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A Non-Techie Tries to Build a Tech Company

boss.blogs.nytimes.com

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Re: A Non-Techie Tries to Build a Tech Company

#41

Post by watwut »

"Our team performed brilliantly in the month leading up to our launch at the South by Southwest festival; they worked day and night. Now I look for major events that we can all work toward every three months."

Essentially, she is punishing success and hard work. I worked for a company similar in this aspect.

Employee got given tight high pressure deadline. When he made it, he was rewarded by another tight high pressure project. And so on until employee either did not made some or left.

The company had two types of employees: active newcomers and slow everyone else. It is not exactly the same dysfunction, but kind of similar. I think that she severely underestimates what this kind of treatment do with people.

Re: A Non-Techie Tries to Build a Tech Company

#42

Post by daRomansky »

jpwright wrote: post #22
michaelochurch wrote: post #13

She sounds horrible and I hope she fails. First, there's her focus on hours. Our team didn’t seem driven; they all finished work each day at 5:30. I remember watching “The Social Network” and admiring the passion and intelligence of the group of young engineers. My team didn’t look like that. She wasn't unhappy because of the bugs. She was unhappy because her team didn't look like a star team. (How many stars would p…

Is the seething rage really necessary?

Yes.

Re: A Non-Techie Tries to Build a Tech Company

#43

Post by swombat »

michaelochurch wrote: post #13

She sounds horrible and I hope she fails. First, there's her focus on hours. Our team didn’t seem driven; they all finished work each day at 5:30. I remember watching “The Social Network” and admiring the passion and intelligence of the group of young engineers. My team didn’t look like that. She wasn't unhappy because of the bugs. She was unhappy because her team didn't look like a star team. (How many stars would p…

> She sounds horrible and I hope she fails.

That's a horrible thing to say. I hope you withdraw it.

Re: A Non-Techie Tries to Build a Tech Company

#44

Post by goshx »

watwut wrote: post #41

"Our team performed brilliantly in the month leading up to our launch at the South by Southwest festival; they worked day and night. Now I look for major events that we can all work toward every three months." Essentially, she is punishing success and hard work. I worked for a company similar in this aspect. Employee got given tight high pressure deadline. When he made it, he was rewarded by another tight high pressu…

Came here to make the same comment. Bosses often believe that this move is motivational. Once in a while, for a good reason, everyone will try to accomplish the tasks and do more for the company. But doing this just for the sake of seeing everyone sweat, IMO, is asking to lose the team.

Re: A Non-Techie Tries to Build a Tech Company

#45

Post by pan69 »

mattm wrote: post #15
ironchef wrote: post #3

"I’ve also discovered that nothing is more motivating than a high profile, non-negotiable deadline." Sweet jesus no. If you don't understand what is required do NOT sign your team up for that. That's what causes death marches. Now if you had the team already analyze the opportunity and prototype "the hard parts" then by all means go for it :)

> Within a few months, we had a team of four. Development seemed slow and our live site was littered with bugs. Our team didn’t seem driven; they all finished work each day at 5:30. I remember watching “The Social Network” and admiring the passion and intelligence of the group of young engineers. My team didn’t look like that. I think the real lesson is she hired the wrong team. In all fairness, it's a tough thing to…

This is a great example of misaligned expectations. She seems to think that developers are just as passionate about her startup idea as she is, be they aren't, even though they might say it. For these developers is just another job. By simply paying people and giving then a "task" to perform you don't create an intrinsic involvement. This is why you need a technical co-founder.

By the way, the "posse.com" that's up there now is already a pivot from the original idea which was something with bands and music etc, can't remember.

Re: A Non-Techie Tries to Build a Tech Company

#46

Post by michaelochurch »

morgante wrote: post #20
michaelochurch wrote: post #13

She sounds horrible and I hope she fails. First, there's her focus on hours. Our team didn’t seem driven; they all finished work each day at 5:30. I remember watching “The Social Network” and admiring the passion and intelligence of the group of young engineers. My team didn’t look like that. She wasn't unhappy because of the bugs. She was unhappy because her team didn't look like a star team. (How many stars would p…

I agree, she does sound absolutely horrible. That being said, I think you're being slightly too harsh on business types in general. Yes, the vast majority are rejects who couldn't cut it in finance/consulting so ended up "doing startups." But there are also people who are in fact excellent but get sick of the soullessness of business. They can often even be leaving a role as a CEO-protege or private equity genius to…

Of course, as they are few and far between, it's pretty hard to find them.

