From Tech Exits to Children's Books: Iris Shoor's Unconventional Path

Serial entrepreneur and author Iris Shoor shared her unconventional career path at the 'Next Generation Women Investors' conference, organized by Globes in collaboration with Harel Insurance, Bank Leumi, and Strauss at the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. Shoor, who studied architecture at Bezalel and founded three startups—two of which were successfully sold—recounted how she decided to sell her third company to LinkedIn in 2021, defying a tech market obsessed with massive funding rounds.

Trusting Intuition Over Market Trends

Reflecting on her decision to sell during a period when tech companies were raising extraordinary amounts of capital, Shoor admitted that the market felt fundamentally misaligned with her business philosophy. 'I didn't predict a market crash, but on a personal level, I felt I had never experienced a period where endless money was raised just to show rising graphs without any economic logic,' she noted. Despite skepticism from peers and investors, Shoor secured three acquisition offers within months, ultimately choosing LinkedIn. The deal was finalized just as the technology sector began its sharp downturn.

Redefining Networking and Leadership

Shoor also discussed how she bypassed traditional networking norms by launching a newsletter called Secret Startup Jobs, which connected small tech companies with talent. Over two years, the initiative established her industry presence without traditional corporate socializing. At LinkedIn, she championed vulnerability in management, sharing personal challenges with her teams to build deeper human connections within a corporate KPI-driven environment.

'You can reach very high goals in many different and unconventional ways. I didn't overcome my insecurities, and I can't say I'm a different person. Some successes helped me become a different person, but I didn't succeed because of that, but rather with it,' Shoor said.

Transitioning From Tech to Children's Literature

After leaving LinkedIn and the high-tech sector two years ago, Shoor took a sabbatical to explore her identity outside of professional achievements. Five months ago, she published a children's book titled 'The Monsters in the Living Room', which has already generated approximately ₪700,000 in revenue. She concluded by emphasizing the role of intuition in business decisions, noting that while data and learning are crucial, there is no single predetermined path to success.