While I love their philosophy, part of me can't shake the feeling they are rubbing it in our faces for marketing purposes.
Things are going so well we’re doing a hiring freeze
11–20 of 93 posts
Re: Things are going so well we’re doing a hiring freeze
#12I really like their approach but I want to comment on the Mexican Fisherman story. Neither the fisherman nor the banker have it right. You see, the banker may be overly ambitious, but the fisherman is not taking precaution against future's uncertainty. You can be sure DHH has enough money and he doesn't need the headache of running a big business. The fisherman, on the other hand, may want to consider the day he cann…
The Mexican fisherman leans on his family and friends, his community, when he runs into trouble.
The banker relies on a socialized bailout.
Re: Things are going so well we’re doing a hiring freeze
#13While I love their philosophy, part of me can't shake the feeling they are rubbing it in our faces for marketing purposes.
It's a corporate blog. That's the entire purpose of it.
Re: Things are going so well we’re doing a hiring freeze
#14I really like their approach but I want to comment on the Mexican Fisherman story. Neither the fisherman nor the banker have it right. You see, the banker may be overly ambitious, but the fisherman is not taking precaution against future's uncertainty. You can be sure DHH has enough money and he doesn't need the headache of running a big business. The fisherman, on the other hand, may want to consider the day he cann…
The Mexican fisherman leans on his family and friends, his community, when he runs into trouble. The banker relies on a socialized bailout.
The fisherman feels shame and regret for having to turn to friends and family. Especially now his community is struggling as a result of having to bail out the finance sector.
The banker is happy to be getting on with business as usual.
Re: Things are going so well we’re doing a hiring freeze
#15Even if you don't read the article, you should read this story[0] that it links to. Which explains the mindset behind the decision. It's only like 200 words. [0]: http://renewablewealth.com/the-parable-of-the-mexican-fisher...
I think it is based on Böll's "Anekdote zur Senkung der Arbeitsmoral" [1] - not only a great short story, but a great title as well ("Anecdote concerning the Lowering of Productivity" - but also "[An] anecdote [meant to] lower productivity").
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anekdote_zur_Senkung_der_Arbei...
Re: Things are going so well we’re doing a hiring freeze
#16Earlier quoted context omitted.
The Mexican fisherman leans on his family and friends, his community, when he runs into trouble. The banker relies on a socialized bailout.
The fisherman feels shame and regret for having to turn to friends and family. Especially now his community is struggling as a result of having to bail out the finance sector. The banker is happy to be getting on with business as usual.
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Re: Things are going so well we’re doing a hiring freeze
#17Earlier quoted context omitted.
The Mexican fisherman leans on his family and friends, his community, when he runs into trouble. The banker relies on a socialized bailout.
The fisherman feels shame and regret for having to turn to friends and family. Especially now his community is struggling as a result of having to bail out the finance sector. The banker is happy to be getting on with business as usual.
Sad but true
Re: Things are going so well we’re doing a hiring freeze
#18Per the parable, there is a altered version in which the business man, sensing the fisher man is not open to ventures, strikes up a similar conversation with another fisherman who does agrees to expand fishing to better provide for his family and community.
As a result the original fisherman finds his fish stocks are sapped by the growing fisher man's venture, and, unable to afford a boat to go into deeper water, finds himself bankrupt and working for the businessman who would have been his partner.
The issue with that version is it ignores that you aren't just sitting on your hands but rather ensuring that your customers stay your customers. But it does beg the question - Are you growing to a better future or just improving the same day over and over?
Re: Things are going so well we’re doing a hiring freeze
#19It's insane how making a profit seems to considered "uncool" in the business world. Basecamp and particularly Jason Fried's writings (I realize this is particular article is by DHH) are super inspirational. I wish that building a solid, profitable business as opposed to being so focused on growth and finding more investors was more of the norm.
I want to work at Basecamp even more now, haha.
Re: Things are going so well we’re doing a hiring freeze
#20It's insane how making a profit seems to considered "uncool" in the business world. Basecamp and particularly Jason Fried's writings (I realize this is particular article is by DHH) are super inspirational. I wish that building a solid, profitable business as opposed to being so focused on growth and finding more investors was more of the norm. I want to work at Basecamp even more now, haha.
shrug VCs seem to prefer 1 hypergrowth startup and 20 failures in their portfolio to 17 solid, growing, profitable startups without hypergrowth and 4 failures.