Book Review: Amp It Up by Frank Slootman
Subtitle: Leading for Hypergrowth by Raising Expectations, Increasing Urgency, and Elevating Intensity
Author: Frank Slootman, CEO of Snowflake (former CEO of ServiceNow and Data Domain)
Pages: ~180 pages of no-nonsense leadership insight
Theme / Summary
Amp It Up is not your typical feel-good leadership book. There’s no warm-up, no storytelling fluff—Frank Slootman dives straight into what it takes to scale organizations at warp speed. He’s led three companies to multi-billion-dollar valuations, and this book is a raw, tactical download of the mindset and mechanics he brings to the table.
At its heart, this book is a war cry against mediocrity. It’s about eliminating inertia, instilling urgency, and raising the bar across the board. Slootman believes most companies don’t fail due to bad ideas—they fail because they move too slowly, aim too low, or get too comfortable.
This book is perfect for
- Founders and startup leaders who need to rally their teams around execution and urgency.
- Mid- to senior-level managers frustrated with corporate stagnation.
Investors and board members trying to spot high-impact CEOs. - Aspiring entrepreneurs looking to understand what scale actually demands beyond vision and pitch decks.
Bonus: If you loved The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz, you’ll vibe with this one.
Central Idea
“Don’t be afraid to push people, demand more, and move faster. Comfort kills momentum.”
Slootman’s central philosophy revolves around what he calls “amplification”—amplifying standards, speed, and focus.
He argues that every organization hits a point where it must choose: maintain or accelerate. Amp It Up is a manual for choosing acceleration, even when it’s uncomfortable.
Top Takeaways for the readers
Raise the Bar, Then Raise It Again
People and teams will rise—or fall—to the standards you set. Don’t apologize for expecting greatness.
Drive Urgency Relentlessly
Time is your scarcest resource. Make decisions quickly, act fast, and stop “waiting until it’s perfect.”
Be Clear and Narrow
Confusion is the enemy of execution. Focus your message, your goals, and your team's energy.
Lead by Instinct + Data
Great leaders blend instinct with real-time data to make calls fast and refine on the go.
Cultural Reset is a Superpower
If your team isn’t aligned with the mission, the fix isn’t a ping pong table—it’s a mindset overhaul.
Writing Style & Reading Practices
Slootman’s writing is tight, direct, and brutally honest. There are no wasted paragraphs. He uses real stories from Snowflake, ServiceNow, and beyond—but never gets bogged down in backstory. This is a book built for busy readers who want real insights per page.
How to read it effectively:
Keep a notebook or margin for "apply now" ideas—this book is very execution-focused.
Read one chapter per day and reflect: “Where can I amp this up in my own work?”
Share takeaways with your team—Slootman’s principles make great talking points for culture shifts.
About the Author
Frank Slootman is a Dutch-American CEO who has become legendary in tech circles for his ability to turn around and scale enterprise companies at lightning speed. He led Data Domain to a $2.4B acquisition by EMC, ServiceNow from ~$100M to $1.4B in revenue, and currently serves as CEO of Snowflake, which had the biggest software IPO ever.
He’s known for being blunt, focused, and execution-obsessed—everything this book reflects.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for vision boards and leadership mantras, look elsewhere. But if you’re ready to raise your leadership game, cut the excuses, and build with intensity, Amp It Up is your new favorite business playbook.
It’s not a “one-size-fits-all” approach, but it will challenge how you think about standards, speed, and leadership. And if you’re brave enough to apply it? It might just change the game.