There's nothing contradictive between being fine with short-term failures and celebrating long-term successes.
Should we normalize ephemeral businesses?
21–30 of 123 posts
Re: Should we normalize ephemeral businesses?
#22Starting a business is really challenging, as anyone who has tried it knows. Trying to make the finances work in something ephemeral is likely even more challenging. In any case, most businesses fail so ephemeral business is sort of the default unless you succeed. There are individual businessmen who ride different business waves (like getting into frozen yogurt a little over a decade ago). But the skill those people…
> There's also a whole world of business outside of tech that most of HN is not familiar with I once read that the most reliably money-making business in America is a car wash. Comes with a built-in monopoly because people will only drive so far to wash their car and reliably generates low 7 figures in sales. Plenty of repeat customers and low churn if you meet a quality bar. But who wants a 70% chance at being a mil…
One community focusing on this is r/sweatystartups - which often discusses how to start a pressure washing business, or how to scale their lawn care service.
Re: Should we normalize ephemeral businesses?
#23Starting a business is really challenging, as anyone who has tried it knows. Trying to make the finances work in something ephemeral is likely even more challenging. In any case, most businesses fail so ephemeral business is sort of the default unless you succeed. There are individual businessmen who ride different business waves (like getting into frozen yogurt a little over a decade ago). But the skill those people…
> There's also a whole world of business outside of tech that most of HN is not familiar with I once read that the most reliably money-making business in America is a car wash. Comes with a built-in monopoly because people will only drive so far to wash their car and reliably generates low 7 figures in sales. Plenty of repeat customers and low churn if you meet a quality bar. But who wants a 70% chance at being a mil…
Unfortunately things like car washes are zero sum games - if there already is one "in town" and you open a second all your business at best comes from what the other already had, and in the worst case it starts a price war and make far less.
Sure I won't go to the next town for my car washes, but just on my short route to the office I pass 3, and I know of a couple more that would be an insignificant detour. I think this is pretty typical for most city dwellers. (not to mention I work from home most days)
Re: Should we normalize ephemeral businesses?
#24If you get back down to basics, as business is an equitable arrangement where you offer to solve a problem, in exchange for making a profit in the process. At some point, the problem may no longer exist, or you may not be able to continue to make a profit. That's OK! You can pivot, or move on to another business. What I would love to see represented is some thinking around what should happen as a matter of best pract…
I could imagine something like the Consumer Product Safety Commission tasked with recovering and open sourcing IP from shut down companies with products in people’s hands.
Re: Should we normalize ephemeral businesses?
#25Earlier quoted context omitted.
> There's also a whole world of business outside of tech that most of HN is not familiar with I once read that the most reliably money-making business in America is a car wash. Comes with a built-in monopoly because people will only drive so far to wash their car and reliably generates low 7 figures in sales. Plenty of repeat customers and low churn if you meet a quality bar. But who wants a 70% chance at being a mil…
One community focusing on this is r/sweatystartups - which often discusses how to start a pressure washing business, or how to scale their lawn care service.
Looks like r/sweatystartup, A hub for entrepreneurs of regular old fashioned businesses, is more active.
Re: Should we normalize ephemeral businesses?
#26Earlier quoted context omitted.
> There's also a whole world of business outside of tech that most of HN is not familiar with I once read that the most reliably money-making business in America is a car wash. Comes with a built-in monopoly because people will only drive so far to wash their car and reliably generates low 7 figures in sales. Plenty of repeat customers and low churn if you meet a quality bar. But who wants a 70% chance at being a mil…
One community focusing on this is r/sweatystartups - which often discusses how to start a pressure washing business, or how to scale their lawn care service.
I must admit I was relieved an automower saved me from hiring a lawn care company.
Re: Should we normalize ephemeral businesses?
#27it's a compelling idea imo, if one considers the many ills wrought by organizations which outlive their usefulness and turn to parasitism but we must also heavily penalize hollow businesses, which exist mainly to funnel preexisting wealth to founders/employees before evaporating a similar concept could be fruitful in material technology as well, where ephemeral doesn't mean "obsolete in 2 years so we can sell you a n…
> but we must also heavily penalize hollow businesses, which exist mainly to funnel preexisting wealth to founders/employees before evaporating What does this mean? Isn't all wealth that can be used to purchase goods or services "pre-existing" and by definition going to the owners of companies if they manage to make a profit? I might be missing something because it seems you just described all businesses so I wouldn'…
on one side of the spectrum you have Theranos, all manner of predatory financial instruments, need I go on? while on the other extreme you have a cabbage in your garden, which we call a "primary producer" for good reason: it's a fully automated business which for a bit of tending will yield you dinner
sure, we're surfing an energy gradient, all of us children of the sun's benevolent surfeit, wealth already exists, fine. is there a definitive, one-size-fits-all criterion here? no, but you get the picture
Re: Should we normalize ephemeral businesses?
#28[dead]
Re: Should we normalize ephemeral businesses?
#29Starting a business is really challenging, as anyone who has tried it knows. Trying to make the finances work in something ephemeral is likely even more challenging. In any case, most businesses fail so ephemeral business is sort of the default unless you succeed. There are individual businessmen who ride different business waves (like getting into frozen yogurt a little over a decade ago). But the skill those people…
> There's also a whole world of business outside of tech that most of HN is not familiar with I once read that the most reliably money-making business in America is a car wash. Comes with a built-in monopoly because people will only drive so far to wash their car and reliably generates low 7 figures in sales. Plenty of repeat customers and low churn if you meet a quality bar. But who wants a 70% chance at being a mil…
> But who wants a 70% chance at being a millionaire, when there's 0.01% chance at being a billionaire on offer?
Literally anyone in the world will take the first deal.
Re: Should we normalize ephemeral businesses?
#30That is so Silicon Valley. 30 years as the longest span? There are businesses here in Munich that have been around longer than the US has existed. They are not "investable", though, they just go about doing good solid products that people need.