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Watch a VC use my name to sell a con

jwz.org

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Re: Watch a VC use my name to sell a con

#31

Post by betterlabs »

I would love to hear PG's comment / viewpoint on this whole issue.

I have done 3 startups so far (1 VC funded, 2 bootstrapped) and I work very hard because I love it BUT I never ever work at the expense of the time with my kids and anyone saying you have to give up your life to find success in the startup world is just misleading in a big way. There are tons of examples of highly successful people across many industries who have made a fortune without giving up their lives. And its wise to look beyond such myths which are made to seem like the "norm" sometimes.

Re: Watch a VC use my name to sell a con

#32

Post by benatkin »

bl4k wrote: post #26

wait, does jwz really expect us to believe that he doesn't know who arrington is? I mean, the techcrunch conference afterparty two years ago was at his night club .. and I am pretty sure i saw both of them there.

He didn't imply that. What he did imply is that he underestimated Arrington's level of fame. Merely saying "this guy" doesn't imply not knowing who he is.

As far as the nightclub thing...it could have been just a transaction from jwz's perspective.

Re: Watch a VC use my name to sell a con

#33

Post by guelo »

brk wrote: post #13

I find that I really connect with about 1 in 4 of jwz's rants. It is a general rule that anytime there is someone above you in the hierarchy, they are going to make $2 for every $1.50 you make. Of COURSE the VC's will make more money than you. And the people who put the actual money into the funds should make even more than THEM. The startup world, and economy in general has changed dramatically from the last time jw…

> working 80 hour weeks grinding out a startup or 3 is still the most probable way of banking a decent retirement fund

Seems doubtful to me. Does anyone have statistics on how many non-founder VC funded engineers have made even $1 million off of equity? I'm going to guess it's less than 1:20,000 employees, a suckers bet. If you're willing to work hard you have a much better chance by starting your own boot-strapped non-pie-in-the-sky business that just sells something at a profit.

Re: Watch a VC use my name to sell a con

#34

Post by mahmud »

bl4k wrote: post #26

wait, does jwz really expect us to believe that he doesn't know who arrington is? I mean, the techcrunch conference afterparty two years ago was at his night club .. and I am pretty sure i saw both of them there.

In this instance, identification of the individual VC responsible for this specific instance of The Lie is not important. Leaving him unnamed helps us abstract out the pattern to its most condensed brown residue, so we can recognize it on our feet should walk at night in the park, or frequent certain scene sites.

Also, it's not that jwz doesn't know the dude, it's that jwz just doesn't give a fuck.

[Edit:

Just asked jwz, turns out he really doesn't know the guy.

  Increment jwz-man-crush
https://twitter.com/#!/jwz/status/141359337401626624 ]

Re: Watch a VC use my name to sell a con

#35

Post by ars »

rbreve wrote: post #24
rbreve wrote: post #21

the goggles they do nothing

The color theme make my eyes burn here is a readability link http://www.readability.com/articles/dirqhjff

So strange - I love the color scheme, so easy to read.

(The human eye is most sensitive, and has highest resolution in green.)

Re: Watch a VC use my name to sell a con

#36

Post by moonchrome »

Yeah VC's have it easy, it's all hookers and cocaine for them...

His advice about "do what you like" is true in general but doesn't really account for the fact that you choose to work for a startup and you choose to accept VC money, with all the ups and downs attached to it. If you can't stand the heat - get out of the kitchen.

Re: Watch a VC use my name to sell a con

#39

Post by guelo »

aspensmonster wrote: post #19

> What _is_ true is that for a VC's business model to work, it's necessary for _you_ to give up _your_ life in order for _him_ to become richer. Isn't this more or less the case for any profits-go-to-owners business model? Or rather, any business model where employees are viewed as calculated costs and not owners worthy of a commiserate portion of the profit? I've often wondered how a different ownership model would…

> Isn't this more or less the case for any profits-go-to-owners business model?

Almost every industry out there manages to make good profits without their employees having to give up their lives.

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