No Filter - The Inside Story of Instagram by Sarah Frier

This entry is a continuation of my book review series. The series documents a brief overview of each book, 3-5 lessons learned and a reflection on how these lessons apply to personal, professional, and societal contexts.

Overview

No Filter follows the meteoric rise of instagram including Instagram’s inception in coffee shops, early intentions as a new medium for creative expression, exponential growth in popularity, the capture of the world’s rich and famous imagination, the enablement of new forms of business, the acquisition by Facebook, Instagram’s metamorphosis from an artistic form of expression to a commercial product driven by data, the deteriorating relationship between the Founders and executives at Facebook and Instagram, concluding with the founder’s exit from the company.

Lessons

• A great mentor is invaluable. Always remember and support the mentors who help you.
• Do not lose sight of your company’s vision, values and alignment with the product
• Relationships related to business and company acquisitions are similar to personal relationships. If you make the wrong choice and don’t communicate well, you may be in for a world of hostility and hurt (commercial contexts of course).

Reflections

• A great mentor can significantly impact a mentee’s life. It is important to value those relationships and honor them when an opportunity to reciprocate comes available. Many owe success to those who helped them along the way. It is important to share that success those who played a part in your journey. Take caution in those you choose to bring into your life. The wrong relationships can cause significant distress.