacts across a wide range of industries—from talent agent Lorrie Bartlett to restauranteur Danny Meyer, who epitomize these principles and have reached the top of their fields while loving what they do—as well as his original research on career regret, Runnin’ Down the Dream identifies six key principles for flourishing, purpose-filled careers:
- Chase your curiosity
- Hone your craft
- Develop mentors in your field
- Embrace your peers
- Go where the action is
- Always give back
These, Gurley contends, are the timeless ingredients for success. In this book, he brings them to life—through his own captivating, straight-talk voice, and the revealing stories of a handful of iconic individuals. The result is a book with the potential to inspire a new generation of people to find their place in the world, a place where their passions can be transformed into successful lives.
About the Author
Bill Gurley is a general partner at Benchmark, a leading venture capital firm in Silicon Valley. Over his venture career, he has invested in and served on the board of such companies as Nextdoor, OpenTable, Stitch Fix, Uber, and Zillow. Born in Dickinson, Texas, Gurley earned a bachelor's degree in computer science from the University of Florida and later received an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin. In 2025, he received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Texas alumni association. For more than two decades, Gurley has written about technology and other subjects on his popular blog, Above the Crowd, and on his social media accounts.
The books for this giveaway are being provided by Crown Currency. We have five copies available.
