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Ask HN: I'm lost. Please help

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Re: Ask HN: I'm lost. Please help

#11

Post by noodle »

Try and fix the problems yourself. If the problems are fixable, I'm sure you have insight into how to fix them. There's obviously something wrong with the situation.

If you can't fix the problems, leave. Don't fall into a sunken cost fallacy. Sometimes losing time and/or money is just a part of doing business. You took a risk. Risk is a part of life. But you should also learn to recognize when to cut losses and move on. You should sit down, decide upon what it will take for you to leave the company, and stick to the decision if it comes to pass.

Re: Ask HN: I'm lost. Please help

#12

Post by greatergoodguy »

I am making a some assumptions in this advice I'm giving you. You should get out, I understand you have invested the time and effort. But if they can't carry their weight, there is a lot of potential risk for the future.

"I think my co-founders are idiots". What are your expectations of them for the future. Do you see them becoming geniuses? Staying in with the expectations that a bad player will become a good player is an insane risk for you.

If this start-up becomes big, how stake in the company are divided will become a huge pain point. They are going to want more than they deserve. I've been around plenty of people who are all talk and heard many horror stories. I'm fortunate not to be burned but I've made a strong effort to surrounded myself with the right people. I'm telling you this to minimize mistakes that may take a huge portion of your time. Time is the most valuable thing you have so spend it on projects and people that are worth it.

Re: Ask HN: I'm lost. Please help

#13

Post by Morendil »

misframer wrote: post #4

> I feel as though I've invested too much time and energy to bail now. You're talking about sunk costs. There's nothing you can do about that now. Focus on the future. Think about your future time and energy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunk_costs

This. If the only thing keeping you from bailing is an attachment to past decisions... don't let it keep you.

Re: Ask HN: I'm lost. Please help

#15

Post by famousactress »

misframer wrote: post #4

> I feel as though I've invested too much time and energy to bail now. You're talking about sunk costs. There's nothing you can do about that now. Focus on the future. Think about your future time and energy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunk_costs

This is very good advice, and there are a number of times in my career (and life, really) that I wish I had respected this mode of thinking. It didn't get through to me until I read it in a book about chess, actually. In the book the author warned that beginners get into trouble by paying attention to momentum. Instead, it suggested, it was better to look at the board each move as freshly as possible and ignore what happened to get it into that state because it was irrelevant.

More often than not, I think that's good advice for darned near everything. I'd say take a fresh look and weigh your options. If you didn't have a job right now is this the one you'd take? If not then stop! Because that's what you're doing every morning, you're taking this job for no better reason than you took it yesterday and the day before that.

Re: Ask HN: I'm lost. Please help

#16

Post by shadowmatter »

> I think my co-founders are idiots, that they fouled up their side of the deal, but I feel as though I've invested too much time and energy to bail now.

You've got to let go of this attitude. If you cling to it, then you will never leave, even if your co-founders are idiots and the business is a failure. What you need to do is quit as soon as possible. Only then can you start on a better endeavor and improve your quality of life.

I once heard someone say, "Give up on crap." It may sound juvenile, and it goes against the rosy, feel-good "Never give up" pep talks that we're used to and almost expect to hear. But I've found it to be a much better guide in life decisions. Go with it.

Re: Ask HN: I'm lost. Please help

#17

Post by pchristensen »

"...I feel as though I've invested too much time and energy to bail now."

Unless you feel there's a realistic chance of success within the timeframe that your personal situation allows, you should bail. Don't let the past trap your future.

"I've learned more in the last year than I have at any other point in my life, and I've become a better programmer and designer. I've always said that even if this doesn't work out, I'll have become a better, more capable professional in the end. And I feel that I have."

And you no doubt are! I'm not sure where you are, but there are tons of companies in SF/Silicon Valley with 6-50 employees, VC funding, etc that will pay relocation and a nice salary for a versatile full-stack developer with demonstrable skills. There may be a startup in the future, but there's no shame in using the skills you developed at this startup to get a nice job for a year or two. The choice isn't between BigCo and no salary frustrationsville.

Re: Ask HN: I'm lost. Please help

#19

Post by artagnon »

Did you think that the non-tech people you picked would be great co-founders at the time (whom you now consider idiots)? Or did you think that they'd be useful in getting funding (which they failed to do anyway)?

You say that you've become a better programmer, and are proud of your product. It's the business model that stinks, right? If product is all you care about, why aren't you working on an open source project? You'll constantly get developer reviews and user feedback and can build a truly fantastic product. If business model/ funding is secondary ("let's just pull in a couple of idiots who'll take care of it for me"), you really shouldn't be starting up.

Okay, you're already here and want to know what to do now. Cut your losses and get out. Now. Get your shit together and figure out what you want to do.

Re: Ask HN: I'm lost. Please help

#20

Post by gknoy »

enoptix wrote: post #5

Is this anonymous copy-and-paste medium how people start to deal with their problems now? What happened to just talking to people or making tough decisions? I've seen more of these posts in the last year than I have in my entire time on HN. I'm sorry you are having a tough time but you need to either 1) have a hard talk with your co-founders about your business model. present facts. make your case. they will listen.…

> the notion that a bunch of internet strangers will be able to give you some miracle advice is absurd

While not miracle advice, I cannot think of a better venue to ask startup-related questions. I don't know anyone in real life, none of my friends do this, etc. In contrast, a substantial portion (if not the majority?) of users here have been part of a startup, and have firsthand advice.

Sure, it's not miracle advice, but the fact that these are strangers on the internet is not sufficient to discount the wisdom that many here are willing to share.

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