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Started a stupid company. Failed.

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Re: Started a stupid company. Failed.

#321

Post by Michael_Murray »

alex_c wrote: post #160
Michael_Murray wrote: post #101

I'm on my 5th company. The first 3 failed so miserably that there's not even a crater from where they imploded. The fourth had one of the founders usurp control and steal >$1M from the rest of the team and we were left exactly where you are - tapping 401Ks, taking our savings to $0 (and in some cases The 5th hit $10M in revenue in 3 years (completely bootstrapped). Everyone else has great advice here - I just wanted…

>The first 3 failed so miserably that there's not even a crater from where they imploded. Beautiful way to put it.

Thanks. I watched my partners struggle with wives and kids. Me, I only had a wife and cats... which made it easier in some ways, and harder in others....

Re: Started a stupid company. Failed.

#322

Post by ericd »

davidw wrote: post #260
sharkweek wrote: post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't personally know Zed outside of his internet persona -- and to me it seems like he's just a guy who doesn't put up with bullshit. I have never seen a time where he's an asshole to anyone who isn't shooting first. He puts his opinions out there and sometimes those cause flame wars so if you catch him in the middle of one those on Twitter then I can definitely see where people might think he's a jerk. His tweets…

> doesn't put up with bullshit Unless it's his own, like all the FUD he spread a number of years ago about Debian. Even beyond that, I guess I'm just not a fan of the "it's ok to swear and be harsh to people as long as you happen to be right" approach to life. Look at how kind and helpful someone like patio11 is, without all the vitriol.

Zed has to do Zed, just like Patrick does Patrick.

Re: Started a stupid company. Failed.

#323

Post by headgasket »

What that does not kill you makes you stronger. No product + Sales = company. Product + no Sales = No company.

It's only money, you have your health, your wife and 3 wonderful children, plus a beautiful promise underway. You can start the next one, loosing the stupid, with less than 100$ these days. A days worth of pay saved at the local burger shop. Pick the parts up and charge ahead. Just remember, no sales, no company. Dont buy the coolaid, fight hard for one thing: sales where sales = cost + profit. En-route entrepeneurs on HN should be following a SalesAndMarketingStarNews.yc.com aggregator if one existed. But if it existed it would most likely filed with BS...

Angel money or VC is not an enabler; it's profits that are. Profits attract all sorts of good things.

Good luck. If you are an true entrepeneur this will resonate. If it does not, get the best job you can get at moment's notice, and immediately start looking for the next one up the latter.

Cheers and good luck! And remember the one infinitely valuable thing you have: time.

Re: Started a stupid company. Failed.

#327

Post by mildtrepidation »

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.

My thoughts as well. It sucks that this failure happened -- failure does happen, and it sucks more the more people are affected by it -- but putting your kids in a position like this? Your spouse has the choice to support you, or to at least try to talk you out of either doing what you're doing or dumping all of your assets into it. Your kids don't have the understanding to know the difference or understand the situation.

Hindsight is 20/20, but people seem too often to forget that foresight can go a long way towards saving you from having to stare backwards at a disaster. Hopefully the OP learns from this and makes his future failures (because we all fail, and just doing it once would be an incredibly rare feat) more palatable to himself and his family.

Re: Started a stupid company. Failed.

#329

Post by throwawaykf »

zedshaw wrote: post #195
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.

Well, here we go again. You'll call me a cock, and then I'll rip you in half verbally, and then you'll forget that you called me a cock and go off telling everyone I'm such a big bad bullying meanie for all the horrible awful things I said to you, and then I'll be crushed by the general opinion all you highly influential meaningful people have about me that I'll... Wait, actually I don't give a fuck what you think. I…

Hmm, I didn't read his reply that way. Maybe you're just going off... half-cocked?

Re: Started a stupid company. Failed.

#330

Post by coofluence »

What do you do friend now? Pickup the pieces and look at a few positives from the last experiences. May be you made some contacts during the startup experience who could help you with next phase in life. Your family could be your priority and guide all your thoughts. That said, like a Greek heroic story do overcome the challenge and come out well. Good Luck.
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