Correct. I realize that I'm painting with a broad brush. There are good MBAs out there (I know some).

The problem is that quality business people are so incredibly rare in tech that you see a "49er" dynamic (4s thinking they're 9s, because of the disparity). Talent should trade at a premium to connections in any forward-thinking society, but unfortunately we live with the reverse of that.

Re: A Non-Techie Tries to Build a Tech Company

#47

Post by ytNumbers »

jpwright wrote: post #22
michaelochurch wrote: post #13

She sounds horrible and I hope she fails. First, there's her focus on hours. Our team didn’t seem driven; they all finished work each day at 5:30. I remember watching “The Social Network” and admiring the passion and intelligence of the group of young engineers. My team didn’t look like that. She wasn't unhappy because of the bugs. She was unhappy because her team didn't look like a star team. (How many stars would p…

Is the seething rage really necessary?

The core objection here seems to be that a dozen people have foolishly volunteered (or been manipulated) into a long series of death marches. It's painful to see so many young people exploited so severely. After enough years, it could lead to burnout, or perhaps, a life and death situation. Is there anything that fills you with rage?

Re: A Non-Techie Tries to Build a Tech Company

#48

Post by michaelochurch »

jonmrodriguez wrote: post #33
michaelochurch wrote: post #13

She sounds horrible and I hope she fails. First, there's her focus on hours. Our team didn’t seem driven; they all finished work each day at 5:30. I remember watching “The Social Network” and admiring the passion and intelligence of the group of young engineers. My team didn’t look like that. She wasn't unhappy because of the bugs. She was unhappy because her team didn't look like a star team. (How many stars would p…

> What. A. Fucking. Bitch. Although I agree with your general assessment of Campbell, I think you should change your wording here. It's not right (IMHO) to use gendered insults. That sounds sexist, I think. Much better to just say "What. A. Fucking. Asshole." and leave gender out of it.

I used the right word for her attitude. There are probably 10 usages of "bitch" and some are gendered and legitimately offense, while others are not. (I've called men "bitch" before.) This use of the word "bitch" means "mean-tempered person with unearned wealth or social standing". It's not gendered. You could use it on an ill-tempered male trustafarian and it would work.

Re: A Non-Techie Tries to Build a Tech Company

#49

Post by michaelochurch »

swombat wrote: post #43
michaelochurch wrote: post #13

She sounds horrible and I hope she fails. First, there's her focus on hours. Our team didn’t seem driven; they all finished work each day at 5:30. I remember watching “The Social Network” and admiring the passion and intelligence of the group of young engineers. My team didn’t look like that. She wasn't unhappy because of the bugs. She was unhappy because her team didn't look like a star team. (How many stars would p…

> She sounds horrible and I hope she fails. That's a horrible thing to say. I hope you withdraw it.

That's a horrible thing to say.

No it's not. She's taking up resources ($500,000 of seed capital, and a spot on the New York Times) that someone else could have.

People of substance, like me, are often out-competed in the race for resources (e.g. fundings) by douchebags like her of no merit, but with contacts. The more people like her fail, and preferably embarrassingly so, the sooner we can have a Flight to Substance.

Talent Vs. Legacy is our generation's defining war, and I'm on Team Talent. When well-connected silver spoon hacks fail for a lack of talent, it's a good thing for us. If they always succeeded no matter what, they wouldn't need talent at all, and we'd be starving in the streets getting pissed on by these legacy assholes.

Re: A Non-Techie Tries to Build a Tech Company

#50

Post by jpwright »

ytNumbers wrote: post #47
jpwright wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is the seething rage really necessary?

The core objection here seems to be that a dozen people have foolishly volunteered (or been manipulated) into a long series of death marches. It's painful to see so many young people exploited so severely. After enough years, it could lead to burnout, or perhaps, a life and death situation. Is there anything that fills you with rage?

You are talking about relatively well-paid engineers putting in extra hours to get ready for SXSW. I also disagree with parts of her management style, but nothing suggests that any of the employees were "severely exploited".
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