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19 Year Old Flees America and Skips College to Bootstrap a Startup in Bosnia

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Re: 19 Year Old Flees America and Skips College to Bootstrap a Startup in Bosnia

#41

Post by [deleted] »

auctiontheory wrote: post #23
stevoski wrote: post #6

His name is Emil Hajric. A few years back, when Joel Spolsky's "Business of Software" discussion forum was at its peak, he used whois records to find the phone numbers of some of the most frequent contributors and to call us personally. I found this rather creepy.

"Creepy"? How can it be "creepy" to make a business-related call to people whose names were publicized in a business context? Creepy is showing up unannounced and unintroduced at the front door of an actor or actress you have a crush on. I understand that you may not like to be cold called, but it is not creepy - it's the way much of business is done.

[deleted]

Re: 19 Year Old Flees America and Skips College to Bootstrap a Startup in Bosnia

#42

Post by _delirium »

auctiontheory wrote: post #23
stevoski wrote: post #6

His name is Emil Hajric. A few years back, when Joel Spolsky's "Business of Software" discussion forum was at its peak, he used whois records to find the phone numbers of some of the most frequent contributors and to call us personally. I found this rather creepy.

"Creepy"? How can it be "creepy" to make a business-related call to people whose names were publicized in a business context? Creepy is showing up unannounced and unintroduced at the front door of an actor or actress you have a crush on. I understand that you may not like to be cold called, but it is not creepy - it's the way much of business is done.

Maybe this varies by area, but professional etiquette everywhere I've been is that you ask before taking an online conversation to the phone. If you're having a forum or email discussion with someone, it's not typical practice to look up their phone number and call them up. For example, I think it would be at least somewhat weird to call someone who posted a StackOverflow question or response, rather than responding to them on SO.

Re: 19 Year Old Flees America and Skips College to Bootstrap a Startup in Bosnia

#43

Post by joonix »

stevoski wrote: post #6

His name is Emil Hajric. A few years back, when Joel Spolsky's "Business of Software" discussion forum was at its peak, he used whois records to find the phone numbers of some of the most frequent contributors and to call us personally. I found this rather creepy.

What's the big deal? People send unsolicited emails/tweets to other HN posters all the time. I'd like to think we're past the point where intermingling the "real world" (phone) with the "internet world" is deemed "creepy."

Re: 19 Year Old Flees America and Skips College to Bootstrap a Startup in Bosnia

#44

Post by joonix »

hajrice wrote: post #7
stevoski wrote: post #6

His name is Emil Hajric. A few years back, when Joel Spolsky's "Business of Software" discussion forum was at its peak, he used whois records to find the phone numbers of some of the most frequent contributors and to call us personally. I found this rather creepy.

Hey Steve, I do remember those days...and I'm very sorry about the cold call. I figured it was worth at least a shot Really sorry if I creeped you out there. I'm just a 20 year old kid, that's trying the best he can.

Congrats on the success! I'm actually contemplating moving to another country (albeit a more expensive, but wealthier, country) to target an under-served market. I'd love to hear more about how you found small business clients and pitched them on a web service because I will have to do the same.

Re: 19 Year Old Flees America and Skips College to Bootstrap a Startup in Bosnia

#45

Post by alttab »

_delirium wrote: post #42
auctiontheory wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Creepy"? How can it be "creepy" to make a business-related call to people whose names were publicized in a business context? Creepy is showing up unannounced and unintroduced at the front door of an actor or actress you have a crush on. I understand that you may not like to be cold called, but it is not creepy - it's the way much of business is done.

Maybe this varies by area, but professional etiquette everywhere I've been is that you ask before taking an online conversation to the phone. If you're having a forum or email discussion with someone, it's not typical practice to look up their phone number and call them up. For example, I think it would be at least somewhat weird to call someone who posted a StackOverflow question or response, rather than responding…

Especially if you used WhoIs information to get their number.

Re: 19 Year Old Flees America and Skips College to Bootstrap a Startup in Bosnia

#46

Post by argonaut »

brightghost wrote: post #39
got2surf wrote: post #35

I completely get your point, and Emil is a great role model for all (not just young) entrepreneurs faced with failure. What I don't understand is all the animosity towards Nick D’Aloisio. What makes him not a "real" entrepreneur? Whatever the means, he still took a company from inception to acquisition, which fits any definition of entrepreneurship. There are lessons we can learn from Emil, and also lessons that we c…

Funny; all this time I thought the goal of entrepreneurship was to build a sustainable business.

That is one possible goal. That is not the goal for everyone.

Re: 19 Year Old Flees America and Skips College to Bootstrap a Startup in Bosnia

#47

Post by argonaut »

bitcartel wrote: post #33

The start-up scene is, in a way, kind of sad. The tech media and mainstream press routinely salivate over stories of 13... 15... 17... and 19 year old whiz kid entrepreneurs. Yet there was a time when teenagers and young adults wrote software and tinkered with hardware, sharing their creations with friends and peers, on a journey of computing discovery. There was a time when 'Demo Day' literally meant getting a group…

You're making the mistake of: start-up scene = media coverage.

If you thought the real world = media coverage, you'd think there would be murders and robberies and assaults happening all around you every hour.

Re: 19 Year Old Flees America and Skips College to Bootstrap a Startup in Bosnia

#48

Post by alttab »

brightghost wrote: post #39
got2surf wrote: post #35

I completely get your point, and Emil is a great role model for all (not just young) entrepreneurs faced with failure. What I don't understand is all the animosity towards Nick D’Aloisio. What makes him not a "real" entrepreneur? Whatever the means, he still took a company from inception to acquisition, which fits any definition of entrepreneurship. There are lessons we can learn from Emil, and also lessons that we c…

Funny; all this time I thought the goal of entrepreneurship was to build a sustainable business.

Sustainability is a waste of time when your only goal is to cash out as big as you can with as little investment as possible.

You are mixing up "entrepreneur" with "wanting to create lasting value." A lot of what I see on HN is not the latter.

Re: 19 Year Old Flees America and Skips College to Bootstrap a Startup in Bosnia

#50

Post by awad »

fatjokes wrote: post #3

> But, not all young entrepreneurs are like Nick D’Aloisio and Andrew Hsu. Some of these whipper snappers are the REAL deal. This sounds very insulting to Nick and Andrew. I don't see any evidence that they're anything but earnest entrepreneurs. In the case of Nick, he succeeded (the reason is debatable), and as for Andrew, he simply hasn't succeeded (yet), but it's no reason to say he isn't genuinely trying. Older i…

I can't speak for Nick but I find it ridiculous that Andrew is catching flak for not having had commercial success (yet) when he, at 20, is a PhD dropout with 3 B.S. degrees earned at 16. He's obviously trying and is in a ridiculously good place to succeed, thanks very much to his own hard work and intellect.
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