The last time I saw a post like this on HN, I replied that both idea and execution are important, with a contrived example. The creativity of the responses made me rethink my stance.
You Dont Need a Good Idea To Start a Great Company
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Re: You Dont Need a Good Idea To Start a Great Company
#32The real point this guy has is: don't wait for the best idea possible -- just pick something that's promising and start. You probably won't end up doing what you start with anyway, but it's better than just spinning your wheels waiting for inspiration.
Re: You Dont Need a Good Idea To Start a Great Company
#33Earlier quoted context omitted.
Does it matter? I think the point is that (Great People) + (Profitable Idea) = (Success) Consider: The variant of (Poor People) + (Profitable Idea) = (50/50 Success) and the variant of (Great People) + (Unprofitable Idea) = (Failure). If (Great People) it is far easier to get (Profitable Idea) then to change (Poor People) to (Great People). To use your example, if you're making a Ruby IDE and no one pays you, you wil…
But that's implying that working at Google won't be as rewarding. There's a lot of pressure to execute and iterate and so on when you're doing a startup. People sometimes forget to sit down and relax. Being in a less risky, less stressful position at Google can give you the important insights you need when you really start your business. I also submit that it'll be easier to quit Google when you've discovered your ho…
"Being in a less risky, less stressful position at Google can give you the important insights you need when you really start your business."
You could not be more wrong on this point. Being at google is a recipe for complacency. Quitting your job is incentive to actually figure out how to build something good. Because it's do that or fail.
Re: You Dont Need a Good Idea To Start a Great Company
#34JERRY: So you're saying, I go in to YC, and tell them I got this idea for a startup about nothing.
GEORGE: We go into YC.
JERRY: "We"? Since when are you a hacker?
GEORGE: (Scoffs) Hacker. We're talking about a startup.
JERRY: You want to go with me to YC?
GEORGE: Yeah. I think we really go something here.
JERRY: What do we got?
GEORGE: An idea.
JERRY: What idea?
GEORGE: An idea for the startup.
JERRY: I still don't know what the idea is.
GEORGE: It's about nothing.
JERRY: Right.
GEORGE: Everybody's doing something, we'll do nothing.
JERRY: So, we go into YC, we tell them we've got an idea for a startup about nothing.
GEORGE: Exactly.
JERRY: They say, "What's your startup about?" I say, "Nothing."
GEORGE: There you go.
(A moment passes)
JERRY: (Nodding) I think you may have something there.
Re: You Dont Need a Good Idea To Start a Great Company
#35JERRY: So you're saying, I go in to YC, and tell them I got this idea for a startup about nothing. GEORGE: We go into YC. JERRY: "We"? Since when are you a hacker? GEORGE: (Scoffs) Hacker. We're talking about a startup. JERRY: You want to go with me to YC? GEORGE: Yeah. I think we really go something here. JERRY: What do we got? GEORGE: An idea. JERRY: What idea? GEORGE: An idea for the startup. JERRY: I still don't…
Best. Post. Evar.
Re: You Dont Need a Good Idea To Start a Great Company
#36Problem is that it's hard to drop a steady job and be motivated about an idea you know isn't very good. You need to have an idea that you can believe has a chance of being successful.
I started my company around "Let's build an awesome company we want to work at, making products that people want." That was exciting enough for me to quit my big corporate job.
Re: You Dont Need a Good Idea To Start a Great Company
#37JERRY: So you're saying, I go in to YC, and tell them I got this idea for a startup about nothing. GEORGE: We go into YC. JERRY: "We"? Since when are you a hacker? GEORGE: (Scoffs) Hacker. We're talking about a startup. JERRY: You want to go with me to YC? GEORGE: Yeah. I think we really go something here. JERRY: What do we got? GEORGE: An idea. JERRY: What idea? GEORGE: An idea for the startup. JERRY: I still don't…
Straw man argument.
'You don't need a good idea' != 'You don't need an idea'
Re: You Dont Need a Good Idea To Start a Great Company
#38JERRY: So you're saying, I go in to YC, and tell them I got this idea for a startup about nothing. GEORGE: We go into YC. JERRY: "We"? Since when are you a hacker? GEORGE: (Scoffs) Hacker. We're talking about a startup. JERRY: You want to go with me to YC? GEORGE: Yeah. I think we really go something here. JERRY: What do we got? GEORGE: An idea. JERRY: What idea? GEORGE: An idea for the startup. JERRY: I still don't…
Straw man argument. 'You don't need a good idea' != 'You don't need an idea'
You're taking this too seriously.
Re: You Dont Need a Good Idea To Start a Great Company
#39[deleted]
Re: You Dont Need a Good Idea To Start a Great Company
#40I think link is down for this article. Could you please check?