Chutzpah

Discover the secret behind how Israel, a tiny country with the highest concentration of start-ups per capita worldwide, is raising generations of entrepreneurs who are disrupting markets around the globe and bringing change to the world.

Dubbed “Silicon Wadi,” Israel ranks third in the World Economic Forum Innovation Rating. Despite its small size, it attracts more venture capital per capita than any other country on the planet. What factors have led to these remarkable achievements, and what secrets do Israeli tech entrepreneurs know that others can learn?
Tech insider Inbal Arieli goes against the common belief that Israel’s outstanding economic accomplishments are the byproduct of its technologically advanced military or the result of long-standing Jewish traditions of study and questioning. Rather, Arieli gives credit to the unique way Israelis are raised in a culture that supports creative thinking and risk taking. Growing up within a tribal-like community, Israelis experience childhoods purposely shaped by challenges and risks—in a culture that encourages and rewards chutzpah. This has helped Israelis develop the courage to pursue unorthodox, and often revolutionary, approaches to change and innovation and is the secret behind the country’s economic success.
While chutzpah has given generations of Israelis the courage to break away from conventional thinking, the Israeli concept balagan—messiness in Hebrew—is at the root of how Israelis are taught to interact with the world. Instead of following strict rules, balagan fosters ambiguity, encouraging the development of the skills necessary for dealing with the unpredictability of life and business. Living with balagan provides Israelis with the opportunity to constantly practice the soft skills defined by the World Economic Forum as the Skills for the Future, as balagan promotes creativity, problem-solving, and independence—key characteristics of successful entrepreneurs.
By revealing the unique ways in which Israelis parent, educate and acculturate, Chutzpah offers invaluable insights and proven strategies for success to aspiring entrepreneurs, parents, executives, innovators, and policymakers.

Reviews

“Arieli’s volume is a valuable and informative addition to the analysis of Israel’s unique qualities that have helped it grow so dramatically, and should be on the shelf of serious scholars and those who are curious as to how Israel became the powerhouse it is on the world economic scene.” — Saint Louis Light“At the heart of Inbal Arieli’s eye-opening deconstruction of Israeli entrepreneurial DNA is the question ‘How can we help our kids (and ourselves) learn and grow from failure?’ A fascinating read.” — Meir Brand, vice president of EMEA Emerging Markets, Google Inc.“Imagine learning how to empower your children to become leaders, how to instill in entrepreneurial wannabes the traits that breed start-up success, and how to catalyze an innovation ecosystem in your nation. Entertaining the reader with compelling personal stories, Arieli systematically decodes the secrets of success of the world’s most successful innovation nation.” — Ellis Rubinstein, president and CEO of the New York Academy of Sciences“In a masterful portrayal of Israeli entrepreneurialism, Arieli makes the counterintuitive and eminently logical point: ‘Junkyard’ training is a treasure. Controlled chaos breeds mental agility and improvisation . . . and serves as a backdrop for the uniquely Israeli response: optimism, resilience, and breakthrough innovation.” — Robin Weiss, investor“An exceptionally entertaining and informative book. . . . A must-read for those interested in decoding what makes the Israeli innovation machine the most effective on the planet.” — Scott Dulchavsky, CEO of the Henry Ford Innovation Institute“If you want to understand what makes Israel, pound for pound, the single most dynamic nexus in the global entrepreneurial ecosystem, read this book right now. Arieli has given us a blueprint for the culture that has turned Israel into a powerhouse over the past two decades. Her account is entertaining, personal, and accurate.” — Michael Fertik, Founder and Managing Director, Heroic Ventures“On my first-ever trip to Israel, Inbal Arieli showed me the remarkable ecosystem of entrepreneurship that exists in the country. You do not truly appreciate how remarkable this society is until you see it firsthand, and before you go, Chutzpah should be on the required reading list.” — Matthew Swift, chairman and CEO of Concordia