Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

I'm out, baby

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

41–50 of 103 posts

Re: I'm out, baby

#41

Post by gabrielleydon »

huhtenberg wrote: post #36
ojbyrne wrote: post #8

Release early and iterate, stay hanging around here, don't be afraid of negative feedback. And don't give up!

> Release early Though never release half-baked cr@p. You have exactly one chance to make the initial splash, don't waste it.

"Though never release half-baked cr@p. You have exactly one chance to make the initial splash, don't waste it."

This is absolutely not true! Release ANYTHING. A half baked product will provide you with required flexibility youll need when the market tells you what you really should be making.

Re: I'm out, baby

#42

Post by palish »

rickawho wrote: post #40

Awesome. I'm 2 months into the same process. It is full of ups and downs but infinitely more rewarding than where I was. Except that I am still waiting to get my Dropbox account.

You now have one. Check your e-mail. :)

Also, welcome to Hacker News.

Re: I'm out, baby

#44

Post by pageman »

raffi wrote: post #33

When I left the military I had substantial savings to get a startup off the ground and finish a graduate degree. I decided to write software to help people write better. I always had issues with my own writing as was excited about an extended GNU Style / Diction that could curb my own bad habits. I created http://www.polishmywriting.com/ as a technical demonstration for my rule engine. I spent the month of June worki…

have you tried pasting pg's essays inside your system? :)

Re: I'm out, baby

#45

Post by ld50 »

quitting your day is foolish. income is income. you can always start your project on the side. now if you run low on cash you're going to have to waste time interviewing for jobs or begging for money. since you don't have a proof of concept, you're going to have a much harder time begging for money. at the least you should see if they'll let you stay on part-time (20 hrs/week or so), if not take you back full-time. get something working using your nights and weekends.

Re: I'm out, baby

#46

Post by johnyzee »

I did two and a half months of that two years ago. Rented a private office and had all day every day to work on my idea.

Today I don't even know how those months just disappeared, except that I got nothing substantial done at all. I do remember a few 'small distractions' from an earlier client that needed 'a little' work done. Then there was the sleeping in and the internet procrastination. Oh, it was also really lonely and weird.

My advice is to be acutely aware of your opportunity and cease every second like your life depended on it. Plan which things you need to get done, with priorities and estimates. Also, try to have someone else involved in the effort, if only a couple of hired gun programmers. That's how I am going to play it when the next time rolls around (real soon now).

Re: I'm out, baby

#47

Post by knarf »

Congratulations and good luck Shawn. I'm on the same journey but two months behind you. Yet the end of the tunnel is in sight :)

Re: I'm out, baby

#48

Post by staunch »

ld50 wrote: post #45

quitting your day is foolish. income is income. you can always start your project on the side. now if you run low on cash you're going to have to waste time interviewing for jobs or begging for money. since you don't have a proof of concept, you're going to have a much harder time begging for money. at the least you should see if they'll let you stay on part-time (20 hrs/week or so), if not take you back full-time. g…

I agree it's a good idea to get something going while still employed. I disagree it's "foolish" not to though. I think the #1 cause of failure for most startups is never taking a plunge at any point. I know too many people who have dreams that remain dreams for so long they're eventually forgotten. It can be really hard to do a good job on a side project if you're the kind of person who tends work really intensely on one thing at a time.

Better to take the risk (if you can) and have a real shot at success than always be waiting until "tomorrow". He's forcing himself to succeed or fail. People are capable of a lot when they don't have an easy out. How many successful companies were side projects? Maybe 5-10%? That's a damn low number if you realize how many people have side projects they wish they had the balls to turn into companies.

My big concern is that $15k just isn't that much cash. Unless you're living somewhere ridiculously cheap or rent free (parents) that's probably just a few months. Not enough to get the profitability for almost anyone. YC companies only work because they get 3-4 months free, can spend their own money after that, and have a really good shot at getting funding.

Hats off to you, Palish. Good luck.

Re: I'm out, baby

#49

Post by staunch »

johnyzee wrote: post #46

I did two and a half months of that two years ago. Rented a private office and had all day every day to work on my idea. Today I don't even know how those months just disappeared, except that I got nothing substantial done at all. I do remember a few 'small distractions' from an earlier client that needed 'a little' work done. Then there was the sleeping in and the internet procrastination. Oh, it was also really lon…

> Today I don't even know how those months just disappeared...

Could it be that you were a bit burned out? I know it used to take me about 2-3 months between contracts or jobs before I got relaxed and hungry enough to want to dive back into really hard work. A longer runway than 2.5 months is definitely a good idea if you're starting from ground zero.

Post reply on HN