Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Entrepreneur porn is a dangerous fantasy

techinasia.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

121–130 of 166 posts

Re: Entrepreneur porn is a dangerous fantasy

#121

Post by r2dnb »

vinceguidry wrote: post #117
[deleted] wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[deleted]

> I spend my time working on my company on evenings, week-ends. I could do that. It sounds interesting enough. I do read a lot about startups and business and tech. The friends I have dinner with seem amazed at how much I know about this stuff, despite putting far less time into it. But when I get right down to it, spending all my time trying to squeeze blood from a stone doesn't really hold all that much appeal to m…

I understand the reasoning but the need for capital depends on your situation. For example if you want to start a software business and are a good developer you need no capital. The only thing you need is time to work on your venture. It might look like it's the same because taking time to work on your venture requires to have money but there's a big difference.

You might want to read this :

http://read.reddy.today/read/4/flexible-revenue-model-vs-mvp...

Good luck

Re: Entrepreneur porn is a dangerous fantasy

#122

Post by rchaud »

nickpinkston wrote: post #54
chubot wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Probably when you have to try NOT to do something...? Like at this point, I would have to try not to play guitar. Or try not to program and experiment with designs for systems software. But I am trying TO start a business as well. It doesn't come as naturally. I like the idea of making money independently... and I actually DO like satisfying customers. But so far not enough to give it a real concerted effort. (I have…

"when you have to try NOT to do something" - I think that's a nice litmus test for it

Even that test has limits though. Competive gamers all start off playing hours of video games a day, but playing competitively means sacrificing fun for grueling practice, formulaic tactics and very little experimentation; basically all the fun is sucked out of it.

Theres a moment in the show "Silicon valley" when a programmer looks at an Agile deliverables chart and says "This just became a job".

I think that would be the test. Can you endure the drudgery of daily grind and constant challenges and still want to go through with it? You won't know unless you try.

Re: Entrepreneur porn is a dangerous fantasy

#123

Post by vinceguidry »

r2dnb wrote: post #121
vinceguidry wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I spend my time working on my company on evenings, week-ends. I could do that. It sounds interesting enough. I do read a lot about startups and business and tech. The friends I have dinner with seem amazed at how much I know about this stuff, despite putting far less time into it. But when I get right down to it, spending all my time trying to squeeze blood from a stone doesn't really hold all that much appeal to m…

I understand the reasoning but the need for capital depends on your situation. For example if you want to start a software business and are a good developer you need no capital. The only thing you need is time to work on your venture. It might look like it's the same because taking time to work on your venture requires to have money but there's a big difference. You might want to read this : http://read.reddy.today/r…

As a skilled developer I can trade time for capital, but time is the most valuable thing any of us have, so I have to be very careful about taking on commitments that will use up a lot of my time.

Re: Entrepreneur porn is a dangerous fantasy

#124

Post by vinceguidry »

beachstartup wrote: post #119
vinceguidry wrote: post #111

I may become an entrepreneur some day, but I will have to have climbed the social ladder to the upper class before I even attempt it. Being middle class in the US in a second-tier city is just totally freaking awesome. The corporate job I have now is night-and-day better than the lifestyle I had in my twenties. Breaking through to the next level is so far down the list of my current priorities that it could never hap…

> I may become an entrepreneur some day, but I will have to have climbed the social ladder to the upper class before I even attempt it. it sounds like you've been blessed with the temperament to not actually want either of these things. you probably don't want to buy expensive stuff or exhibit control over other people or be written about either. that's also a blessing. none of this stuff 'just happens, someday, mayb…

I am interested in expensive stuff and in leadership. I have to moderate my ambitions to those I can realistically try out. Two years ago I bought 3 custom suits for $3000. These days I'm happy browsing clearance racks and got a nice three-piece for under $150, a pair of secondhand Italian leather shoes for $14. I'm better dressed now than I was then because I have more variety to choose from.

Instead of begging for more responsibility at my job, I cultivate community relationships and put together deals. I'm currently doing a website for a musician friend of mine. I took my side of the fee and gave it back to him in exchange for a guitar.

I scratch most of the personal development itches that an entrepreneur seems to be after, and have a lot more fun (to me) doing it.

