Ask HN: Why do you want to start a startup?

#1

Post by rstrtupsthrwy » Sat, Jun 20, 2015, 7:41 AM UTC

I'm interning in a series-B San Francisco startup this summer, and probably more than half of the people I know - from multiple-exit CEOs to high school dropouts - are entrepreneurial in some way.

I'm vaguely interested myself in starting a startup, but I'm really wondering if I'm interested in it for the right reasons. Sure, for most people they usually fall into a very small set - getting rich, being famous, solving a niche problem, building the next big thing, making the world a better place - but I'm interested in everyone's story.

So... why do you want to start a startup?

Re: Ask HN: Why do you want to start a startup?

#2

Post by headshot » Sat, Jun 20, 2015, 9:04 AM UTC

Freedom! In your job you are always operating under restricted boundaries eg.timing, tech stack.

Re: Ask HN: Why do you want to start a startup?

#3

Post by paulbaumgart » Sat, Jun 20, 2015, 9:07 AM UTC

Because it's hard. And because building things is awesome.

Re: Ask HN: Why do you want to start a startup?

#4

Post by tomcam » Sat, Jun 20, 2015, 9:33 AM UTC

Because I had a specific vision of how I could make things better for a well-defined group of people and because I am driven to create stuff. If all you are is vaguely interested you probably aren't ready yet.

Re: Ask HN: Why do you want to start a startup?

#5

Post by anon3_ » Sat, Jun 20, 2015, 6:00 PM UTC

Because no values your time or sacrifice unless you control the frame.

Re: Ask HN: Why do you want to start a startup?

#6

Post by smartyshal » Sat, Jun 20, 2015, 6:13 PM UTC

We're creators and its about making difference in other's life than just your's.

Re: Ask HN: Why do you want to start a startup?

#7

Post by mangeletti » Sat, Jun 20, 2015, 9:19 PM UTC

Because skewness.

Skewness is what brings some toward riskier propositions, in hopes for a small chance of huge success. Those of us that start companies also don't like the middle of a probability distribution (i.e., predictable returns for a predictable amount of effort).

Re: Ask HN: Why do you want to start a startup?

#8

Post by andersthue » Sun, Jun 21, 2015, 7:50 AM UTC

Happiness!

I want to make people happier, that is my "why" and in every decision I make I investigate whether it makes me, an employee or a customer happier.

I dream of making every Maker and Manager out there a little bit happier and believe I have the tool in my TimeBlock method.

Re: Ask HN: Why do you want to start a startup?

#9

Post by tuyguntn » Sun, Jun 21, 2015, 11:58 AM UTC

"Taking a risk for getting richer by having a freedom for doing what you love".

(Freedom) Working for others could be fine if you are key person, because others will listen for you, otherwise you are treated just yet another (hard) worker. You don't have freedom, that's fine in business, they understand their business well.

(Rich) Zuckerberg, Page, Brin, Ellison, Gates, Jobs, Jack Ma, you name it, all of them are founders, sure some others can get richer by joining later, but you should work really really hard in order to be a key person in a well established Corp.

(Risk) You might lose lots of things, not just money and founders love to take a risk, they are driven by adrenaline :)

(Passion) You are going to do things what you love, because that would be yours. when you don't have motivation you don't care and you will work, because that's yours. when you are tired, you take little rest and you will work again, because its yours. In hard days, you will find a way, because that's yours. But when you are working for someone, you don't always feel this, you might quit anytime, but when that's yours you are not going to quit easily ;)