The Startup Guide to the Galaxy
Most business books give you frameworks to remember. This one gives you stories you won’t forget.
Read the English preview. The full English edition is on its way.
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// About the book
42 stories. All-too-familiar situations.
The genius nobody wanted to hire. Four pixels that kept five people working until 2 a.m. Expensive mistakes that looked brilliant at the time.
The Startup Guide to the Galaxy is 42 short stories about people, decisions, mistakes, and the messy reality of getting things done together.
You don’t need to run a startup or manage a team.
You just need to work with people.
// What's inside
One story. One idea worth remembering.
Each chapter takes about five minutes to read. One thing you can do differently tomorrow.
Chaos - Without Burning Out
How to manage pressure, deadlines, and difficult people without destroying your team - or yourself.
Real Leadership
What separates a manager people follow from one people merely tolerate.
The Product-Engineering War
How to end the eternal conflict between R&D and Product - without HR and without casualties.
The Inner Perfectionist
Why perfectionism kills products - and how to let it go without losing quality.
AI and the Future of Your Team
What AI is doing to your team, and why your current fears are the wrong fears.
// What people are saying
Who's already read it.
"The first management book I've read with no method or methodology. Accessible, with lots of experience and wisdom. Practical enough to implement tomorrow."
Tal Moskovich
VP Engineering, Imagen
"Speaks at eye level to tech leaders dealing with broken code, bruised egos, and relentless deadlines. Short chapters with field-tested insights and zero clichés."
Amir Shneider
Engineering Leader
"This isn't just for managers. Flowing writing that's hard to stop. The first management book that made me enjoy every moment."
Nir Kaufman
Senior Developer
"Suitable for senior professionals seeking leadership guidance, new managers, and junior developers looking to advance - it speaks to all of them."
David Aftergut
Microsoft
"I've always been impressed by his ability to distill deep insights about the intersection of startup chaos, business, technology, and the science of moving people."
Oren Yam
Tech Leader
// About the author
Shahar Polak
Head of Engineering at ImagenAI
Shahar Polak has spent over two decades building startups, products, and teams, including two companies that were acquired, one by Google. Today, he leads Engineering at Imagen AI and co-hosts one of Israel’s most popular technology podcasts.
Along the way, he’s made enough mistakes to fill a book. So he did.
// Book sample
Read the first two chapters - free.
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// Start reading
Remember it when it matters. Use it tomorrow.
Two chapters. In English. Free, straight to your inbox.
No spam. Just the first two chapters of the book.