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Why Should I Start a Startup?

blog.ycombinator.com

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Re: Why Should I Start a Startup?

#81

Post by TheAlchemist »

Very interesting post ! The 3 questions really resonate with me. Usually when talking startups, people talk about changing the world, having and impact etc. Your take seems much more personal, and also that's the way I feel it (although I can't explain that to me rationally).

The 3rd is so true - in big corps, you think you're responsible for this and that because you're the tech lead, project manager or whatever. But most of the time, that's not really true - nothing bad will happen to you if you don't deliver. When you're starting a startup you suddenly realize what personal responsibility means.

Anyway, thanks for a great post !

Re: Why Should I Start a Startup?

#82

Post by carsongross »

Here is a practical reason to start a startup:

You are married to someone who makes enough money to push your marginal tax rate on income to the point (it can hit 55%+ in places like CA) that you might as well take a flier on a startup rather than pulling a W4.

Re: Why Should I Start a Startup?

#83

Post by aaron-lebo »

CryptoFascist wrote: post #64

This is nothing but a pitch by YCombinator to get rubes to work for pitiful amounts of money and likely fail, so that YCombinator can capture the vast profits from the few that succeed. It's YCombinator's business model.

This article is thoughtful and measured and doesn't even steer people towards startups.

It's fun to mock the man, but you didn't even bother reading the article. You should feel bad.

Re: Why Should I Start a Startup?

#85

Post by mosselman »

ericd wrote: post #80
CryptoFascist wrote: post #64

This is nothing but a pitch by YCombinator to get rubes to work for pitiful amounts of money and likely fail, so that YCombinator can capture the vast profits from the few that succeed. It's YCombinator's business model.

YC doesn't capture "the vast profits", they take ballpark 6%. That leaves the founders with the vast majority of the windfall, depending on how much outside money you need to make your idea work.

6% of a few billion is still a vast profit compared to their relative effort. It is not a bad thing either. Why shouldn't they make money? Profit is not a dirty word. Still @CryptoFascist makes a valid observation in stating that YC is probably not an impartial entity when writing about whether you should or should not start a start-up, preferably for them.

Re: Why Should I Start a Startup?

#86

Post by aaron-lebo »

taurath wrote: post #77

I do find it rather hilarious that he dropped interest in yale for being too academic, but during my (failed) interview as a web developer at Twitch about 5 years ago, the questioning had to do with only academic subjects like graph traversal algorithms - they proudly stated when I applied that 90% of their employees come from an Ivy league background. Here's who I think should start a startup: - People with the back…

You don't need money to start a startup. It is only startup culture which emphasizes it.

When you've got nothing, you don't have anything to risk, so those people without resources but with drive are as good a place as any.

My friends and I are working on something in the garage. It might not turn into anything, but when you only make 40k a year, it doesn't take much to be really successful. The thought of making an extra 20k a year is life changing for me and my friends. For a lot of people with great jobs or who are used to wealth, making less than 120k a year is a sacrifice. That's a huge disadvantage, and it becomes even more so when your entire company is filled with people like that.

Re: Why Should I Start a Startup?

#87

Post by bjelkeman-again »

CryptoFascist wrote: post #64

This is nothing but a pitch by YCombinator to get rubes to work for pitiful amounts of money and likely fail, so that YCombinator can capture the vast profits from the few that succeed. It's YCombinator's business model.

Not every startup is a an attempt at getting VC funds and make it big. Some startups are the least resistance way of getting something done or trying something new, that the incumbents aren't able or willing to try.

Re: Why Should I Start a Startup?

#88

Post by graveThrow56 »

CryptoFascist wrote: post #64

This is nothing but a pitch by YCombinator to get rubes to work for pitiful amounts of money and likely fail, so that YCombinator can capture the vast profits from the few that succeed. It's YCombinator's business model.

I thought the same. If if was genuine, he would suggest another option: starting a small/medium business in tech. You know, a business that helps you escape corporate life, and make money for yourself in the process.

Only problem: there is no way for YC to make money off of it...

So let's ignore S&M businesses in tech and as a valid entrepreneurship route. Let's pretend that the only options are a startup or corporate life.

Re: Why Should I Start a Startup?

#89

Post by [deleted] »

graveThrow56 wrote: post #88
CryptoFascist wrote: post #64

This is nothing but a pitch by YCombinator to get rubes to work for pitiful amounts of money and likely fail, so that YCombinator can capture the vast profits from the few that succeed. It's YCombinator's business model.

I thought the same. If if was genuine, he would suggest another option: starting a small/medium business in tech. You know, a business that helps you escape corporate life, and make money for yourself in the process. Only problem: there is no way for YC to make money off of it... So let's ignore S&M businesses in tech and as a valid entrepreneurship route. Let's pretend that the only options are a startup or corporat…

[deleted]

Re: Why Should I Start a Startup?

#90

Post by albertgoeswoof »

aaron-lebo wrote: post #86
taurath wrote: post #77

I do find it rather hilarious that he dropped interest in yale for being too academic, but during my (failed) interview as a web developer at Twitch about 5 years ago, the questioning had to do with only academic subjects like graph traversal algorithms - they proudly stated when I applied that 90% of their employees come from an Ivy league background. Here's who I think should start a startup: - People with the back…

You don't need money to start a startup. It is only startup culture which emphasizes it. When you've got nothing, you don't have anything to risk, so those people without resources but with drive are as good a place as any. My friends and I are working on something in the garage. It might not turn into anything, but when you only make 40k a year, it doesn't take much to be really successful. The thought of making an…

What are you making in a garage?
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