Reading this graf made this whole article worth it. This should be what motivates entrepreneurs today. Don't target billions of dollars. I really appreciate that the author was able to seek...
So instead of pretending to be some sort of product visionary, trying to build a billion-dollar company, I’m just focused on making Gumroad better and better for our existing creators. Because they are the ones that have kept us alive.
Reading this graf made this whole article worth it. This should be what motivates entrepreneurs today. Don't target billions of dollars. I really appreciate that the author was able to seek satisfaction by helping others—especially creators—rather than seeking insane growth.
I think a really key thing for people to recognize too is that this is how almost every other business in the world works. I was reading an interview with Jason Fried (the CEO of Basecamp) the...
I think a really key thing for people to recognize too is that this is how almost every other business in the world works. I was reading an interview with Jason Fried (the CEO of Basecamp) the other day, and it had this section in it about venture capital and growth that I thought was good (edited a bit for clarity):
But what’s another system? What’s the other system then? Just making ... something that makes money.
Well, yeah. First of all, like every other business on the whole fucking planet. The guy down there at the grocery store ...
The falafel guy.
Yeah, the falafel guy, he’s not going up to his friends going, “I’m gonna sell a fucking million falafel, I’m gonna lose a buck on each one, but I’m gonna sell a million of them and become huge.” And that’s not how it works. He’s like, “I’ve got bills to pay. I’ve gotta support my family and my kids, I’ve gotta make more money than I spend.”
Basic fundamental economics, every business on the street, every business in the world, except for a handful of outliers primarily in the tech world, with some biotechs as well, there’s other businesses that are high-flying risk-taking businesses. But here’s the thing that blows my mind about Silicon Valley: Silicon Valley is taking the highest-margin product you could ever have — which is software — and turn it into the lowest-margin, negative-margin business model ever. You’re taking the most profitable thing ever and you’re losing money. These companies are losing billions of dollars. What the fuck is going on? How is that possible?
What's interesting to me is that the pervasive opinion that I see amongst tech startups is: If the money is available and 'cheap', take it. Businesses don't all have to be unicorns. They can be...
What's interesting to me is that the pervasive opinion that I see amongst tech startups is: If the money is available and 'cheap', take it.
Businesses don't all have to be unicorns. They can be run by 1-50 people, and at the end of the day still contribute a great deal to society.
One of the most depressing things in my life was watching the development of Silicon Valley in the late 70s and early 80s start out as a psuedo-anarchist radical subculture that prioritized...
One of the most depressing things in my life was watching the development of Silicon Valley in the late 70s and early 80s start out as a psuedo-anarchist radical subculture that prioritized freedom of information, the love of the craft, and building things that would help all of mankind into the ultra-capitalist nightmare it is today. People used to wear flip flops to work and have super long beards because it was comfortable and they thought the rules were stupid. Now it's advertised as a job perk to convince kids to live at their stupid jobs. It's like Silicon Valley became everything they initially hated, then dialed it all up to 11.
HN discussion here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19105733 I think the author's message here will ring true with many who agree with Tildes' vision - perhaps it's better to create a...
I think the author's message here will ring true with many who agree with Tildes' vision - perhaps it's better to create a sustainable business that isn't beholden to VC than to try and become the next billion-dollar Silicon Valley goliath.
I love the philosophy expressed in this article: don't try to make a billion dollars, just find something that you like, which provides value to people, and focus on that. You don't have to make a...
I love the philosophy expressed in this article: don't try to make a billion dollars, just find something that you like, which provides value to people, and focus on that. You don't have to make a fortune to be a success.
I'm a musician, rather than an entrepreneur, but this article was a really valuable read for me. Setting my sights on fame and fortune in the music business is just as (if not more) unlikely to be...
I'm a musician, rather than an entrepreneur, but this article was a really valuable read for me. Setting my sights on fame and fortune in the music business is just as (if not more) unlikely to be achieved as success in Silicon Valley... A reminder to reframe my approach from "get rich and famous at all costs" to "play what you enjoy and make sure your fans are satisfied" is always welcome :)
Reading this graf made this whole article worth it. This should be what motivates entrepreneurs today. Don't target billions of dollars. I really appreciate that the author was able to seek satisfaction by helping others—especially creators—rather than seeking insane growth.
I think a really key thing for people to recognize too is that this is how almost every other business in the world works. I was reading an interview with Jason Fried (the CEO of Basecamp) the other day, and it had this section in it about venture capital and growth that I thought was good (edited a bit for clarity):
What's interesting to me is that the pervasive opinion that I see amongst tech startups is: If the money is available and 'cheap', take it.
Businesses don't all have to be unicorns. They can be run by 1-50 people, and at the end of the day still contribute a great deal to society.
One of the most depressing things in my life was watching the development of Silicon Valley in the late 70s and early 80s start out as a psuedo-anarchist radical subculture that prioritized freedom of information, the love of the craft, and building things that would help all of mankind into the ultra-capitalist nightmare it is today. People used to wear flip flops to work and have super long beards because it was comfortable and they thought the rules were stupid. Now it's advertised as a job perk to convince kids to live at their stupid jobs. It's like Silicon Valley became everything they initially hated, then dialed it all up to 11.
HN discussion here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19105733
I think the author's message here will ring true with many who agree with Tildes' vision - perhaps it's better to create a sustainable business that isn't beholden to VC than to try and become the next billion-dollar Silicon Valley goliath.
I love the philosophy expressed in this article: don't try to make a billion dollars, just find something that you like, which provides value to people, and focus on that. You don't have to make a fortune to be a success.
I'm a musician, rather than an entrepreneur, but this article was a really valuable read for me. Setting my sights on fame and fortune in the music business is just as (if not more) unlikely to be achieved as success in Silicon Valley... A reminder to reframe my approach from "get rich and famous at all costs" to "play what you enjoy and make sure your fans are satisfied" is always welcome :)