Smart People Should Build Things by Andrew Yang

Smart People Should Build Things by Andrew Yang

Andrew Yang, the founder of Venture for America, offers a unique solution to our country's economic and social problems--our smart people should be building things. Smart People Should Build Things offers a stark picture of the current culture and a revolutionary model that will redirect a generation of ambitious young people to the critical job of innovating and building new businesses.

As the Founder and CEO of Venture for America, Andrew Yang places top college graduates in start-ups for two years in emerging U.S. cities to generate job growth and train the next generation of entrepreneurs. He knows firsthand how our current view of education is broken. Many college graduates aspire to finance, consulting, law school, grad school, or medical school out of a vague desire for additional status and progress rather than from a genuine passion or fit.

In Smart People Should Build Things, this self-described "recovering lawyer" and entrepreneur weaves together a compelling narrative of success stories (including his own), offering observations about the flow of talent in the United States and explanations of why current trends are leading to economic distress and cultural decline. He also presents recommendations for both policy makers and job seekers to make entrepreneurship more realistic and achievable. 

Andrew Yang is the creator of Venture for America, a significant non-profit organization that places top college graduates in start-ups in rising U.S. markets for two years. communities to spur job creation and educate the next generation of entrepreneurs Yang has worked for a number of technology and education companies as the CEO, co-founder, or executive. Yang was designated one of Fast Company's 100 Most Creative People in Business and a Presidential Ambassador of Global Entrepreneurship and a Champion of Change by the White House. He was also selected to the Department of Commerce's National Advisory Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Generation Startup, a significant documentary directed by an Oscar winner and starring Yang and Venture for America, was released in Fall 2016 and is available on Netflix and other streaming platforms. He holds degrees in Economics and Political Science from Brown University and Columbia Law School, where he was an Editor of the Law Review, a James Kent Scholar, and a winner of the Class of 1912 Award.