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Started a stupid company. Failed.

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Re: Started a stupid company. Failed.

#211

Post by johnny99 »

You're not the opposite of everyone here. I've driven a company into the ground and was an early employee at another where I watched someone else drive us into the ground--not sure which was worse. Have two little kids and after one of the experiences above had to get a 'real' job for a while, in cubicleland. Felt like, and was really, a total failure, at least professionally. Probably doesn't help a ton right now, but you're not alone. Three years after that low point the situation has improved amazingly. It may be a slog, but you can dig out.

If you're in the Bay Area and an engineer or know SaaS sales, my company's hiring. It's a good place to work. Email john@entelo.com if that might help.

Re: Started a stupid company. Failed.

#212

Post by znowi »

singular wrote: post #36
zedshaw wrote: post #13

Hey, other comments are going to give you a few lines telling you to not quit, that you should hang in there, and that it'll be alright. That may be true, but to me it sounds like you're possibly not doing well enough to make any of that possible, and you probably need to find work fast. Here's what I want to do: 1. I have a little list of companies looking for employees that I'll send you. Not much just companies th…

I have for a while thought of you as (total honesty here) a bullying cock (though talented at what you do), but this comment which is sincere, genuine and offered to someone for whom this could be greatly helpful has made me seriously reconsider. Kudos.

Yea, seeing zedshaw's comment I thought he was about to ridicule the guy for whatever reason. This was unexpected. A good deed, though it doesn't make him not a bullying cock all of a sudden. He's a stellar rockstar with attitude. It happens :)

Re: Started a stupid company. Failed.

#213

Post by tedks »

avenger123 wrote: post #190
r0ash wrote: post #188

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are a generous, thanks for adding trust in the world. But please dont fall a victim of emotional-blackmailing. If you have some leads or contact share with him if you dont, I would not recommend you give him money, his account is too new here on HN and he 500+ karma already. So be safe and help people in need, no one like the feeling of being robbed. Thanks once again.

The pot calling the kettle black

Making a new account, or using a new account to tell people to be cautious about who they throw money to on the Internet, is hardly equivalent to writing a sob story and then accepting donations from the Internet (which, to his credit, the OP seems to not have yet done).

This is the Internet. People lie on it. This is not novel.

Re: Started a stupid company. Failed.

#214

Post by movebits »

zedshaw wrote: post #13

Hey, other comments are going to give you a few lines telling you to not quit, that you should hang in there, and that it'll be alright. That may be true, but to me it sounds like you're possibly not doing well enough to make any of that possible, and you probably need to find work fast. Here's what I want to do: 1. I have a little list of companies looking for employees that I'll send you. Not much just companies th…

very cool! initiative.

Re: Started a stupid company. Failed.

#215

Post by movebits »

michaelochurch wrote: post #30
zedshaw wrote: post #13

Hey, other comments are going to give you a few lines telling you to not quit, that you should hang in there, and that it'll be alright. That may be true, but to me it sounds like you're possibly not doing well enough to make any of that possible, and you probably need to find work fast. Here's what I want to do: 1. I have a little list of companies looking for employees that I'll send you. Not much just companies th…

I'm really glad that people like you exist, Zed, and keep fighting. (Also, I'm a fan of LCTHW.) Silicon Valley was built by people helping each other out and paying it forward. The current Atherton/Sand Hill Road, "fuck you I've got mine", NIMBY, crowd seem to have forgotten that.

cool

Re: Started a stupid company. Failed.

#216

Post by ing33k »

zedshaw wrote: post #13

Hey, other comments are going to give you a few lines telling you to not quit, that you should hang in there, and that it'll be alright. That may be true, but to me it sounds like you're possibly not doing well enough to make any of that possible, and you probably need to find work fast. Here's what I want to do: 1. I have a little list of companies looking for employees that I'll send you. Not much just companies th…

you are awesome !

Re: Started a stupid company. Failed.

#217

Post by adrr »

31reasons wrote: post #98

I don't care if I get down voted. But if a person already has 3 kids and another on the way, why would you spend all your savings on a startup ? even if you run out of savings, why would you max out your credit ? There is something called calculated risk.

People make stupid mistakes when chasing after their dreams. Especially when heavily influenced by survivor biased that is rampant in tech media. Its the failure that make you smart in the long run.

Re: Started a stupid company. Failed.

#218

Post by tempestn »

termain wrote: post #112
kibibu wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It strikes me that Zed has been on the receiving end of way more bullying than he has given out (including being called a cock by you in this very post)

"I thought of you as" is not the same thing as "you are a".

It still makes for a pretty damned backhanded compliment.

Re: Started a stupid company. Failed.

#219

Post by singular »

kibibu wrote: post #78
singular wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have for a while thought of you as (total honesty here) a bullying cock (though talented at what you do), but this comment which is sincere, genuine and offered to someone for whom this could be greatly helpful has made me seriously reconsider. Kudos.

It strikes me that Zed has been on the receiving end of way more bullying than he has given out (including being called a cock by you in this very post)

"I have for a while thought of you as (total honesty here) a bullying cock"

Notice the past tense. I based that opinion on the many aggressive attacking posts by Zed (for which he is well-known), particularly the attack of Mark Pilgrim (now deleted.)

That impression may be right or it may be wrong, but for good or for bad it's one that I got, and I felt my not mentioning that or hedging it here would be intellectually dishonest.

Note what I said next:-

"but this comment which is sincere, genuine and offered to someone for whom this could be greatly helpful has made me seriously reconsider. Kudos."

Which I really meant sincerely. It was actually meant to be a genuine compliment, but it is really hard to put that across without sounding sarcastic. Ah well.

Re: Started a stupid company. Failed.

#220

Post by movebits »

michaelochurch wrote: post #21

It's a really fucking shitty game for most of people who play. Ruined lives are pretty rare. (I'm doing well, a couple years later.) But most people get far less out of their time than they'd get in a conventional career. Even the "low-risk" option of the startup job is way too risky for what little upside remains (at equity slices around 0.05%). Regular companies mentor and, when they have to lay people off, provide…

Sustainable startup career... hopefully, it exists.
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