121–130 of 152 posts
I’m a big fan of the idea of an Office of the CTO group reporting directly to the CTO that helps with prototyping greenfield projects and exploring innovative ideas. I believe a group like this would be beneficial for larger organizations, like the one I work in. There are numerous opportunities for market disruption, but it becomes increasingly challenging to make bold bets as the company expands. If I had the power…
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The odd part of this journey to me was basically: 1. We aren’t going to sell. 2. Confiding with your spouse with clear concerns about current levels of stress and time commitment. 3. We can resolve a lot of the stress and sustainability problems by (among other things) raising another funding round!? I did a double take…isn’t that just inviting more stress, more pressure from investors, more expectation to grow and e…
Maybe we are wired differently, but as I wrote in the final part, I’m actually more motivated and see myself going much longer (which is what investors want, as long as there’s growth). It’s linked in the post, but a big part of the round was secondary, which helped reduce financial stress for founders and early employees.
Year ten, my partner turned around and stuck a knife in my back, and I found myself railroaded out and battered into submission by lawyers. Exited with token equity, and a small cash payment to get me to fuck off so they could gut the company.
Retrospectively, I should have quit while I was ahead, and I should have realised that while I cared about the company, it did not care about me.
Also, cofounders… you never find out who they actually are until one night you hear the click of the hammer of the gun against your head cocking.
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Because it's genuinely not about the money for them. It's hard to believe, but some people really do want to make the world better in their way, with whatever tools they have that their disposal.
Companies do not make the world better.
Unless you are already worth billions if an exit would net you 9 figures its a no-brainer to sell.
Is it? So you can what? Buy exotic vehicles? Buy extra houses? Buy surgeries? Buy expensive experiences? All you find is stuff, presented as super valuable, and people very very keen to sell it to you. They’ll do whatever you want. It attracts a certain kind of person. The people who have the means for this lifestyle seem mostly disappointed. It’s not the situation this guy has created for himself. His life has meani…
Did his life not have meaning before he started this company?
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I just don't understand the mentality of the author. 9 figures is generational wealth, potentially perpetually with good multi-generational money management plan. With that kind of money invested, you have beaten the game, and can literally do any side quest you want to do, forever. This is the biggest no-brainer ever. What the fuck are you waiting for? Similarly, I don't understand why the CxOs in my current (BigTec…
Because it's genuinely not about the money for them. It's hard to believe, but some people really do want to make the world better in their way, with whatever tools they have that their disposal.
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> It is like these people are hell bound to the work culture, diehard workaholics. They don't know anything else outside of a computer screen. This is a founder/CTO. You don't get to be a founder or C-level without making work a lot more of your life than just a 9-5. As much as people complain about the C-suite not doing anything and spending all their time golfing, they're basically on work mode 24/7. I've never wor…
Perhaps I'm just a naive young imbecile. Even with such a golden ticket ride to the heavens? You could do anything, focus on your family and build your little castle or depersonalize even, change countries, change your identity, make new connections, live a completely different life...
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The odd part of this journey to me was basically: 1. We aren’t going to sell. 2. Confiding with your spouse with clear concerns about current levels of stress and time commitment. 3. We can resolve a lot of the stress and sustainability problems by (among other things) raising another funding round!? I did a double take…isn’t that just inviting more stress, more pressure from investors, more expectation to grow and e…
raising the round is them selling part of the company. enough of the company that they no longer ever have to worry about money again. yeah that removes a lot of potential stress. the company can fail now and it won't ruin him. gives him more freedom to keep building.
This is the disconnect to me. This phrase has tech industry cult vibes to me.
I don’t see “freedom” and “building” as words that mesh together.
I see “building” as something I’m obligated to do to pay my bills. I do it because it’s preferable to other forms of labor. As soon as I have the financial means to stop doing it, I’m out.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
The odd part of this journey to me was basically: 1. We aren’t going to sell. 2. Confiding with your spouse with clear concerns about current levels of stress and time commitment. 3. We can resolve a lot of the stress and sustainability problems by (among other things) raising another funding round!? I did a double take…isn’t that just inviting more stress, more pressure from investors, more expectation to grow and e…
Maybe we are wired differently, but as I wrote in the final part, I’m actually more motivated and see myself going much longer (which is what investors want, as long as there’s growth). It’s linked in the post, but a big part of the round was secondary, which helped reduce financial stress for founders and early employees.
This motivation is like a strange curiosity to me. This pursuit of product is so foreign to me, and from the outside it doesn’t seem healthy. But I guess if the Klingon like going into glorious battles to the death better than chilling at home with their family, who am I to question their motivation?
I build stuff at work because it’s a financial obligation, because it’s better than cleaning bathrooms or waiting tables for a living. If I had some kind of better option for paying my bills with less labor involved I’d take it in a heartbeat.
I kind of want to be a CTO somewhere. So much bureaucratic stuff to become one though. You usually have to be someone's friend or start a company yourself.
How so? I think it's possible. Network, linkedin etc. And in startups it's not that bureaucratic in my experience. I think you can achieve that ;)
I’m a big fan of the idea of an Office of the CTO group reporting directly to the CTO that helps with prototyping greenfield projects and exploring innovative ideas. I believe a group like this would be beneficial for larger organizations, like the one I work in. There are numerous opportunities for market disruption, but it becomes increasingly challenging to make bold bets as the company expands. If I had the power…
Having a CTO pet group isn’t the best use of the CTOs time. If you want to have better architecture and explore greenfield projects, you need an organization that supports R&D through cross functional groups.
A CTO should NOT be doing greenfield projects. A CTO should be setting technical vision and strategy for the entire company.