Review: The Delivery Man by Sebastien Taveau

Bolstered by the experience of decades working in the heart of Silicon Valley, The Delivery Man: The Art of Turning Ideas into Products in Silicon Valley by Sebastien Taveau is an accessible and revelatory glimpse into top-shelf innovation and personal achievement.

Most people can rattle off half a dozen major tech CEOs, but the critical product designers and dreamers behind those success stories are normally hidden from view. As the delivery man – the person trusted to deliver “dreams come true” – Taveau goes deep into the tangled weeds of product development. Though this memoir and manual is inspired and directed by the Silicon Valley world of startups, it holds deeper existential and philosophical lessons about work ethic, ambition, praise, and purpose.

As is well-articulated in the introduction from Dave Birch, rarely are common consumers and readers given access to the real seamstresses behind the scenes. The author’s opening statement explaining the Big 4 I’s – invention, innovation, integration, and imitation – helps set the tone for the book, breaking a potentially daunting subject into tangible ideas. The message throughout the book reflects this genuine desire to share knowledge openly – rarely does the writing dive too deep into nuance or get lost in the details. Taveau is matter-of-fact in his teaching, leaving little room for uncertainty or contradiction.

Whether you are a veteran developer at a Fortune 500 company or a design student with only an internship under your belt, there are lessons to be learned throughout the book. Taveau gives advice that middle managers can immediately apply, encouragement for fresh-faced hires who feel out of their depth, and cautionary tales that will make CEOs take pause. The key takeaways at the end of each chapter could be copied on Post-It notes in any professional’s office. Taveau’s ability to shift between perspectives makes the book especially appealing and effective, and likely what made him such a reliable voice on cutting-edge dev teams.

Perhaps most important is the confident authority with which Taveau can speak – his resume is undeniably impressive, having been a part of major mobile and global tech developments, from Paypal Mobile and Zelle to Validity and Codewarrior. The real-world examples of obstacles, frustrations, and creative workarounds are fascinating, particularly when you can readily Google and verify so many of the author’s colleagues, bosses, products, and commercial successes.

There are occasional moments where the tone could be seen as patronizing, or dismissive, particularly when talking about salaries and personal demonstrations of advancement. These instances are rare, but also unnecessary, as the wisdom in these pages is aspirational enough, without putting increasingly high price tags on success. On a technical level, there are some lapsing passages that slip into overly casual narration, as well as sloppy syntactical and grammatical errors. A final proofread of the entire book is recommended to eliminate these oversights.

As a whole, The Delivery Man is an exceptional insider’s look at tech creation, seasoned with actionable wisdom from a truly impressive career, and offering a crib sheet for powering forward in one’s chosen field.