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What no one talks about when running and selling a business

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Re: What no one talks about when running and selling a business

#101
>The friends that I’ve maintained all along (and many of them are former employees) understand me.

The equation of "employees" with "friends" here is a red flag for narcissism. It's possible to have friendly relationships with employees but that relationship is still primarily about exchanging services for compensation. As a result, the employees will put up with a lot more nonsense than any person whose livelihood is not directly dependent on keeping their boss happy.

Re: What no one talks about when running and selling a business

#103
post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

ammmm, if your friendship requires constant hand holding then I would say it would better to lose them faster (early on) because they're not going to be around when you hit the hard times. My definition of a friend is someone you can rely on when things goes to shit eg... Being half way across the country and you've just been robbed and they drive 20 hours to pick you up. Now if they cannot even meet you half way acr…

> My definition of a friend is someone you can rely on when things goes to shit eg... Being half way across the country and you've just been robbed and they drive 20 hours to pick you up. Yes, that's one possible quality in a friend. Another is making time for _their_ shit as well and it doesn't sound like the author did very much of that. It's also nice to make time for friends without having to deal with either you…

Agree, _their_ shit may not be important to you but it's important to them that's where within reason you step in to help out where you can. Vanishing at the first sign of problem tells it wasn't really friendship but more college or associate.

Re: What no one talks about when running and selling a business

#104
post #62

His problems have nothing to do with the money... not sure why he correlates that. Sounds like he simply sucks at interpersonal skills ... E.g. "I feel like my opinion doesn't matter around him because I haven't made $1 mil" we'll if that's how you make people feel it's your fault... if they're simply insecure whiners it's your fault for keeping them in your life... Same thing with friends... Another area to improve…

> no person with style buys $300 jeans, they're basically a product targeted at insecure nouveau riche... just shop at H&M)

Hi, I understand what you are trying to say here, but please consider investigating the world of apparel a little more deeply before making comments like this. H&M and similar fast-fashion companies are deeply involved in practices like blatant, continued design piracy from both famous and small, independent designers; as well as unsafe and exploitative labour practices, including in third-world countries. In addition, the clothes these stores produce are not very high quality and tend to degrade quickly, making them only useful for staying up-to-date with trends pioneered by the designers fast fashion brands mimic.

Ethically designed and manufactured clothing that is of good value (ie lasts long) costs money to produce. $300 for a pair of jeans is very high, yes, but H&M is not the alternative I would recommend. I would also say that many people "with style" can easily and in fact viscerally tell the difference between a pair of H&M jeans and a higher-quality pair, and would not balk at paying that price for a piece of clothing, especially for a wardrobe staple like jeans. It is not a "nouveau riche" affectation as much as an appreciation for artistic vision, design, and craftsmanship. Of course personal income is a factor here and I'm not suggesting everyone should be paying that much for all the clothing they own.

If you're interested in learning more about these topics, I recommend reading publications like WWD, The Business of Fashion, or The Fashion Law (though I am not vouching for their reporting and editorial stances in all cases). Consumer awareness of the nature of fast fashion is the only way I see for the fashion industry to move forward from these issues.

Re: What no one talks about when running and selling a business

#105
post #88

I can't tell if this guy is a jerk or just pretending to be a jerk. But the tone is pitch perfect. Even the title is pure jerky clickbait. Here's a dude who talks about visioning as his main skill, is surprised when small groups of people don't want him to micromanage them, and falls deeper into solitude when he cannot discuss the problems of $400 boots with normal people. My heart bleeds. He should be transmuted int…

It's called "covert narcissism". Whereas overt narcissists openly admit it and are proud of it -- to the point where the most effective method of determining if someone is an overt narcissist is to ask them directly, "are you a narcissist?" [1] -- a covert narcissist is in outward denial -- it's the humble brag, deflecting, blaming, playing the victim. Both are a form of mental blindness that prevent you seeing things as they truly are -- as are fear and __envy__ [2]. The first paragraph is telling (it's all there):

The low-confidence cynic in me wants to tell you that a seven figure exit isn’t really that much. I have friends who have had eight figure exits, and I’m met multiple people who have had 10 figure exits. This is my experience as a guy who started a business with $10k in personal credit card debt and $200 in the bank, and accidentally ended up a millionaire.

Envy is a sneaky devil, buried deep inside -- hard to see in yourself, hard to identify (maybe even moreso when you have money) -- but it's often at the root of anxiety and low self-esteem. And when envy and pride play tug-of-war, they wreak havoc. Snapping out of it requires humility -- true self-reflection, deep introspection -- and the courage to acknowledge and take responsibility for your actions. Perspective is key, but it's the thing they lack.

[1] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/08/140805150645.h...

[2] https://outre-monde.com/2014/08/21/the-psychology-and-philos...

Re: What no one talks about when running and selling a business

#106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I understand how it can come out that way, but I didn't read it that way. He's genuinely trying to straddle the fine line between being honest about recognizing where he is and how he's perceived while simultaneously acknowledging his accomplishments. It's not easy to walk that line. I see the author coming from a humbled, almost despairing perspective. That _despite_ his accomplishments, which he lists for emphasis,…

It isn't that he isn't trying. It's that it's clear that despite trying, he still isn't seeing it. He talks about being a "pretty good" listener but, not catching the fact that people he respects and admires feel like he's constantly talking down to them. It's an easy trap to fall into and I imagine a hard one to get out of (not because I'm not an asshole but, because I'm not rich enough to say that I'm in his positi…

"Maybe he isn't this business savant and maverick. Maybe he just got lucky and the momentum of that took him over the line into success."

He spent 10 years (LinkedIn) for a 7 figure exit. So, he is neither a maverick nor just lucky, he was just a hard worker business owner. But, you are right. There is no magic here.

Re: What no one talks about when running and selling a business

#107
post #62

His problems have nothing to do with the money... not sure why he correlates that. Sounds like he simply sucks at interpersonal skills ... E.g. "I feel like my opinion doesn't matter around him because I haven't made $1 mil" we'll if that's how you make people feel it's your fault... if they're simply insecure whiners it's your fault for keeping them in your life... Same thing with friends... Another area to improve…

[deleted]

Re: What no one talks about when running and selling a business

#108
post #67

Oh please. Enough with the changing the world BS.

You can't be uncivil like this on Hacker News regardless of how much you disagree with someone. Please don't do it again.

We detached this comment from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13665623 and marked it off-topic.

Re: What no one talks about when running and selling a business

#109

Geeze...as I finished reading this essay I thought to myself "wow that was great, I'm glad he could share that...I wonder what the comments have to add" and the answer is...absolutely nothing. You're all a bitter bunch.

Maybe look again? The comments in this thread are mixed. Some are dismissive or defensive in their own right but others (quite a few actually) have thoughtful responses and several people have posted their own similar/contrasting experiences.

Re: What no one talks about when running and selling a business

#110
post #88

I can't tell if this guy is a jerk or just pretending to be a jerk. But the tone is pitch perfect. Even the title is pure jerky clickbait. Here's a dude who talks about visioning as his main skill, is surprised when small groups of people don't want him to micromanage them, and falls deeper into solitude when he cannot discuss the problems of $400 boots with normal people. My heart bleeds. He should be transmuted int…

To the defense of the boots, you don't need to be rich to value a good pair boots. Get yourself some Red Wings and they will last you a lifetime. I would go as far as to say those who go cheap on the boots will spend more money on replacements through the years than those who buy quality the first time.
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