Edge

Introduction

A colleague recently told me about a person who had managed to get a face-to-face meeting with Elon Musk, the entrepreneur famous for founding Tesla and SpaceX. Getting a meeting is not an easy feat. This is a man who once told his alma mater (the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania) not to call him more than once a year, and that even then, the answer is probably no. Musk s net worth is around $20.2 billion, so each minute of his time is worth thousands of dollars, even calculated conservatively.

But the reason this story is noteworthy is not because an unknown, unimportant individual was able to get a meeting with him in the first place. It s because Elon ended the meeting not more than thirty seconds later. As the story goes, he took one look at his visitor and said, No. Get out of my office.

It shows how difficult it is to actually get access to someone of that stature. (And how even if you do, it doesn t ensure that you ll be heard.) It emphasizes how the rich and powerful must be blunt and maintain unyielding focus on what furthers their own careers. It demonstrates that the time and resources of someone like Musk are so well protected that access let alone any gains that might result is near impossible.

As this person finished telling the story to me, he commented, Anyway, I don t know if this story is even actually true.

To which I replied, It s true. And I know it s true because the person who got kicked out of Elon Musk s office was me.

***
The meeting with Elon happened serendipitously. A friend of mine was in the audience when Elon was giving a university commencement speech and lucked his way into getting the billionaire s contact info. And that was how this friend of mine, Byron (who generously invited me along), and I found ourselves waiting for our appointment with Elon, sitting in his SpaceX office.

Byron knew I was working on research that examined the challenges that start-up companies in

Laura Huang is an associate professor at Harvard Business School; previously, she was an assistant professor at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. Her research has been featured in the Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Forbes, and Nature. Her research has won awards including a 2016 Kauffman Foundation Fellowship; Huang was named one of the 40 Best Business School Professors Under the Age of 40 by Poets & Quants. Her speaking and consulting clients include Google, Uber, BlackRock, Keystone, Bionic, and the Level Playing Field Institute. This is her first book.

We re all looking for an edge. But where does it come from? In this insightful and accessible book, Laura Huang provides the answers. Be authentic and distinct. Provide value to others. And turn adversity into advantage. Packed with fascinating stories and counterintuitive principles, Edge is a must read for anyone seeking to stand out from the crowd.
Daniel H. Pink, author of When, Drive, and To Sell Is Human
 
This book will change how you navigate your career and overcome obstacles along the way. Do yourself, and those you work with, a favor and read it now!
Marie Forleo, author of Everything is Figureoutable and founder of B-School
 
Edge is for anyone who has found themselves feeling underestimated and unequipped to deal with a tough situation so, all of us. Huang melds her groundbreaking research with heartfelt stories to show how all of us can and indeed, must create our own advantage.
Arlan Hamilton, founder and managing partner of Backstage Capital
 
Edge is fun to read, beautifully written and resonant a worthy addition to every entrepreneur's toolbox. Laura Huang is a powerful new voice for those that seek to make a ruckus.
Seth Godin, author of This Is Marketing
 
When hard work alone isn t enough, what do you do? Edge is an invaluable guide to decoding the biases and harmful perceptions about you and your work that might be standing in your way. Huang masterfully weaves together original research and powerful stories that will leave you newly inspired and empowered to take charge of your biggest challenges.
Susan David, Harvard Medical School psychologist, author of Emotional Agility
 
Edge is a superbly researched, deeply insightful, and persuasive book that is destined to be a guidebook for self-empowerment and success. It s truly out of this world.