Live data from Hacker News

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Mediocre Entrepreneurs

techcrunch.com

11–20 of 41 posts

Re: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Mediocre Entrepreneurs

#11
post #7

If this guy is as completely incompetent as he claims (and claims, and claims, and claims again) then why should we listen to anything he says (though it's terribly embarrassing for him, but apparently he's going to say it in public anyway)? Linkbait oxmoronic title is linkbait and an oxymoron. Endless false modesty is nauseating. Articles like this have little value. Links to articles like this belong on another for…

I find his articles fun to read and thought-provoking. A lot of what he says goes against the conventional wisdom of the startup world or against my own way of doing things. So his ideas provide a good (and entertaining) opportunity to re-examine them.

Same here, I relate a lot to his personal traits.

Re: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Mediocre Entrepreneurs

#12

If this guy is as completely incompetent as he claims (and claims, and claims, and claims again) then why should we listen to anything he says (though it's terribly embarrassing for him, but apparently he's going to say it in public anyway)? Linkbait oxmoronic title is linkbait and an oxymoron. Endless false modesty is nauseating. Articles like this have little value. Links to articles like this belong on another for…

if you judge people for being self deprecating, you wind up self selecting people who overpromote themselves

Re: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Mediocre Entrepreneurs

#13

If this guy is as completely incompetent as he claims (and claims, and claims, and claims again) then why should we listen to anything he says (though it's terribly embarrassing for him, but apparently he's going to say it in public anyway)? Linkbait oxmoronic title is linkbait and an oxymoron. Endless false modesty is nauseating. Articles like this have little value. Links to articles like this belong on another for…

if you judge people for being self deprecating, you wind up self selecting people who overpromote themselves

The thing is, I don't think he was really being self-deprecating at all. If he were being self-deprecating, then after admitting to being mediocre, he wouldn't have spent the rest of the opening paragraph name-dropping extremely successful people who he claims read all his articles.

There were some reasonable ideas in there, but I didn't notice anything that hasn't been said before by many other people, and they probably said it using far fewer words, far more clearly, and with far, far fewer references to themselves.

I wasn't a fan of the implicit sexism betrayed by comments like "enjoy the sunset with your wife on occasion" and the reference to asking every girl on the street, either. The only link between anyone female and success in that entire article is a picture of a photogenic young lady holding hands with Larry Page.

Re: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Mediocre Entrepreneurs

#14

If this guy is as completely incompetent as he claims (and claims, and claims, and claims again) then why should we listen to anything he says (though it's terribly embarrassing for him, but apparently he's going to say it in public anyway)? Linkbait oxmoronic title is linkbait and an oxymoron. Endless false modesty is nauseating. Articles like this have little value. Links to articles like this belong on another for…

Oh god it's a light hearted piss-take.

Re: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Mediocre Entrepreneurs

#15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

if you judge people for being self deprecating, you wind up self selecting people who overpromote themselves

The thing is, I don't think he was really being self-deprecating at all. If he were being self-deprecating, then after admitting to being mediocre, he wouldn't have spent the rest of the opening paragraph name-dropping extremely successful people who he claims read all his articles. There were some reasonable ideas in there, but I didn't notice anything that hasn't been said before by many other people, and they prob…

[deleted]

Re: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Mediocre Entrepreneurs

#16
I loved this article! He did learn the wrong lesson regarding the failed demo where he couldn't launch his CD because he only knew Macs and Unix. It is important to know how to use Windows, that's true. But even more important is: be absolutely certain you control every variable you can in a demo or presentation. Count on as little as possible from the audience/venue. Every salesman knows this, right? You bring your own laptop.

Re: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Mediocre Entrepreneurs

#18

If this guy is as completely incompetent as he claims (and claims, and claims, and claims again) then why should we listen to anything he says (though it's terribly embarrassing for him, but apparently he's going to say it in public anyway)? Linkbait oxmoronic title is linkbait and an oxymoron. Endless false modesty is nauseating. Articles like this have little value. Links to articles like this belong on another for…

"If this guy is as completely incompetent as he claims (and claims, and claims, and claims again) then why should we listen to anything he says?"

Because, chances are, you're also as completely incompetent as he is.

Re: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Mediocre Entrepreneurs

#19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

if you judge people for being self deprecating, you wind up self selecting people who overpromote themselves

The thing is, I don't think he was really being self-deprecating at all. If he were being self-deprecating, then after admitting to being mediocre, he wouldn't have spent the rest of the opening paragraph name-dropping extremely successful people who he claims read all his articles. There were some reasonable ideas in there, but I didn't notice anything that hasn't been said before by many other people, and they prob…

I don't know what to tell you,

He has a blog that I actually find pretty entertaining

though if you hated this piece, maybe his writing isn't your thing

recommend: http://www.jamesaltucher.com/2011/02/how-to-be-the-luckiest-...

Re: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Mediocre Entrepreneurs

#20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

if you judge people for being self deprecating, you wind up self selecting people who overpromote themselves

The thing is, I don't think he was really being self-deprecating at all. If he were being self-deprecating, then after admitting to being mediocre, he wouldn't have spent the rest of the opening paragraph name-dropping extremely successful people who he claims read all his articles. There were some reasonable ideas in there, but I didn't notice anything that hasn't been said before by many other people, and they prob…

How was that sexist again?
Post reply on HN