Most of the plot revolves around Wolff's attempts to get funding from various sources: AOL, The Washington Post and Magellan.

Wolff recounts a growing animosity with his financial backers: Robert Machinist, Alan Patricof and Jon Rubin.

[2] In the end, Wolff decides to abandon the company, resigning his position, cashing his uncollected salary, and returning to his roots as a journalist, by writing a tell-all book.

[1] In October 1998,[4] Wolff wrote that Isabel Maxwell and David Hayden of Magellan complained about their portrayals.

From Robert Machinist, whom he labels as the "larger than life anti-hero" of the book, there was satisfaction at Burn Rate notoriety generating more business.