Confessions of a Unicorn Founder

Obsession, Greed, and the Brutal Truth Behind Chasing the Startup Dream

By: Ra'anan Cohen

Narrated by: Aaron Brentwood

I could have been a millionaire with the push of a button. Just like that—mortgage, pension, college funds—all taken care of. But as the saying goes, I just couldn’t get enough. I had to have just a little bit more.

Rom Carmeli is living every entrepreneur’s dream: investors are lining up to throw money at his every whim, top VCs are courting him left and right, and “Blinqq”—the startup he recently founded—is newly estimated in the Billions. With a “B.”

Which is surprising, considering he’s about five minutes away from finding himself cordially kicked out, alone, without a penny to his name.

Based on a true story, Confessions of a Unicorn Founder pulls back the curtain behind what it takes to build a successful startup, exposing the personal cost of wanting “just a little bit more.”

Ra’anan Cohen, a serial entrepreneur and CEO who built startups from scratch to IPO, rips through the “fake it till you make it” façade to reveal the dirt, burnout, and betrayals the startup world hides behind its glossy PR and polished LinkedIn posts.

The book that shook the Startup Nation, Confessions of a Unicorn Founder became a national bestseller in Israel’s high-stakes startup scene—now breaking onto the global stage for founders, dreamers, and anyone chasing something bigger.

Currently being developed for television.

©2025 Ra'anan Cohen (P)2025 Ra'anan Cohen

One of the best books I’ve heard in years!

I listen to hundreds of books a year for my Leap Academy podcast and rarely do I run into a book I absolutely can’t stop listening to. Raanan is taking you on a rare emotional journey of his startups. You laugh, you tear up, and you soak in every minute. Can’t recommend it enough!

Excellent founder story

Felt honest, stimulating, encouraging, interesting… I enjoyed the story from start to finish.
I liked the way the author shared what was going through his head - I could often relate. Appreciated his sharing of the highs and lows of signing up and working with investors.
I am also a runner 🙂
Recommended!

One of my most enjoyable books

Ra’anan took a story that happens far too often in startup world and shared that story in a vivid way, picturing the scenes in a way that makes the reader easily place himself in the scene.
I recommend this book to any founder who wants to learn more about the dynamics of founders and investors. Ra’anan wrote a masterpiece about the rollercoaster of founders