At a time when AI, automation, and constant disruption are forcing companies to rethink how they build and scale, Penguin Random House India has released The Algorithm by Jon McNeill — a rare, first-hand account of the radical framework that helped pull Tesla back from the edge and transform it into one of the most consequential businesses of our time.

McNeill, who served as Tesla’s President during its most critical growth phase, reporting directly to Elon Musk, doesn’t offer theory from a distance. He writes from the room where the hard calls were made. In The Algorithm, he distills the five-step system Musk used to cut through complexity and accelerate growth at breakneck speed: question everything, delete relentlessly, simplify aggressively, move faster, and automate last.

The results speak for themselves. Tesla’s revenue climbed from $2 billion to $20 billion in just 30 months — not by adding more, but by systematically removing what didn’t work.

The book arrives at a moment when most organisations are built to optimise. The Algorithm argues the opposite: real speed comes from deliberate subtraction. Automate only after you’ve stripped away the useless steps. Simplify before you scale. In India’s rapidly evolving business landscape — where startups and legacy firms alike are scrambling to keep pace — those ideas feel especially urgent.

Drawing on case studies from SpaceX, General Motors, and Lululemon, McNeill shows how leaders across industries are already applying these principles to unlock speed, innovation, and scale.

Jon McNeill is co-founder and CEO of DVx Ventures, and serves on the boards of General Motors, CrossFit, and Lululemon. He is a regular contributor to CNBC and has been quoted in Fortune, Semafor, and TechCrunch.