How to Turn Down a Billion Dollars (The Snapchat Story) - Billy Gallagher

Reviewer’s Note:

Having never used Snapchat, I have always wondered, what is it about this app that my generation finds so attractive. After multiple failed attempts to get me to try the app, my friends gave up trying to convince me of its uses. However, those conversations with them did spike a curiosity in me about why reels, streaks, and stories matter so much to us. Was Snapchat really worth all the hype it has? I had several questions, and this book did the job of answering all of them for me.

Book Review:

How to Turn Down a Billion Dollars by Billy Gallagher is one of the most interesting books, I feel. Billy being a junior to the founders of Snapchat, Evan Spiegel, Reggie Brown, and Bobby Murphy, at Stanford, kind of feels like an insider telling the story of Spanchat.

The book starts against the backdrop of Evan Spiegel’s life, telling us about how the young CEO was as a student at Stanford. From the parties he organized, to his failed business venture, this book, I believe, covers it all.

The book starts a bit slow but becomes increasingly interesting once the discussion of Snapchat and how the idea appeared comes into the picture. From there, the story speeds up. Billy’s done a great job of being increasing accurate and detail-oriented.

Once the idea of Snapchat was introduced, I got hooked to the book. The idea, the founding, the app, the discussions, the fights, it all seems really interesting.

Things do take some ugly turns for Snapchat, like they do for most young start-ups, but the coverage with which the founders tackle the problems really feels admirable.

Overall, it's a great book. Occasionally the book gets a bit confusing, and you might feel it's more about Evan Spiegel than Snapchat, but still do give it a read. It’s worth the time.

Happy Reading.