111–120 of 142 posts
"If you're smart enough to worry that you might not be smart enough to start a startup, you probably are"
I understood what the last line meant, although it may seem ambiguous to some. It could easily have been interpreted to mean that if you think you are stupid, that means you are probably correct that you are stupid, and shouldn't start a startup.
But what do I know, I'm no linguistics expert ;P
Not to nitpick or anything, but in the essay: "If you're smart enough to worry that you might not be smart enough to start a startup, you probably are" I understood what the last line meant, although it may seem ambiguous to some. It could easily have been interpreted to mean that if you think you are stupid, that means you are probably correct that you are stupid, and shouldn't start a startup. But what do I know, I…
The point is: Don't hesitate too much and learn to deal with your doubts (especially if you start a startup :o)).
The comparitively small number of valuable start-ups are doing good work by tackling problems that are difficult, and/or have a strong potential to separate a customer from the contents of his/her wallet. It is not that hard to separate the wheat from the chaff and identify start-ups with good ideas.
The biggest discouragement for starting a start-up is the notion that you'll bust your ass for a few years and create a great product, but end up skewered by IP patent trolls, aggressively predatory competitors with deep pockets, professional compensation claimants etc. etc. etc.
Incidentally, I wonder how attitudes to starting a start-up will change when the current western bubble of cheap credit finally pops?
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Well you can just start a startup that works on hard problems, instead of one which revolves around your ajax code rendering correctly on various browsers. You can solve a hard AI problem with a couple of good hacker friends, just as you could do that at Google. True that it'll probably take you more time than building another website around social networking.
I think that it's unrealistic to build a startup around an unsolved fundamentally hard problem. Can anyone think of a counter-example that succeeded? Typically, the problem is solved first, and then the startup is built to implement the solution. Solving hard problems depends too much on creativity and research. I'm not sure I could do that under the pressure associated with a startup. The Google environment doesn't…
Paul, Great article, I found it extremely helpful and encouraging. I did have one question though around point # 9. Family to support. When you started Viaweb, did you have a family? If not, what about when you founded Y Combinator? The reason I ask is that I feel that having a family is a huge motivator for success, not a detractor. Now it is extremely risky especially if you are the sole provider for the family, bu…
Not to nitpick or anything, but in the essay: "If you're smart enough to worry that you might not be smart enough to start a startup, you probably are" I understood what the last line meant, although it may seem ambiguous to some. It could easily have been interpreted to mean that if you think you are stupid, that means you are probably correct that you are stupid, and shouldn't start a startup. But what do I know, I…
Well it's not that hard... Normally smart people don't realize that they are smart because they have higher standards and often if they reached those they set them even higher. So from their perspective they normaly never reach their own standards. The problem is that smartness and self-confidence often seem to be diametrically opposed. The point is: Don't hesitate too much and learn to deal with your doubts (especia…
It is true -- sometimes I get that feeling that I beat my up unnecessarily for no real reason, and get miserable. Then, it takes someone else (like my mentor), to point to me all the things I did right, which makes me go "oh yeah ..", I'm not a that dumb after all. HEH.
But you know what, if there's one thing I've learned from my previous job -- working in a team where I am the smartest person on board, IS NOT APPEALING to me. I specifically told my current boss, during the interview, that I _don't_ want to be the smartest guy on the team.
So basically its an infinite loop:
1. don't want to be the smartest person on the team
2. play catch up
3. go to (1)
So in all that three steps, the standard I set for myself is always higher and I never appear to have "met" my standards. Just like you said.
LOL
:)
66% OF SMALL BUSINESS STARTUPS LAST 2 YEARS http://www.smallbiztrends.com/2005/07/business-failure-rates-highest-in.html
Hypothesis: "I'd rather work on hard AI problems at Google than create a startup and bitch about how Safari is not rendering my site properly." What do you think? I haven't tried either, but working on cool problems ought to be worth something. Most startup work seems rather mundane.
Well you can just start a startup that works on hard problems, instead of one which revolves around your ajax code rendering correctly on various browsers. You can solve a hard AI problem with a couple of good hacker friends, just as you could do that at Google. True that it'll probably take you more time than building another website around social networking.
Uses some pretty advanced algorithms for planning seating arrangements.
Of course, the real challenge with a consumer product is usability, that intersection b/t your cool product and the folks with the wallets. But, that's where the money is. (Money isn't everything, of course).
Hypothesis: "I'd rather work on hard AI problems at Google than create a startup and bitch about how Safari is not rendering my site properly." What do you think? I haven't tried either, but working on cool problems ought to be worth something. Most startup work seems rather mundane.
Other posters show an inability to engage in a sufficient level of abstraction. Original post is an interesting question that has nothing to do with AI, Google, or Safari. The point is that at a startup (especially the two guys and a laptop variety) you do absolutely everything yourself, while at a big company you are supported by IT, QA, custodial services, etc, etc. The interesting question is whether there exist j…
Money, freedom? I say risk.
There is less risk working in someone else`s company. If you take no risk then you will not have the potential to make more than in a startup. You also kiss your freedom away. Freedom. Thats a joke. For all those working for a company, tell me you really have the freedom to work, do what you want, when you want?
So if you want no risk, look forward to structured environments, other people telling you what to do and limit your ability to earn. Go work for the googles of the world [0].
Reference
[0] knowledge @ wharton, University of Pennsylvania, 'Perk Place: The Benefits Offered by Google and Others May Be Grand, but They're All Business'