For LinkedIn Founder Reid Hoffman, Relationships Rule the World

Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn in an interview with Wired discusses his life as a philosopher, investor, and author of his new book The Start-Up of You.

• In February Hoffman published his first book, The Start-Up of You, which does in fact try to help us figure out who we all should be. Cowritten with fellow entrepreneur Ben Casnocha, the book argues that “every individual is a small business.” It urges readers to “craft iterative, flexible plans,” to be in “permanent beta.” It cites as case studies the rise of Netflix and the fall of Detroit, the pivots of Flickr and PayPal, the arc of George Clooney’s acting career. But at its heart, The Start-Up of You is the gospel of LinkedIn, down to the familiar blue and white logo that graces the cover. “All of the attributes of a business now apply to an individual,” says Hoffman, who cofounded LinkedIn in 2003 and served as its CEO until 2007, when he stepped aside to serve as executive chair. “And if you want to get better at your job, you should be an active member of LinkedIn. Because we can connect you not just to new people but to new insights.