Tech Confidential
Denise Koessler Gosnell and Kathryn Erickson
Ideapress Publishing (2025)
ISBN: 978-1646872640
Reviewed by Julie Grayson for Reader Views (07/2025)
Tech Confidential: The Insider Playbook for Daring Entrepreneurs paints a portrait of Silicon Valley as a high-stakes “Colosseum” where burnout, ethical ambiguity, and toxicity are pervasive. Co-authors Denise Koessler Gosnell and Kathryn Erickson, both seasoned tech veterans with southern roots, share their personal struggles (Denise’s career-induced physical breakdown and Kat’s resilience amid cutthroat negotiations) as the impetus for writing this survival guide. Their goal is to help readers become successful in the tech industry, without compromising their wellbeing or principles.
Gosnell and Erickson do this by focusing on personal growth, ethical leadership, and the value of community, presenting the book as part cautionary tale, part practical guide with a lot of grim humor. Tech Confidential paves the way for an unvarnished tour through Silicon Valley’s seedy underbelly and is curated in four levels: mastering the mental game, building teams, leadership, and industry navigation. However, their counsel isn’t theoretical but rather forged in the fires of failed startups, toxic boardrooms, and midnight coding marathons.
My favorite chapter, “Dragon-Slaying 101,” warns that ego can be both a fight-or-flight defense mechanism and a land mine for your career. By sharing anecdotes, such as the venture capitalist who thought a pitch meeting was an appropriate setting to request a sexual act, the authors take a scalpel to the notion of how ego can sabotage even the most accomplished mind.
In Chapter 4, “This Chapter Is About You,” the authors share the 12 steps for recognizing burnout, originally developed by psychologist Herbert Freudenberger. Through their own experiences (panic attacks, trips to the ER, and nonexistent work-life boundaries), Denise and Kat implore readers to “get in the damn (life)boat” before sharing,
The valuable skill isn’t in pushing yourself to the limit; it’s in knowing when to stop, to breathe, and to honor your own limitations.
The bottom line is Tech Confidential will help you slay your own dragon by handing you a sword, shield, and a darkly funny pep talk. Denise Koessler Gosnell and Kathryn Erickson are the mentors you wish you had: equal parts strategists, therapists, and best friends. An antidote to hustle culture, this book is a reminder that success in the tech industry isn’t about outworking everyone, but outsmarting the system.
I give this book 5 stars. Tech Confidential is a rare blend of wit, wisdom, and “WTF” moments that belongs on every tech professional’s bookshelf: right next to the ibuprofen and emergency bottle of vodka.