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Evernote CEO to entrepreneurs: "don't do it"

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Re: Evernote CEO to entrepreneurs: "don't do it"

#81

Post by niels_olson »

eli_gottlieb wrote: post #71
philaquilina wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you are thinking of "change the world" in the "topple bad governments, empower the meek, help make this world a utopia" type of way. Evernote is changing the world. If you make 30 million people's lives just a tad bit easier, then yes, you've changed the world. If you've caused other companies to take note and copy your business strategy/idea and THEY make people's lives easier, then yes you've changed the wo…

If you're in it to be rich, then you're in it for the wrong reasons. Bullshit! Altruism doesn't involve calculating how much equity to give employees while unsteadily watching your potential valuation numbers. If you're in it create an amazing product and be impactful on a stranger's life, then you're in it for the right reasons. That's called open-source, and you don't charge for it.

Actually, I think a lot of folks find that to have an impact, you often have to charge for it. Somebody's gotta keep the lights on, and there's a weird tic of human psychology where people associate cost with value. Many an entrepreneur has discovered you can't give it way, yet the more you charge, the more people buy.

Re: Evernote CEO to entrepreneurs: "don't do it"

#82

Post by mvkel »

I'm not sure what the point of this talk is. Are people supposed to walk away, saying "wow, that was inspiring!"

If you don't have anything good to say, don't say it at all.

Entrepreneurship is very much an individual sport in that there are no hard and fast rules. Take all advice with a grain of pepper.

Re: Evernote CEO to entrepreneurs: "don't do it"

#83

Post by mhartl »

reason wrote: post #33

People in this space live in a thickly-lined bubble if they think something like Evernote is changing the world. Wisdom is not suddenly bestowed upon you because your note-taking service was recently valued at $1+ billion. I have always had a really hard time heeding to the advice of rich people who tell you what all the right and wrong reasons to become an entrepreneur are, especially when they start preaching about…

Evernote is definitely changing the world. I use it almost every day, and my notes are automagically synced across all my devices. I get the impression that I am not alone.

The amount of good a company does is the number of people helped times the average good done per person. If your company is a medical clinic, the number of people is small, and the good per person is large. If your company is Evernote, the good per person is small, but the number of people is enormous. Don't underestimate the value of a company that improves each person's life just a little, but does it by the hundreds of millions.

Re: Evernote CEO to entrepreneurs: "don't do it"

#84

Post by amorphid »

niels_olson wrote: post #81
eli_gottlieb wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you're in it to be rich, then you're in it for the wrong reasons. Bullshit! Altruism doesn't involve calculating how much equity to give employees while unsteadily watching your potential valuation numbers. If you're in it create an amazing product and be impactful on a stranger's life, then you're in it for the right reasons. That's called open-source, and you don't charge for it.

Actually, I think a lot of folks find that to have an impact, you often have to charge for it. Somebody's gotta keep the lights on, and there's a weird tic of human psychology where people associate cost with value. Many an entrepreneur has discovered you can't give it way, yet the more you charge, the more people buy.

In 2009 I ran out of cash after what I'd describe as a stab at changing the world using a naive & altruistic approach. Now I make money, which is way better :)

Re: Evernote CEO to entrepreneurs: "don't do it"

#85

Post by jseliger »

mhartl wrote: post #83
reason wrote: post #33

People in this space live in a thickly-lined bubble if they think something like Evernote is changing the world. Wisdom is not suddenly bestowed upon you because your note-taking service was recently valued at $1+ billion. I have always had a really hard time heeding to the advice of rich people who tell you what all the right and wrong reasons to become an entrepreneur are, especially when they start preaching about…

Evernote is definitely changing the world. I use it almost every day, and my notes are automagically synced across all my devices. I get the impression that I am not alone. The amount of good a company does is the number of people helped times the average good done per person. If your company is a medical clinic, the number of people is small, and the good per person is large. If your company is Evernote, the good pe…

Can it be used in a way similar to the fashion Steven Berlin Johnson uses Devonthink Pro: http://www.stevenberlinjohnson.com/movabletype/archives/0002... ?

Re: Evernote CEO to entrepreneurs: "don't do it"

#86

Post by tedmiston »

jmcannon wrote: post #26
carguy1983 wrote: post #24

Ooh, me, me, pick me. Let me guess! Do it because you want to change the world ? It's a laughable, tired cliche now, especially coming from a guy who made the equivalent of a digital hipster moleskine who isn't changing a god damn thing about this world. People are still broke, sick, and starving. But I can take awesome notes on my MacBook Air! The better answer is "because it's interesting and fun and challenging an…

"because it's interesting and fun and challenging and sometimes disappointing and a fantastic learning experience and you might get rich or go broke while experiencing the full, unfiltered range of human emotions and potential" This is one of the best articulations of why I'm an entrepreneur that I've read. Thanks.

  See: thrill.

Re: Evernote CEO to entrepreneurs: "don't do it"

#88

Post by taligent »

mhartl wrote: post #83
reason wrote: post #33

People in this space live in a thickly-lined bubble if they think something like Evernote is changing the world. Wisdom is not suddenly bestowed upon you because your note-taking service was recently valued at $1+ billion. I have always had a really hard time heeding to the advice of rich people who tell you what all the right and wrong reasons to become an entrepreneur are, especially when they start preaching about…

Evernote is definitely changing the world. I use it almost every day, and my notes are automagically synced across all my devices. I get the impression that I am not alone. The amount of good a company does is the number of people helped times the average good done per person. If your company is a medical clinic, the number of people is small, and the good per person is large. If your company is Evernote, the good pe…

I am a paying Evernote customer. And let's be honest it doesn't in anyway offer something magical.

iCloud enabled apps (see how well Reminders works on Mountain Lion) are starting to show how well cloud services can work. And Microsoft won't be far behind.

Services like Evernote will be taken down by the onslaught of "automatically synced" apps that is coming. Many of which will be going right for Evernote's jugular.

Re: Evernote CEO to entrepreneurs: "don't do it"

#89

Post by taligent »

guelo wrote: post #28
carguy1983 wrote: post #24

Ooh, me, me, pick me. Let me guess! Do it because you want to change the world ? It's a laughable, tired cliche now, especially coming from a guy who made the equivalent of a digital hipster moleskine who isn't changing a god damn thing about this world. People are still broke, sick, and starving. But I can take awesome notes on my MacBook Air! The better answer is "because it's interesting and fun and challenging an…

Changing the world doesn't necessarily mean you're going to somehow rid the world of broke, sick, and starving people. But I agree, this guy is taking himself way too seriously. I guess he gave the world a new way of taking notes, but come on.

He didn't give the world a new way of taking notes. It's been done many, many times before.

He just made the best implementation of it.

Re: Evernote CEO to entrepreneurs: "don't do it"

#90

Post by eli_gottlieb »

niels_olson wrote: post #81
eli_gottlieb wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you're in it to be rich, then you're in it for the wrong reasons. Bullshit! Altruism doesn't involve calculating how much equity to give employees while unsteadily watching your potential valuation numbers. If you're in it create an amazing product and be impactful on a stranger's life, then you're in it for the right reasons. That's called open-source, and you don't charge for it.

Actually, I think a lot of folks find that to have an impact, you often have to charge for it. Somebody's gotta keep the lights on, and there's a weird tic of human psychology where people associate cost with value. Many an entrepreneur has discovered you can't give it way, yet the more you charge, the more people buy.

I'm not saying you can't do well by doing good. I'm just saying that people need to admit they are in business to succeed in business rather than for an altruistic cause. There's a whole sector of benefit-corps, cooperatives, and chartered social enterprises for altruistic causes.
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