from Hacker News

You only compete with one thing

by FireBy2024 on 7/11/23, 2:04 AM with 19 comments

  • by abhayhegde on 7/11/23, 3:48 AM

    Beautifully written!

    The philosophy can be extended to life as well. Your focus should be on your problems and ambitions in life, not on anyone else's. You define happiness on your own measure, and nobody can take that away.

  • by ilrwbwrkhv on 7/11/23, 5:16 AM

    This is similar to a comment I made recently. Somehow the last decade of business media riled up by VC money has focused on disruption, us vs them, go big or go home, growth at all costs etc.

    I firmly feel this does not make for a healthier society.

  • by andrewstuart on 7/11/23, 10:23 AM

    Unless it’s a race to own a winner take all market position.

    In which case it’s worth spending the money in the short term to win in the long term.

    But 37 signals always likes to present a contrarian black and white “I’m right, they’re wrong” position, so we shall let them be right.

  • by GianFabien on 7/11/23, 5:19 AM

    The universal rule, for business and personal affairs: earn more than you spend.

    However, in business the general consensus is you need to spend money to make money. That is why you have starting capital. With oodles of VC funds, it is tempting to spend without keeping the ROI in mind. Accurately forecasting revenue and achieving it are an enduring challenge.

  • by isawczuk on 7/11/23, 7:43 AM

    It would be true if customer would be 100% loyal. Taxi businesses in my town have been profitable for years until uber-unprofitable companies decided to take their place. Put their logos in airports. now taxi businesses are dying. I have respect to 37signals and they are more successful than any of my endeavours, but in my opinion it's always about eating your own milking cow and building internally killers of your own product. Complete with your own product.

  • by ricklamers on 7/11/23, 8:47 AM

    Yeah tell this to the guys at MosaicML. Spend less than you earn is a fine strategy but it definitely isn’t the only road to Rome.