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Started a stupid company. Failed.

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Re: Started a stupid company. Failed.

#371

Post by Domenic_S »

beagle3 wrote: post #222
bmelton wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Calculated risks, no matter how number of, or how precise the calculations, often still fail. The idea that all risk can be eliminated is a fallacy, as there is literally always a risk of failure unless you're already independently wealthy.

Even if you are independently wealthy, there's risk of failure: Health reasons, financial reasons beyond your control (e.g. currency hyperinflation; draconian tax measures as happened in Greece and Argentina and will likely happen in other places as well; Significant loss of finances to fraud, as in the Bernie Madoff case) It's never possible to eliminate all risk. However, there's a difference between taking a calcu…

> there's a difference between taking a calculated risk, and being reckless -- and reckless people more often than not believe they were taking a calculated risk. This is especially true of people with gambler personality.

Just quoting this because it deserves to be read twice.

Re: Started a stupid company. Failed.

#372

Post by jaxn »

BHSPitMonkey wrote: post #366
jaxn wrote: post #338

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a parent of 6, I call bullshit. I want my kids to take risks. I want them to challenge the status quo. I want them to think for themselves. I want them to appreciate the irrational. I don't care if they get an xbox for Christmas.

I'm pretty sure we're discussing taking risks that could move your kids into foster care because you're homeless, not the risk of not being able to afford an Xbox.

No we are not. It might be rough while the dad gets a job, but people don't go from startup founder to homeless.

Re: Started a stupid company. Failed.

#373

Post by jason_slack »

jason_slack wrote: post #136

I have failed on 5 different ventures. Now going to try a 6th. I am in the Bay Area. If we share a common grocery store. I'd be happy to send you a gift card for some groceries.

EDIT: Some of the ideas, for the curious, not in correct order

1. I thought that I could use Trolltech QT, when the green phone was coming out, to write apps, etc. The green phone never took off and was horrible to program with

2. I was writing backup software, OSX, successfully. Took on a partner for sales and he essentially killed everything. Sold the source code after a few years of it sitting idle for a few macBook's and misc hardware.

3. Started a 501c3 for storing information and could never get to writing the product with all the administration duties, compliance issues, etc.

4. Started an ISP back in 2003-2005 when I lived in a small town in NY. It was pretty successful. I broke even with all the bandwidth expenses, racks of hardware, etc. Eventually sold for very cheap when I just couldn't keep up with the company that had been in town for ever.

5. I bought a popular text editor and worked on it for years and just couldn't get it to where I wanted it. I always had more to do and just couldn't get versions out. I still have this code and consider getting back to it some day.

Re: Started a stupid company. Failed.

#374

Post by bonemachine »

But you're a good writer, obviously.

Hold on. Life has a way of bouncing back (especially when it comes to jobs and money). So you aren't CEO material; but who gives a fuck, really. Your family may be the only ones to see through the fog of our culture's toxic emphasis on performance and "winning" -- but they will stand by you, and they will pull you through this. And they are a million trillion times more valuable than the peer approvable of the crummy startup "culture" out there, and the promise of easy, outsized gains that it dangles in front of us.

Re: Started a stupid company. Failed.

#375

Post by JackFr »

tifareth wrote: post #303
zedshaw wrote: post #195

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

People like you - the genuinely transparent and fearless - are the only ones capable of sincere gestures. The scoundrels and cowards hate you because your honesty makes them self-conscious, so they'll fight you on grounds of "politeness". Thank you for your honesty. Whether you care or not, know that the people that value it -truly- do (unlike the cooze that reacted on you). Also, thank you for your amazing coding le…

> People like you - the genuinely transparent and fearless - are the only ones capable of sincere gestures.

Bullshit.

I assure you that I am very little like Zed -- apart from my fear and opaqueness, I also appreciate the mean as an excellent first-order summary statistic -- and yet I am very sincere in my belief that your response is pure vacuity.

Re: Started a stupid company. Failed.

#377

Post by mumbi »

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…

Damn dude, you're really nice. Props. Also, hope everything turns around for you, themanthatfell.

Re: Started a stupid company. Failed.

#378

Post by artwork »

selmnoo wrote: post #259
artwork wrote: post #193

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How does this change the original fact? Ad hominem.

I'm super confused right now. Are you two arguing on the fact that OP has 700+ karma? That's... because of this very submission , is that not obvious?

My comment only was that parent's account age should have nothing to do with the content of the comment.

Re: Started a stupid company. Failed.

#379

Post by xamdam »

I agree with Zed - find job and re-group. I have 3 kids myself and totally understand the insecurity you're feeling - I've been through a layoff. I don't know your jedi level, but starting a business takes smarts and guts lots of companies want. You will probably get a lot of help here already, but feel free to PM me on reddit http://www.reddit.com/user/xamdam/

Re: Started a stupid company. Failed.

#380

Post by BrainInAJar »

What's sad is that a large chunk of HN readers are going to see this and think "well my company isn't stupid, so I won't fail" when the reality of the situation is that most startups fail and are, in fact, stupid. Confirmation bias and sunk cost fallacy keep people doing it and slaving to make money for VC snakes
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