Ask HN: Accelerate or slow down?

#1

Post by glow » Mon, Jan 26, 2009, 8:27 PM UTC

I have been tossing around a few ideas for a start-up, a couple of different angles on small-scale game development for download services, and getting good feedback from people around me.

So I'm faced with a dilemma: I have a family with small children. Not really the optimal situation for an time-consuming adventure like this. Is this the time to do this, or should I step down and postpone things, possibly losing the opportunities I see?

Try to put yourself in this situation and tell me how you'd reason. I won't really base my decision on answers here, but I'm hoping for a good discussion at least as I've been turning my head inside out thinking about this for a couple of months.

Re: Ask HN: Accelerate or slow down?

#2

Post by bprater » Mon, Jan 26, 2009, 8:30 PM UTC

If you mean "step down" as in leaving your current employ, the critical question is this: How many months savings do you have?

And if you have at least a year's saving, what is the revenue model and how quickly can you get to the point where you can ship product?

Oh, and don't listen to what people around you say about your ideas. They'll either think it's brilliant or say it's stupid, but rarely have anything critical or useful to say.

The genius is in your passion for the idea.

Re: Ask HN: Accelerate or slow down?

#3

Post by apage43 » Mon, Jan 26, 2009, 8:32 PM UTC

Certainly not the time to quit your day job and then try a start-up, but i don't see why you couldn't throw together your startup in your spare time. Is there a reason you need the 'time-consuming adventure' to actually consume so much time? It'll take longer to launch but on the whole, be less risky.

Re: Ask HN: Accelerate or slow down?

#4

Post by vaksel » Mon, Jan 26, 2009, 8:33 PM UTC

start now.

Better to do a startup for 3 years @ 20 hours a week, than 2 years @ 80 hours a week

Growth isn't instant, it'll take time to get new users. And if you are taking the long view, you'll actually be more mentally prepared for when your startup isn't an instant success

Re: Ask HN: Accelerate or slow down?

#5

Post by lsc » Mon, Jan 26, 2009, 8:43 PM UTC

If you are self-funded, or can self-fund, accelerate. I personally see this as my only chance.

Nothing has changed for me, in terms of revenue. I still have more consulting work than I can handle, at ridiculous rates. What is different now is that none of my competitors can get loans or venture capital, and I can hire really good people for quite a lot less than usual.

Marketing, too, seems easier than usual. Consumers care about price now, which unlike the intangibles people usually compete on, is an area where I can compete.

but then, I don't have kids.

Re: Ask HN: Accelerate or slow down?

#6

Post by axod » Mon, Jan 26, 2009, 9:22 PM UTC

Do it in spare time and see how it goes :)

Re: Ask HN: Accelerate or slow down?

#7

Post by glow » Mon, Jan 26, 2009, 9:34 PM UTC

bprater wrote: post #2

If you mean "step down" as in leaving your current employ, the critical question is this: How many months savings do you have? And if you have at least a year's saving, what is the revenue model and how quickly can you get to the point where you can ship product? Oh, and don't listen to what people around you say about your ideas. They'll either think it's brilliant or say it's stupid, but rarely have anything critic…

When I say "slow down" I don't mean quit my day job, but rather put it off for a couple of years. Quitting my day-job feels like a bad move, but if things start working out I might take a day off every week to work on my stuff.

Re: Ask HN: Accelerate or slow down?

#8

Post by glow » Mon, Jan 26, 2009, 9:47 PM UTC

Thanks a lot for the comments.

As I read through some of the comments, I see that my arch-nemesis "time management" probably is one the reasons I'm sweating over this. Using the right amount of spare time effectively and letting it take it's time is probably key, but oh so hard to do.

You've given me good food for thought, thanks!

Re: Ask HN: Accelerate or slow down?

#9

Post by rs » Tue, Jan 27, 2009, 1:15 PM UTC

bprater wrote: post #2

If you mean "step down" as in leaving your current employ, the critical question is this: How many months savings do you have? And if you have at least a year's saving, what is the revenue model and how quickly can you get to the point where you can ship product? Oh, and don't listen to what people around you say about your ideas. They'll either think it's brilliant or say it's stupid, but rarely have anything critic…

Passion for the idea is important - but lets not forget execution as well. Ideas + passion alone does not necessarily guarantee success. Add excellent execution to it, and probability for success increases