Re: Entrepreneur porn is a dangerous fantasy

#125

Post by wdr1 »

bobby_9x wrote: post #61

"Money won’t make you happy" I disagree with this. I've been running my own company for a little over 5 years. Not having to worry about my rent and being able to live a comfortable lifestyle has made me really happy. If I made $100 million and didn't ever have to worry about money again, I definitely would be happier. It's the peace of mind that I'm working toward. But, the money isn't the main thing that makes me h…

I've always viewed it as "The lack of money can make you unhappy, but money itself can't make you happy."

Or put another way, money can be a demotivator, but not a motivator.

Re: Entrepreneur porn is a dangerous fantasy

#126

Post by robocat »

Mahn wrote: post #44
SFjulie1 wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not alone Made my startup worked hard. Got contracts. Customers forgot to pay. It sucked. And in my country it was normal. It was not Africa. It was France. Big corporations do whatever the fuck want even if it is illegal. Trades dispute are regulated by "peers" tribunal dating from middle age that are crooked. And newspapers, teachers and politics that never had a job were pointing fingers randomly at problems.

This is why I don't like B2B much; a monolith company can randomly decide to pay 5-10 months late and no one bats an eye because that's the normal thing to do for a company of that size, small entrepreneurs that are barely making it be damned.

B2B is fine so long as you retain some leveragee.

A common form of leverage is a contractual "switch" with SaaS. If your service if valuable, they pay on time, otherwise you turn off their service (after suitable warning procedures).

Re: Entrepreneur porn is a dangerous fantasy

#127

Post by tomcam »

bobby_9x wrote: post #61

"Money won’t make you happy" I disagree with this. I've been running my own company for a little over 5 years. Not having to worry about my rent and being able to live a comfortable lifestyle has made me really happy. If I made $100 million and didn't ever have to worry about money again, I definitely would be happier. It's the peace of mind that I'm working toward. But, the money isn't the main thing that makes me h…

Yep. Grew up insecure & not rich. Now own my own house outright, work for myself, and can afford our exceptionally high medical insurance. Am much, much happier knowing the house is mine and that I can afford to repair it. Unlike my family as I grew up, we don't have to leave pots under holes in the sealing for years at a time because we can't afford roof repair. Am much happier knowing I can't be fired by a stupid boss. Money has made me much happier.

Re: Entrepreneur porn is a dangerous fantasy

#128

Post by LordKano »

bobby_9x wrote: post #61

"Money won’t make you happy" I disagree with this. I've been running my own company for a little over 5 years. Not having to worry about my rent and being able to live a comfortable lifestyle has made me really happy. If I made $100 million and didn't ever have to worry about money again, I definitely would be happier. It's the peace of mind that I'm working toward. But, the money isn't the main thing that makes me h…

Money won’t make you happy

This is true but misleading.

Nothing external makes you happy. As cheesy as it may sound, happiness comes from within. That being said, having money can ease some of the stresses that weigh upon us and make us unhappy.

Moreover, it's the kind of thing that is said by people who either have a lot of money already or have no chance of ever having a lot of money. For those of us in the middle, it's a patronizing and frustrating platitude.

Re: Entrepreneur porn is a dangerous fantasy

#129

Post by [deleted] »

vinceguidry wrote: post #124
beachstartup wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I may become an entrepreneur some day, but I will have to have climbed the social ladder to the upper class before I even attempt it. it sounds like you've been blessed with the temperament to not actually want either of these things. you probably don't want to buy expensive stuff or exhibit control over other people or be written about either. that's also a blessing. none of this stuff 'just happens, someday, mayb…

I am interested in expensive stuff and in leadership. I have to moderate my ambitions to those I can realistically try out. Two years ago I bought 3 custom suits for $3000. These days I'm happy browsing clearance racks and got a nice three-piece for under $150, a pair of secondhand Italian leather shoes for $14. I'm better dressed now than I was then because I have more variety to choose from. Instead of begging for…

[deleted]

Re: Entrepreneur porn is a dangerous fantasy

#130

Post by mattmanser »

Cthulhu_ wrote: post #56
logingone wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's been something related in the UK recently - Tesco not paying their suppliers. "...dating from middle age..." I've been noticing increasingly, while technology is buzzing ahead, just how many mechanisms and interactions in society are unbelievably outdated. Is this what sociologists are supposed to be advancing? What are they doing?

That's different though - Tesco needs those suppliers, and the suppliers can boycott Tesco for not paying up, which would cause them to go down very quickly.

No, Tesco can just buy it from someone else (or even import it at a loss) and good luck staying afloat when 80% of your business just went elsewhere.
Post reply on HN