Cool but why doesn't he get a last name. I don't actually know who it is.
Greg
61–70 of 103 posts
Re: Greg
#62Re: Greg
#63If all startups need a Greg and there are only so many Gregs to go around, can new Gregs be deliberately created?
Startups do not necessarily, specifically need "a Greg." Startups need "at least one person who provides the force of will to make the startup happen", and Greg is an instance of such a person.
As long as you believe you can find such force of will within yourself, you too can be a little bit like Greg.
But beware: there is only one Greg. Don't try to be Greg, because you are you and will never be Greg. Instead, follow in Greg's example. Learn from Greg.
Find the force of will inside you. Practice your communication and empathy skills. And prepare to work your butt off. In other words, be a little like Greg. And maybe you'll find success in the startup world.
Re: Greg
#64The moral of the story here, clearly, is that when you're one of a pair of billionaires collectively responsible for some of the most successful entrepreneurship successes in recent history, and you decide to have someone handle logistics for a new venture, make sure they're enthusiastic.
This is reductionist and offensive. (1) On a practical level, although I don't know Greg's personal financial situation, he was the CTO of Stripe for five years. He's rich enough not to work. He works exactly because he's enthusiastic. (2) Secondly, to say that Greg merely handles logistics for OpenAI is to willfully ignore the post as written, and the reality on the ground. Also, I'm not sure Sam is a billionaire, a…
I don't think it's offensive to point out that recruiting an enthusiastic, engaged, and talented cofounder is different for Elon Musk and Sam Altman than it is for the fledgling startup founder that is the standard reader of YC blog posts.
It would have been fine if he was just telling a story about his own life, but when he said "make sure you also have someone like Greg" it became fair to point out that he seems a little bit oblivious as to context.
Re: Greg
#65[deleted]
Re: Greg
#66Cool but why doesn't he get a last name. I don't actually know who it is.
Greg Brockman. It's in the second sentence of the post.
Re: Greg
#67This might be besides the point of the post, but I'll ask anyway.
@Greg, perhaps you could talk a bit about what you think makes you a productive engineer and problem-solver. What's your workflow like, how do you approach a problem, or learning a new concept, what tools do you use, etc.
Re: Greg
#68Greg is humble, resourceful, and smart. That combination alone is enough to move mountains. However, what Sam's piece is missing is the "Why?". Why would someone who can do anything do YOUR thing and take any crud task it takes to finish the job, especially after they've made their fortune? Greg should give his own "Why?" about OpenAI. From what I know if 100 years from now someone looks back at this fork in the road of History, they would see two scenarios: Either a couple of big players will own the most powerful instrument in the hands of mankind, to use at their (or their highest bidder's) discretion, or mankind will jointly get to ensure the instrument has a safety handle to protect life and all things most important.
For the latter, I'd bet many of the smartest people here would want to do the crud work, even if they're not cofounders. The job of the ideal co-founder is to spread a mission that matters this much to everyone who would be fit to achieve it, inspiring all employees to be as committed. Well, OpenAI powered relentlessly by Greg, has inspired thousands of volunteers and open-source contributors in addition to it's top-notch staff.
Re: Greg
#69@gdb: do you have anything to say about sama's post? and what have been the activities that you found most valuable in your life?
Re: Greg
#70I only worked at OpenAI for a short period, but what was written here seems to mirror what I saw, FWIW. I would add in that Greg struck me as one of the sharpest people in the company, and one of the hardest working (he would often stay there late into the night, even on weekends).