41–50 of 99 posts
> For some reason start-ups are a magnet for people that suffer from depression. I posit: it's hard to hold a steady job while suffering from untreated depression. (Or ADD. Or social anxiety. Or any number of other things.) Between your (inevitably short) periods of employment, you tinker. Tinkering leads to projects, projects become startups, and--if you're good at what you do--before you know it, you're under a ton…
> For some reason start-ups are a magnet for people that suffer from depression. I posit: it's hard to hold a steady job while suffering from untreated depression. (Or ADD. Or social anxiety. Or any number of other things.) Between your (inevitably short) periods of employment, you tinker. Tinkering leads to projects, projects become startups, and--if you're good at what you do--before you know it, you're under a ton…
> For some reason start-ups are a magnet for people that suffer from depression. I posit: it's hard to hold a steady job while suffering from untreated depression. (Or ADD. Or social anxiety. Or any number of other things.) Between your (inevitably short) periods of employment, you tinker. Tinkering leads to projects, projects become startups, and--if you're good at what you do--before you know it, you're under a ton…
I feel like the writer is taking the sky is falling approach in the opposite direction. Startup failure is a badge of honor in the Bay. EVERYONE has had a failed startup. Those that go on to build great companies get knocked down, stand up, and go at it again.
How about some words of encouragement? "Even if you do fail, you are in GREAT company." or "There is always a next time." The idea that no one should ever take risk because of the fragility of their ego is ridiculous. Paralyzing someone's thoughts with fear of failure is just as debilitating.
I know a few people who have died in car accidents. I'm not shouting from the rooftops "Never drive on the highway again, its too dangerous! It might not work out!"
> For some reason start-ups are a magnet for people that suffer from depression. I posit: it's hard to hold a steady job while suffering from untreated depression. (Or ADD. Or social anxiety. Or any number of other things.) Between your (inevitably short) periods of employment, you tinker. Tinkering leads to projects, projects become startups, and--if you're good at what you do--before you know it, you're under a ton…
That's an excellent observation and I had not taken this into account. This may be one of the reasons why start-ups are so attractive to people with issues in some area, it affords them the freedom to write their own ticket.
The problem with that is that start-ups aren't really a solution for the problem, it will most likely just end up making things (much) worse. Treatment is.
Life-style level businesses might be a good choice, you get to write your own ticket and yet don't have to deal with extreme stress (normally speaking, of course even then this could happen, you can't rule it out, you probably can't rule it out in any situation but doing a sink-or-swim start-up pretty much guarantees it).
Earlier quoted context omitted.
> You don't start something because you want to. You start because you feel you have to. Seconded. Though i haven't done any new startups, except work at a small one. OTOH, as someone known to have been depressed, i would say he makes a good point. i could identify with that eiffel tower climbing as an attempt to cure the fear of failure analogy very well.
I'm extremely worried, I'm locked out of bigco (for the best), I don't want to be locked ou of startup land. The herd mentality is so strong in this part of work world that it might really be quick.
People seems to think that depression is a personality issue/characteristic, not an actual decease. Depression is a curable decease that sometimes can even be detected with blood and saliva tests. It requires medical attention and almost every case ends up in drug treatments.
If your doctor understands what a startup is and allows you to do it, I don't see why you shouldn't. You can't scape from depression by not doing a startup.
> For some reason start-ups are a magnet for people that suffer from depression. I posit: it's hard to hold a steady job while suffering from untreated depression. (Or ADD. Or social anxiety. Or any number of other things.) Between your (inevitably short) periods of employment, you tinker. Tinkering leads to projects, projects become startups, and--if you're good at what you do--before you know it, you're under a ton…
Telling somebody who is not your 0815 always positive standup startup posterboy/girl "dude, you better not do that, you'll just hurt yourself, listen to me." Is like saying: "Dude, you just can't try to find happyness, give up now, trust me, I've no clue what I'm advising you to do because I've got no clue what your problem is."
This is just about the most patronising, idiotic, misguided and damaging piece of bullshit I've ever had the misfortune to read. For some people, yes, a high pressure environment that risks failure will put some in harm's way. But if somebody is prone to suicidal thoughts, it's likely that simply living life will put them at risk. Rejection in love. Loss of income. The death of a family member. There's so much in lif…
> For some reason start-ups are a magnet for people that suffer from depression. I posit: it's hard to hold a steady job while suffering from untreated depression. (Or ADD. Or social anxiety. Or any number of other things.) Between your (inevitably short) periods of employment, you tinker. Tinkering leads to projects, projects become startups, and--if you're good at what you do--before you know it, you're under a ton…
> Frequently, a startup is their option of last resort--since the working world has already failed them. That's an excellent observation and I had not taken this into account. This may be one of the reasons why start-ups are so attractive to people with issues in some area, it affords them the freedom to write their own ticket. The problem with that is that start-ups aren't really a solution for the problem, it will…
Anyhow, stress/failure isn't the only contributing factor to a balanced mental life. Even somebody with a more varied emotional makeup can deal with stress and failure. There are a host of other factors that have to work as well, and sorry, holding a job for some people just doesn't deliver them.
= Prerequisites =
* You have proven technical skills
* You have minimum amount of social and business skills (if you don't have this, don't do startups anyway)
= What not to do =
* Do not attempt to start the next Facebook, Twitter etc. Start small. If you like your next company can be the next big thing, for now don't do it.
* Do not start something that needs huge investment. Stick with SaaS that doesn't require big operation.
= Step by Step =
1. Find the idea
2. Design the PoC
3. You'll need max 1 year to deliver the product yourself
4. Pitch it to people you know (if you can't find & convince at least 3-4 to invest one in total of one year salary ~$80K then do not do startups). Do give away up to 49% of the company. Do not care. So the valuation of your company will be about 2 x your annual burn rate. i.e. $80K x 2=$160K
5. Only accept investment from rich people who is OK to lose that investment. Try to avoid relatives. This is really really really important.
6. Nice, now you have 1 year care-free time, do your thing.
7. At the end of 1 year if it doesn't work, close your company go back to your office job. If you are afraid that you can't find a job, DO NOT start your own company, that means you don't met the prerequisites in this guide (not technically good enough).
Congratulations, you have just started and failed a risk free startup. You lost some time of your life but possibly you learned a lot.
If you like you can repeat this many times until actually make it a reality or to figure out that you don't have what it takes to do this.