from Hacker News

Why Startups Suck

by pepeto on 2/29/08, 4:45 PM with 20 comments

• by jyu on 2/29/08, 6:31 PM

  Your blog post seems to focus on a dwelling feeling of hopelessness, uncertainty, financial insecurity, without a clear certainty of what to do next. With only a couple hundred bucks and a burn rate of $400 (or 3 months at the most), you're really playing against the odds. I mean, I'm sure there are a lot of people interested in getting $60,000 besides your group. On the bright side, you have a bunch of ideas, and seem to have a willingness to push your limits. These qualities don't go away quickly.

  Here's some sage advice I got from one of my mentors: "A good opportunity != a good opportunity for you." Also, it's ok to not start a start up right away. Without knowing all the facts of your circumstance, I would suggest focusing on making your long-term situation better by getting your finances in order, and getting indispensable skills/experience by working at some job (depending on what skills you want to get) and hoarding your money. Spend your nights and weekends figuring out how to spot good opportunities for you, getting a team together, mentors, etc. Six months to a year from now, you should have $10k-15k and be ready to rock. Then you can quit and pursue a good opportunity, reduce unnecessary stress, and increase chances of success.

• by Prrometheus on 2/29/08, 6:05 PM

  I love your music blog. The tracks are smartly chosen but it’s not MY music, so it has the new and exciting factor.

  Are you guys looking for seed money, by any chance? I’d love to hear your business plan, although I understand your reluctance at spreading it around too much.

• by ekanes on 2/29/08, 8:49 PM

  Hey pepeto,

  Taking a long term perspective, it can only go uphill from here. If you do take a job, try to get one that's either brain-work and pays well (build up reserves) OR physical and not brain-work (work on your startup ideas at night). My company was started while I was working a minimum wage job as a movie theatre usher.

  Try to stay physically active, that will help with depression.

  Remember, others want you to succeed!

• by coffeeaddicted on 2/29/08, 8:40 PM

  Man, I wish I could get down to $400 per month. But you don't even get a room in the town here for that. Even cheap apartments are at $600 and as I'm living in germany it's also rather hard to get around some insurances - so make that another $600. Some other costs like water, electricity and internet will make another 150$ and then add the normal living costs (about 450$). Ok, part of the reason is the currently low rate for $, but I don't think it would even be possible for me to get down to 400 € in any way.

• by ken on 2/29/08, 7:02 PM

  Yep. I've worked at big companies, and they never had "downs", and our products always launched (on time, even!), and nobody ever got fired.

• by webwright on 2/29/08, 6:19 PM

  "So funding is planned through winning the the Merrill Lynch competition and if we don’t win it (which I feel we have decent chances) I will be totally lost."

  Was this part a joke? I find it hard to believe that a back-of-a-napkin biz plan would have "win a contest" as the only bullet point under "financing".

• by daniel-cussen on 2/29/08, 9:30 PM

  He's going to make it big in a few years.

• by edw519 on 2/29/08, 5:39 PM

  To anyone struggling who thinks that $15 = 3 meals, I have one word:

  ramen