Riding the Unicorn: The Startup Guide You'll Want to Read - Softcover

Yap, Wenee; Derricott, Thomas

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1394367686 ISBN 13: 9781394367689

Publisher: Wiley, 2025

Synopsis

The Legends are True. The Unicorn is out there.

Think unicorns ― those billion-dollar startups as rare as their mythical namesakes ― are just Silicon Valley fairytales? Think again. After interviewing some of Australia and New Zealand's innovation rockstars, Wenee Yap and Thomas Derricott have cracked the code on what makes a startup a unicorn. Riding the Unicorn skips the dry business theory and instead gives you battle-tested strategies from startup legends, wrapped up in stories that'll keep you hooked from page one. You'll get the unvarnished truth about what it really takes to launch, scale and ― if you're lucky ― sell your way to startup glory.

You'll learn how to build your own unicorn, systematically moving through six stages that guide you from idea to product development to company growth to exit.

You'll also find:

• Valuable insights from the minds of startup royalty, including Tim Fung of Airtasker and Pasha Rayan of Forage
• Research-backed tactics for success, delivered through stories so good you'll forget you're learning
• Straight-talking advice that works whether you're a fresh grad with big dreams or a seasoned entrepreneur ready to bet on yourself

Whether you're in tech, education, creative industries or anywhere in between, Riding the Unicorn isn't just a book; it's your guide for taming your next billion-dollar idea. Time to saddle up and start your journey from side hustle to success story.

About this title

About the Author

WENEE YAP and THOMAS DERRICOTT are successful entrepreneurs with over 20 years’ combined experience in the Australian startup ecosystem. Wenee is the founder of Survive Law―which grew to Australia’s highest traffic online community of law students before its acquisition and Thomas is an award-winning journalist and early employee of multiple startups.

From the Back Cover

THE LEGENDS ARE TRUE.
THE UNICORN IS OUT THERE.

Unicorns―billion-dollar startups as rare as their mythical namesakes―are not just the products of Silicon Valley fairytales. They’re in your backyard … and they’re ready to be tamed. In Riding the Unicorn, Wenee Yap and Thomas Derricott distil the wisdom of Australia and New Zealand’s leading founders to reveal what it takes to turn a startup into a unicorn.

Packed with real-world insight, this must-read guide skips the dry business theory and instead gives you battle-tested strategies from global startup legends, wrapped in stories that’ll keep you hooked from page one. You’ll get the unvarnished truth about what it really takes to launch, scale and―if you’re lucky―sell your way to startup glory.

Learn how to:

• find out what your customers want
• keep your MVP as minimal as possible
• grow your startup to meet your runway
• get the right investors
• craft a lucrative exit strategy.

This isn’t just a book; it’s your down-to-earth guide for taming your next billion-dollar idea. It’s time to saddle up and start your journey from side hustle to success story.

Edition details

• Publisher: Wiley
• Publication date: 2025
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1394367686
• ISBN 13: 9781394367689
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 336